Diontae Johnson traded to Panthers: Steelers spurned Chiefs interest in acquiring WR, per report

Diontae Johnson is a Carolina Panther, but in a different universe, the former Steelers Pro Bowl wideout would be the newest member of the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The Chiefs reportedly had conversations with Johnson’s agent once it became clear that the Steelers were trading Johnson, the team’s leading receiver since the start of the 2019 season, according to NFL media. It didn’t appear, though, that the Steelers wanted to trade Johnson to an AFC contender, let alone the two-time defending champions. So Johnson was instead traded to the Panthers. 

It was ultimately a good trade for the Steelers. They got value in the form of a player (cornerback Donte Jackson) and draft capital (they traded the 240th pick in exchange for the 178th pick in April’s draft) for a player who was no longer in their long-term plans. They also avoided sending him to the Chiefs or another top-tier AFC team.  

The Chiefs, meanwhile, will have to continue to look for receiver help. Fortunately for them, there are good receivers either currently available or sometime in the near future, both in free agency as well as in April’s NFL Draft. 

Like the Chiefs, the Steelers are also in the market for receivers after recently parting ways with both Johnson as well as veteran Allen Robinson. One possible option in free agency is former Bengals wideout and Pittsburgh native Tyler Boyd. It was reported on Wednesday that there is mutual interest between the two parties.