Steelers news: Diontae Johnson's AFC North return and injured starters who will return after the bye

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in an ideal situation. The only people flying higher right now are bettors who took the over on Vegas' preseason 8.5-win total prediction for the Steelers. Four weeks ago, I accurately predicted they’d enter the bye at 6-2.

Instead of beating the Cowboys, and losing to the Jets, the reverse turned out to be true. The Cowboys barely edged them out while they upset the Jets. What I didn’t expect was for the Steelers to be perched a game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens, three ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals, and for the Cleveland Browns to still be missing Joe Flacco. The division will sort itself out in the coming weeks.

However, the defense enters the bye second in points allowed, and their points differential is third-best in the league and Mike Tomlin should be a finalist for coach of the year. The only news that could boost the spirits of Pittsburgh more would be for Davante Adams going full-T.O. and requesting another trade. Instead of that fantasy, Diontae Johnson’s relocation from Carolina’s Witness Protection offense to Baltimore is the only thing putting a damper on the Steelers week.

Steelers news: Diontae Johnson, the turncoat

The rest of the division is playing catch-up. and in pursuit of the AFC North crown, the Ravens moved to keep pace with the division-leading Steelers by acquiring Johnson from the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday. Johnson will likely play on the outside opposite second-year pro, Zay Flowers. 

Johnson being traded to the Baltimore Ravens boosts Lamar Jackson's arsenal and adds intrigue to the battle for the AFC North and the upcoming in-season Hard Knocks. Johnson holds a special place in recent Steeler history. Drafted with the 2019 third-round pick they obtained by offloading Antonio Brown on the then-Oakland Raiders. After spending the first five seasons of his NFL career in a Steelers uniform, Johnson was traded by the Steelers for cornerback Donte Jackson and inked a two-year $36 million with the Panthers in the offseason.

Johnson would have been unable to be traded back to the Steelers due to an NFL rule that prevents players from being traded back to a club that already traded them for two seasons.

Meanwhile, Baltimore’s transaction puts Pittsburgh’s roster inertia under a microscope. For months, Omar Khan has been involved in discussions for star receivers on the market. The Steelers’ immaculate first half on the field pales in contrast to the front office’s poor track record in acquiring an impactful receiving weapon for Wilson.

The Steelers have been on the market for a receiver for months, but nothing has come to fruition. While the market dries up, the Ravens stocking their receiver room with a veteran still in his athletic prime that the Steelers employed for 90 percent of his NFL career packs a little more sting. Steeler Nation may find it difficult to get excited for Mike Williams after watching Johnson join the enemy while they’ve whiffed on Brandon Aiyuk, Davante Adams, and Cooper Kupp, but at this point he’s beginning to look like the only option available. 

Steelers news: Starters set to return from injury off the bye

The second half of the season is a different beast given their upcoming schedule. The Steelers will need all the reinforcements they can get off the injury pile. Chief among their expected returnees is outside linebacker Nick Herbig.

In limited snaps as a rookie and in preseason action, he showed flashes of being an effective pass rusher opposite TJ Watt. Once Alex Highsmith sat for multiple weeks with an injury of his own, Herbig shot out of a cannon and generated 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Herbig won’t take Highsmith’s job, but his presence will allow the Steelers to rest Watt a bit more and keep him fresh for the postseason.

Steelers Depot's charting illustrated that Herbig was creating pressure once every eight pass-rushes, which would be on par with TJ Watt's 2023 season when extrapolated over the course of an entire schedule.

After the bye week, the Steelers also expect to welcome back Zach Frazier, who is off crutches after getting his ankle rolled up on against the Raiders in Week 6, according to Penn Live’s Nick Farabaugh. 

"The Steelers are returning Frazier to work shortly in preparation for his return in a week and a half against the Commanders. Once they gauge just how close he is from there, his Week 10 status will become even more solidified, but all signs point to a return for the West Virginia product."

Backup Ryan McCollum filled in admirably in consecutive weeks against Quinen Williams and Dexter Lawrence, two of the league’s top interior defensive linemen, but aside from a botched snap against the Indianapolis Colts, Frazier was putting All-Pro caliber video on tape for the first six weeks of his career.

The Steelers also expect to welcome back Cordarrelle Patterson after the bye, but Patterson will rejoin a backfield where he’s not as much of a priority after three consecutive 100-yard games for Harris.