Death, taxes and unfounded DK Metcalf trade speculation are the only sure things in this life. No matter how hard you might try, there's no escaping any of them. That remains true for the Seattle Seahawks and their fans going into 2024, which will be Metcalf's sixth season in the league since he fell to Seattle at the end of the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.
Metcalf may not have reached his full potential yet, but his production is strong enough and consistent enough to bring out fanbases desperately wanting to trade for him every single offseason. Why the Seahawks would choose to trade their most-talented offensive player when he's still in his prime is a question nobody seems willing to answer, but that doesn't stop the rumor mill from churning.
The latest thirst for number 14 comes from Pittsburgh, where fans are hoping to add more punch to a wide receiver room that currently consists of George Pickens and not a whole lot else to get excited about. Apparently there is at least some smoke to this fire. According to Steelers insider Chris Halicke, the team has reached out to the Seahawks about Metcalf, but it's characterized as the usual exploratory chatter that all 32 teams engage in.
"Regarding Metcalf, the Steelers have previously reached out about a potential trade. But, the most that can be categorized right now is the exploratory manner in which Khan says that all 32 GMs are always in conversation with each other."
Anyway, if the Steelers really wanted Metcalf that badly, they should have drafted him instead of Devin Bush in Round 1 when they had the chance.
DK isn't the only wide receiver they have their eye on, though. According to Halicke, the front office is "convinced" that they will eventually land either Metcalf or Tyreek Hill from the Dolphins or Brandon Aiyuk from the 49ers. At the moment Aiyuk is the only one of those three who seems like he might get traded, and the Niners are the only team in that group who could actually lose their star receiver and not miss a beat. That makes landing Aiyuk Pittsburgh's best bet in this department.
If the Steelers are going to pull off a trade with the Seahawks it seems much more plausible that Tyler Lockett would be the one leaving. He has a better chemistry with Russell Wilson anyway and the Seahawks can save $17 million in cap space next year by dealing him. Otherwise, we can probably put this idea to rest as far as Seattle is concerned.
