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He Pittsburgh Steelers traded catcher Diontae Johnson and a seventh round NFL Draft pick up (No. 240) at carolina panthers for corner Donte Jackson and a sixth-rounder (No. 178).
Why did they make the move?
Johnson and the Steelers were ready to part ways after a rocky fifth season together, during which he tallied a career-low 51 receptions, and his 717 receiving yards were his fewest since his rookie season. His stats had fallen in two consecutive seasons after a career year in 2021. Johnson’s effort came under scrutiny at times in 2023.
His $3 million roster bonus expires Friday, so the timing of the move was significant. The Steelers saved $10 million in cap space by moving Johnson, but Jackson will take on a portion of that.
The Panthers couldn’t keep Jackson on the books with a $15.7 million cap hit, so their move was also financially motivated.
The Steelers have been preparing for a reset at receiver and also needed a boost at cornerback after cutting. Patrick Peterson this month. Jackson is a solid, reliable veteran who should fit well in Pittsburgh.
Jackson, 28, has started 76 of 80 games in his career, so he will bring plenty of experience to the Steelers defense. He also played in 16 games last season, tying his career high, which was important after an Achilles injury in 2022.
The Panthers, as noted after the Brian Burns Tradinghave made a concerted effort to give the quarterback young bryce as much help as possible. Johnson could be a big part of that company if he performs close to his 2021 form. He’s in a contract year, so he should be motivated.
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Panthers Business Grade: B
This would be an automatic A if Johnson was certain to be in his prime. If he proves to be a top-notch receiver, he will help Young’s development and become a dangerous asset for coach Dave Canales’ offense.
In some ways, Johnson’s frustrations with the Steelers’ offense were understandable last season. They Fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada and got inconsistent quarterback play Kenny Pickett and their endorsements.
But the Panthers are coming off a league-worst 2-15 record, and there’s still an element of the unknown in Canales’ first season under Young. How will Johnson handle if they get off to a rocky start?
Still, it’s worth a gamble. They had to move Jackson’s contract and got a dangerous receiver in return, and they are investing their time and energy into developing Young, who should be the organization’s top target.
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Steelers Commercial Grade: B-
The Steelers filled a need for a defense that is almost always among the best units in the league.
And because the Steelers have an amazing track record of restocking receivers during the draft, they deserve the benefit of the doubt that they will restock the position next month.
After all, your starting quarterback will be Russell Wilson or Pickett. If it’s Wilson, all sides will invest in resurrecting his game and perhaps preparing the veteran to finish his career in Pittsburgh. If it’s Pickett, they’ll want to give the young quarterback some help. Put another way, they won’t be limited to playing receiver this offseason.
(Donte Jackson and Diontae Johnson photos: Jared C. Tilton and Harry How/Getty Images)
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