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Johnson posted a per-17 game average of 86 catches, 963 yards and six touchdowns in Pittsburgh, per Pro Football Reference. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2021 after catching 107 passes for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns on an eye-popping 169 targets.
His numbers have tailed off a bit since then, partly because of inconsistent quarterback play in Pittsburgh in 2022 and 2023.
However, Russell Wilson has fared well in Pittsburgh, going 6-2 while completing 64.7 percent of his passes for 13 touchdowns (just three interceptions) and 1,912 yards (8.1 YPA).
Johnson could thrive in Pittsburgh again, and the opportunity may be there for him to do so.
George Pickens is the clear top pass-catcher in Pittsburgh, but he’ll miss three straight games with a hamstring injury after sitting Saturday’s game at the Ravens. Calvin Austin III has made some big plays as the WR2 with 452 receiving yards and four touchdowns, but he’s also caught just 28 passes in 14 games. No other Steeler wide receiver has more than 231 yards.
Johnson can be productive, consistent and reliable for Wilson, soaking up targets and become a top-two receiver down the stretch. Of note, Johnson did have a drop problem, notably in 2020, but that’s since been cleaned up. Daniel Valente of The Score noted this last March.
Daniel Valente @StatsGuyDaniel
Panthers fans are going to hear a lot about Diontae Johnson’s drop problem. But, that’s been cleaned up for the most part since a bad 2020 season.
Since 2021, Diontae Johnson’s drop rate (3.5%) was 10th lowest out of all WRs who recorded at least 200 receptions, per PFR.
In short, Johnson seems as though he’d fill a need in Pittsburgh, a team that could use some offensive reinforcements as it attempts to hold off the Ravens for first in the AFC North.
