Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin met with the media for his first training camp press conference of 2022 Tuesday afternoon. Tomlin addressed the media shortly after the team conducted a conditioning test. Midway through the press conference, Tomlin was asked about one of the hot off-season topics, Diontae Johnson and if he might be a potential hold-in like T.J. Watt was last training camp.
"I’m not proceeding with any anticipation of any of those type of things. He was here on time and did a heck of a job in the conditioning test just like everyone else, so we are going to keep moving forward."
Johnson has been a constant source of discussion as he is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He is coming off a Pro Bowl season and he has been clearly the best wide receiver for the Steelers over the last two seasons. Johnson began to emerge in his rookie year without Ben Roethlisberger in 2019 when he made several big plays for an otherwise anemic offense that season. That experience should serve him well in 2022 with Mitch Trubisky likely to start the season at quarterback.
Steelers Camp, August 2020, Diontae Johnson (#18) cataches a pass over Minkah Fitzpatrick (#39). | Steelers.com
Tomlin, who is entering his 16th season as the leader of the Steelers, would likely know already if Johnson intended to hold himself out of team activities. Last season, Watt did a good job keeping the coaching staff informed of his intent, while attending every practice with his teammates. The coach was then asked if he saw Johnson like Najee Harris as a leader on offense.
"I do. Not for the first time either. He exhibited growth in that area significantly a year ago."
The only two wide receivers who have gotten second contracts from the Steelers in the salary cap era are Hines Ward and Antonio Brown. Johnson is the senior man in the wide receiver room and if he is recognized by Tomlin as a leader, it should give the Steelers pause. Ward was a great leader who was productive, and the Steelers had to bring him back. Brown was supremely talented and the Steelers usually do not let young talent walk away. Johnson is a combination of the two players.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin and wide receiver, Diontae Johnson (18) participate in Organized Team Activities (OTA's), Tuesday May 31, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
The Steelers are in a tough spot with Johnson. The front office and a significant portion of the fan base has to be cringing at the idea of paying a wide receiver $23-$26 million dollars per year. The rumor was before the Jacksonville Jaguars wrecked the wide receiver market, that Johnson would consider a five year $75 million dollar contract to stay with Pittsburgh. Those bargain basement days are over.
The NFL now has a dozen wide receivers making at least $20 million dollars per year and another four making $18 million dollars per year. NFL contracts do not go backwards, because the league does not fully guarantee contracts. It is unthinkable that the next group of receivers would take less than Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams. That argument sounds familiar, like nobody should pass Pat Mahomes in salary for quarterbacks for a while after signing a record setting deal in 2021, right?
Not just wrong, but Mahomes could be as low as seventh in annual salary by the time that the 2023 season starts. The wide receiver market’s top four receivers are spot on when you look who is earning the money. Littered within the top 16 wide receiver salaries are Mike Williams, Amari Cooper, Brandin Cooks, Kenny Golladay and Christian Kirk. Johnson, along with several other prominent receivers, are significantly better than that group and teams are going to line up to pay next off-season.
Johnson is essentially on a "prove it" deal with the Steelers at this point and to his credit, Coach Tomlin recognizes that he intends to do exactly that. A motivated number one receiver with Johnson’s makeup could really shine in 2022 and if he does, the team should pay him. The team just cannot rely on the fact that it will keep finding great receivers in the draft now that Kevin Colbert has departed.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you want to see number 18 in a black and gold uniform in 2023? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
