Steelers trade Diontae Johnson to Panthers, per sources: What Carolina gets in the WR

By Joseph Person, Jeff Howe, Dianna Russini and Mike DeFabo

The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson and pick No. 240 to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson and pick No. 178, according to league sources.

When the Steelers selected Johnson in the third round of the 2019 draft, he had many of the same characteristics as former Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown. At 5-foot-10 and 183 pounds, he had a similar body type. Like Brown, he excelled at a MAC school and flew somewhat under the radar on draft day. But more than anything, Johnson was like his predecessor in that he had an elite ability to get in and out of cuts.

That pristine route-running ability has helped Johnson land at the top of many NextGen stats lists as one of the league’s most open receivers. He used that skill set to reach his first and only Pro Bowl in 2021, recording 107 catches for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns while quickly becoming quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite target.

However, his production has fallen off in the years since. In an offense full of dysfunction, with former offensive coordinator Matt Canada running a vanilla offense and quarterback Kenny Pickett unable to play well enough to keep his job, Johnson went the entire 2022 season without scoring a touchdown. He rebounded to some degree in 2023, catching 51 passes in 13 games for 717 yards and five touchdowns. He also often drew the ire of fans for his frequent drops and the perplexing tendency to run backward after making catches.

Jackson, 28, played 16 games in 2023 for the Panthers and recorded 49 solo tackles and five pass deflections.

The Steelers finished 10-7 in 2023 before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card matchup. The Panthers failed to make the playoffs in 2023 after finishing a league-worst 2-15.

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What the Panthers are getting in Johnson

New general manager Dan Morgan made it clear at the combine that the Panthers were looking for playmakers with which to surround quarterback Bryce Young, whose struggles as a rookie were in part due to his receivers’ inability to separate. Johnson doesn’t have great size and projects more as a No. 2 receiver.

But he’s quick and shifty and is closer to a No. 1 than any of the wideouts the Panthers had last season. The dynamic Johnson should be helpful in coach Dave Canales’ plan to get the ball out of Young’s hands more quickly. — Joseph Person, Panthers beat writer

The Panthers should have confidence that Johnson can look more like his Pro Bowl best in a competent offense. However, Johnson also comes with some baggage. During the 2022 season, he got into a heated halftime spat with then-QB1 Mitch Trubisky. The Steelers ultimately benched Trubisky in that moment and turned to Pickett. This season, in a similar manner, Johnson got into an altercation after an especially disheartening loss to the Browns with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. He also had to publicly apologize for failing to make an effort to recover a fumble.

While these incidents may be a cause for concern, make no mistake: If Johnson gets his, he’ll stay happy and has far more talent than the last two seasons would suggest on his stat line. — Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer

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What the Steelers are getting in Jackson

Jackson has been a starter since he arrived in Charlotte as a second-round pick from LSU in 2018. Jackson is on the small side (5-10, 180 pounds) but has good speed and isn’t afraid to tackle — something he was better at as he got older. Jackson never went to a Pro Bowl with the Panthers, and he could run hot and cold in coverage.

He had at least two interceptions every season but in 2023, when he didn’t get his hands on as many passes after returning from an Achilles injury that ended his 2022 season. Jackson was due a $4 million roster bonus on March 16 and the Panthers planned to cut him if they couldn’t find a trade partner. — Person

Where the Steelers go from here at receiver

Johnson isn’t the only receiver the Steelers have said goodbye to recently. Last week, they cut veteran Allen Robinson to save $10 million against the cap.

Pittsburgh learned the hard way how valuable Johnson was last season when he went down with an injury. That left the team with a dependable deep threat in George Pickens, but no one to work the underneath portions of the field.

The Steelers have one young, up-and-coming receiver in Calvin Austin, who made his NFL debut last year after missing his entire rookie season with a foot injury. But that’s not nearly enough for an offense that struggled mightily last year.

Whether it’s in free agency or a draft loaded with receivers, the Steelers will need to backfill Johnson’s position. However, they also eliminated one personality from an offense that was dysfunctional at times last year and, as receiver contracts continue to rise, they may find more bang for the buck with a new draft pick on a rookie deal. — DeFabo

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(Photo: Jamie Germano / Roches via USA Today)