Are the Steelers getting ready to trade Diontae Johnson?

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Are the Steelers getting ready to trade Diontae Johnson?

Boy I hope so. Who will take his play and cap number?

I would trade DJ straight up for a 2nd round pick if there are any offers for one. I'd settle for a high third round pick, as this player will be cheap and signed for four years.

The NFL draft is generating WR's in abdunce. We seem to be good at picking them. There is some chatter on this topic so I thought I would start a thread.

Our GM " Dr. Evil " is impressing me lately. ( Khan )

[Northern_Blitz]

This would be foolish IMO. I don't think it makes sense from a personnel or cap standpoint IMO.

DJ is still our best WR.

I'm hopefully Pickens becomes this, but I think I've heard that he mostly just ran go routes last year (is this scheme, player limitation, or both)? Hopefully we see big growth this year after a good rookie campaign where he was also recovering from a big injury. But in Pittsburgh, we've seen lots of WRs with good first years that petered out quickly.

I remember a month or so ago you were talking about how stacking up dead money is foolish.

If we trade DJ before June 1, we get ~ $11.6M in dead money this year and $4.6M nest season. If we do it after Jun 1, we get $5.8M this year and $10.5M next year.

So, it's not going to happen. But blogs and beat writers have to write about something. :p

[Blitzer]

He is without a doubt our most consistent WR. I would not trade him for a 2nd. 1st maybe.

[whisper]

He is without a doubt our most consistent WR. I would not trade him for a 2nd. 1st maybe.

A 1st?!!? Not likely, not even possible. I'd say a 2nd is dreaming. In case anyone isn't paying attention, Pgh's skill at getting great WRs is exaggerated and exposed. How did we do with Claypool? Poof, not so great. How about with Washington? Pffffffft. Another 2nd round pick who did little. Ayers? Nothing. Coates. Not so much. The Steelers "touch" at being superior at drafting WRs is now a known falsehood (at least to teams other than the Bears). Hopefully we nailed the Pickens pick. DJ is just a so so WR; he does some nice things, but some pretty terrible, like dropping catchable passes and running backwards after the catch. He might fetch us a 5th. round.

[LPMAN]

I doubt they trade DJ simply because they don't want to set Kenny Pickett back to almost ground zero with all new wides to build a connection with in year two.

[feltdizz]

I doubt they trade DJ simply because they don't want to set Kenny Pickett back to almost ground zero with all new wides to build a connection with in year two.

yep.. Kenny said DJ is reliable and always where he is supposed to be.

The issue is once a play breaks down I think DJ isn’t the best at moving around to help the QB out.

[Blitzer]

A 1st?!!? Not likely, not even possible. I'd say a 2nd is dreaming. In case anyone isn't paying attention, Pgh's skill at getting great WRs is exaggerated and exposed. How did we do with Claypool? Poof, not so great. How about with Washington? Pffffffft. Another 2nd round pick who did little. Ayers? Nothing. Coates. Not so much. The Steelers "touch" at being superior at drafting WRs is now a known falsehood (at least to teams other than the Bears). Hopefully we nailed the Pickens pick. DJ is just a so so WR; he does some nice things, but some pretty terrible, like dropping catchable passes and running backwards after the catch. He might fetch us a 5th. round.

I thought the same about Hollywood Brown last year. a 1st for that guy? no way! it just takes 1 team. I agree unlikely though. so I would hope they keep him

[Joel Buchsbaum]

A 1st?!!? Not likely, not even possible. I'd say a 2nd is dreaming. In case anyone isn't paying attention, Pgh's skill at getting great WRs is exaggerated and exposed. How did we do with Claypool? Poof, not so great. How about with Washington? Pffffffft. Another 2nd round pick who did little. Ayers? Nothing. Coates. Not so much. The Steelers "touch" at being superior at drafting WRs is now a known falsehood (at least to teams other than the Bears). Hopefully we nailed the Pickens pick. DJ is just a so so WR; he does some nice things, but some pretty terrible, like dropping catchable passes and running backwards after the catch. He might fetch us a 5th. round.

Sanders, and Ward were 3rd round pick. They were decent and IMO better than Johnson who was you guessed it, a 3rd round pick. We are good at drafting WR after round two! Ever hear of Brown? They are not all hits but our track record is pretty good at picking WR past round one. Sure there are misses. That is not my point. That the Steelers are good at picking WR is.

[feltdizz]

Joel wants to replace damn near the whole team with draft picks and thinks it would actually lead to a better team.

This is clearly a guy who overvalues the draft.

[WindyCitySteel]

They need to trade Canada.

[feltdizz]

A 1st?!!? Not likely, not even possible. I'd say a 2nd is dreaming. In case anyone isn't paying attention, Pgh's skill at getting great WRs is exaggerated and exposed. How did we do with Claypool? Poof, not so great. How about with Washington? Pffffffft. Another 2nd round pick who did little. Ayers? Nothing. Coates. Not so much. The Steelers "touch" at being superior at drafting WRs is now a known falsehood (at least to teams other than the Bears). Hopefully we nailed the Pickens pick. DJ is just a so so WR; he does some nice things, but some pretty terrible, like dropping catchable passes and running backwards after the catch. He might fetch us a 5th. round.

Claypool blows up your whole argument. We got a second for Claypool. DJ could definitely fetch an2nd or low first rounder. It only takes 1 team.

[Chadman]

You can't trade DJ yet. Pickens has had 1 season of spectacular catches mixed in with pretty good WR play. Robinson is coming off 2 bad seasons. Miller & Austin are not reliable.

Even if you traded DJ, you'd then be forced to draft another WR, who probably doesn't produce the way DJ does in year 1.

If we were 4 deep at WR, and Pickens had a couple of seasons under his belt & was at DJ level on productivity....sure.

Maybe next year the option to trade DJ becomes more viable. For now, it would just hamper the development of Pickett

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Joel wants to replace damn near the whole team with draft picks and thinks it would actually lead to a better team.

This is clearly a guy who overvalues the draft.

WRONG! I want to trade over valued and expensive players on the salary cap, which Johnson is. I'll take a 2nd round pick in a deep draft for him, thank you.

Do you think he is worth the cap number?

[NorthCoast]

Joel wants to replace damn near the whole team with draft picks and thinks it would actually lead to a better team.

This is clearly a guy who overvalues the draft.

Or simply doesn't like the players already on the team.

Until another Steeler WR proves themselves as clear #1 they have to stick with DJ. (Pickens ain't there with his route running, which was very rookie-like last season.)

[Iron City Inc.]

Or simply doesn't like the players already on the team.

Until another Steeler WR proves themselves as clear #1 they have to stick with DJ. (Pickens ain't there with his route running, which was very rookie-like last season.)
Got to agree here. We can't do a trade and leave ourselves thin. Our wr depth is already on the lean side.
What could happen if we drafted a wr in the 3rd or 4th round and that rookie becomes a clear cut starter at some point perhaps a team who missed on a wr in this draft may look for a DJ and give up a pick in next years draft.
For now I would have to believe if we traded anyone during the draft it likely would be a position where we are deep. Guard imho is the only real deep position on this team.

[Oviedo]

I’m far from a “Wrong way Johnson” fan

However to trade him with so many unknowns is dumb.

they are talking about a second round pick for Aaron Rodgers and someone thinks Johnson gets that…need to get a clue

[feltdizz]

I’m far from a “Wrong way Johnson” fan

However to trade him with so many unknowns is dumb.

they are talking about a second round pick for Aaron Rodgers and someone thinks Johnson gets that…need to get a clue

What did we get for Claypool?

I think what some are forgetting is Aaron Rodgers is on the decline AND expensive as hell. GB is trying to hold out for a 1st round pick but the Jets and everyone else knows GB doesn’t want to keep AR and is ready to move on.

Hollywood Brown was traded for a first round pick last year. Dude was not worthy of a first round pick IMO but young WR’s are more valuable than a vet QB at the tail end of his career.

I think DJ would get a higher return than Claypool. Most GM’s would blame a rookie QB and Canada for DJ’s numbers taking a drop and look at 2021 stats to justify the trade.

and I’m not a DJ fan but we have to use common sense. DJ is young. Rodgers is old. I know both sides think they have the leverage but the Packers want to move on from AR and the Jets know it. Which is why they are lowballing and being patient.

Jets would take on $60 mill guaranteed for AR’s salary this year. Of course they don’t want to also give up a 1st round pick

[Mr.wizard]

I’m far from a “Wrong way Johnson” fan

However to trade him with so many unknowns is dumb.

they are talking about a second round pick for Aaron Rodgers and someone thinks Johnson gets that…need to get a clue

Johnson absolutely gets you a 2nd round pick at the least.

[feltdizz]

Johnson absolutely gets you a 2nd round pick at the least.

yep.. I would look at recent trades for WR’s instead of a potential trade for a QB and I think DJ would easily get a 2nd.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

yep.. I would look at recent trades for WR’s instead of a potential trade for a QB and I think DJ would easily get a 2nd.

Smart teams do not pay a man 16 million on the cap to be their #2 WR....Maybe some dumb them like the Bears will give us a first round pick or Johnson! Yeah right, I wish.

[blacknblue80s]

They need to trade Canada.
How many picks would the Steelers have to give up?

[Steel Maniac]

Hahahahahahaha

[hawaiiansteel]

How many picks would the Steelers have to give up?

doesn't matter, it would be worth it.