Steelers Keep Winning Diontae Johnson Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers keep making the right moves with troubled wide receivers.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) reacts after a deep catch in the second quarter of a Week 12 NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, at Paycor Stadium. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers keep winning the Diontae Johnson trade. So much so, that it's starting to feel like another Chase Claypool situation, but instead of landing the cornerback of the future, they landed the cornerback that's going to make a splash in a playoff run.

Right now, Donte Jackson leads the Steelers in interceptions with five. The veteran arrived this offseason in a trade with the Carolina Panthers and immediately became the missing link in the cornerback room. Has it been perfect? No. But the impact plays are being made, and it's exactly what the Steelers defense was missing.

On the other side of that trade, the Panthers moved on from Johnson. They swapped the wideout with the Baltimore Ravens for a sixth-round pick, which was probably a win in their eyes.

The Ravens thought they were getting the missing piece to their receiver room. Johnson was a player who gave them trouble for years, and now they get an opportunity to work him against his former team twice a season, which adding a good receiver for their playoff push.

That hasn't happened. Johnson has done practically nothing, and now, he's doing literally nothing.

In the Ravens' last game, a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Johnson was active but didn't play a single snap. It was strange. Many were wondering what was happening or if the Ravens simply didn't have a plan for their new wide receiver.

Now, he's suspended for one game. Why? Because it wasn't the Ravens who didn't have a plan, but rather Johnson who didn't want to go into the game.

"We have made the difficult decision to suspend Diontae Johnson for our upcoming game against the New York Giants for conduct detrimental to the team," general manager Eric DeCosta said. "Diontae's suspension stems from refusing to enter our game against the Philadelphia Eagles. We will have no further comments on this matter going forward."

At this point, everyone is waiting for the release of Johnson before he becomes a bigger distraction for a Ravens team still looking to win the AFC North. Which, ironically, is reportedly why the Steelers chose to trade Johnson in the first place - because of the drama he caused on and off the field.

The Steelers wouldn't consider re-signing him at this point. At least it's hard to believe they would. But they'll take him being a distraction to their biggest AFC North threat in the midst of a playoff push. That feels like it's just as beneficially this time of year.

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