According to league sources as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers are trading wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and a pick swap.
In addition to Johnson, the Steelers are sending a seventh-round draft pick, while receiving a sixth-round pick along with Jackson.
Johnson, the Steelers’ most experienced wide receiver and longest-tenured offensive player, was a third-round pick in the 2019 draft.
As he is in the final year of his contract, his trade to the Panthers comes with a $10 million cap hit, leaving $5.8 million of dead cap in Pittsburgh. While the trade has not been finalized, Johnson bid farewell to Pittsburgh on social media.
“5 years ago you brought me in and treated me like family from day one,” he wrote.
“I will always be grateful for the memories made and relationships I will forever cherish. To my teammates, coaches, staff, and the fans who were there through the good and bad.. thank you for allowing me to grow into the man I am today.”
On the other hand, Jackson has been with the Carolina Panthers since being selected in the second round of the 2018 draft.
Despite an Achilles injury cutting short his 2022 season, he bounced back in 2023, starting all 16 games. Like Johnson, Jackson is also in the final year of his deal.
His trade to the Steelers carries a $10.6 million cap hit, while the Panthers will incur $9.7 million in dead cap.
According to a league source that surfaced last week, the Panthers had been considering trading or releasing Jackson.
Despite recording 14 career interceptions, including four in his rookie season, he did not notch any interceptions in the past season.
Jackson’s departure leaves Carolina in search of a starting cornerback to complement Jaycee Horn.
However, acquiring Johnson provides Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the top pick in the 2023 draft, with an additional playmaking option. This move is crucial for the Panthers, who aim to improve from their NFL-worst 2-15 record in the previous season.
With only Adam Thielen and rookie Jonathan Mingo returning as impactful receivers in 2023, Johnson immediately bolsters Young’s receiving corps, offering a deep threat absent in the previous season when Young ranked 32nd in the NFL with an average of 5.5 yards per pass attempt.
In 2023, Johnson displayed his prowess with five touchdown receptions and 717 receiving yards on 51 catches, a significant improvement from the previous season where he did not score a single touchdown.
Notably, Johnson earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, achieving his lone 1,000-yard season and setting a career-high with eight touchdown receptions during quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s final year.
Throughout his five seasons with the Steelers, Johnson amassed impressive statistics, totaling 4,363 receiving yards on 391 catches and 25 touchdowns.
Despite facing criticism in 2023 for a perceived lack of effort on a play against the Cleveland Browns and enduring fan scrutiny for a drop-heavy 2020 season, Johnson garnered consistent praise from teammates and coaches for his adept route-running and ability to create separation.
With Johnson’s departure and Allen Robinson’s release, the team faces a void at wide receiver, although George Pickens stands out as a clear threat in the passing game, complemented by emerging talent Calvin Austin III.
The acquisition of Jackson addresses a gap in the secondary following the release of Patrick Peterson. Pairing a cornerback with second-year player Joey Porter Jr. was a priority, and Jackson’s arrival marks a step toward solidifying that position with a seasoned veteran.
