Diontae Johnson trade rumors came into reality on Tuesday when the Pittsburgh Steelers sent the former Pro Bowler and a seventh-round draft pick to the Carolina Panthers. In exchange, Pittsburgh gets cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick from Carolina.

At first glance, this looks like a win for both teams, but that depends on what the Steelers do from here.

Pittsburgh Steelers Diontae Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson – Photo Courtesy of Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images

Johnson’s declining offensive production, combined with dropped passes and a perceived lack of effort during crucial moments, are good reasons to assume the Steelers were more than happy to part ways. In addition, Johnson would have earned a $3 million roster bonus on March 16, plus his base salary of $7 million.

Johnson came to the Steelers as a third-round pick in 2019. During his stint in the Steel City, he hauled in 391 passes for 4,363 and 25 touchdowns. This includes a Pro Bowl season in 2021 when he caught 107 balls for 1,161 yards and eight scores.

He failed to find the end zone in 2022, despite catching 86 passes, and his productivity fell further in 2023 along with the rest of the flailing Steelers offense. He dropped more than his share of balls in 2022 and 2023, and his tendency to give up yards after the catch hurt the team frequently.

What The Pittsburgh Steelers Are Getting for Diontae Johnson
The Diontae Johnson trade brings cornerback Donte Jackson to Pittsburgh, a former second-round pick out of LSU. In six seasons with the Panthers, he started in 76 games and grabbed 14 interceptions.

Jackson will fill a chair in a Steelers cornerback room that had its troubles in 2023 and has seen the departure of veteran Patrick Peterson. But, he probably isn’t the answer the Steelers are looking for opposite Joey Porter Jr.

Diontae Johnson, on the other hand, could have been a key contributor to the Steelers offense. With Russell Wilson coming in, and the Matt Canada-era in the rearview mirror, the Steelers offense could be something special in 2024.

The Diontae Johnson trade leaves a hole at WR2 that the Steelers may struggle to fill.

Was the Diontae Johnson Trade a Win for the Steelers?
In dealing Johnson, the Steelers say goodbye to a player with tremendous potential who often seemed to struggle to get it together. Considering the way the Pittsburgh offense has floundered over the past few years, Johnson can hardly take the full blame.

With a new offensive coordinator and veteran quarterback who knows how to win, Johnson may have had a resurgence to his former Pro-Bowl self in 2024. Johnson, along with George Pickens, speedy but undersized Calvin Austin III, and tight end Pat Freiermuth would have made up an impressive receiving corp for Russell Wilson.

Now, the Steelers need to find a legit WR2 and there is currently nobody in the building that fits that description. The team also recently released Allen Robinson, another former Pro Bowler, after only one year in Pittsburgh.

Some big names remain on the market as of this writing, and the Steelers may look for his replacement in the draft. If they cannot find an impact player at this position, and if Johnson balls out in Carolina, the Panthers will be the clear winners of the Diontae Johnson trade.

Saying goodbye to Johnson just might come back to haunt the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This is especially concerning given the brief window of opportunity with Russell Wilson on the roster. Wilson signed a one-year deal, and there is no guarantee he sticks around after that. It seems to make sense that Pittsburgh would want to surround him with as much talent as possible for a Super Bowl run in 2024.

At the WR2 position, they are banking on that being someone other than Diontae Johnson.