Steelers aren’t only obvious landing spot for Diontae Johnson after release

Suffice it to say that the Diontae Johnson trade didn't go to plan for the Baltimore Ravens. If that wasn't already obvious with the wide receiver being benched, there's no doubt after Friday when the Ravens officially cut the pass-catcher.

With his release, Johnson is now set to go through the NFL's waiver process after being shipped out by a second team this year, starting the season with the Carolina Panthers following an offseason trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team he began his career with.

The waiver process will obviously give the non-playoff teams in the NFL the first crack at bringing Johnson into the fold. With the postseason fast approaching, however, the consideration of him going to a contender is the more interesting proposition. Yes, he carries quite a bit of risk given that underlying reports of his difficulties in the locker room and most recently being a malcontent in Baltimore. But his talent and productivity remain enticing.

A reunion with the Steelers might make the most sense. With George Pickens' hamstring injury set to hold him out for the third straight week, Pittsburgh's offense desperately needs an upgrade with its pass-catchers. However, depending on how waivers play out, another contender could and perhaps should be interested in spoiling that reunion: the Kansas City Chiefs.

Chiefs should consider ruining Diontae Johnson reunion with Steelers

With the vast array of receiver injuries the Chiefs have endured this season, the reigning back-to-back champs have been in on trying to help Patrick Mahomes and the passing offense at every turn. After the losses of Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and Rashee Rice, Kansas City traded for DeAndre Hopkins with the Tennessee Titans.

That move, however, hasn't been quite the boost for the offense the team and certainly many fans hoped for. And although Brown is set to make his season debut in Week 16 after being injured in training camp, that could be require an on-ramp to get him back up to speed.

So the consideration of Johnson would have to be attractive for the Chiefs. That's especially true when considering that general manager Brett Veach hasn't shied away from bringing in a so-called "problem child". Whether that was Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman to a lesser degree, or several others outside of receiver, Kansas City's front office has enough faith in the team's infrastructure and culture to take those risks.

Johnson would be worthwhile. He's a versatile and dangerous target that could be a high-target option that the passing offense simply hasn't had all season, especially if they can ensure the receiver's peace of mind with his role and fit in the locker room.

Waivers could obviously hurt the Chiefs in this cause if they do go after Johnson. With the best record in the NFL, they will be last in the waiver order, so other claims would take precedence. That includes the Steelers. However, we've seen recently that teams often prefer to let a player clear waivers and then try to sign him — that would be the best avenue for Kansas City to try and make the match a reality.

Of course, this point could be moot when it's all said and done. Given that Johnson will have to go through waivers, there's a viable chance that he doesn't make it down the waiver order to even the Steelers, much less the Chiefs. But if he's still available to them, then it's a move that could greatly benefit Kansas City's offense if they can rein in the talented pass-catcher.