No, the Steelers should not trade Diontae Johnson after acquiring Allen Robinson
Trading for Allen Robinson gives the Pittsburgh Steelers another starting option at the wide receiver position, and it cost next to nothing to bring him back to Pennsylvania. But does Robinson's arrival mean anything more for the state of the position group? That remains to be seen. The Steelers' No. 1 receiver, Diontae Johnson, signed […]
Trading for Allen Robinson gives the Pittsburgh Steelers another starting option at the wide receiver position, and it cost next to nothing to bring him back to Pennsylvania.
But does Robinson's arrival mean anything more for the state of the position group? That remains to be seen.
The Steelers' No. 1 receiver, Diontae Johnson, signed a two-year extension last year reflecting that role, and now it might be in jeopardy.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio mentioned on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan radio station that the Robinson trade could ultimately open the door for Johnson to be dealt out of the Steel City.
To answer Andrew's question, no. The Steelers should not shop Johnson unless there are teams flooding their phone lines offering first-round picks. But that isn't happening any time soon.
In four years with the Steelers, Johnson has amassed 3,646 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns while an astounding five different starting quarterbacks have thrown him the ball. Now that Kenny Pickett is entrenched as the Steelers' starter, there's a chance for Johnson to get return to his 2021 form when he crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the first and only time of his career.
Robinson, a second-round pick in 2014 and Pro Bowler the following year, has spent the majority of his career searching for a quarterback as talented as he was. Those days seem to be behind him as he's now entering his age 30 season after a severly underwhelming year with the Los Angeles Rams.
Unless something rekindles with Robinson in Pittsburgh, he's not nearly good enough to get the Steelers to move off Johnson. Trading him without bringing in an equally great replacement receiver would make Pittsburgh's offense worse, not better.
The Steelers should still be interested in adding receiver talent to complement Johnson, Robinson, and George Pickens. Just the thought of entertaining a Johnson trade, however, is not good business for the Steelers. The only way to rationalize it is if Johnson and the club aren't on the best of terms, but that's merely projection right now.
Johnson's fate should have no bearing on Robinson's presence, or any receiver drafted to help grow the offense.
