It’s safe to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers acquisition and subsequent extension for star wide receiver DK Metcalf was one of their splashiest moves in franchise history. This was certainly an aggressive move to fill one of the team’s biggest holes on the roster. But with that price comes great expectations and a lot of attention from the opposition, especially if the franchise isn’t able to acquire another starting-caliber receiver before the season opener.
DK Metcalf definitely isn’t a stranger to high-profile matchups, and there are several enticing duels on the horizon when looking at the 2025 schedule. Not only will the result of these bouts be keys to victory but these clashes will assuredly make for some entertaining film sessions the following days.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) gets past Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson (20) in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Today, we’ll rank the five toughest cornerbacks that will be tasked with shutting down the Aaron Rodgers-Metcalf connection this fall. Spoiler alert: this is a really tough schedule that makes for some appointment viewing. The good news? Going up against Joey Porter Jr. every day in practice should him ready to roll come September.
TOP FIVE DK METCALF OPPONENTS IN 20255) Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson (33) leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Following a breakout season in 2023, Johnson earned himself a massive, well-deserved $76M payday. He’s a physical corner with plus route recognition skills and remains one of the smartest cornerbacks when it comes to reading the quarterback’s eyes in zone coverage. Under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s man-heavy scheme, Johnson is going to be tasked with more true island reps along the boundary. Not that he can’t handle those high-leverage situations, but I’d expect the Steelers to try to test him vertically early, knowing that Metcalf has the speed advantage between the two players.
4) Christian Benford, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford during a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 18, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Benford, a sixth-round pick in 2022, surprised everyone by winning the starting job as a rookie and has become one of the best day three success stories in recent memory. He’s a complete corner and pure technician that can play a myriad of techniques and just rarely makes mistakes, further evidenced by his sub-3% missed tackle rate each of the past two seasons. Buffalo likes to play a good amount of quarters coverage, so perhaps a deep post shot with Metcalf lined up as the #1 WR could be the move. With the Bills having such a high-powered offense, generating explosive plays is a necessity for keeping pace, but that’s Metcalf’s strength and why they acquired him.
3) Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 19, 2023 — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
A familiar name having played in the AFC North for the entirety of his seven-year career, Ward paced the league with a whopping 17 pass breakups last season. He’s an electric mover with light feet, is highly functional in both press and off-coverage, and his recovery speed allows him to vault himself back into phase. If there’s a weakness to his game, it’s mainly been his durability, in part because he’s smaller than the rest of the cover specialists on this list. The Browns defense doesn’t give him a lot of help over the top, so Metcalf is going to have his fair share of 1v1 matchups out wide.
2) Sauce Gardner, New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner after a game on Oct. 21, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
2024 was a disastrous experience for everyone involved in the Jets organization, and it’s fair to attribute some of Gardner’s drop-off to the dysfunction around him. Usually taller cornerbacks come with natural limitations, but that’s just not the case in this instance. Even with his long strides, he’s extremely proficient at gearing down to change directions, and his 94th percentile wingspan makes him a real pest at the catch point. He can be a bit handsy, though. Metcalf and Gardner had a fun back-and-forth battle last season. With Aaron Glenn’s influence, I’m anticipating him lining up in press coverage on a regular basis, something Metcalf excels against.
1) Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots
FOXBOROUGH, MA – OCTOBER 06: New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) before a game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins on October 6, 2024, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)
With the Patriots being largely irrelevant last year, one of the NFL’s top ascending young talents flew under the radar. But if you were building the modern-day cornerback in a lab, they would look exactly like Christian Gonzalez. He possesses great size, rare hip fluidity, and is very explosive out of his transitions. The days of traveling cornerbacks are all but extinct; however, he’s a throwback in that sense, with New England trusting him to hold up each week versus varying archetypes of receivers. When these two faced off last season, Metcalf came out of the gate trying to set the tone from a physicality standpoint. You can go ahead and bookmark week three as a heavyweight bout between two physical specimens.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Bell: Ranking Top Five Toughest Tests for DK Metcalf in 2025
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