At the height of his powers, Diontae Johnson was considered one of the more complete wide receivers in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Now, the former third-round pick has been shipped to the Carolina Panthers in the hopes of solving their past wide receiver issues.
Let’s look back at the trade today and see which team came out looking better in this deal.
Diontae Johnson Trade Details
The Steelers and Panthers agreed to terms on a trade for Johnson on March 12 this offseason. The full trade details can be found below:
The Steelers received:
- CB Donte Jackson
- 2024 sixth-round pick (178th overall)
The Panthers received:
- WR, Diontae Johnson
- 2024 seventh-round pick (240th overall)
As part of the trade, Carolina brought in the kind of top wide receiver they have desperately been looking for to pair with former first-overall pick Bryce Young. From there, Pittsburgh ended what had been a tumultuous few seasons as both Johnson and youngster George Pickens jockeyed for targets in a limited offense.
Players Involved in the Johnson Trade
In a rare player swap deal, the Steelers added Jackson to their team.
The reason why the move was made in the first place was because Johnson was entering the final year of his contract and did not like the Steelers’ quarterback position enough to feel he would get a strong payday the following season.
Instead, Pittsburgh adds a veteran cornerback to play with second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. and help bolster the secondary as a whole.
Regarding the two draft picks on both sides, the Steelers used the 178th overall pick to select Iowa defensive tackle Logan Lee, while the Panthers used the 240th pick on Michigan linebacker Michael Barrett.
Who Won the Johnson Trade?
In the immediate future, it’s pretty clear the Panthers were seen as the early winners of this deal. Carolina’s offense was one of the worst in the league last season, and getting a quality top receiver in Johnson could transform everything for Young and the offense.
Pittsburgh, unlike other deals this offseason, did come out with a pretty good player as well. Jackson is an above-average cornerback and could provide plenty of depth to help in a division with the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Amari Cooper, and now Jerry Jeudy in tow.
The fact is, though, that Pittsburgh’s offense, with Russell Wilson now leading it, needs quality receivers to succeed in the modern NFL.
Pickens is on the precipice of becoming a top receiver in the league, but the trio of veterans Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson, and Calvin Austin, along with rookie Roman Wilson, makes it hard to see how the Steelers don’t come out as a worse team after this deal.
More so, as solid as Jackson is at cornerback, he’s expected to be targeted a lot more in 2024 as teams look to stay away from Porter Jr. after he put forth a strong rookie campaign.
Things could change quickly, though, if Wilson is remotely close to the passer he was in Seattle, but Johnson’s impact as a No. 1 receiver could fundamentally change how the Panthers look on offense this season.