Editor’s note: From now until reporting day to training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2026 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with two players each day between June 13 and July 28. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.
WR DK METCALF
Experience/age: eighth season, 28
Contract status: $31 million cap hit in 2026, signed through 2029
The past: The Steelers acquired the two-time Pro Bowl receiver in a trade with the Seahawks in March 2025, about two months before they sent wideout George Pickens to Dallas. They signed Metcalf to a five-year, $150 million extension. In an offense that lacked an established second receiver, Metcalf was targeted 99 times (44 more targets than any other Steelers wideout). He converted his chances into 59 receptions, 850 yards and seven touchdowns (one rushing) while leading the team in receiving yards and receiving TDs. Pro Football Focus gave him a 74.8 rating for last season, which tied for 34th among wide receivers.
Metcalf also ran into controversy and legal trouble in December after a physical altercation with a spectator at Ford Field in Detroit. The incident led to an NFL-imposed suspension that forced Metcalf to sit out the final two regular season games. He avoided criminal charges but faced a $100 million civil lawsuit by the fan.
A former second-round pick, Metcalf posted three 1,000-yard receiving seasons with Seattle and made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and ’23. He has 7,174 career yards and 55 touchdowns on 496 catches.
2026 outlook: Two stats could sum up Metcalf’s usage last season: His yard-after-catch average (7.1 yac) tied for fifth best in the league but was neutralized by an average depth of target (11.3 yards) that ranked 53rd. He hauled in only six catches farther downfield than 20 yards, and 57% of his targets came within 9 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Aaron Rodgers had the lowest average depth of target (6.4 yards) among starting quarterbacks last year. That seems likely to change with coach Mike McCarthy running the offense and a stronger receiving corp around Metcalf. The Steelers added seventh-year pro Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade with the Colts and used a second-round draft pick on Alabama receiver Germie Bernard.
McCarthy’s Cowboys offenses produced a 1,000-yard receiver in each of his five years in Dallas. His 2021 team led the league in both points and yards.