It hasn't even been five weeks into the regular season and Diontae Johnson has already been in trade rumors for the past several weeks. Pittsburgh traded away the star receiver after a lot of behind-the-scenes problems with Johnson. A divorce made sense for both sides, and Johnson was dealt to the Panthers for Donte Jackson and a late-round pick swap. Thus far, it has worked in Pittsburgh's favor.
Even though the trade seems to be a win for the Steelers, they still have not found a replacement close to Johnson's level. They currently have Van Jefferson penciled in as the second receiver behind George Pickens. Jefferson has been a disaster, and it has kept the black and gold in nearly every trade rumor surrounding any potentially available receiver before the trade deadline.
No, the Steelers will not be adding Johnson back to the team this year via trade. The league prohibits such acts. He likely wouldn't have been a target since the divorce happened so recently, but it could've boosted the receiving room in Pittsburgh. No matter how you slice it, the Panthers stink and they will likely move Johnson before the trade deadline hits on November 5.
One thing is for sure, it seems likely that Johnson will get traded before the deadline. His time in Carolina hasn't been great and the team seems ready to move on. Trading for a receiver like him wouldn't cost too much in assets to acquire.
Johnson is a pending free agent once the season ends. If he flops move on, if not then you have a great rental to boost your team's receiving core.
Steelers former star receiver could have plenty of trade interest
Kansas City Chiefs
Seems pretty cut and dry when it comes to the trade connection with Johnson to the Kansas City Chiefs. They have suffered a ton of injuries to their receiving core and the Chiefs will need to add some talent before the trade deadline to try and secure a third consecutive Super Bowl victory. Johnson might have some issues with catching the ball sometimes, but he would be a lightningbolt in their offense.
Washington Commanders
No one was expecting the Washington Commanders to have as hot of a start as they had. Surrounding Jayden Daniels with copious amounts of talent should be high on the Commander's to-do list if they keep on their current path. It's not every day where you can take advantage of a rookie quarterback contract, so they should be all in. Adding Johnson via trade would make their explosive offense even better.
Baltimore Ravens
How about a trade option for Johnson that could sting the Steelers? He knows the AFC North division like it's the back of his hand. Baltimore has some quality receivers on their roster, but Johnson could prove to be the true number-one option that they have been missing. The Ravens are going to stay in the fight till the bitter end, and adding Johnson will only improve their roster. Baltimore should be one of the teams expressing plenty of interest in Johnson.