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ESPN’s Dan Graziano named the New England Patriots a potential trade fit for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver D.K. Metcalf.
The New England Patriots could use another outside playmaker for young quarterback Drake Maye next season. ESPN has an intriguing new potential trade target for the Patriots to acquire that — Pittsburgh Steelers wideout D.K. Metcalf.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Ben Solak called the Patriots a potential fit for Metcalf on their list of trade candidates.
“When he signed his deal last spring, Metcalf’s $25 million in 2026 salary was fully guaranteed,” Graziano wrote. “But his two-game suspension at the end of the season for an in-game altercation with a fan voided that guarantee and could in turn make Metcalf easier to trade, if the Steelers are so inclined.
“They’ll be installing a new offense under new coach Mike McCarthy, and while dealing Metcalf would weaken them at a spot where they’re already thin, the wideout could end up on the market if he’s not a fit for the scheme.”
Metcalf turned in a somewhat disappointing statistical season for the Steelers last year. After signing a four-year, $132 million deal, Metcalf had a career-low 59 catches with 850 receiving yards.
That yardage was the lowest output for wideout since 2019.
But the 28-year-old remains a strong deep threat. In a more aggressive passing offense, he could be poised to bounce back in 2026.
Why the Patriots Should Be Interested in D.K. Metcalf
Head coach Mike Vrabel and the Patriots could pursue Metcalf for the same reasons the Steelers did a year ago. With blazing speed at 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds, the veteran wideout is one of the best big-play threats in the league.
He’s a great red zone target as well. Three of his six touchdowns last season were in the red zone.
ESPN’s insiders see him doing more in an offense that better fits his skillset.
“Metcalf is a team-specific player; not all systems will endure his limited route tree,” Solak wrote. “Those teams that already have a dominant route runner or can feed him a steady diet of vertical routes will value a player who is still under 30 and has a unique blend of size and speed — especially when we consider how much team control he offers.
“He logged 850 yards in 2025, and he exceeded that number in each of his six prior seasons.”
Stefon Diggs led the Patriots with 85 catches and 1,013 receiving yards last season. 23-year-old Kayshon Boutte developed into a deep threat, averaging 16.7 yards per catch.
But Metcalf would give New England’s offense another element. He’s averaged 14.4 yards per reception in his entire career.
Steelers Trading Metcalf Appears Very Unlikely
It’s important to note that Graziano projected a Metcalf trade as only having a 25% chance of happening. That’s pretty low, and it might not be even that high.
One of the reasons why Graziano argued the wideout as a trade candidate was because his 2-game suspension voided his contract guarantees. But that’s actually not the case.
FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported in December the Steelers elected not to void Metcalf’s guaranteed money despite having the option to.
The Steelers desperately need to add more receivers this offseason. It seems counterintuitive to trade Metcalf with wideout such a big need, especially if Pittsburgh plans to start Aaron Rodgers again.
From New England’s perspective, Metcalf is far from a guaranteed fit because of his contract. According to Spotrac, the Steelers receiver has a $31 million cap hit for 2026.
In New England, Diggs possesses a $26.5 million cap hit.
The Patriots and Steelers could work out a deal that makes Metcalf’s cap hit more manageable for New England. However, there should still be questions about how much more cap space the Patriots want to dedicate to receiver.
The Steelers could also not be interested in helping the defending AFC champions get better.
Those reasons make Metcalf landing in New England very unlikely. But it’s a fun hypothetical that popped up in the rumor mill Wednesday.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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