Steelers' Diontae Johnson Could Be On The Move To The NFC Now After Top Suitor Emerges

The prospect of the Pittsburgh Steelers trading top wide receiver Diontae Johnson is becoming more and more believable as the days go by. It was reported by The Athletic's Dianna Russini on Saturday morning and rumors are beginning to swirl about where he could end up. The idea of having just George Pickens and Calvin Austin III as the only two legitimate options on the depth chart as 2024 free agency begins seems to be a crazy one, but not impossible. There are going to be several teams calling, and Johnson would ideally be traded before March 16th when a $3 million roster bonus kicks in.

Not all fans buy into whatever popular radio host Andrew Fillipponi has to say, but he has had some credible reports in the past. He was the first to break the news about the Steelers changing the name of their home field to Acrisure Stadium. He reported on Sunday morning that there is a top team to look out for when it comes to Johnson being traded.

The Arizona Cardinals seem to be inclined to stick with Kyler Murray at the quarterback position. They are also the likely landing spot for dominant collegiate prospect Marvin Harrison Jr., as Fillipponi mentioned. The draft capital that the Cardinals possess makes it seem like they wouldn't scoff at the idea of giving up a day two pick for a guy with Johnson's talents.

The top wide receiver on Arizona's roster that is under contract for 2024 is Rondale Moore. It's safe to say that the Cardinals would be incredibly wise to invest in the position before the regular season kicks off in September. Pairing a promising rookie in Harrison with Johnson immediately gives Murray two more weapons in the passing game. That duo combined with tight end Trey McBride is a scary mix.

This would be an equally attractive match for the Steelers. It's not just the draft capital itself that is interesting, but also the Cardinals having early picks in every round due to a poor 2023 campaign. Pittsburgh could try and land the 35th overall pick, but 66th overall in the third round is probably more of a realistic outcome if the two teams do agree to a trade.

A deal would put the Steelers in a unique spot when it comes to the wide receiver position. The good news, however, is that the draft class is incredibly deep. Pittsburgh could potentially select two, and maybe even one in the first round. The free agent class has guys like Marquise Brown (formerly with the Cardinals), KJ Osborn, Mecole Hardman, among many others.

General Manager Omar Khan has not been shy in the trade market since he was promoted in May of 2022. The notable move was giving Chase Claypool away to the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick that turned into Joey Porter Jr. Johnson is entering the final year of his contract and it might be wise to get solid compensation for him now prior to the 2024 season.

Steelers Trading Johnson For Anything Worse Than Day 2 Pick Would Be Terrible Move

If Johnson walks in free agency in 2025, Pittsburgh is likely to receive a compensatory pick at some point. Expecting it to be a third-rounder would have to be involved in Khan's discussions with the Cardinals, or any one else. Grabbing a second-round pick would be a huge win, but adding draft capital and getting anything in the third round would also be a huge plus.

Do you want the Steelers to trade Johnson? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation