Throughout the 2025 offseason, much like it is now, the Patriots have been the subject of many trade rumors for a wide receiver. The conversation mostly centered on D.K. Metcalf last year, who was eventually traded by the Seahawks to the Steelers, but apparently, things aren't so peachy over in Pittsburgh so far.
Many analysts, and maybe even the Steelers, are disappointed with Metcalf's first season production as the No. 1 receiver for the AFC North team. He was paired with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and that felt like a dream duo, only for the longtime Packer to have trouble building chemistry with his new receiver.
That has fueled rumors that the Steelers could move on from Metcalf this offseason, particularly since they have a new head coach and staff, and there are many questions about whether Rodgers returns for another season or retires.
That may be the deciding factor regarding Metcalf's future, which isn't great considering he should be in his prime, and working with a future Hall of Fame quarterback should make him one of the best receivers in the league.
Whether they ultimately trade him is not necessarily of the Patriots' concern, but it does give them another sign that they were right to pass on pursuing him last year if this was the inevitable future.
The Steelers might already be looking to move on from D.K. Metcalf
Although New England still needs a No. 1 receiver in their offense, and Metcalf could have fared better with Drake Maye than Rodgers, the last thing the team needed was drama or any sort of uncertainty surrounding their superstar receiver's future.
That may have been the case even if they had kept Stefon Diggs around, since he still has a pending court case for an alleged assault from December, but there were no concerns about his connection with Maye on the field.
Metcalf might have been different, since he didn't appear to gel well with Rodgers, who has been successful with a number of receivers throughout his career. But it could also be more of a quarterback problem than a Metcalf problem, since we've all seen Rodgers' performance decline in recent years.
Regardless, this is just the latest example of why passing on a trade for Metcalf was the right thing for Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf, even if it didn't feel like it at the time. Drama seems to linger in New England, no matter who the head coach is or who is on the roster, so they didn't need to make it worse by blowing a bunch of draft capital for a receiver they might trade just one year later.