PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers are trading receiver Diontae Johnson and a seventh-round pick for a corner and a sixth-round pick as reported by NFL.com.
The 27-year-old Johnson goes to Carolina for 28-year-old corner Donte Jackson in what will reportedly save the Steelers around $100,000.
Steelers free themselves of an estimated $15.8 million in salary, but also a receiver with 77 career games, 4,363 yards and 25 career touchdowns. Johnson caught 51 passes for 717 yards and five touchdowns last season. After his Pro Bowl season in 2021, Johnson has had the two worst catch percentages of his career-a combined 58.5% the last two years and only five touchdowns.
Johnson also said after the season that he endorsed Mason Rudolph to be the starting quarterback for 2024 based on what he did in the last four games.
Jackson is a corner that’s started 76 of 80 games in his six years with the Panthers. The 5’10”, 180-pound corner was Carolina’s second-round pick out of LSU in 2018. He has 14 career interceptions, three forced fumbles, 46 passes defended and 303 tackles (248 solo). Last year, 16 starts, no interceptions, five passes defended and a forced fumble.
Pro Football Focus ranked Jackson is exact same as Steelers rookie Joey Porter, Junior at 64.3. Both have the same coverage grade of 66 with Porter ranked much higher than Jackson in rush defense.
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Jackson is signed for one more season with a cap hit of $15.7 million.