Steelers' Omar Khan Wins Diontae Johnson Trade After Critical Work On New Contract For Donte Jackson

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has been busy once again this offseason. He has not only managed to procure several players on key positions for the team, he’s also managed to do it while saving the Steelers money. It’s something that’s more critical than ever during a time when the Steelers have a number of needs, but still have a cap ceiling they have to respect. 

One of those acquisitions is cornerback, Donte Jackson. The Steelers have coveted Jackson ever since Head Coach Mike Tomlin saw him run a 4.31 in the 40-yard-dash at the NFL Combine in 2018. They missed out on Jackson in the NFL Draft and he was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the second round. 

That made it a no-brainer to snatch him up when the opportunity arose to make a trade. The Steelers gave Carolina their unhappy wide receiver Diontae Johnson and took Jackson in return. The biggest concern about the trade was the fact that Jackson came with a cap hit of $10.522 million. That's a lot of money considering he was a solid corner, but not among the top in the league. 

However, to no one's surprise, Khan was able to cut that number in more than half. His new contract is worth $4.75 guaranteed per a post by Jason Fitzgerald at Over The Cap. 

This is great news as it continues to preserve as much cap space as possible, while giving the team a solid addition. Jackson is coming into a room virtually cleared during the offseason. The Steelers let former All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson go after only one season and allowed Levi Wallace to explore free agency. That leaves them with only one reliable cornerback, second-year player, Joey Porter. Jr. They do still have Cory Trice Jr., who suffered a season-ending injury during training camp in 2023, and Darius Rush. 

During his first five seasons in the NFL, Jackson performed at a high level, recording multiple interceptions each season. During the 2023 season, he was a major asset to the Panthers' strong defense, logging over 900 snaps. While Carolina may not have been able to do much on offense, they surrendered the third-lowest passing yards allowed in the league in 2023. 

This should mean good things for both Jackson and the Steelers' defense as he will join a team with other stars. This includes T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick, as well as other new additions DeShon Elliott and Patrick Queen. 

Steelers And Donte Jackson Need Each Other

The Steelers needed depth in their cornerback room and Jackson needed a shot with a team that can win games. He recently said during his introductory press conference that he is thrilled to be in Pittsburgh. He knows that not many Steelers fans may know who he is, but they should know they are getting someone who loves football and is "excited to prove themself." 

What are your thoughts on the acquisition of Jackson and his new contract? Click to comment below.

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