The Pittsburgh Steelers have been involved in several headlines throughout the NFL's 2025 offseason. A lot of the talk has surrounded the team's quarterback situation, but the wide receiving corps has also gotten plenty of attention. General Manager Omar Khan made a huge splash by trading for DK Metcalf, but followed that up with dealing George Pickens just a couple of months later. The position remains in question because the offense only has one legitimate threat in the passing game, when it was supposed to possess a strong duo of Metcalf and Pickens. Unfortunately, that will not be the case in 2025.
The Steelers have been rumored to be connected with several current and past free agents. After the Metcalf deal, plenty of the talk died down because of the presence of Pickens. Now, there have been murmurs about who to pair with Metcalf. Looking back to mid-March, it might have been wise for Pittsburgh to be more aggressive in the pursuit of a top free agent, especially if the plan all along was to trade Pickens.
One of the top wideouts available when free agency began was Stefon Diggs. While the talented pass-catcher is coming back from a torn ACL that he suffered in 2024, he was still able to land a significant deal with the New England Patriots. Head Coach Mike Vrabel and Vice President of Player Personnel, Eliot Wolf, may already be regretting the move, however.
Diggs is causing plenty of drama already, as he was seen on a boat with dozens of people while the majority of his new teammates were getting work in during Organized Team Activities (OTAs). It is fair to note these are voluntary, but it surely would have been nice for the veteran to show some leadership and be present for the practices. Vrabel spoke to reporters about the video circulating around the internet and didn't seem all that happy.
“Obviously, we want to make great decisions on and off the field,” Vrabel said. “We’re hoping that with our time here on the field today, that when we don’t have a script and we’re on the call periods, that we’re making great decisions. The message will be the same for all our players, that we’re trying to make great decisions. Any conversations that I’ve had with Stefon will remain between him, I and the club.”
Vrabel is entering his first season as the Patriots' head coach, and the last thing he wants to be doing in May is answering questions about interesting off-field decisions by one of his most important offensive players. Diggs is able to do what he wants in his free time, but the unnecessary drama in New England's building is not something that a fresh coaching staff wants or needs.
The Steelers absolutely could have been interested in Diggs if the trade for Metcalf didn't happen, or if Pickens was dealt much sooner than he was. After having a bad run with wide receivers and locker room drama, it's already clear that Pittsburgh made the right decision to not go after Diggs. While the receiving corps isn't the most talented in the league, the front office sent a stern message by getting rid of Pickens and not pursuing someone like Diggs.
Steelers Hoping Metcalf Can Lead The Way
Pittsburgh has a veteran in Metcalf on the roster, but he has also had his fair share of sideline breakdowns in the past. After paying him a large amount of money, the team is hoping he can be a leader both on and off the field. Time will tell if Khan and co. made the right decisions, but it will be looked at as a failure of an offseason if Metcalf does not perform at the highest level of his career in the Steel City.
