The Pittsburgh Steelers have needed a wide receiver two (WR2) since they traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers early in the 2024 offseason. Unfortunately, despite pursuing several receivers, the Steelers haven't been able to finalize a trade. The good news is that the current receivers have been playing better with Russell Wilson at quarterback. However, they also got some bad news this week: Johnson was traded again, and this time, it was to their divisional rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.
Most teams avoid trading players, especially high-impact ones, to divisional foes. However, it does happen. In this case, the Steelers had no control, and despite suggestions that Pittsburgh should re-acquire Johnson, teams cannot trade back for a player they traded in the same season.
The Steelers are in their bye week before heading into the toughest part of their season, which includes all divisional games. They will face the Ravens twice between now and the end of December. Steelers captain and defensive leader Cameron Heyward said he recognizes the significance of Johnson's addition to the Ravens lineup.
On his podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, the reigning Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, was told about the trade by his co-host Hayden Walsh and groaned audibly. He said he knew Johnson wouldn't be back in Pittsburgh this year, but didn't want this to happen.
"Man, he had to go to the dark side," lamented Heyward. "We just got some guys off that team, Patrick Queen and DeShon Elliott, and they're happy to be in Pittsburgh. Now we got guys going to Baltimore. I definitely think it opens up their offense. I think it does a great job of spreading the ball around. You know Diontae can create that separation that they're looking for, and then you pair him with [Rashod] Bateman, Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and then that run game. I think Lamar's [Jackson] got his choice of where he wants to throw the ball. I'm looking forward to playing those guys in a couple weeks."
Walsh added that he felt the Ravens had done Lamar Jackson a disservice the past several years by not allowing him to use his arm or giving him the needed weapons. This created a more one-dimensional offense that relied on Jackson's legs.
Heyward said he knows Johnson is excited. Overnight, he went from a team that was 1-7 to a team that was 5-3 and a favorite to make a postseason run. He agrees Johnson will pair well with the other skill guys on that offense.
"I'm sure 'Tae packed up so quick that he left a bunch of stuff at home," said Heyward. "I'm sure 'Tae made sure he jumped on the first plane as soon as they told him. I'm sure he did the Davante Adams where he was already in Baltimore at the time. I know 'Tae's happy about this situation. It's not bad blood; it's just that we have to play our best, and they're going to play their best. It's two teams fighting to be the Kings of the North."
Johnson left Pittsburgh after a controversial five seasons. He had struggled with dropped balls, multiple quarterback changes, and a touchdown drought. While Johnson's talent has never been in question, his attitude was at times. He was frequently criticized for his lack of effort, failure to be a team player, and tantrums.
Steelers' Are Almost Out Of Time
The trade deadline is about a week away, and the Steelers still haven't acquired a wide receiver to provide significant backup to George Pickens. All season, the talk has been that they need a strong number two in case anything happens to Pickens, but most agree there aren't any more viable options.
A few names have come up as possibilities: Adam Thielen, Darius Slayton, and Mike Williams. However, none can play even close to the level Pickens usually does.
Currently, the team is relying on Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, and multiple tight ends and running backs to handle the workload, and it appears to be working. Wilson has improved the passing game tremendously in recent weeks.
