NFL insider says Packers’ Davante Adams replacement will be worth the wait

The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to lose one of their most coveted assets, wideout Diontae Johnson, to the Green Bay Packers next season. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are renowned for their loyalty, and the recent extensions of their league-leading defensive players demonstrates that. Before the 2021 season, defensive end TJ Watt made history with a massive deal, then went on to make history on the field with an incredible season.

This offseason, the Steelers secured a future with renowned safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and it was expected that wide receiver Diontae Johnson would be next in line. Whether it’s because the Steelers are looking for a comprehensive rebuild with Juju Smith-Schuster already gone or they’re confident that they can draft another talented receiver for less, the Steelers aren’t expected to pay Johnson this year.

That means that the 26-year-old receiver will be hitting free agency in 2023, and as soon as he does, he apparently already has a sizable deal waiting for him with the Green Bay Packers.

According to The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, Johnson will “sign with the [Green Bay] Packers next year for $93 million over four years.”

Diontae Johnson expected to join the Green Bay Packers roster in 2023

Kaboly elaborates on Diontae Johnson situation, stating that while the team will offer him something, it won’t be what Johnson believes he is worth.

“They will offer him something, and it won’t be what he thinks he can get on the market, and he will get paid next year somewhere else,” Kaboly said.

Kaboly also said that based on the current market for top wide receivers, elite wideouts are looking to earn north of $20 million per year the way Terry McLaurin now is in Washington.

But the Steelers aren’t expected to pay a wide receiver $22 million a year, so Johnson will go to a place where there’s money for wideouts and a dire need for talent.

Although Packers fans will have to wait a season, apparently they can expect to see Johnson suit up in Green Bay  — there’s already a number for the tentative contract, after all. This could be a winning situation for Diontae Johnson, the Green Bay Packers, and even the Pittsburgh Steelers if they can land a suitable replacement, but it’s a loss for any Steelers fan who has grown fond of Johnson over his time in Pittsburgh.