The NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are seemingly still waiting on Aaron Rodgers’ decision for the 2025 season. Former quarterback Matt Hasselbeck speculated on when Rodgers could join the team, based on the Steelers’ offseason schedule.

“I just mentioned the three phases for a veteran quarterback,” Matt Hasselbeck said to Colin Cowherd on Monday. “Phase One feels like a waste of your time. Like, it’s just lifting… There’s no football there. Anyway, Phase Two, again, you’re throwing to guys on air, not that important. Phase Three I think is really important. So for the Pittsburgh Steelers, I believe that’s May 27th. May 27th is the start of Phase Three.”

Hasselbeck indicates that if Rodgers misses time starting on May 27, he would be missing important portions of the Steelers’ offseason. Rodgers is a veteran and likely is able to pick up an offense as well as anyone, but that still takes time. If Hasselbeck is right, it could be important for Rodgers to be signed by the Steelers by May 27 to be on the same page with everyone else in the offense.

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Obviously, it is not a given that Rodgers joins the Steelers until he actually signs. However, it does seem like if he does end up playing in the NFL in 2025, the Steelers are the most likely team. The Minnesota Vikings have made it known that they are going with JJ McCarthy for 2025, and the New York Giants signed Russell Wilson for the upcoming season. At the moment, the two logical options for Rodgers are the Steelers and retirement.

The Steelers did add Will Howard during the draft, but that was late, and he is much more of a developmental quarterback. Maybe he could become a capable starter at best, but more likely a back-up.

In the meantime, the Steelers wait for Rodgers’ decision as they carry out their offseason program.

DK Metcalf wanted to play elsewhere. He got his wish.

On Sunday, the eve of NFL free agency, multiple reports said the former Seattle Seahawks wideout was dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a second-round pick in this year’s draft.

The NFL Network reported the deal was for five years and $150 million.

Metcalf requested a trade Wednesday after spending the first six seasons of his pro career in Seattle, the team that drafted him in the second round (64th overall) in the 2019 draft.

The two-time Pro Bowl receiver joins a Steelers receiving corps that, outside of George Pickens, lacks a true No. 1 target. Who will be throwing him the ball next season remains a question, as Pittsburgh could bring back Russell Wilson (or backup Justin Fields) for the starter role. Wilson and Metcalf overlapped for three seasons in Seattle.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider told a local radio station “we are talking to a ton of teams, taking offers, seeing what that looks like” in the aftermath of Metcalf’s request.

According to Spotrac, Metcalf had one year worth $18 million on his current contract. NFL Network reported the Steelers are giving him a four-year, $132 million extension ($33 million per year) that puts him under contract with his new team through 2029.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DK Metcalf trade sends ex-Seahawks WR to Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Linked to 3-Time Pro Bowl Receiver originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a transition period at wide receiver after moving on from troubled veteran George Pickens and acquiring two-time Pro Bowler D.K. Metcalf via trade from the Seattle Seahawks.

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But the receiver room is thin since Pickens left, with not a lot of experience, and the Steelers could use some veteran presence to play alongside Metcalf.

CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin thinks there’s an option for Pittsburgh in former Super Bowl champion and three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr.

“The Steelers have DK Metcalf as a legitimate No. 1 wideout for Rodgers, but all indications are they’re still exploring additional weaponry after dealing George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys,” Benjamin wrote. “Beckham may not be the standout he once was, but he’s also been on Rodgers’ radar for years; the Green Bay Packers reportedly tried to land Beckham to pair with A-Rod during the 2021 season, and Rodgers admitted later that he had interest in Beckham following him to the Jets ahead of the 2022 campaign.

“On a one-year deal, why not make the dream pairing happen now?”

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OBJ’s most successful years are clearly behind him as he’s approaching 33 years old. His three Pro Bowls came in his first three seasons in the league with the Giants in 2014-16, and he hasn’t been back since.

He missed all of 2022 after tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl while playing with the Rams after the 2021 season.

Beckham’s last somewhat productive season was 2023 with the Ravens when he caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Last year, he appeared in nine games for the Dolphins and caught just nine passes for 55 yards.

If the former LSU Tiger has anything left, he could be of use to the Steelers if they’re willing to take a flyer on him, but that remains to be seen.

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Related: Ex Steelers Rival Reveals Honest Take on George Pickens Skipping Out on Youth Camp

Related: Steelers’ New Addition Drew Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.

The Dallas Cowboys may have turned their offseason around in a single move, pulling off a blockbuster trade for controversial Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens and sending a jolt through the entire franchise.

FOX Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported the terms of the deal were the Cowboys received Pickens in exchange for a 2026 third round pick to the Steelers and a Day 3 pick swap between the teams.

“Comp update: It’s a 3rd-round pick back to the #Steelers and Day 3 pick swap with the #Cowboys in exchange for George Pickens, per sources,” Schultz wrote on his official X account on May 7.

The Cowboys can now pair Pickens with superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, a 3-time NFL All-Pro who signed a 4-year, $136 million contract extension in August 2024, creating one of the NFL’s premiere wide receiver duos before they ever even play in a game together.

Lamb hasn’t played with another 1,000-yard wide receiver since spending his first 2 seasons with Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Cleveland Browns in March 2022.

“If Dallas is going to return to the playoffs and start the Brian Schottenheimer era off by seriously contending, the team must shore up the receiving corps as soon as possible,” Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay wrote on May 6. “With every marquee free agent already under contract, a deal for Pickens is the best way to accomplish this goal.” No Talk of Extension for Pickens Just Yet Spotrac projects Pickens’ next contract to be in the range of a 4-year, $101.1 million contract and he’s in the final year of the 4-year, $6.75 million contract he signed after he was drafted in the second round (No. 57 overall) of the 2022 NFL draft and is due $3.65 million in 2026.

It’s not clear if the Cowboys are ready to make the move for a long-term investment in Pickens, who has just one 1,000-yard receiving season through his first 3 seasons, when he had 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2023 and led the NFL with 18.1 yards per catch. He’s also yet to make an NFL All-Pro Team or be selected to a Pro Bowl.

By comparison, Lamb was a 2-time Pro Bowler and earned the first of 3 NFL All-Pro selections through his first 3 seasons, including 2 1,000-yard receiving seasons and had 19 touchdowns compared to just 12 touchdowns for Pickens.

Steelers Made Clear Move Away From Pickens

The writing was on the wall for Pickens in Pittsburgh after the Steelers traded for Seattle Seahawks star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf on March 9 and signed him to a 4-year, $132 million contract extension the same day.

That’s an understandable move — Pickens has been a nightmare more for the Steelers instead of for other teams during his 3 seasons.

In 3 seasons, Pickens has been fined a staggering 10 times by the NFL for a variety of offenses. That includes 3 times for taunting, once for making an obscene gesture and once when he wrote “OPEN (EXPLETIVE) ALWAYS” on his eye black tape against the Cowboys in 2024.

It’s behavior that has prompted Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin to publicly tell Pickens he needed to “Grow Up” late in the 2024 season.

Pickens somehow made things worse after that when he showed up over 30 minutes late to the stadium before the Steelers’ Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Each week during the regular season and occasionally during the offseason, our AFC North writers gather for a roundtable discussion on trending topics, the best players and the biggest factors in determining which teams come out on top in this division. After a few months’ hiatus, we’re back with a pre-draft and post-free agency edition.

It’s been a while, so let’s look back before we look ahead. There’s been a lot of player movement and change since we last spoke. Grade your team’s decision-makers on the offseasons they’ve engineered so far.

Jeff Zrebiec (Ravens): This has been a pretty routine offseason for Eric DeCosta and company. The Ravens kept the free agents they prioritized (Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Ricard), filled a few holes with outside free agents (DeAndre Hopkins, Chidobe Awuzie) and mostly maintained what’s been one of the better rosters in the NFL. Re-signing Stanley at a sensible rate just before he was set to hit the open market, where tackle-needy teams were waiting with blank checks, was a big win for Baltimore.

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DeCosta still has work to do. Extensions with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry would be especially timely. But based on the current body of offseason work and the very modest expectations going in because of the team’s tight cap situation, I’d give the Ravens a B grade.

Mike DeFabo (Steelers): Just before the floodgates opened on free agency, Steelers general manager Omar Khan made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason when he traded for Pro Bowl receiver DK Metcalf and then handed him a handsome new contract extension. A Steelers team that will lead the league in defensive spending for the fourth consecutive year looked like it was finally putting the same effort into the offense. Pittsburgh also filled a key hole in the secondary by signing veteran corner Darius Slay.

However, the ongoing Aaron Rodgers saga has made it hard to praise anything the Steelers’ decision-makers have done. They have failed repeatedly to find a long-term solution at the most important position in football. The ongoing indecision is an apt metaphor for how Pittsburgh has continued to spin its wheels.

In the last two years, the Steelers have completely remade the entire QB room. Even if Rodgers signs, his age and underwhelming 2024 season will be cause for concern. Given the limited options in the draft, we’ll probably be in the same position next year, having the same conversation about an uncertain Steelers QB situation. I give them a D.

With Aaron Rodgers still unsigned, the Steelers’ QB situation remains unclear heading into the draft. (Al Bello / Getty Images)

Paul Dehner Jr. (Bengals): D+. In an offseason where the Bengals needed to ace an extremely complex exam, they fell below average. There’s time to cram and get that grade up, but they have made this an extremely daunting climb to check all the necessary boxes. Getting deals done for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins was great, but they didn’t fill glaring holes with the pass rush, linebacker, safety or guard in free agency, where the lingering receiver deals took away from the free-agent impact.

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The Trey Hendrickson situation went public and needs resolution. Now, they have six picks to get it all figured out before heading into the offseason program. There’s as much pressure on this draft to hit as any in recent memory.

Zac Jackson (Browns): Even graded on the curve of low expectations directly related to the team’s salary-cap situation, in light of the Deshaun Watson disaster, the Browns have had an uninspiring offseason. Sure, they paid big to keep Myles Garrett, but they’ve otherwise mostly added backups and have yet to find a long-term solution at the game’s most important position. Garrett spent two months telling the truth about the state of the roster before signing his extension, and it’s imperative for general manager Andrew Berry’s job status and the future of the organization that they deliver with a strong draft.

The Ravens won the division for a second straight year. They’ve lost some contributors in free agency, and they need to add some defensive pieces, but most of their starters are back. Meanwhile, the Steelers and Browns have significant question marks at quarterback. The Bengals still need defensive help. On paper, has the gap in the division gotten larger this offseason? Or is it about the same?

Zrebiec: About the same. The Ravens have mostly maintained this offseason, so I don’t see it as if they’ve created separation. I don’t know that you can point to one position and say that the Ravens have drastically improved, and that’s fine. Their roster has been good enough to win the past few years. They just need to play better in January.

But the Bengals will be a significant factor. Their defense doesn’t have to be great. A middle-of-the-pack defense will probably be a good enough complement for that offense. They’ll be right there with a few additional defensive pieces. It’s hard to judge the Steelers and Browns given their quarterback uncertainty, but counting out Mike Tomlin’s team before the season is typically foolish.

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DeFabo: The Ravens have the best front office in the division and continually assemble the best roster. Even though they have some holes to fill, DeCosta knows how to draft and the Ravens still have enough firepower offensively to hit the ground running. They’d be my favorite to win the division right now, without a doubt. The Bengals, if they can find some help on defense in the draft, would be my pick to finish second. Joe Burrow isn’t going to lose seven one-score games again. It seems the Steelers are poised for another 10-7 season in which they’re fighting to make the playoffs in the final weeks.

Dehner: I look at the gap the same way I do the quarterbacks. The Bengals hope to replicate the Mike MacDonald effect, pulling Al Golden back to the NFL from the college ranks to find stability. I think his presence alone can help. If it does, that puts the Bengals in the same upper tier with the Ravens, who played two of the most tightly contested games you’ll see that swung the path of the division last year. Meanwhile, until I see something to create belief at the quarterback position in Pittsburgh and Cleveland (sorry, Joe Flacco stans), I think the gap has grown between those two and the top of the division.

Jackson: I do think there’s a gap from Baltimore to everyone else, but I don’t think it’s a large one. Two teams have incredible quarterbacks; the other two have incredibly shaky question marks at the position. Three of the teams have the makings of strong defensive units, and the Bengals can outscore most opponents. Jackson is phenomenal, Henry is a load and the Ravens are a well-run, well-coached team. But I don’t expect them to cruise to a division title, even if I think they’re the deserving favorite.

What would the “ideal” draft for your team look like?

Zrebiec: You have to be realistic, and thinking you’re going to get more than two, maybe three immediate starters in one draft is not likely, particularly when you’re picking late on Day 1 and 2. To me, an ideal draft for the Ravens would mean checking off three of these boxes: a potential starting guard, a pass-rush threat (whether it’s interior or edge), a potential starting inside linebacker and a defensive back who’s at least ready to play rotational snaps from the jump. It’s probably too much to ask to get all four of those, but getting three and then adding depth at other spots would be a solid draft on paper.

DeFabo: The Steelers’ two most glaring holes on the roster are at defensive tackle and running back after letting starting defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi and bell-cow back Najee Harris walk in free agency. Ideally, Oregon’s Derrick Harmon (DT2 and 16th overall on Dane Brugler’s board) is available at No. 21 overall. Michigan’s Kenneth Grant (DT3, No. 25 overall) might be more likely and would still be an excellent selection at this point in the draft.

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Without a second-round pick, the third round is an ideal time to tap into a deep and talented running back class. Best case, someone with a second-to-third-round grade, such as Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson or one of the Ohio State backs (TreVeyon Henderson or Quinshon Judkins) falls. More likely, Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson, UCF’s RJ Harvey or Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten will be the move.

Dehner: Trenches and defense. The Bengals need to find a guard capable of starting on Day 1, no matter where it comes from. They need somebody capable of bringing juice to the pass rush. They need a linebacker who can compete with Oren Burks immediately and allow Cincinnati to move on from Germaine Pratt, who requested a trade in January. They need a running back somewhere on Day 3.

Honestly, a truly ideal draft would entail moving back in Round 1 to add an extra selection on Day 2. Then they can truly check all the necessary boxes.

Jackson: This is where my opinion might not only differ from the way a lot of folks see the Browns’ draft situation, but also differ from the path the team takes. I think they need linemen on both sides of the ball. This Cleveland roster is a two-draft fix, and for the long term, the lines on both sides need to be fortified. Quarterback looms largest, but I’d have fewer questions at almost every offensive position if the Browns had a real answer at left tackle.

I could go on — and I have if you’ve been following — but to me, ideal for the Browns would be addressing the lines, trying to add picks along the way and generally prioritizing big guys over skill guys in most cases. If there’s no quarterback to love, then just wait.

This is usually the spot where we do our weekly game predictions. Instead, make one prediction on what your team will or won’t do in next week’s draft — and don’t be bashful.

Zrebiec: The Ravens will draft a kicker, which they’ve never done in franchise history. With Justin Tucker the subject of an NFL investigation and with eight picks on Day 3 of the draft, that may be an obvious conclusion.

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So, if you’re looking for a prediction with a bit more spice, how about that the Ravens will trade tight end Mark Andrews during the draft? There’s certainly been dialogue with other teams about Andrews, but the Ravens want strong value in return for the three-time Pro Bowler. Will they finally get it next week? And if not, will they lower their asking price for the sake of moving on and creating cap space? It doesn’t feel likely on either front, but DeCosta’s comments on Andrews all offseason have only heightened the speculation that he isn’t a lock to return to Baltimore.

DeFabo: For whatever reason, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has generated a lot of buzz in Pittsburgh. Colin Cowherd claimed that an NFL executive told him the Steelers “really like” the mobile quarterback and said, “If (at) the 21st pick Milroe’s not taken, Pittsburgh is leaning now and taking him.” I’m hearing the exact opposite. In fact, I’m going to make a bold prediction that if Milroe is sitting there in the third round, the Steelers still won’t draft him.

Dehner: Trade Hendrickson. You said not to be bashful. The bottom line is this: Once free agency passed and they didn’t sign any pass-rush help, they couldn’t afford to trade Hendrickson in the middle of this contract standoff because they had to find some form of replacement.

If they can land a first-round pick at edge to pair with 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy, suddenly trading Hendrickson for a second-round pick (plus one more on Day 3?) becomes an enticing option. It would allow the team to squash all the drama entering the offseason program, fully go young under Golden, add space for extensions/free-agent adds, and add the extra picks needed to check off all their draft needs. Would it be bold? Yes. Would it be unlike the Bengals? Yes. Would it make sense? Undeniably, yes.

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Jackson: I don’t think the Browns will take a quarterback at No. 2 or 33. I think they’re taking either Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, then I think they’ll either take the best available lineman or trade down from No. 33. Maybe they’ll even trade back into the 40s to take a quarterback by packaging their two third-round picks plus something else.

I know a lot of different scenarios are in play, and by no means am I ruling out a quarterback as the second pick. I just think Cleveland’s 2026 first-rounder is too valuable to give up, and I think the Browns should be careful not to reach for a developmental quarterback atop the second round.

(Top photo of Andrew Berry and Omar Khan: Stacy Revere / Getty Images, Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)