The Diontae Johnson trade rumors will indeed produce a deal, and for the second straight day, the Panthers are involved in a big trade. The Steelers are sending the veteran wide receiver to Carolina, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.
One season remains on Johnson’s contract, with Schefter adding the Panthers will now pay the sixth-year receiver’s $3MM roster bonus due later this week. After five Steelers seasons, the shifty route runner will settle in as a Bryce Young weapon.
The full trade will involve cornerback Donte Jackson coming back to the Steelers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Carolina will send Jackson and a sixth-round pick for Johnson and a seventh. The picks will come in 2024. The Steelers are sending No. 240 in this swap, with the Panthers moving No. 178 to Pittsburgh, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer. The No. 178 choice is originally a Cardinals selection.
[RELATED: Steelers To Sign QB Russell Wilson]
A report earlier this month indicated the Panthers would move on from Jackson, via trade or release; Carolina has found a trade partner. After rumblings of a Johnson deal surfaced as well, the two will end up being exchanged.
For the Panthers, this provides Young with a proven wide receiver. The Panthers were light here last season, contributing to the steep freefall. Johnson will now join Adam Thielen atop the Carolina aerial pecking order. As Thielen is going into his age-34 season, this trade will provide a player in his prime for Young to target.
Heading into his age-28 season, Johnson has not been the most consistent receiver. Drops have plagued the elusive target, whose effort level has also come into question in Pittsburgh. But Johnson will be playing for a big contract in 2024. The Steelers gave the Toledo alum a two-year, $36.7MM extension just before the 2022 season. That deal fell short of the market set by fellow 2019 Day 2 picks A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf, but Johnson’s production has checked in south of those standouts’. He has still shown a consistent ability to create separation, doing so almost entirely with limited QB play. Johnson’s presence will help the Panthers determine Young’s value as a pro.
Johnson totaled 1,161 yards in 2021, Ben Roethlisberger‘s final season, and exceeded 850 yards in 2020 and ’22. Last season, the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett–Mitchell Trubisky–Mason Rudolph platter struggled for the most part. Johnson also missed four games due to a hamstring injury, coming in with 717 receiving yards and five touchdowns — after he memorably failed to score in 2022.
This will leave the Steelers with George Pickens leading the way at receiver, though it should be expected the AFC North club will target another starter-caliber wideout in a deep draft at the position. Johnson is one of many Day 2 wideouts the modern Steelers have turned into long-term starters. Pittsburgh broke with its usual tradition of these players leaving during or after their rookie contracts by extending Johnson, but after trading Chase Claypool and then executing this swap — and then cutting Allen Robinson — Pittsburgh will need to give Pickett (or, more likely, Russell Wilson) more help.
The Panthers also gave Jackson a second contract, re-signing the boundary corner in 2022. He is due a $4MM roster bonus March 16; these teams are trading picks, players and bonus obligations. One year remains on Jackson’s pact, a three-year, $35.18MM deal signed after the expiration of his rookie contract.
The former second-rounder has spent his entire six-year career in Carolina, but he was due to count $15.72MM against the cap in 2024. The Steelers will have Jackson on their 2024 cap sheet at $10.5MM, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.
Coming back from a 2022 Achilles tear, the 28-year-old corner also had a down 2023 in coverage. Jackson allowed three touchdowns as the nearest defender and surrendering an opposing passer rating of 107.7. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson just outside the top 60 at corner, though he has shown better form in the past. The Steelers, who released Patrick Peterson last week, will see if Jackson can become a fit opposite Joey Porter Jr.
He’s gonna love this lol.
Who
WHI?! Mike Jones!
Dontae trade funny?
lol awful but I stand corrected I thought no chance he got traded.
Yeah. I don’t get this unless they have something else up their sleeve. I kind of thought that Tomlin had taken the guy under his wing but I was wrong
Well, two more draft picks, at least
I read that wrong. They swapped draft picks, too.
If you’ve been watching Russell Wilson’s career, Johnson would not fit with him. This is something Denver didn’t get despite paying him $140 million. Think Baldin, Lockett, Metcalf. That’s the types of receivers who fit with him. Pickens obviously does. Wonder if Claypool could come back because he would work with him too if he can get his head right.
So instead of keeping DJ Moore and trading Brian Burns
They trade Moore. Trade Burns. Trade more picks for Johnson when they’re already down picks next couple drafts.
Stop dealing away your future. Should have just overpaid for Ridley instead of doing the Robert Hunt contract
They got a 6th and traded a 7th. They improved in the draft. Reading is fundamental
Articles update. Not all news/info is released when stories break. How you’re unaware of this is sad.
It’s a 6th round pick. Take a breath.
Or…maybe wait to hear the final details before jumping on right away and making a comment?
Steelers fans seem to hate the guy, but I’m sure Bryce Young is happy to have a receiver with a pulse.
I am pretty sure Thielen has a pulse.
I’d guess that’s 50% financially motivated and 50% change the culture motivated from the Steelers’ end.
And WR just moved way up the draft board for the Steelers
The franchise that has found not just good receivers but great receivers consistently in the draft for 15 years now in a deep receiver draft needs to draft a receiver high in the draft?
WR wouldn’t have been a priority until day 3–need a C, OT, DL, and CB/S which were are all more likely for rounds 1-3. ILB would have been on the list as well prior to the Queen signing.
Now I can see WR in the 3rd or even 2nd if there was someone who really fell down the board. I’d still rather grab help on either of the lines in the first 2 rounds though.
Makes no sense from the Steelers side
Agreed. They must have something brewing
Unless they restructure this contract it’s baffling.
Makes all the sense for the Steelers. Tired of DJs drops, got ~$8M in cap back, and a CB who could bounce back on a better team and fill the void of Peterson.
I’m just happy they got rid of DJ. Waiving him would have been acceptable.
That’s not correct, Jackson and Johnson have nearly the same cap hit
Try reading it again Bibs. DJ is $18+M against the Carolina cap, $10.5M against the Steelers cap for Jackson.
Try again. 3m roster bonus and 7m salary. Pittsburgh is eating the bonus money. You know you can go to spoctrac and find this data instead of making s**t up.
If Russell Wilson is going to be your QB, which he is, it makes all the sense in the world.
Wow I had them as a spot but they actually did it.
Panthers might suck but for Johnson’s perspective I’d rather have Bryce Young or Andy Dalton throw me the ball than Mitch Tribusky, Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett which is what he’s dealt with for the past few seasons.
He’s also got Adam Theilin, Terrance Marshall and Hayden Hurst to work with as other receiving options. The o line in front should provide Bryce good enough protection with Morton, Ekwonu, Corbett and Bozeman.
He might be upset about missing out on playing with Russell Wilson but that is only a 1 year deal with Kenny taking back over again next year most likely and Bruce is going to be better regardless I’d say. He’s also now got an easier division, if I’m Dionte I’d be happy and ready to show out
Think they may have cut Hurst
Agree with everything except the last paragraph. What Mayfield did in signing a one year contract last year is analogous to what Wilson has done. A prove it type of contract. In reality, with the Denver debacle on his resume and a huge contract, a one year deal was likely all he was going to get.
In a perfect world, he has a great season and both he and the Steelers have mutual come next off season.
I don’t get this trade at the moment but agree that Johnson would be happier if the choice came down to Pickett or Young
Kenny Pickett is done. Anyone holding on to him getting back in there is as delusional as the Jet fans who thought Zach Wilson would get a reset behind Rodgers and then found out when he had to play again that no, he still sucked. They only signed Wilson to the one-year deal because they could this year. He’ll easily win this job, and they’ll have to pay him more to stick around next year if it goes decently.
Depends on who has time to throw the ball.
Is this CB Jackson worth a **** or no? That seems relevant.
He was a good number two/average to above average one, but after he hurt his Achilles, Jackson’s been worse. Of course, it’s only been one season, so there is perhaps a chance for a bounce back. He used to be very fast-very fast-and he used that athleticism to cover for occasionally being out of place in coverage. Since the injury, that’s been harder, but he has good production on tape.
Diontae J for Donte J…sounds like an even swap.
Diontae is more letters than Donte so it’s not quite even
Nope. Steelers got stiffed on 2 letters.
Obviously what the pick swap made up for
Panthers are huge fans of vowels so this is a win for them.
Both are about the same level if you ask me.
Russ last year 3000 yards 26-8 and is regressing
Bryce as a rookie 2900 and 11-10 should get better over time you’d think
Plus Russ is only on a 1 year deal and I think the steels would be planning to then have Pickett take over again or have yet another new QB. Whereas Carolina is planning on building and developing a better QB in Bryce. They have a better o line, and better receivers around to work with.
If I’m Johnson like I said I’d be happy for the change and to show out
You sir are a homer
You need to get some glasses. Bryce Young needs to take a huge leap next year, or he’ll be officially on bust watch. Denver just didn’t want to pay Wilson what they owed him. Payton also didn’t want to accommodate his offense to him, which is always dumb to me when you know what you need to do to make a QB successful. However, he played above average last year in a system that did not at all fit him and with receivers that were not the types he works well with except that rookie they had.
Steelers letting the NFL know they are going to run, run, and run.
With the signing of Queen today they must be hoping for enough pressure from the front 7 to compensate for part of the secondary
Enjoy those dropped passes, Carolina!
The closest trade with similar names I can think of was the Nationals trade of Tanner Roark for Tanner Rainey.
Could see them moving up for the Washington WR now.
Guess I have to wonder…is Tyler Boyd coming home?
I was wondering the same. But I don’t see them spending a lot on a WR. To me this signals them going all in on the run game. They need to sign a center.
Agreed, but they still need a stud wideout across from Pickens.
There are a few good centers in this draft. There quite a few good tackles, too.
Bet he regrets asking for a trade now.
Bad move by the steelers.
Tomlin and company generally draft decent WRs and seem to prefer to run with them on rookie contracts as it seems Mike doesn’t put a bunch of value on ‘catching the ball’, more of a gimmick to him.
He does like to pound the rock and expects his defense to make opposing offenses pick either run or pass against his stout front 7, so a good pass attack can beat him.
What are you talking about? Steeler offense has had one of the best receiver rooms in the league his whole tenure.
Pretty sure I stated that
as it seems Mike doesn’t put a bunch of value on ‘catching the ball’, more of a gimmick to him.
—–
That doesn’t sound like you think they’ve had one of the best receiver rooms in the league during his time. The Arians and Haley years were flat out wide open offenses that threw the ball a ton. In fact, it’s why the Rooneys fired Arians, they thought his scheme got Roethlisberger hit too much and didn’t run the ball enough.
“Draft decent receivers” – with Ben as your QB they did good but since what do you got?
A+ move. Shipping out a receiver with stone hands to fill an area of need. Queen helps solidify the group. Deep WR class, Steelers are known for finding magic in the 3-4th round. Draft two OL in the first two, and this team has taken a huge step forward.
Agreed. I’ll be surprised if they don’t have something brewing either in a trade or signing for a receiver or in areas like D-line, secondary and O-line. While they’ve always been good at drafting and developing wideouts, it would be a surprise to hear they can fill Johnson’s spot with a high draft choice. Guess we’ll see
Something not mentioned were two locker room fights last season.
I guess he will have no problem showing little to no effort in Carolina, since nobody will really be watching them anyways. Lol