The Pittsburgh Steelers made one of the biggest trades in franchise history this offseason, acquiring DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks for a 2025 second-round pick.
Along with trading for Metcalf, the Steelers gave the star wide receiver a four-year contract extension worth $132 million with $60 million guaranteed. The 27-year-old is contractual tied to Pittsburgh until 2030.
Though many have labeled Metcalf’s contract as an overpay, ESPN’s Dan Graziano is going against the grain and has dubbed the deal team-friendly for the Steelers.
Here is Graziano’s reasoning for his bold take on Metcalf’s extension:
This looks like a pretty sweet deal for Metcalf. But in the current galaxy of top wide receiver contracts, this one isn’t so bad for the team. The Steelers will pay the 27-year-old Metcalf $35 million this year — a $30 million signing bonus and a $5 million salary — and $25 million in 2026. After that, it’s completely up to them. His 2027 salary of $20 million never becomes guaranteed, against injury or otherwise.
This is really a two-year commitment, and both sides seem to know it. Given what top wideouts are making these days, how badly the Steelers needed one and Metcalf’s relatively young age, it’s a nice deal for Pittsburgh.
Metcalf is currently the fourth-highest-paid receiver in football, only behind CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase. However, the wide receiver market is always rising, so there’s a chance Metcalf isn’t even in the top five by next offseason.
Additionally, none of Metcalf’s salary after 2026 is guaranteed, meaning there isn’t much long-term risk with the contract. Pittsburgh can save $26.5 million by cutting him after June 1 in 2027, per Over the Cap.
Overall, Metcalf’s deal with Pittsburgh is much more team-friendly when looking at the logistics of the contract rather than just the total amount and average annual value.
