4 advantages of Steelers waiting on a Diontae Johnson contract extension

Diontae Johnson is coming off an impressive season, but here’s why the Pittsburgh Steelers may want to hold off on giving him a lucrative contract extension.

Nobody should be complaining about the season that Diontae Johnson had for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021. In an offense that lacked both splash and consistency, Johnson was one of the only bright spots among a struggling unit last year.

Johnson participated in mandatory minicamp, but prior to that, he showed up halfway through voluntary team activities. Some still predict he will attempt to ‘hold in’ during training camp this year.

It’s no secret that Johnson wants a lucrative new contract that will pay him like one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. While he might prove to be worth this, here are four major advantages of waiting on a Diontae Johnson contract extension:

1. Johnson could have a down year

Though I think that he has improved significantly since 2020, having a down year is something that certainly isn’t out of the question for Diontae Johnson. In fact, his career has been a rollercoaster ride so far.

After showing ample promise as a rookie in 2019, Johnson led the NFL with 13 dropped passes during his second season and was briefly benched as a result. Last year, we didn’t see nearly as much of this. However, it’s interesting to note that all 5 of his dropped passes came over the final 6 games of the season, via Pro Football Reference.

In addition, Johnson surpassed 76 receiving yards just once during this span, and he didn’t exactly finish the season on a strong note. Johnson also dropped two key passes during the playoff game against the Chiefs. I would hate for the Steelers to make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the league if he ultimately ends up reverting back to the inconsistent WR we saw in 2020.