D.K. Metcalf was reportedly looking for a warmer climate as his next destination once his trade request was granted by the Seattle Seahawks. That turned out to be anything but after a deal became official with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This also represents a major opportunity missed by the Carolina Panthers in pursuit of finding quarterback Bryce Young a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver.
The Steelers acquired Metcalf for a second-round pick after reports surfaced about the Seahawks lowering their asking price. It was later revealed that Pittsburgh is giving the prolific pass-catcher a five-year, $150 million deal to keep him around long-term.
That's a lot of money, but it's in keeping with the current market. The Panthers were rumored to be interested. Something prevented Morgan from pulling the trigger.
Carolina Panthers missed glaring chance with D.K. Metcalf trade
Whether it was the second-round pick or the money attached, Morgan will now seek alternatives. His strong relationship with Seahawks general manager John Schneider could have smoothed negotiations, but it wasn't to be.
Metcalf is a highly productive receiver who'd have been a magnificent asset for Young to call upon. The Panthers won't get a better player at No. 57 overall in this year's draft. The Steelers recognized this too, parting ways with their second-rounder despite not having a clear plan at the quarterback position currently.
The news of Metcalf coming off the table was met with inevitable dismay among Panthers fans on social media. They know how important an elite-level wideout will be for Young entering a crucial year three of his professional career. Carolina has already wasted the first two seasons of his rookie deal, so sections of the fanbase were right to pinpoint the Ole Miss product as a potential cornerstone piece.
Morgan had other ideas. He's working with a long-term plan and is more methodical than the two previous decision-makers — Scott Fitterer and Matt Rhule. The Panthers decided that giving up assets and substantial cap space when there were so many glaring holes on defense to solve didn't fit into their current strategy.
It'll be interesting to see where the Panthers go from here. The wide receiver market is dwindling in free agency. Trades involving Metcalf and Deebo Samuel Sr. have already been confirmed. Although it's a deep draft class, there doesn't appear to be a genuinely elite game-changer aside from perhaps Arizona standout Tetairoa McMillan.
Couple this with the need to spend significant resources on enhancing Ejiro Evero's historically bad defense, and expect another mid-level guy with upside to go along with Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and Adam Thielen. Not exactly what fans had in mind, but there needs to be a level of trust attached.
Morgan earned respect during his first offseason. Not every decision was successful, but he brought professionalism and purpose back into the front office. Stabilizing the franchise was the first step. Now, it's about kicking on and putting the pieces in place to give Carolina's playoff hopes a boost.
Those plans won't include Metcalf. So it's back to the drawing board from Morgan's perspective.