The Pittsburgh Steelers traded WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this offseason in exchange for CB Donte Jackson. The move created a hole for the Steelers, but it gave the Panthers a potential No. 1 wide receiver. It appears that the coaching staff have told Johnson as much.
Johnson addressed the Carolina media on Tuesday and spoke about what his role in the offense will be, according to Sheena Quick, Panthers beat writer for Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM.
“Dave [Canales] told me that as soon as I got here,” Johnson said of Carolina’s head coach via the Panthers’ YouTube channel. “I’m playing the X, you’re going to be the first read in the progression on almost every play. ‘Cause you know my unique skill set I bring to the table, and I’m going to utilize it.”
That’s a lot of assurance for a new receiver to an organization. However, Johnson has proven himself to be a phenomenal route runner in the NFL. So it makes sense that the Panthers would want to have second-year QB Bryce Young’s primary read be a receiver with the ability to create separation.
Johnson is far from perfect, which is why the Steelers were only able to get for him — and a late-rounds pick swap — a cornerback in Jackson, who has not solidified himself as a quality second corner in the league. One of the biggest complaints from Steelers fans is that Johnson has had issues with drops in the past. In 2020, Johnson had a career-high 13 drops and a career-high drop percentage of 9.0. However, in 2023, Johnson only had two drops and a drop percentage of 2.3.
That’s certainly much more reliable than what some Steelers fans have felt about Johnson. Which begs the question: Why did the Steelers trade him?
Head coach Mike Tomlin came out and said that Johnson never requested a trade. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it was because of Johnson’s attitude.
“DJ was a good receiver, they just got tired of the headaches,” Dulac wrote. “It’s like an old coach once told me — when the production outweighs the aggravation, you keep him; when the aggravation outweighs the production, you get rid of them.”
Johnson had his best year in terms of yards per reception in 2023 at 14.1. He also found the end zone five times after failing to record a receiving touchdown in 2022. However, he had his second-lowest catch percentage at 58.6 percent.
Dulac also specifically cited a couple of incidents involving Johnson and his teammates. The most notable one was when Johnson and S Minkah Fitzpatrick reportedly got into a “heated argument” after a 16-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns last season. That was after Johnson was spotted on the sidelines arguing with a coach.
Perhaps a change of scenery will do Johnson good. It appears he will be the unquestioned No. 1 receiver in Carolina, which could be a good thing for him mentally. It will be very interesting to see how he fares if the Panthers’ offense continues to struggle, though.
