Ex-Steelers Receiver Diontae Johnson May Have Big Regrets Soon In Carolina

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to bridge the gap left by the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger following the 2021 season. Pickett came to Pittsburgh with hype and fanfare, but after two mediocre seasons, Pickett was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers then made another move, sending Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. While the respective players speak highly of their new teams and fresh starts, not everyone believes the grass is always greener on the other side.

Johnson spent five seasons in Pittsburgh. In Carolina, he will be catching passes from second-year quarterback, Bryce Young, who was the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, on his Wednesday Steelers chat, was asked where he thought the better situation was for Johnson: with the Panthers and Young, or in Pittsburgh with Pickett. Dulac was very direct when he gave his answer, leaving no room for error.

"Here (Pittsburgh)."

Both Pickett and Johnson were polarizing figures in Pittsburgh. Each player had moments when it seemed like they had found a new level, only to crash back down to reality. Johnson never enjoyed any high-caliber, elite NFL receiving numbers with Pickett as his quarterback (Under 1,600 yards and five touchdowns in two seasons). Despite that, Dulac was quite concise with his take that Johnson's situation was better with Pickett, making it seem like more of an indictment of Young's abilities.

When he was drafted, many believed Pickett's collegiate career at the University of Pittsburgh would translate into a comfortable, familiar landing spot for the quarterback. However, in his two NFL seasons, he never found his footing at the professional level. While injury caused a few setbacks, including costing Pickett his job during the final games of the 2023 season, it was Pickett's lack of production that now has him playing in Philadelphia. Pickett's total numbers with the Steelers ended up being a mere 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, neither of which is acceptable for a starting NFL quarterback.

Young, though, might be more of a lateral move for Johnson than an upgrade, although a single rookie season is hardly enough to gauge a player. In 2023, the former Alabama quarterback had 11 touchdowns to go with 10 interceptions. It could be telling that, while the turnovers need to decrease, Young nearly matched Pickett's passing touchdowns in a single campaign. Johnson wanted to same kind of opportunity that Pickett was given in the trade, and with his fresh start in Carolina, the receiver should hope that Dulac ends up being wrong.

Johnson, who only surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in a season once (1,161 yards in 2021), saw a steady decrease in his numbers with Pickett under center. He only tallied 882 yards in 2022, and he had another down year in 2023 with 717 yards. If Johnson wants to prove that the Panthers won the trade, he will need to find a way to score often and consistently, neither of which he was able to do with the Steelers. It should be noted that he also only played in 13 games last season due to injury.

Steelers Hoping George Pickens Makes The Leap

When the Steelers made the trade that sent Johnson to the Panthers, it was done with the belief that George Pickens was a starting-caliber NFL receiver. The former Georgia star has shown more than a few flashes of brilliance in his two NFL seasons so far, totaling nearly 2,000 yards and nine touchdowns. Considering the concerns regarding Johnson's inability to find the end zone at any kind of consistent pace, there are many who believe that Pickens has already surpassed Johnson's ceiling.

With Calvin Austin III, Quez Watkins, Scotty Miller, Van Jefferson, and rookie Roman Wilson rounding out the receivers' room, Pickens stands out as the obvious starter. There are concerns regarding Pickens' attitude, including the infamous blocking play, but the Steelers have put faith in him to take that next step. After a 2024 offseason filled with roster upgrades on both sides of the ball, the Steelers chose not to make a major move for a receiver, signaling that it is Pickens' job to keep.

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