Steelers Are Beneficiary Of Odd NFL Trend In 2025 Offseason Thanks To DK Metcalf

When the 2025 offseason got underway after Super Bowl LIX, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed help at the quarterback and wide receivers positions. After what seemed like forever, Aaron Rodgers made the decision to commit to the organization for one year. Many are excited to see how he builds rapport with DK Metcalf, who the franchise traded for just prior to the start of the new league year. The duo could be a formidable one, but the fan base was a little bit upset that a second-round selection was given up by General Manager Omar Khan in the deal with the Seattle Seahawks.

The Steelers still have some needs on the offensive end, specifically after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, but the unit as a whole has a chance to make some noise in 2025. The locker room seems to be in a good place, and the only true negative distraction currently is TJ Watt's continued absence as he awaits another lucrative contract extension.

As fans have witnessed, rookie contracts can be tricky as well, and the Cincinnati Bengals are currently having a huge problem with first-round selection, Shemar Stewart. Any kind of distraction is a bad one in the NFL, and right now, nearly every organization has rookie deal stress, but not from first-rounders. It is the second-round picks that are causing trouble contractually, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted recently.

"As of [June 11th], 217 of the selections had signed their four-year rookie deals. Of the 40 unsigned players, 30 were taken in round two," Florio wrote. The problem there comes from the fact that the first two players taken in the round receive fully-guaranteed contracts — an unprecedented development. It remains to be seen how deep into the round the full guarantees will go, which has kept any of the remaining second-rounders from signing."

Thankfully, for the Steelers, their second-round pick signed a five-year deal worth about $150 million. Metcalf has brought a lot of optimism to the Steel City and while those second-round selections will eventually put pen to paper, it's nice to not have any of that going on in Pittsburgh while the front office tries to focus on Watt and his extension.

This also benefits the Steelers because, as Florio noted, the odd situation will play out soon and Pittsburgh can learn from it for 2026. The Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans gave their respective second-round picks (selections 33 and 34) fully-guaranteed deals. This has caused plenty of issues and led to other teams having to negotiate more than normal with their own players that were taken in round two.

It might be a small issue right now, but it is unprecedented. Representatives for the other 30 individuals are probably causing headaches for front offices across the NFL. This is something that the Steelers do not have to deal with, which is a random added bonus that wasn't expected once the trade was made for Metcalf. Overall, there are other teams that did not have a second-round pick, and they are all breathing a sigh of relief not having to deal with this unexpected development.

This could end up becoming the norm in future years, which is why it is nice for Khan to sit on the sidelines and watch how everything plays out. A precedent will be set, and Pittsburgh will know how to proceed in 2026 and beyond.

Steelers Happy To Have Metcalf As 2025 Second-Round Selection

In essence, Pittsburgh's second-rounder from the 2025 NFL Draft is Metcalf. No one is going to complain about that, especially because he is locked under contract for half a decade. The hope is that he can be just as dynamic as he was in Seattle, leading to a more threatening offensive unit. It's a nice bonus that the team does not have to worry about stubborn agents and players wanting fully guaranteed contracts despite being second-rounders.

Do you think that teams are frustrated as they negotiate with selections from the second round? Let us know in the comments below!

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