Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver Diontae Johnson has had a wild ride in six seasons in the NFL. The organization selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft with a pick they’d acquired from the then-Oakland Raiders for Antonio Brown. He spent the majority of his rookie season catching balls from Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges. He earned an AP All-Pro Second-Team honor for his work as a punt returner in 2019. He’s been touted for his route-running ability, but some of his other behavior has Brian Batko wondering if Johnson will be on a new team in 2024.
Batko, who covers the team for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, speculated on a recent episode of The North Shore Drive Podcast that Johnson could be a potential trade candidate in the 2024 offseason. Johnson had been the team’s leading receiver in three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022. Johnson missed four games with a hamstring injury in the 2023 campaign which allowed George Pickens to take over. The Toledo product still finished second on the squad with a modest 717 receiving yards on 51 receptions in 13 games.
“That’s something I’m wondering in the back of my head,” Batko said about a potential trade. “With some of the stuff that went on with Diontae this year. It seems like there’s been a little bit more friction with him and the organization than in years past.”
Johnson is etnering the final year of a two-year contract extension he signed in August of 2022. Johnson struggled in the 2020 season with consistency, particularly when it came to catching the football. He had 13 dropped passes, according to Pro Football Reference, which led the league. He responded with his first 1000-plus-yard receiving season in 2022 and cut his drops down to five while earning his first nomination to the Pro Bowl.
The 2023 season was a bit of a roller coaster for Johnson. He suffered a hamstring injury in Pittsburgh’s season opener against the San Francisco 49ers and didn’t return to action until after the team’s bye week against the Los Angeles Rams. In his third game back from injury against the Tennessee Titans, he snapped his infamous touchdown drought that stretched back to Week 17 of the 2021 season. Before Kenny Pickett connected with him for a three-yard score with four minutes left to play, he had last caught the game-opening score from Ben Roethlisberger in a game against the Cleveland Browns the Steelers won to secure a playoff berth.
The friction between Johnson and the organization likely comes from his actions during games in Week 11 and 12 against the Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. He had a clear dispute with Mike Tomlin during the game against the Browns, and after the contest got into a spirited argument with star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick that had to be broken up by teammates.
In Week 12, running back Jaylen Warren coughed up a ball that was recovered by Cincinnati. Johnson appeared to watch as a spectator. He initially defended himself and later issued an apology to his teammates.
Steelers Face Tough Questions On What To Do At Receiver
It’s certainly understandable to want to get some compensation for Johnson before he potentially hits the free agency market in 2025, but as Batko explained it would be taking an important player out of the offense when the organization is looking for a substantial step forward with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Pittsburgh has Pickens and speedster Calvin Austin III under contract for the 2024 season. Allen Robinson II remains on the roster, but is likely to be cut. Pittsburgh struggled to get production out of receivers not named Pickens or Johnson in 2023 and will likely be looking at free agency and the draft to address that pressing need.
Batko theorized the team could find a destination for Johnson sooner rather than later so, they could look to fill his spot in free agency or the draft. Even if he stays with the team, a receiver is likely to be a position the team targets in the draft with Johnson’s uncertain future.
