3 Steelers players that could be traded away during training camp

Steelers Johnson

Let me be clear and upfront: the odds that Diontae Johnson gets dealt aren’t high. More than likely, the team keeps him through the final year of his rookie deal and either tags him or lets him walk next season. That said, if all of the right pieces fall into place, trading Johnson would actually make a good deal of sense.

For starters, the rookie receivers would have to be showing out in camp in order for this trade to go through. While the early reports on George Pickens have been promising, he isn’t at the point where he could take over for Johnson quite yet. If he comes on faster than expected though, allowing him to play his natural X spot and trading Johnson away to the highest bidder wouldn’t be the worst idea.

Johnson is likely wanting a big contract akin to what other top receivers have been paid this season. The Steelers, meanwhile, don’t have a strong track record of paying out big-time second contracts to receivers. If the team gets a good offer for Johnson, moving him in favor of one of the rookies is a logical step. The team can fetch a quality pick in next year’s draft as well as alleviate the need to pay Johnson big money.

While the team doesn’t have a lot of tradeable assets, there are some that would make sense for the team to move on from. If the price is right and the necessary replacements show up at camp, these three Steelers could see themselves traded away after camp rolls around.