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After a tumultuous first season in black and gold, it’s fair to wonder if the Steelers are having any second thoughts about the trade they made to acquire DK Metcalf last March. Pittsburgh sent a second-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for the receiver, who they immediately handed a 4-year 132 million dollar extension.
While Seattle went on to win the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh suffered another first-round exit, with Metcalf posting under 1,000 yards in his first season with the franchise. Pro Football Focus ranked NFL wide receivers entering 2026, with Metcalf coming in at number 26.
“In his first season with Pittsburgh, Metcalf led the Steelers with 850 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.,” Wasserman and Chadwick wrote. “His 1.83 yards per route run ranked among the top 30 qualified wide receivers despite posting a career-low 11.3-yard average depth of target because of Aaron Rodgers‘ conservative tendencies. The additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard should help alleviate some of the pressure on Metcalf to carry the Steelers’ passing game.”
This ranking of Metcalf seems to be the consensus on him entering his second season with Pittsburgh. Jarrett Bailey and I tackled where we believe Metcalf sits among NFL wide receivers just a few weeks ago. The Steelers wide receiver one is in a similar range in both of our rankings, as compared to the PFF list.
As the article mentioned, things are looking up for Metcalf in 2026. He will have another offseason with Aaron Rodgers under his belt, with some added weapons to the wide receiver room that should mean defenses won’t be able to key in on Metcalf as much as they were last year.
Mike McCarthy’s offense is also traditionally much more pass-heavy and sees multiple receivers on the field at a time. Things are looking up for Metcalf as the Steelers enter one of the most pivotal seasons in recent memory.
et us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
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