From the moment the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Diontae Johnson out of Toledo early in the third round back in 2019, the wide receiver looked destined for stardom. That star only grew early in his career, too. He put up 680 yards and five touchdowns on 59 catches as a rookie, and bested those numbers in the subsequent two seasons. Even as he slightly tailed off from a Pro Bowl 2021 season in the next two years, no one could've expected Johnson's career to have him in Cleveland with serious questions about his NFL future.
The Steelers, of course, made the shocking decision prior to the 2024 season to trade Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson. The hope was that he'd provide a spark for Bryce Young in the quarterback's second season. Instead, he was an underperforming headache, managing just 357 yards on 30 catches across seven games before he was traded again, this time to the Baltimore Ravens.
About that time is when reports of Johnson's negative locker room presence came to light and then almost immediately shone in full force with the Ravens. He played in only four games and caught only pass for six yards before he was suspended and then released, finishing the year with the Houston Texans after signing there and playing in just one game. In total, his 2024 season amounted to 33 catches, 375 yards and three teams unhappy with what he brought them.
Now, as mentioned, he's with the Cleveland Browns. And everything about the situation suggests that Johnson's stock has been in a freefall that, if it hasn't reached rock-bottom, is pretty damn close at this point.
Former Steelers Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson's stock has never been lower
For starters, just look at the contract. Once upon a time, it looked like Johnson might be trending toward making something like $10-15 million per season, if not more. At this point now, the Browns inked him to a one-year, $1.17 million contract. That type of deal indicates that Johnson basically didn't have many options and got just about as cheap of a one-year prove-it deal as possible.
Not only was he available in the bargain bin of free agency, but Johnson isn't even a lock to make the Browns roster at this point. We know that Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman are locks in the Cleveland receiver room. But Johnson will be competing with a crowded group that includes Jamari Thrash, David Bell, DeAndre Carter, Michael Woods III and Kaden Davis for potentially three or four more spots. At 29 years old at this point, there are younger and potentially higher-upside options in that room that could take Johnson's spot.
All this is to say, it's wild how precipitous the drop-off has been for Johnson since leaving Pittsburgh. While the Steelers are no strangers (or amateurs) to cutting ties with receivers, in particular, at the right time, perhaps only Antonio Brown's stock has plummeted as dramatically as Johnson's. He still has an opportunity to rekindle his career, but he'll be fighting an uphill battle with where he resides currently.