The Pittsburgh Steelers made a splash this offseason, reshuffling their wide receiver room in dramatic fashion. D.K. Metcalf is now in black and gold after a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks, a move that sent George Pickens to Dallas and opened the door for Metcalf to become WR1 in Pittsburgh.
But not everyone is sold on Metcalf’s value.
Bryan Walters Believes Seattle Got Better Without Metcalf
Former Seahawks wide receiver Bryan Walters didn’t hold back when asked about Seattle’s wide receiver overhaul. Appearing on “Brock and Salk,” Walters said the Seahawks are in a better place post-Metcalf, even calling the Pro Bowler “slightly overrated.”
“I’ve been very vocal about kind of my thoughts on DK as a wide receiver… and you know, maybe I’ll be a little nice, I guess, but slightly overrated,” Walters said.
“I think he’s gonna do well in Pittsburgh, but at the same time, I just think that they really revamped this wide receiver room to fit that [Klint] Kubiak scheme and a lot of guys that are better route runners.”
“They’re such technicians and they’re so smart at what they do.”
Former #Seahawks WR @bwalt19 shares his thoughts on the 2025 wide receiver room w/ @BrockHuard & @TheMikeSalk.
FULL VIDEO 📺: https://t.co/L58YDZbzGO pic.twitter.com/mvCa1GVqqK
— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) May 22, 2025
Walters, who played for Seattle from 2012 to 2014, never shared a locker room with Metcalf, but still felt strongly about the direction of the current WR room, especially with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp now set to lead the way in Seattle.
Pittsburgh Isn’t Concerned With the Criticism
Despite Walters’ remarks, the Steelers clearly see Metcalf differently. They didn’t just trade for him; they committed to him.
Metcalf signed a four-year, $132 million contract after the deal, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in team history. That new deal places him among the top four at his position leaguewide in both total value and average annual salary.
The 27-year-old leaves Seattle with 6,324 receiving yards and 48 touchdowns across six seasons, numbers that rank him 12th and fifth, respectively, among all NFL receivers since 2019. And while the Seahawks may believe their offense is better off, Pittsburgh has handed Metcalf the keys to its passing attack.
What Comes Next for the Steelers’ New WR1?
Metcalf’s early success in Seattle was closely tied to Russell Wilson’s deep ball, which helped unlock him as a vertical threat. But with uncertainty still looming around who will be throwing passes in Pittsburgh this fall, there’s a major question that needs answering: Can Metcalf thrive without elite quarterback play?
The Steelers are betting on it. After moving on from Pickens and handing Metcalf a record-setting contract, Pittsburgh is all-in on the two-time Pro Bowler, overrated or not.