The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new — and noticeable — receiver in town. Having traded with Seattle for DK Metcalf on Sunday night, general manager Omar Khan shored up a position of need for his team.
Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema isn't a fan of the swap. Not for what it cost the Steelers.
"Unless the Steelers trade George Pickens for some sort of return — maybe like a third-rounder or something — I think this is crazy," Sikkema told Dalton Wasserman on Monday in a video posted to PFF's YouTube channel. "I think this is bad business by the Pittsburgh Steelers. They're getting a good receiver, but you traded a near top-50 pick for a wide receiver who has the same skillset as a receiver that you already have who is younger and currently on a rookie deal.
"You basically had this same receiver in every single way. … I don't really know how the DK Metcalf deal makes the Pittsburgh Steelers better."
Metcalf chalked up 992 receiving yards and a career-low five touchdown grabs on 66 receptions last season. The Steelers showered him with a five-year, $150 million deal, indicating that they believe he'll be their No. 1 wideout going forward.
Pickens was the bright spot in the sixth-worst passing attack in terms of yards last season. He paced Pittsburgh with 900 receiving yards last season and has been targeted over 100 times in the previous two. He's also due for a contract extension, and Khan indicated that the Steelers are interested in keeping him around.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens during a a game against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 21. 2024. –Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The Steelers could also recoup draft picks by trading Pickens. If he remains, he'll be one-half of an intriguing duo for whatever quarterback takes over. If nothing else, Metcalf's addition makes the Steelers' bunch of pass-catchers more respectable than last year's.
"It makes them better when you consider what their No. 2 options were last year, when you think about Mike Williams and Van Jefferson and all the other receivers that really just weren't doing much for them," Wasserman said.
More must-reads:
