'Madden Monday' on the Steelers' getting DK Metcalf: Now 'go sign Sam Darnold'

On Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired former Pro Bowl receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a second-round draft pick. According to the NFL Network, the Steelers are also giving the 27-year-old a five-year, $150 million contract.

Metcalf is scheduled to make $18 million this season in the final year of his current contract.

TRADE: Seahawks trading DK Metcalf to the Steelers for a 2025 second-round pick.

Metcalf is signing a five-year, $150 million contract with Pittsburgh. (via @tompelissero, @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/fefRvz59Ud

— NFL (@NFL) March 9, 2025

In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive approves of the move.

“I think it’s a good get. They’re giving him a lot of money, a lot of term. They gave up a second-round pick to get him, which is bupkis. That’s no big deal,” Madden said. “You have to give full credit to the Steelers for making — finally — a big deal to try to indulge urgency instead of just babbling about it.”

Now the question becomes, what does acquiring Metcalf mean for the quarterback position? Madden has an answer there.

“I think now it makes sense to go sign Sam Darnold,” Madden said of the Minnesota Vikings free agent. “Because when you’ve got a guy who can catch the ball, go get a guy who can throw the ball. It makes more sense to get him now than it would to bring back Justin Fields and certainly to bring back Russell Wilson.”

That said, Wilson and Metcalf have a good relationship going back to their playing days together in Seattle, as do Wilson’s wife (Ciara) and Metcalf’s girlfriend (Normani). They are both pop music singers, and all four were recently photographed together.

More sports

• First Call: Steelers will reportedly offer Sam Darnold a contract; Marc-Andre Fleury's postgame meeting with ex-teammates
• Tim Benz: How I want the Steelers' dominoes to fall after landing DK Metcalf
• 'A standard to uphold': Jared Triolo brings Gold Glove defense to Pirates in super utility role

In terms of what this means for George Pickens, Madden has a plan there too.

“I think this signifies the exit of Pickens — if not via trade soon, then certainly by the end of next season (in) free agency, once this contract runs out,” Madden said. “I just don’t think they’re going to pay two receivers the amount of money it would take to retain Pickens on top of DK Metcalf.”

Madden thinks they can backfill Pickens’ absence in the draft.

“What it should mean is they draft (Emeka) Egbuka from Ohio State in the first round. You have an Egbuka and Metcalf combination, with Egbuka being very affordable throughout his rookie contract,” Madden explained. “Sign Darnold, and you finally have a modern NFL offense. I don’t know if Arthur Smith can pull it off, but the potential components would be there for it.”

Also, during the podcast, Madden and I get into the financial ripple effect of Metcalf’s arrival on T.J. Watt’s contract extension. We talk about the Penguins’ trade deadline moves, what may happen with Erik Karlsson and why Rickard Rakell is still a Penguin.