Three Steelers emergency trades after Diontae Johnson betrays Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a serious blow on Tuesday when the Baltimore Ravens has acquired Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers in a pick swap. After trading away Johnson this summer, the Steelers did all but replace him on the depth chart. As a result, Pittsburgh’s WR room was a weak point on an otherwise rock-solid roster.

Now Johnson ends up with the Steelers biggest division rival. Pittsburgh is 6-2, one game ahead of the 5-3 Ravens in the NFC North. However, that could quickly change if Baltimore gets more ammunition on offense. The Ravens’ playing corps looks extremely intimidating on paper.

Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are both MVP candidates so far, while Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely form one of the NFL’s best tight end duos. If there was a position of relative weakness before this trade, it was wide receiver. Rashod Bateman is a source of frustration in Baltimore and Zay Flowers can’t do everything.

Johnson immediately takes the Ravens passing group to the next level, offering an tantalizing dose of speed and versatility opposite Flowers.

The Steelers have an elite defensive unit, but the offense still pales in comparison to most contenders in the NFL. Russell Wilson has stepped it up a notch since taking over for Justin Fields, but Pittsburgh still isn’t a team that can top Kansas City, Buffalo or, well, Baltimore in a potential postseason showdown.

Here are a few potentially valuable WR trades the Steelers should consider in response to Baltimore’s big splash.

George Pickens led the NFL in yards per catch last season (18.1), with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph throwing the football. He is one of the most explosive wideouts in the NFL, both before and after the catch. However, Pittsburgh’s offense was more dependent on smaller gains under Arthur Smith. Pickens is attacked a little less and he doesn’t escape as often.

In 2019, Mike Williams led the NFL with 20.4 yards per catch. Injuries and age have taken their toll in the years since, but Williams remains as potent a target as you can find – especially when it comes to wide receivers floating around the trade mill with just over a week until the November trade fair. 5 term.

The Jets from New York are in free fall at 2-6. The Davante Adams trade reworked the Jets’ offensive hierarchy, leaving Williams on the edge of the depth chart. He needs a change of scenery and a more robust target share. The Steelers can deliver. Aside from Pickens, there wouldn’t be much in the way of Williams in Pittsburgh. He would get a chance to recapture that premium WR2 role he filled so well in Los Angeles.

Williams has made 11 catches on 19 targets through eight weeks in New York. That just doesn’t feel right. It is available, and available cheaply. At the very least, Pittsburgh needs to target someone like Williams. Omar Khan can’t let the trade deadline pass without upgrading the WR room.

There are complicated feelings for Jordan Addison in Pittsburgh after leaving Pitt a few years ago for USC and a boatload of NIL money. Now, the Minnesota Vikings wideout has a chance to end up right back where it all started. Addison took over social media to lament his declining usage next to Sam Darnold, which could precede a potential trade deadline move.

Addison was electric as a rookie, rushing for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns, so the 2023 first-round pick still has plenty of value. The Vikings don’t want to trade him for nothing, but with Addison openly disgruntled and Minnesota making a minor mistake, the winds of change could be blowing hard enough in Pittsburgh’s favor.

Perhaps Pitt fans would react strongly against this move, but it wouldn’t take long for Addison to win them back. The Steelers are the No. 1 priority in that city and Addison is a great talent, blessed with quick athleticism and a knack for breaking down defenses. He’s averaging 16.5 yards per catch this season, making them count when targets come his way.

Addison is 22 and still has a few years left on a rookie contract, so it’s really great value. Even if the Steelers have to sacrifice premium draft capital, planting Addison opposite Pickens could yield huge returns for the next five years or more.

Sean McVay effectively told reporters that Cooper Kupp is unavailable after this Los Angeles RamsThursday Night Football win over Minnesota. But here’s the thing. McVay isn’t the GM, and the Rams can still move on from Kupp and his burdensome contract if the right offer comes along. Pittsburgh should strongly consider an aggressive push for the former Super Bowl MVP.

The concerns with Kupp are clear at this point. He’s 31 years old and has a long list of injuries, not to mention a noticeable drop in production over the past few years. So is Kupp’s contract quite substantial — he’s due about $15 million for the rest of this season, while $5 million of his 2025 salary is already guaranteed — which is obviously off-putting to most front offices.

That said, Kupp is still damn good when healthy, offering incredible speed, precision, and reliability at the WR position. He can line up across the formation, improvise when necessary, and it won’t be long before Kupp finds his way into Arthur Smith’s offense. Kupp was practically made to feast on Pittsburgh’s dink-and-dunk scheme.

In terms of guaranteed production, the Steelers won’t do much better than Kupp. The contract is bad, but with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields making well below market value at quarterback, Pittsburgh can afford to spend money elsewhere. The Steelers won’t be paying top dollar at QB anytime soon. Kupp and Pickens complement each other beautifully. This move would really set off alarm bells in Baltimore and the rest of the AFC.