Bryce Young has a new weapon courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers reported on Tuesday that they have traded Pro Bowl wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Returning to Pittsburgh will be cornerback Donte Jackson, the 178th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the Panthers will also receive the 240th pick.
Barring an extension, the trade would be a one-year rental for Johnson, who is in the final year of a two-year, $36.7 million contract extension.
Jackson was ranked the No. 63 cornerback out of 127 players in the NFL last season by Pro Football Focus and is in the final year of a three-year, $35.1 million contract. It was reported earlier this month that the Panthers are looking for ways to relieve his $15.7 million cap hit for 2024. This trade would still leave him with $9.8 million in dead money.
The move comes on the heels of a busy week for the Steelers, who signed soon-to-be free agent Russell Wilson on Sunday and signed free agent linebacker Patrick Queen to a three-year, $41 million deal on Tuesday. Signed a contract. The team also released veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson and cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Pittsburgh is making small changes after going seven years without a playoff win. The team will enter next season with a quarterback battle between Wilson and former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, so it's a little strange for a team in that position to part with a player like Johnson for so little money. .
Of course, that's not all that surprising when you look back at how Johnson's final season in Pittsburgh went.
Diontae Johnson had a rocky time in Pittsburgh last year.
It's hard not to argue that Johnson wasn't productive during his time with the Steelers. He eclipsed 1,000 yards only once in five seasons, but still averaged 872.6 yards per season on a team with inconsistent quarterback play during that span.
2023 was a challenging year for Johnson and, not coincidentally, for the Steelers as a whole. His season got off to a rough start, missing four games with a hamstring injury. Although he eventually returned with consistent performances, he became the center of problems within the team in the second half of the season.
There were reports that Johnson and star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had a heated locker room confrontation and had to part ways in November. This was the same game in which Johnson publicly abandoned the play after the Cincinnati Bengals returned a fumble just a few feet away, later apologizing for his lack of effort.
The Steelers' wide receiver room is notorious for unnecessary drama, at least when Pickens was visibly unfazed after Johnson scored his first touchdown of the season, and certainly last year's Johnson and George Pickens. It felt like the competition had earned a spot.
Now, Johnson has a chance to become Carolina's top receiver. Adam Thielen, who was the team's leading receiver with 1,014 yards last season, is 33 years old. Johnson, 27, gives Young a talented receiver in his second year, but it remains unclear whether the Panthers are on the right track, especially since the Brian Burns trade was so disappointing.
Pickens, on the other hand, is expected to be at the top of Pittsburgh's roster with names like Calvin Austin III and Myles Boykin.
