WATCH: ‘Pumped up’ Bryce Young links up with new Panthers WR Diontae Johnson as they gear up to end Carolina’s playoff drought

Johnson finally has a quarterback whom he can depend on for a long time.

WATCH: ‘Pumped up’ Bryce Young links up with new Panthers WR Diontae Johnson as they gear up to end Carolina’s playoff drought

New Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson meets quarterback Bryce Young (Via Imago/X)

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected wide receiver Diontae Johnson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played five seasons in the Steel City with four different quarterbacks, starting with Ben Rothlisberger, then, after his retirement, Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and finally Mason Rudolph.

However, the addition of George Pickens in 2022 and the flurry of player departures compelled the Steelers to part ways with Johnson, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The Steelers traded him to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Johnson and the 178th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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On Monday, the Panthers uploaded a short clip of Johnson meeting with quarterback Bryce Young. It appeared that the Florida native was happy to be in North Carolina.

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The Toledo graduate started his NFL career as a punt and kick return specialist. During his rookie season, he returned 20 passes for 248 yards, leading the league with 12.4 yards per carry.

He was upgraded to the receiver spot from the following year onward. Despite the frequent changes in the passer spot, Johnson managed to put up respectable numbers. 2021 was by far his best season, registering 107 catches for 1161 yards and 8 touchdowns. And now he is creating a place for himself at his new home in Carolina.

Was George Pickens the reason for the Steelers trading Diontae Johnson?

In 2023, Johnson was in the final year of his Steelers contract. On top of that, there was growing tension in the locker room, not just about the quarterback but also about the culture. This affected the 27-year-old, who saw limited time on the field, catching only 51 passes for 717 yards.

WATCH: 'Pumped up' Bryce Young links up with new Panthers WR Diontae Johnson as they gear up to end Carlolina's playoff drought
Diontae Johnson (Image via IMAGO)

The center of the rising discontent was former Georgia playmaker Pickens. His issues with teammates and not receiving enough targets are well-documented. Perhaps Johnson got caught in the middle of a power struggle, which led to his departure.

However, The Athletic‘s Mark Colby, during a recent Q&A session, refuted that theory.

I don’t buy that at all. Too many people had red flags on Pickens before he was drafted to pin anything on Johnson. Johnson was traded because he was heading into the final year of his contract--He [Diontae Johnson] wasn’t going to be re-signed, and he felt the Steelers’ quarterback situation wasn’t going to put him in the position to cash out on another contract next year.

Mark Colby said

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin highlighted that it was all business during the NFL Owners Meeting in March. 

We traded player for player. We had an opportunity to get D-Jack [Donte Jackson].
Mike Tomlin said

The Steelers also witnessed a massive overhaul in the quarterback spot. None of last year’s quarterbacks are with the franchise anymore. Pickett went to the Philadelphia Eagles, Trubisky returned to the Buffalo Bills, and Rudolph joined the Tennessee Titans.

Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan went to work and signed veteran Russell Wilson for a one-year deal. Then they traded for Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears for a conditional sixth-round pick.

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