The Pittsburgh Steelers enter their bye week riding high. They are on a stout four-game winning streak, have sole possession of first place in the AFC North, and they just beat down a trash-talking Browns team to exact some revenge for their Thursday night loss.
Amid all of these high spots is one obvious low spot though: DK Metcalf.
The freaky receiver was brought in to finally provide the Steelers with a true top receiver. Adding him gave the team the confidence to move on from George Pickens (a move that looks ugly in hindsight).
It wasn't a cheap deal. The Steelers shipped off a second-round pick and turned around and handed Metcalf a $33 million-per-year deal. Had he provided the big-play ability and dominance you need in a top receiver, the move would have been well worth it.
He hasn't, though. While we see the highs at times, his play has been grossly inconsistent. Worse yet, as the only top target, defenses have been able to key in on Metcalf, and he hasn't proven to be a great enough receiver to overcome that extra attention.
Through a season and a half it has become obvious: Metcalf isn't a true number one receiver.
The Pittsburgh Steelers failed to get their alpha receiver in DK Metcalf
While his overall time in Pittsburgh has been disappointing, it shouldn't come as a major shock. Metcalf was never a true top weapon in Seattle.
Sure, his stats were flashy. He posted three seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards and was voted to the Pro Bowl twice. His rare build and elite speed made him a potent weapon, especially in one-on-one battles.
However, he always had a viable option across from him. Early in his career, it was Tyler Lockett. The shifty receiver was a great yin to Metcalf's yang. As Lockett aged out and declined, Jaxon Smith-Njigba stepped up and outperformed Metcalf during his final season in Seattle.
That isn't to say Metcalf is a bad player, but he needs a 1B (or preferably 1A) to complement him. He hasn't had that with the Steelers.
Instead, the offense has tried to build its passing game with just Metcalf at the helm. Defenses have been able to turn their attention to Metcalf, which has hampered his ability to get open.
You can certainly argue that trading what you did and paying what you did for Metcalf was an overpay. But given his contract structure, you are stuck with the veteran for now.
Things can certainly turn around. Germie Bernard is coming into his own quickly and could relieve some of that pressure on Metcalf. The Steelers could also add another receiver before the trade deadline. The 2027 draft class is also full of receiver help, so the team could find another running mate for their out-of-place top receiver.
Through a year and a half, though, it has become crystal clear that Metcalf isn't a true number one receiver. He needs talent around him to get the best out of him, and the Steelers haven't provided him with that chance yet.
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