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Summary:
- Reports say that Pittsburg Steelers’ Diontae Johnson is getting ready to join the Carolina Panthers.
- Johnson will make his exit due to a trade agreement with the Panthers.
- The Panthers will send cornerback Donte Jackson to the Steelers.
In a Tuesday post on X, ESPN’s Adam Schefter initially reported that Pittsburg Steelers’ Diontae Johnson will be heading to the Carolina Panthers as a result of an alleged trade agreement between the two teams.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero’s X report then indicated that the Steelers would be sending Johnson and a seventh-round pick to the Panthers and receive cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick in exchange.
Johnson’s Final Year of Contract with the Steelers
According to the new NFL trade deal, Johnson will leave the team as he is entering the final year of his two-year contract extension inked in 2022.
Under the close supervision of the Panthers’ head coach Dave Canales, Johnson will get a new start alongside 2023 No. 1 overall pick quarterback Bryce Young.
In an Instagram post, Johnson bid farewell to his black and gold team, emphasizing that he has been “like family from day one” and expressing his gratitude for all the memories and relationships he created with coaches, teammates, coaches, staff, and fans.
“Thank you for allowing me to grow into the man I am today” he concluded.
While Johnson was Pittsburgh’s main target on the outside, he also recorded a streak of inconsistencies, going 21 straight games with zero touchdown catches during his tenure with the team.
The Steelers’ struggles at the quarterback position also led to a few up-and-down performances from the player who tallied 4,363 receiving yards, 391 receptions, and 25 touchdowns during the 77 regular-season games he played in Pittsburgh.
The Need for Fresh Offensive Weapons
As they entered the offseason, the Panthers were in desperate need of fresh offensive weapons.
Carolina ranked last in total offense and passing offense while tied for last in the NFL in points per game last year.
Wide receiver Adam Thielen was the Panthers’s only player who recorded more than 43 catches. Johnson has never had a season with less than 51 receptions.
On the other hand, Jackson, who has been Carolina’s primary starter at cornerback since 2018, will help the Steelers in the secondary.
With 46 defended passes, 303 tackles, and 14 interceptions in his 80 career games, Jackson and Joey Porter Jr. are the early candidates to start at cornerback for the team in Pittsburgh. Will the either team make it to Super Bowl LIX? Get the latest sportbook odds ahead of the new NFL season here.
