The Pittsburgh Steelers continued their active off-season on Monday by signing kicker Chris Boswell to a four-year contract extension. It was the second Steelers star to earn an extension over the last few months, as safety Minkah Fitzpatrick became the NFL's highest-paid safety in June. Now, Diontae Johnson continues to wait for a potential extension.
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker, Chris Boswell (#9), celebrates a made kick against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. | Peter Diana / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
If you haven't already seen, nearly every successful wide out from his 2019 draft class has signed hefty extensions this off-season. The list includes Hunter Renfrow, Terry McLaurin, DK Metcalf, AJ Brown, and most recently, Deebo Samuel. Johnson's stats from his first three seasons are comparable to Renfrow and McLaurin specifically, so as a result, his price has gone up significantly.
It seems as if the Steelers haven't gotten anywhere near reaching a deal with Johnson, if the two sides are even negotiating. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the two sides are indeed very far apart, and it remains unlikely for things to happen before the season opener.
"According to a team source, the sides are so far apart from what Johnson is seeking and what the Steelers are willing to spend, the plausibility of getting a deal done before the Sept. 11 season opener in Cincinnati is slim.”
If Dulac's reports are true, that means the two sides are at least talking about a potential deal. That's an improvement from the last few weeks, as it seemed as if there were no ongoing conversations. Getting Boswell's deal completed likely allowed them to shift focus to negotiations with Johnson.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half of an NFL football game as Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
In a press conference on Tuesday, general manager Omar Khan admitted to wanting the wide receiver in black and gold for "a long time." While that may hold true, it clearly has to come at a certain price for the Steelers. In years past, they've shown an unwillingness to overpay star wide outs like Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and even JuJu Smith-Schuster. Antonio Brown was the one exception to this, but he was more than just a very good wide receiver. In his prime, he was the best in football for a stretch of over five years.
It's clear the Steelers won't change their ways with Johnson, despite the hiring of a new general manager this off-season with the retirement of Kevin Colbert. Johnson made significant strides in 2021, his third season since the Steelers picked him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was by far the team's best, most consistent threat on offense, racking up 1,161 receiving yards. He'll likely eventually get the $20+ million per year that he's asking for, but it's just a matter of what team will give it to him.
Unless things change, it seems unlikely the black and gold will, especially with the potential of rookies George Pickens and Calvin Austin III. It's looking more and more likely that this could be Johnson's last season in Pittsburgh, and Dulac's latest reports only continue to confirm that.
What are your thoughts on the contract situation? Would you pay Johnson? Will this be his last season in Pittsburgh? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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