Going into the season, there was plenty of buzz around Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Coming off of his best season and first 100-reception season, it seemed that Johnson was poised to ascend to that top tier of true No. 1 receivers.
Then 2022 happened and it all went wrong. Johnson took a big step back statistically and looked more like the 2020 version of him that struggled so much with consistently making catches and lacking in his dynamic production. An observation shared by former Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley. Whaley was on 93.7 The Fan and offered a harsh but realistic critique of Johnson last season.
“His lack of consistency is what holds him back, not only with hands, but with effort and route running,” Whaley said.
Whaley did say that when Johnson gets it all together he’s a top 10-12 receiver. The concern is whether or not Johnson can get it all together. The Steelers have a talented young team led by quarterback Kenny Pickett. Johnson has a massive new contract. These two need to get on the same page for the good of the entire team.
Meanwhile, George Pickens has taken the NFL by storm and is quickly showing he has everything it takes to be a true WR1. How much will his presence hurt Johnson as he looks for a bounceback in 2023?
