The Pittsburgh Steelers avoided a massive problem with trading for All-Pro wide receiver DK Metcalf in March. With trading a second-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks , the Steelers don't have to worry about the drama that's going on with second-round draft picks right now.
Thirty of the 32 second-round picks remain unsigned due to be a dispute over guaranteed money in the rookie contracts. Tre Harris if officially a holdout for the Los Angeles Chargers .
While rookie contracts for first-round picks have been fully guaranteed since 2022, second-round picks have traditionally not received full guarantees. There was a massive shakeup, however, as the first two second-round picks, Carson Schwesinger ( Cleveland Browns , pick 33) and Jayden Higgins ( Houston Texans , pick 34) had signed fully guaranteed contracts. Now the rest of the second-round picks are wanting the same kind of security in their deals.
The Steelers have signed all of their rookies. The rookies, along with the rest of the team, report to St. Vincent College for training camp on July 23.
After the blockbuster trade, Metcalf and the Steelers agreed to a five-year, $150 million deal. That is the richest deal in team history.
In June, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider provided in-depth details in a interview on why the Steelers were the trade partner for Metcalf. It came down to the Steelers being super aggressive. The Steelers brass really wanted Metcalf in the Black and Gold.
"Pittsburgh, Omar (Khan), those guys were really aggressive," Schneider said on the 3 & Out Podcast . "In regards to DK, we had a ton of conversations last offseason about his legacy and where he wanted to go. Once he met the new coaching staff, he was excited. And then this year, it just happened, and again, you can't change the way people think. As much as we love him and want to have him here when people want to leave, it's difficult to try to convince them to stay. Once we got back from the Combine, we had another real open talk. Then we told him we would concede to his wishes. No promises, but we'll see where it goes."
Metcalf's 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame was the biggest attraction to the Steelers.
"Size. He [DK Metcalf] did a press conference, right? Yeah. I mean, you saw him. He's a playmaker. I'm really enjoying getting to know him," Steelers general manager Omar Khan said at the NFL owners meetings in March. "I think you guys will too. He has a desire to win and be great, and I love that about him, and I am just excited about what he's going to bring to the club."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Avoided Big Problem with Trading for DK Metcalf
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