Writer on Steelers Beat Believes Diontae Johnson, a controversial wide receiver, may be leaving Pittsburgh: “With a bit of Friction”

Pittsburgh Steelers’ large receiver Diontae Johnson has had a wild experience in six seasons in the NFL. The corporation chosen him in the 1/3 round of the 2019 NFL Draft with a choose they’d obtained 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, however some of his other behavior has Brian Batko questioning if Johnson will be on a new team in 2024. 

Batko, who covers the group for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, speculated on a latest episode of The North Shore Drive Podcast that Johnson ought to be a achievable change candidate in the 2024 offseason. Johnson had been the team’s leading receiver in three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022. Johnson ignored four video games with a hamstring injury in the 2023 marketing campaign which allowed George Pickens to take over. The Toledo product nevertheless finished 2d on the squad with a modest 717 receiving yards on fifty one receptions in thirteen games. 

“That’s something I’m questioning in the back of my head,” Batko stated about a doable trade. “With some of the stuff that went on with Diontae this year. It appears like there is been a little bit more friction with him and the enterprise than in years past.” Johnson is etnering the last yr of a two-year contract extension he signed in August of 2022. Johnson struggled in the 2020 season with consistency, especially when it came to catching the football. He had 13 dropped passes, in accordance 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 5 while incomes his first nomination to the Pro Bowl. 

The 2023 season used to be a bit of a roller coaster for Johnson. He suffered a hamstring harm in Pittsburgh’s season opener in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers and didn’t return to action until after the team’s bye week towards the Los Angeles Rams. In his 0.33 recreation returned from injury in opposition to the Tennessee Titans, he snapped his infamous touchdown drought that stretched back to Week 17 of the 2021 season. Before Kenny Pickett related with him for a three-yard rating with four minutes left to play, he had remaining caught the game-opening rating from Ben Roethlisberger in a sport towards the Cleveland Browns the Steelers gained to impenetrable a playoff berth. 

The friction between Johnson and the business enterprise in all likelihood comes from his movements during video games in Week eleven and 12 towards the Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. He had a clear dispute with Mike Tomlin all through the recreation against the Browns, and after the contest got into a spirited argument with big name protection Minkah Fitzpatrick that had to be broken up by using teammates.In Week 12, going for walks lower back Jaylen Warren coughed up a ball that used to be recovered via Cincinnati. Johnson seemed to watch as a spectator. He at the beginning defended himself and later issued an apology to his teammates. 

Steelers Face Tough Questions On What To Do At Receiver

It’s virtually comprehensible to prefer to get some compensation for Johnson earlier than he doubtlessly hits the free organization market in 2025, however as Batko explained it would be taking an necessary player out of the offense when the agency is looking for a large step ahead with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. 

Pittsburgh has Pickens and speedster Calvin Austin III beneath contract for the 2024 season. Allen Robinson II stays on the roster, but is in all likelihood to be cut. Pittsburgh struggled to get manufacturing out of receivers now not named Pickens or Johnson in 2023 and will probable be searching at free corporation and the draft to tackle that pressing need. Batko theorized the crew ought to find a vacation spot for Johnson quicker instead than later so, they ought to appear to fill his spot in free organization or the draft. Even if he stays with the team, a receiver is possibly to be a position the team objectives in the draft with Johnson’s unsure future.