The Pittsburgh Steelers made Diontae Johnson just the second wide receiver to receive a multi-year extension since Hines Ward. Two years after signing him to a new deal, they moved him via trade earlier this offseason. While they received a starting cornerback in return, it opened a sizeable hole at the wide receiver position. And whether or not they have managed to fill it is very much an outstanding question.
“Diontae left his legacy here. You don’t replace that”, third-year WR Calvin Austin III said during OTAs, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He is only one of three receivers on the roster to have played in a game with him. “You just have new players step up and do their jobs”.
Austin is, potentially, one of the players the Steelers need to step up, even though he isn’t new. Indeed, along with George Pickens, he is now the longest-tenured wide receiver on the roster. He did spend his rookie season on the Reserve/Injured List, however—during Diontae Johnson’s infamous zero-touchdown year.
The Steelers did bring in several new faces, however, with rookie Roman Wilson the most realistic option to replace Johnson on a long-term basis. The new faces also consist of veterans Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Scotty Miller.
A third-round pick in 2019 out of Toledo, Johnson spent five seasons with the Steelers. He totaled 391 catches for 4,263 yards and 25 touchdowns during that time. In his final season with the team, he caught 51 passes in 13 games for 717 yards and five touchdowns.
Johnson became only the fourth player in franchise history with a 100-catch season in 2021. That year, the final of QB Ben Roethlisberger’s career, he caught 107 passes for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl that season as an alternate. As a rookie, he made the All-Pro list as a punt returner.
No other receiver other than Pickens on the roster has the sort of resume that indicates he can step into Johnson’s shoes. Even if many Steelers fans came to dislike him and/or his game, he has had a better career than those vying to take his place.
Jefferson is arguably the leader of that pack as a former second-round pick. He has 1,600 career receiving yards over four seasons on 113 receptions with 10 touchdowns. Austin, a former fourth-round pick, still has some potential.
Of course, many still wonder if the Steelers won’t make a splash trade to fill Johnson’s shoes. They still have months to pull off such a move. A player like Brandon Aiyuk could replace Johnson and his legacy. I don’t see anybody behind Pickens on this roster qualifying for that task.
