DK Metcalf nearly stayed in NFC before Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Wide Receiver

Carolina Panthers' head coach Dave Canales discussed on trading for DK Metcalf from the Seahawks before the Steelers made their move.

DK Metcalf nearly stayed in NFC before Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Wide Receiver

Dk Metcalf (Image via IMAGO)

DK Metcalf made his rumored move to the Pittsburgh Steelers after playing six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. But the Steelers weren’t the only NFL team poking around the Seahawks’ facility for a chance to snatch him for themselves.

The Seattle franchise needed to decide the 27-year-old’s future quickly. Only one year remained on his contract, shooting up his cap hit along with the salary demands. They went for Plan B and traded Metcalf to AFC North’s Steelers.

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It caught most by surprise. The Steelers were in the market for a receiver, but adding one with the caliber of DK wasn’t by the book because George Pickens slowly emerged as their WR1 in the last couple of years.

Mike Tomlin has all the experience to sort such scenarios out, but they wouldn’t be in the sticky situation if Metcalf went to a different team.

Kay Adams, the host of Up & Adams, was in Miami to cover the annual NFL owners’ meeting. Adams interviewed several general managers and head coaches. One of them was Dave Canales.

While discussing quarterback Bryce Young’s prospect as the franchise quarterback and the steps they took to fix the defense, the Carolina Panthers’ head coach spoke about having ‘interesting conversations’ with GM Dan Morgan about finding a long-term wide receiver partner for Young.

Canales and Morgan assessed several WR options, and among them was DK Metcalf.

Why didn’t the Carolina Panthers sign DK Metcalf?

Panthers aren’t in a spot to attract some of the best receivers in the NFL unless they agree to pay them lucrative contracts. Apart from that, top wideouts want to play for contenders and not for a team that has finished at the bottom of the NFC South three times in the last six seasons.

DK Metcalf nearly stayed in NFC before Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Wide Receiver
DK Metcalf (Image via IMAGO)

Despite discussing signing players like Metcalf, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, and Davante Adams, the Panthers brass opted to strengthen their weakest position—the defense.

The Panthers signed DT Tershawn Wharton, Bobby Brown, safety Tre’von Moehrig, edge rusher Patrick Jones II, and several others to make their defense strong. Jaycee Horn became the second-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. As for the receivers, they extended veteran Adam Thielen and TE Tommy Tremble’s contracts.

According to Over The Cap, the Carolina Panthers spent $180,210,000 on signing and re-signing players during the month of March.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks traded DK Metcalf to the Steelers for a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft along with a pick swap in the sixth and seventh rounds. Metcalf reportedly signed a four-year, $132 million deal that includes a $30 million signing bonus, $60 million guaranteed with an average annual salary of $33 million. Metcalf has a base salary of $5 million for the 2025 season and a signing bonus of $30 million while carrying a $11 million cap hit and a $60 million dead cap value.

Metcalf seen practicing with Aaron Rodgers

The 2x Pro Bowler chose the Steelers over the Panthers, even though they don’t have a starting quarterback at the moment. However, it won’t be long before Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan unveil their man under center.

I hopped on the phone with those three great gentlemen, they made me felt welcome, first off. And then secondly, they made me feel like they had the right decision with who was going to be throwing me the football. And I’m not deciding on the quarterback room, so I’m just going to do the best of my abilities to help whoever they have out there throwing the football, so they make the correct decisions to bring the quarterback in here. So I’m just going to roll with that.

DK Metcalf said during his Steelers’ introductory press conference

Currently leading the pack is 4x NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. The veteran entered free agency after the New York Jets released him following a 5-12 season. He’s very close to becoming the next face of the franchise. How close? Rodgers held a throwing session with DK Metcalf at UCLA over the weekend.

When reporters asked Khan if it was true or not, the Steelers GM tried to put up his best poker face.

I wasn’t there but that’s good if that did happen, I’d say that.

Omar Khan said via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor

It didn’t take long for video proof of the Rodgers-Metcalf throwing session to surface on social media.

These are exciting times for the Steelers, but Tomlin and Khan need to get a move on by ending this prolonged cat-and-mouse game before the draft in Green Bay. At least they have Mason Rudolph to turn to for the time being.

Metcalf’s last year with the Seahawks was a mixed bag. He played 15 games but started only 12, recording 66 receptions for 992 yards and 5 touchdowns.

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