Diontae Johnson

Panthers Seeking Mid-Round Pick For Diontae Johnson; WR Likely To Be Traded?

October 27th, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Diontae Johnson has said he would prefer to stay in Charlotte, but as the Panthers trudge through another down season amid a rebuild, the receiver they acquired to boost Bryce Young‘s development appears likely to be dealt.

As the Rams’ two victories have effectively removed Cooper Kupp off the trade block, the Panthers sit 1-6. They are expected to make trades, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicates Johnson looks on track to be moved before the November 5 deadline.

Both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper brought third-round picks — Adams a conditional third that could jump to a second (though, that is unlikely) — in trades, while DeAndre Hopkins headed to Kansas City for a conditional fifth. The Panthers appear to be seeking compensation that lands in between these hauls. Carolina is expected to aim for a mid-round pick for Johnson, according to Schefter.

Early this month, Johnson’s name began to circulate in trade rumors. The Panthers, per Schefter, have indeed received multiple inquiries on the shifty receiver. Carolina obtained Johnson in a March trade that sent cornerback Donte Jackson to Pittsburgh. The 2019 third-round pick is in a contract year, and although he has expressed an openness to a Panthers extension, it appears more likely another team will hold his exclusive negotiating rights soon. The Panthers had not started Johnson extension talks coming into the season; it does not look like any traction has emerged on that front — especially as the team benched Young after two games.

Young is back in Carolina’s lineup today, as Andy Dalton sustained a sprained thumb in a car accident this week. But the 2023 No. 1 overall pick’s return may not represent a renewed Panthers commitment from a long-term perspective. With Johnson’s presence not boosting Young in the way the team hoped — as the 5-foot-10 passer struggled mightily in Weeks 1 and 2 — the ex-Ben Roethlisberger target will likely be helping another quarterback soon.

The Steelers have been looking for a receiver, being linked to Adams and Hopkins, but it would surprise if they made a move to reacquire Johnson, who remains tied to the two-year, $36.7MM contract GM Omar Khan authorized in summer 2022. Johnson, 28, showed elite route-running chops in Pittsburgh while displaying a drop propensity. He also has yet to play with a high-end quarterback, as Roethlisberger was in decline by the time the duo linked up and Kenny Pickett quickly showed he would not be the future Hall of Famer’s long-term successor.

The Toledo alum has an 1,161-yard season, along with two other years north of 880, on his resume, as his separation ability consistently drew targets in Pittsburgh. Johnson joins Dalton in being set to miss today’s Panthers-Broncos matchup, being sidelined with a rib injury, but teams do not appear concerned this will impact the WR beyond the deadline. For the season, Johnson has 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns. Dalton’s 2024 debut doubled as Johnson’s career-high receiving yardage outing (122), and the veteran receiver added two more 75-plus-yard showings for the struggling Panthers since.

With Kupp more than likely off the table, Schefter indicates Johnson is the most likely wideout to be moved before the deadline. If Johnson is traded next week, just less than $4MM would remain on his 2024 base salary.

Panthers Not Expected To Move Chuba Hubbard; Latest On Team’s Trade Plans

October 24th, 2024 at 8:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

While little has gone right for this season’s Panthers, they have seen their starting running back deliver. Chuba Hubbard is on pace for his first 1,000-yard season, and the effort is set to finish in Charlotte.

As the Panthers prepare for Jonathon Brooks‘ debut, that is not expected to influence their plans with Hubbard. Carolina is not expected to trade the contract-year running back, ESPN.com’s David Newton notes. Hubbard ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing yardage (537), averaging 5.2 per tote. He has impressed since taking over for Miles Sanders last season. Sanders is indeed a trade candidate.

This offseason brought some notable running back paydays, bringing optimism compared to a bleak 2023 at the position. Hubbard, 25, would stand to benefit after showing good form on bad teams. The Panthers made changes along their offensive line, paying up for guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, and Hubbard has benefited. Hubbard did gain 902 yards last season, when he started 12 games despite Sanders fetching the top RB contract on the 2023 market, but averaged 3.8 per carry. Next Gen Stats did slot Hubbard in the top 20 in terms of rushing yards over expected, however.

The Panthers prioritized upgrades in the run game this offseason, showing it by trading up to No. 46 for Brooks. The Texas product, this year’s first RB drafted, needing an extended runway to return after a November 2023 ACL tear worked to Hubbard’s advantage. Among first-time free agents, Hubbard will join Najee Harris, Javonte Williams and Khalil Herbert on next year’s market. Veterans will be available as well, but the Oklahoma State alum should still generate interest.

As Hubbard is set to work in tandem with Brooks soon, the Panthers are likely ready to part with some veterans. In addition to Sanders, the Panthers are likely open to moving Jonathan Mingo, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds. The 2023 second-round pick has not justified his draft slot, and a new Panthers regime (though, Dan Morgan was assistant GM when Mingo was drafted) added Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette this offseason.

Despite making five starts and Andy Dalton boosting the passing game after Bryce Young‘s benching, Mingo has just 12 receptions for 121 yards. The Panthers have seen Johnson generate interest, but the ex-Steeler said (via Newton) he does not want to be dealt.

Dave Canales also said he does not envision a Johnson trade commencing, though a good offer for the shifty route runner could obviously change the organization’s plans. Morgan and Co. will need to weigh offers against what level of compensatory pick Johnson could generate. A comp pick would not arrive until 2026, and the Panthers could look to re-sign Johnson before he hits free agency. Extension talks are not believed to have started, however.

Teams asked about Young following his September benching, but the Panthers shot down those inquiries. Still, rumblings in the wake of the benching pointed to the team being ready to move on from the No. 1 overall pick in 2025. If Young is not in Carolina’s post-2024 plans, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes he still does not appear to be, the team could look to explore a move now.

Dalton’s thumb sprain sustained in a car accident — which is set to throw Young back into the lineup — could throw a wrench into such plans, but given where the Panthers are in their rebuild, short-term matters would not stand to interfere with bigger-picture goals. Still, it would represent a historically quick ending for a No. 1 pick if Carolina were to move Young before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Sean McDermott: Concern Exists With Wide Receiver Group

October 8th, 2024 at 11:46am CST by Sam Robinson

Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs‘ departures brought scrutiny on the Bills’ wide receiver group this offseason. While some of the players the perennial AFC East champions have turned to have enjoyed moments, the passing game has regressed against stiffer competition over the past two weeks.

Down his most reliable target (Khalil Shakir) in Week 5, Josh Allen completed 9 of 30 passes for 131 yards. Allen’s 4.37 yards per attempt marked the third-lowest figure of his career, with the only two showings south of that place coming during the passer’s developmental 2010s seasons. The Bills might be running into a problem, though Shakir and second-round pick Keon Coleman have shown they will be regular contributors this season as long as they are healthy.

That said, Sean McDermott indicated (via the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski) concern exists with the team’s wide receiver group. While the eighth-year Buffalo HC otherwise expressed confidence in the recently assembled WR cadre, the Bills may well be a player short here. They have been mentioned as a Davante Adams suitor, but they are among the teams who are believed to view the Raiders’ asking price — at least a second-round pick — as too high for an expensive, soon-to-be 32-year-old standout.

Buffalo threw a few darts at this group in free agency, signing Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chase Claypool. While Samuel, Hollins and Valdes-Scantling remain on Buffalo’s roster, none has moved the needle. Samuel has been the biggest disappointment, given where the Bills went to reunite him with OC Joe Brady (three years, $24MM); he has nine receptions for 48 yards in five games. Of this group, only Shakir (230 yards) and Coleman (175) have posted more than 75 yards.

If Adams is not a true Bills target, the team — if it, in fact, does attempt to belatedly equip Allen with a starter-level option — should have some other available WRs to target. DeAndre Hopkins, whom the Bills discussed with the Cardinals last year, may be available. Christian Kirk has been brought up as a trade chip, and despite acquiring Diontae Johnson via trade in March, the Panthers have not engaged in extension talks. The ex-Steeler has come up as a player teams are monitoring as well, and The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia mentions Johnson as a name to watch in connection with the Bills’ need (subscription required).

While the Bills have been no stranger to hiring ex-Panthers, this would not exactly qualify for the McDermott-Brandon Beane pipeline since Johnson only arrived in Carolina this offseason. Johnson carries $4.91MM in prorated base salary, were a team to acquire him this week. That number will drop as we head toward the Nov. 5 deadline. The Bills filled a need at last year’s deadline, acquiring Rasul Douglas from the Packers. Douglas remains a Buffalo starting cornerback.

Johnson’s skillset would somewhat overlap with Shakir’s, but the sixth-year veteran obviously brings more experience. He is among the NFL’s top separators, having finished in the top four in ESPN’s Open Score metric from 2019-22, ranking first in multiple seasons during that span. Regardless of any overlap with Shakir, Johnson would give the Bills a borderline No. 1 target and upgrade their passing attack. If the team is not keen on paying up for Adams, who still looks to be eyeing a reunion with either Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr, a player like Johnson would make sense.

As mentioned in an offseason Trade Rumors Front Office piece, the Bills seemed a man down if only due to this being the age-28 season of a quarterback who has absorbed more punishment compared to some of his top-tier contemporaries. Allen runs the risk of his prime being shorter than the likes of Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow due to his run-game workload, and the Bills maximizing these years would seem prudent. For now, the team is going with its Shakir- and Coleman-fronted group. After two straight losses, however, the heat may be on this contingent. Otherwise, noise about a Douglas-style pre-deadline swap will become louder.

Teams Eyeing Panthers WR Diontae Johnson?

October 5th, 2024 at 8:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Diontae Johnson has already been traded once in the past seven months. If the Panthers continue to head the wrong way in the standings, teams believe the veteran wideout could once again be on the move.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, rival teams are on “high alert” in anticipation of the Panthers being sellers at the trade deadline. While Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams will be the main prize for WR-needy squads, there’s a belief that Johnson could be a worthy backup plan.

The Panthers sent the Steelers Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick for the receiver back in March, with Carolina hoping that the acquisition could provide Bryce Young with a steady veteran pass catcher. Things have obviously changed since the season began, as the former first-overall pick has been temporarily benched in favor of veteran Andy Dalton.

The Panthers won their first game with Dalton at the helm but lost last Sunday, dropping the team’s record to 1-3. While the veteran QB may provide a temporary offensive improvement, it still might not be enough to elevate the Panthers out of the NFL’s cellar. If the team continues to collect losses, it’d only be natural for the front office to pawn off some of their impending free agents.

Johnson would undeniably be a popular rental piece. The former third-round pick had three-straight 80-plus-catch seasons between 2020 and 2022, including a 2021 campaign where he earned a Pro Bowl nod after hauling in 107 catches for 1,161 yards and eight scores. Thanks in part to injuries and inconsistent QB play, Johnson had one of his least productive campaigns in 2023, finishing with a career-low 51 receptions.

Despite Carolina’s quarterback issues, Johnson has rebounded in 2024, with his 59.8 yards-per-game mark representing his highest average since his 2021 campaign. As Fowler notes, Johnson could easily slide in as a team’s WR1 or WR2, which should make him a popular target for any squad that needs receiving help.

Trading Johnson could also benefit the Panthers as they look to evaluate their younger pieces. While 2023 second-round pick Jonathan Mingo and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette aren’t necessarily buried on the depth chart, they’re not getting a full workload thanks to the presence of Johnson. The team is also rostering UDFA Jalen Coker, while the likes of David Moore and Adam Thielen (who is currently on IR) could provide the veteran option the Panthers clearly desire.

Panthers Not Considering Extension For Diontae Johnson

September 11th, 2024 at 9:53pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Making major updates to their wide receiver room by using the trade market and the first round, the Panthers are certainly in the early stages of a rebuild. Their highest-paid wideout looms as an extension candidate, with a Steelers-constructed contract expiring at season’s end.

The Panthers, however, have yet to engage with wide receiver Diontae Johnson on an extension, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic, as the team tries to determine the best future pass catchers for young quarterback Bryce Young.

Johnson arrived in Carolina from Pittsburgh in March in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick. The Steelers also sent a seventh-round pick to the Panthers to close the deal. The Panthers hope that Johnson will give Young a second reliable target alongside veteran Adam Thielen, who surpassed expectations last season with 103 catches and 1,014 receiving yards — more than the team’s next two leading receivers combined.

Johnson signed a two-year, $36.7MM extension with the Steelers in 2022, but the Panthers are wisely waiting for him to prove himself in Dave Canales‘ system. The veteran wideout only caught two of his six targets for 19 yards in Carolina’s regular-season opener against the Saints, but he is encouraged by Canales’ use of motion to create favorable matchups.

“They’re moving me around just to get me on ’backers or nickels or different corners,” said Johnson last week. “Try to attack them in different ways. Just little stuff like that is going help us keep the offense on the field and allows me to move the sticks for the offense.”

Johnson has shown interest in an extension with the Panthers in the past. If Johnson can assimilate smoothly into Canales’ offense and develop chemistry with Young, he could cash in on the recent explosion of receiver contracts. While his career pedigree would not warrant the $30MM-plus per-year figures of Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Brandon Aiyuk, a strong season could vault him into the $25MM range.

“It gives me motivation to keep working hard, keep my head down, keep grinding,” Johnson said of this year’s ballooning WR market. “The time will come if I can just continue to make plays and be consistent.”

At 28, Johnson should have a nice opportunity collect a lucrative third contract — either from the Panthers or in free agency — by March. His production in Canales’ offense will provide an important value update for the former Steelers third-round pick. Carolina holds exclusive negotiating rights with Johnson until the 2025 legal tampering period.

Latest On Panthers’ Wide Receiving Corps

July 5th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen had an excellent 2024 campaign, reminiscent of some of his best seasons with the Vikings. Besides the 33-year-old’s standout effort, rookie quarterback Bryce Young didn’t get much help throughout a rocky first season. As a result, the Panthers made two big moves to augment the receiving corps this offseason, requiring recent high draft picks to show up soon or, perhaps, get pushed out.

After Thielen’s 103-reception, 1,014-yard, four-score effort, the next-best receiving performances were from free agent addition DJ Chark (35 receptions-525 yards-5 touchdowns) and second-round rookie Jonathan Mingo (43-418-0). Rounding out the room, former second-round pick Terrace Marshall (19-139-0), former Jaguars second-round pick Laviska Shenault (10-60-0), Ihmir Smith-Marsette (8-51-0), and Mike Strachan (1-45-0) each provided minimal contributions in Young’s rookie year.

Besides Shenault, that entire group returns in 2024. Thielen will obviously remain a starter, though he may be challenged by trade acquisition Diontae Johnson for the WR1-role. Johnson averaged about 872 yards and five touchdowns per year over five seasons in Pittsburgh. Putting forth an average season would already provide a significant upgrade to the room.

Joining Johnson as a newcomer to the group is first-round draft pick Xavier Legette. An explosive but inexperienced weapon out of South Carolina, Legette brings an air of mystery to the Panthers. Legette spent four years with the Gamecocks before finally becoming a main contributor as a redshirt senior, totaling more in 2023 (71-1,255-7) than he did in the four prior years combined (42-423-5).

Barely making it into the first round as the 32nd overall selection in this year’s draft, Legette will be competing with the team’s two former second-round picks in his rookie season for the WR3 job. While Marshall has had trouble staying on the field since getting drafted out of LSU, missing at least three games in each year including eight last year, his second season stats (28-490-1) resembled Mingo’s rookie numbers, but he was mostly a non-factor during his other two seasons. Mingo could certainly take step forward in Year 2, but he’ll now be forced to outperform Legette in training camp to remain a starter.

One under the radar addition that could prove effective is UFL star Daewood Davis. A former undrafted free agent for the Dolphins out of Western Kentucky, Davis caught 41 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games with the Memphis Showboats. If he uses that pro experience to enhance his offseason performance in 2024, Davis could make a strong play for a roster spot and, perhaps, even a role in the receiver-rotation.

Regardless, Carolina’s 2024 receiving corps looks to be much improved from the group fielded by the Panthers in 2023. Thielen and Johnson figure to form a strong, experienced duo atop the depth chart. Past those two, Carolina just needs one of Legette, Mingo, Marshall, Davis, or another to step up and provide a strong WR3 for Young.

WR Diontae Johnson Interested In Panthers Extension

June 12th, 2024 at 2:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers and Panthers agreed to swap contract-year players. The higher-profile piece included in the March trade went to Carolina, which acquired Diontae Johnson. Donte Jackson is now in Pittsburgh, joining Johnson as a walk-year player on a new team.

Carolina has now paired Johnson’s Pittsburgh-constructed contract with Bryce Young‘s rookie deal. Johnson and Adam Thielen join rookie-contract wideouts Jonathan Mingo and Xavier Legette. After inking a two-year, $36.75MM deal before the 2022 season, Johnson may not need to see how this season goes before determining Charlotte could work for him long term.

“Just gotta stay relaxed, just keep being humble, make my plays,” Johnson said, via Panthers Wire’s Anthony Rizzuti. “Help the team win the best way I can and my game will speak for itself. And if they feel like they want to extend me, then I’m all for it.”

Johnson’s contract timeline has proven interesting. He initially strolled into a walk year as the Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams contracts began a sea change in the receiver market. The Jaguars’ four-year, $72MM Christian Kirk proposal changed the market’s second tier as well, and a slew of Day 2 draftees in 2019 — Johnson, A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf — landed extensions. Johnson’s checked in between Kirk’s pact and the Brown-Metcalf-Samuel-McLaurin tier, averaging $18.35MM per year. He is now going into a contract year as the WR market is changing again.

Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Justin Jefferson have surpassed Hill’s $30MM-per-year accord, and Hill joins CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk in angling for a top-market contract. Courtland Sutton resides near the second tier; the Broncos’ top wideout is pushing for an adjustment as well. Johnson, who will turn 28 next month, can certainly aim for a contract north of $20MM per year. He might need to deliver a bounce-back season in Carolina to up his market.

Johnson has been tied to a slew of QBs during his career. Although Ben Roethlisberger will be a Hall of Famer, he was not at his best during Johnson’s Pittsburgh stay. Big Ben’s 2019 elbow injury ushered in a season of Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges, and Roethlisberger’s retirement brought in Kenny Pickett. The latter failed to justify the Steelers’ No. 20 overall investment, leading to a trade. Johnson has made do, with his crafty route running (with a drop penchant admittedly mixed in) aiding this lot of QBs. Sandwiching an 1,161-yard 2021 showing in Roethlisberger’s finale, Johnson totaled 923 yards (2020) and 881 (2022). The former third-round pick bettered his 2022 per-game average, notching 55.2 per contest — and catching five TD passes after famously being kept out of the end zone in 2022 — after returning from a hamstring injury last season.

The Panthers added Johnson and Legette to help round out Young’s aerial cast, which was thin beyond Thielen last season. Thielen’s three-year, $25MM contract features a guaranteed 2024 salary. The soon-to-be 34-year-old receiver’s 2025 money is nonguaranteed, giving the Panthers options. Another Johnson deal would align with Young’s rookie deal on a roster largely devoid of big-ticket contracts.

Carolina hired Dan Morgan as its GM this offseason. While Morgan did not have final say on the D.J. Moore and Robbie Chosen extensions earlier this decade, he was on staff when the Panthers authorized them. It will certainly be interesting to see if the Panthers move to extend Johnson before or during his contract campaign.

Diontae Johnson Sought Trade From Steelers

March 31st, 2024 at 7:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers have made a habit of moving on from starting wide receivers following their rookie contracts, regularly finding replacements in the draft. This assembly line, however, did feature an exception for Diontae Johnson, who signed an extension in 2022. But the Steelers wrapped Johnson’s tenure after five seasons by trading him to the Panthers.

Swapping out Johnson, 27, for Carolina cornerback Donte Jackson, Pittsburgh bailed on a player who led the team in receiving three times (2020-22) and one who displayed strong route-running chops. While some turbulence came along with the former third-round pick, the team has a need at receiver entering April.

Rumblings about a Johnson trade emerged around the Combine, and The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly indicates the talented pass catcher requested a trade (subscription required). Going into the final season on the two-year, $36.71MM extension he signed in summer 2022, Johnson will now count $10MM on Carolina’s cap and give Bryce Young a second veteran receiver to target alongside Adam Thielen.

It is unclear why Johnson wanted out, though the Steelers’ quarterback situation may well have played a role. Chosen in Round 3 out of Toledo, Johnson soon saw the Steelers’ QB fortunes change when Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending elbow injury in September 2019. He showed potential with Mason Rudolph as a rookie, but Roethlisberger was a diminished version of himself upon returning in 2020. More limitations emerged in 2021, and the future Hall of Famer called it quits at season’s end. Drop issues notwithstanding, Johnson became Big Ben’s most trusted target following the elbow injury; he posted 144- and 167-target seasons in 2020 and ’21, posting a career-high 1,161 yards in Roethlisberger’s final season.

Kenny Pickett did not provide an upgrade. Johnson famously did not score a touchdown in 2022, going nearly two years between regular-season TDs. He added five TDs last year and averaged more yards per game (55.2) compared to 2022 but brought baggage stemming from comments and a dispute with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The five-year veteran also chirped at coaches during a rocky 2023 slate. Johnson was also criticized for showing little effort to recover a Jaylen Warren fumble during a game against the Bengals last season. A Johnson-Mitch Trubisky shouting match also took place in 2022, and the Steelers have closed the book on their partnership with the 5-foot-10 WR as they revamped their QB room around Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

The Steelers have nabbed numerous starting wideouts on Day 2 of the draft during the Mike Tomlin–Kevin Colbert partnership — from Mike Wallace to Emmanuel Sanders to JuJu Smith-Schuster to Johnson to George Pickens — and it would certainly not surprise to see the team turn to the draft’s second day to address this spot once again. This is viewed as another deep receiver draft, and the Steelers have continually done well to staff this job. They need help alongside Pickens now, with Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin and gadget/returner addition Cordarrelle Patterson in the fold.

Mike Tomlin said the team had targeted Jackson, 28, in the past. The former second-round pick joins Joey Porter Jr. as the Steelers’ top corners. The team reduced its recent trade acquisition’s cap number as well. The sides agreed on a new deal that dropped Jackson’s 2024 cap number to $6MM, per OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald, who adds the seventh-year corner will receive $4.75MM guaranteed. The Steelers already picked up Jackson’s $4MM roster bonus upon acquiring him.

The Jackson trade left $9.78MM in dead money on Carolina’s payroll; the team moved on from the corner two years after re-signing him to a three-year, $35.18MM contract. Pittsburgh’s Johnson trade left $5.83MM in dead money on its cap sheet. Both players’ contracts still expire after the 2024 season, though their new teams hold exclusive negotiating rights until March 2025.

Steelers To Trade WR Diontae Johnson To Panthers For CB Donte Jackson

March 12th, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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.

Steelers May Trade WR Diontae Johnson?

March 9th, 2024 at 2:00pm CST by Ely Allen

It seems to be destined that Pittsburgh drafts and develops some incredible talent at wide receiver just to see them leave these days. Throughout their history, receivers like Mike Wallace, Plaxico Burress, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Santonio Holmes, Chase Claypool, and Emmanuel Sanders all play their way out of Pittsburgh some way or another after impressing over the course of their rookie deals. Even complementary receivers like Nate Washington, James Washington, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton show flashes during their time in Pittsburgh that earns them contracts elsewhere. It seems that Diontae Johnson may be next in line to join that list.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Steelers are reportedly “open to listening to trade offers” on their five-year veteran wideout. After playing out his rookie contract as a third-round pick out of Toledo, Johnson signed a two-year, $36.71MM extension. He played through the first year of that deal last season, meaning 2024 will be a contract year for the 27-year-old. Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline confirms Johnson could be available “if the price is right.”

In the final year of his contract, Johnson is due to receive $10MM of cash with a $7MM base salary and a $3MM roster bonus. With $5.83MM of his initial signing bonus being attributed to the 2024 season, he will represent a cap hit of $15.83MM. If the team were to find a trade partner, they would be able free up $10MM of that salary cap space, eating the $5.83MM they already paid him as dead money.

A down year in 2023 and only five touchdowns in the past two years may have soured the public on Johnson after a career year in 2021, but Johnson has still been consistent enough to place himself firmly in Pittsburgh’s history. His 4,363 receiving yards in black and yellow is good for ninth-most in the franchise’s storied history, surpassing all of the names listed above. Despite his recent scoring drought, his 25 career receiving touchdowns ranks 11th all-time for the Steelers.

There’s sure to be interest in Johnson around the league. His consistency has appeared in his availability over the years. Before missing four games this past season, Johnson had only missed two games in his career. His lowest receiving total of 680 yards came in his rookie season, and he’s shown that he can get into the endzone up to seven or eight times a year. Teams desperate for a WR1 or extremely interested in a strong WR2 will likely be reaching out to Pittsburgh for a price check.

As for the Steelers, if Johnson departs, it will be next man up, per usual. George Pickens seems to have taken the reins of the receiving corps with a stellar sophomore season. They’ve got some young, inexperienced depth in Calvin Austin and Dez Fitzpatrick, as well as some veteran reserve players like Marquez Callaway, Miles Boykin, and Denzel Mims. They will probably want to add to the room to support Pickens, though. While they may take a peek at free agency or trades, like they did last year with Allen Robinson, but they’re just as likely to stick to their usual modus operandi and find a new pass catcher in the draft.

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