Will DK Metcalf help Steelers finally win a playoff game?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been carried by their defense for what feels like eons, but that should change with DK Metcalf in the fold.

The Steelers sent a 2025 second-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for the two-time Pro Bowler on Sunday, via NFL Media. They also gave him a five-year, $150 million extension. He now joins George Pickens in Pittsburgh's wide receiver room, who has 174 catches for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons.

The Steelers ranked just 26th in the NFL with 3,607 receiving yards last season, which is partially why they finished 10-7 and got bounced in the AFC Wild Card despite ranking seventh in scoring defense. Pickens was their only vertical threat, as his 900 yards were 352 more than Calvin Austin III, their second-best wideout.

Meanwhile, Metcalf has three 1,000-yard seasons and had 992 with five touchdowns in 2024. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder will undoubtedly take pressure off Pickens, as they're a top receiving duo on paper.

Metcalf's rare blend of size, speed and physicality makes him a shoo-in to thrive in any offense, but especially when playing opposite another great receiver. The 27-year-old is also a plus run-blocker, as he ranked 47th out of 133 eligible wideouts with a 56.3 run-blocking grade, via PFF. He can stretch the field, move the chains in short and intermediate situations, and set the edge for tailbacks. Dealing with him and the speedy Pickens simultaneously will be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Add that to Pittsburgh's stacked defense, and it has its best chance of winning a playoff game since 2020 when it got upset 48-37 by the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round. The Steelers haven't been favored in the postseason since then, and their last win was an 18-16 slugfest vs. the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2016 divisional round. 

That's largely because of a mediocre passing attack since future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022. Kenny Pickett ranked 20th with a 53.6 quarterback rating in 2022 and 27th with a 38.9 mark in '23, while Russell Wilson was 22nd with a 51.3 QBR in '24. The team only produced one 1,000-yard receiver over that span, which was Pickens with 1,140 yards in 2023.

Now, Pittsburgh must figure out its quarterback situation. Justin Fields, who had a 50.8 QBR across 10 appearances in Wilson's stead last season, signed with the New York Jets. Aaron Rodgers, who was a Jet the last two seasons, is currently in talks with the Steelers, via The Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette's Gerry Dulac. However, Wilson could return to the team if it can't agree to terms with the four-time MVP. 

It's unclear if Rodgers would be an upgrade to Wilson, as he was 25th with a 48 QBR last season. However, the 41-year-old finished eighth with 3,897 passing yards and tied for seventh with 28 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, so he could thrive with Pickens and Metcalf.

Regardless, the latter player will produce even if the signal-caller is mediocre, as he proved last season when Geno Smith finished 24th with a 53.8 QBR. He also played with Wilson in Seattle from 2019-21, so they'd be familiar with each other if the once-great quarterback returns.

The bottom line is that the Steelers have a fearsome wide receiver duo for the first time since Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster in 2018, which should help the team finally elevate.