The Pittsburgh Steelers made the tough decision last year to trade away starting receiver Diontae Johnson in exchange for Donte Jackson. The move depleted the receiver room, leaving Pittsburgh without a capable second option. It’s a hole that has yet to be properly filled.
In hindsight, Pittsburgh appears to be a massive winner, considering how far Johnson has fallen since leaving the team.
Johnson's time in Carolina was short-lived. While productive, the team was a seller at the trade deadline and shipped him off to the Ravens. There, he imploded and was eventually cut by Baltimore due to his poor attitude. The veteran receiver also dressed for one game for the Houston Texans in 2024.
This offseason, Johnson surprisingly resurfaced with another divisional rival: the Cleveland Browns. The move made sense on paper; Johnson was a low-risk signing with plenty of talent. Meanwhile, Cleveland needed additional receiver help in a relatively weak room.
Things haven’t panned out for former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson with the Cleveland Browns
Johnson hasn’t made the impact that many Browns fans hoped he would after he was signed. Known for his sharp route running and ability after the catch, neither has been notably on display since signing.
One trait that has stuck has been his hands. Known for inconsistencies there, Johnson hasn’t been able to get over that hump this year.
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When he was an established starter with job security, that was an annoyance. As a fringe roster player fighting for a spot on the roster, this could be a killer.
Cleveland doesn’t feel confident in him. They made an aggressive move for undrafted rookie Isaiah Bond after his charges were dropped, and it seems like Jamari Thrash has played ahead of him at this point.
Unless Cleveland turns to him as a punt returner, he offers no value on special teams. For a depth player with drop issues, that is far too hard to justify keeping around on the roster. None of this even considers the attitude issues that popped up in Baltimore last year.
The Steelers knew this issue all too well, which is why they ripped that band-aid off last year. While the hole at receiver is less than ideal, cutting ties was the right move.
Now, Johnson is hanging onto his NFL life, and things look bleak for the former Steelers starter. If he can’t stick in Cleveland this year, it might be hard for him to find any substantial work during the 2025 NFL season.