The Pittsburgh Steelers had a decent amount of turnover during the 2024 offseason. A big move that was made came when General Manager Omar Khan decided to trade away wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Johnson was dealt to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and a late draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The trade has worked out for Pittsburgh, but it backfired when Carolina traded Johnson to Pittsburgh's biggest rival, the Baltimore Ravens.'
Johnson was fairly productive during his time with the Steelers, and the offseason move came as a shock to most fans. It helped the Steelers out at cornerback, but it also created a fairly large weakness at wide receiver that the organization is still trying to fill. Johnson spent some time in Carolina, but it was clear early on in the 2024 season that the Panthers would be sellers at the trade deadline, hence Johnson being dealt to the Ravens.
NFL reporter Albert Breer discussed Johnson being traded again in a recent video, and also broke down what led to him originally being traded from Pittsburgh.
"Part of the thing with Diontae Johnson, he has been a problem in the past," Breer said. "Everybody saw what happened at the end with Pittsburgh and the reason why he was traded from the Steelers in the first place. It wasn't because he couldn't play. It was that they had gotten fed up with him."
The wide receiver certainly had a reputation in Pittsburgh. There were many reports that suggested he wasn't the greatest teammate, and that he fell into the mold of being a diva wide receiver that only wanted the football. There were instances where Johnson showed a lack of effort on the field for the Steelers, and he even got into a few fights with teammates behind closed doors.
Another reason for the Steelers trading Johnson was a current receiver already in their locker room, George Pickens. The third-year wide receiver has a big personality as well, and Pittsburgh could easily see Johnson leading Pickens down the wrong path. Pickens is his own man, but it was the right idea for the organization to not have a negative influence in the same room as Pickens.
Johnson did the best that he could in Carolina, as he had recorded over 350 receiving yards and three touchdowns so far in the 2024 season. He had some great years in Pittsburgh as well, as he made the Pro Bowl in 2021 after tallying over 1,150 receiving yards and catching eight touchdowns. Hopefully Johnson can continue to produce, just not when the Steelers play Baltimore.
Steelers Matchups With The Ravens In 2024 Will Have Some Added Drama
Games between the Steelers and Ravens are always chippy due to it being one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL. In 2024, there will be some added motivation for both sides. During the offseason the Steelers signed inside linebacker Patrick Queen, who spent the first four seasons of his career in Baltimore, and was even an All-Pro with the Ravens in 2023. This will bring some animosity from both sides, as Queen has gotten into multiple heated exchanges with his former teammates on social media. DeShon Elliott has also spent time with the Ravens.
Obviously, Pittsburgh's defense will be looking forward to going against Johnson. They will have opportunity to lock him up and even hit him when he does catch a ball. It will also be interesting to see Johnson line up across from Jackson, as the two were traded for one another during the 2024 offseason. There will certainly be some shoves and extracurriculars after the whistle blows when these two teams meet up, and those two games could mean a lot when it comes to who wins the AFC North.
