Steelers nixed potential Diontae Johnson deal with Chiefs out of fear to trade him to an AFC contender
Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach is exploring all avenues to upgrade the wide receiver room, including potential trades. On Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers acquired Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson and a seventh-round pick in exchange for CB Donte Jackson and a sixth-round draft pick. The Panthers weren't the only team that the Steelers were talking […]
Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach is exploring all avenues to upgrade the wide receiver room, including potential trades.
On Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers acquired Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson and a seventh-round pick in exchange for CB Donte Jackson and a sixth-round draft pick. The Panthers weren't the only team that the Steelers were talking about when it came to trading Johnson.
Appearing on NFL Total Access on NFL Network, Mike Garafolo revealed that the Chiefs had inquired about Johnson when he became available for trade. So why didn't a deal get done there? Pittsburgh didn't want to do business with Kansas City, if possible, out of fear of sending Johnson to an AFC team.
“They made it clear to the rest of the league that Diontae Johnson was going to be available," Garafolo said. "He had permission, his agent did, Brad Cicala, to go and seek a trade. They talked to a few teams. The Kansas City Chiefs, they had conversations with them at some point, but it didn’t seem like they’d trade him within the AFC to a contender, if possible. So, (they're) sending him to the NFC to the Carolina Panthers, who have been looking to add receivers since last year.”
It should come as no surprise that NFL clubs aren't going to help the Chiefs get better, especially those teams who play in the same conference. To get a trade done in those scenarios, it feels as if Kansas City will have to either pay well over the asking price or be the only interested party. Veach has drawn a line in the sand on those types of scenarios and it's the main reason that trades don't often materialize, even when the Chiefs show interest.
Fans should be excited to know Veach is not asleep at the wheel when it comes to finding some upgrades in the wide receiver room. 16 teams in the NFC would gladly do business with Kansas City, and if not, there are always a few good options that remain in free agency. They'll be much easier to approach with the newly freed cap space from Patrick Mahomes' restructured contract.
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