Is a Holdout Lurking for Steelers WR1 Diontae Johnson?

[Drink IRON City]

I remember a short while ago he wanted 15/yr.
Compared to the other contracts that have been handed out recently? I might be able to live with that.

For some reason I think he will get 15-17 mil / per. Those other insane contracts are making this what it is. Deonte would have signed fast on the 15 mil dotted line but since those others came out he has upped his asking.

EDIT: Can't blame the guy for maximizing but sometimes the player has a hard time seeing arket value should that be less than their vision.



Salute the nation

 

[Litos]

Maybe is just the media hacks trying to stir the pot

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

Maybe is just the media hacks trying to stir the pot

Oh come on man! The media would never do that. They are always forthright and totally transparent.

 

[stuntmanmike]

He’s just another player made rich by big Ben… Holmes, Wallace, sanders, brown, bell, even Washington without Ben those guys not big money players… Steelers new gm is going to have to change how Steelers do business… you have to recognize your core big money guys and TRADE the ones your not going to keep getting nothing for bud Dupree was stupid it was obvious watt was going to be great, trade bud! Johnson is not a great wr TRADE him!! Team like the Steelers that depends on the draft is going to have to depend even more on the draft, use players like johnson, Dupree to get more picks or to trade up but just laying back getting nothing but holdouts is not going to serve the Steelers going ahead in this ridiculous new money era.

 

[SteelerFan448]

He’s just another player made rich by big Ben… Holmes, Wallace, sanders, brown, bell, even Washington without Ben those guys not big money players… Steelers new gm is going to have to change how Steelers do business… you have to recognize your core big money guys and TRADE the ones your not going to keep getting nothing for bud Dupree was stupid it was obvious watt was going to be great, trade bud! Johnson is not a great wr TRADE him!! Team like the Steelers that depends on the draft is going to have to depend even more on the draft, use players like johnson, Dupree to get more picks or to trade up but just laying back getting nothing but holdouts is not going to serve the Steelers going ahead in this ridiculous new money era.

You can't just trade guys in the final year in their contracts unless you have a replacement ready to go. If you trade Diontae Johnson, who is very cheap this year, then you have Chase Claypool and no one else. Your team has to be pretty deep with young, cheap talent if you want to take the Pirates approach to running a franchise.

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

You can't just trade guys in the final year in their contracts unless you have a replacement ready to go. If you trade Diontae Johnson, who is very cheap this year, then you have Chase Claypool and no one else. Your team has to be pretty cheap if you want to take the Pirates approach to running a franchise.

Corrected that for you.

 

[TDX27]

You can't just trade guys in the final year in their contracts unless you have a replacement ready to go. If you trade Diontae Johnson, who is very cheap this year, then you have Chase Claypool and no one else. Your team has to be pretty deep with young, cheap talent if you want to take the Pirates approach to running a franchise.

Yes, but you also can't or shouldn't pay him $20 million per. His top-end should be $15 million per and preferably closer to $13 million. He's just not worth it. If he sits out, so bet it. He doesn't get paid and is still under contract for another year. I'd be looking to let him play this year and tag him for a year anyway. Draft a WR this year and next. Neither DJ or Claypool are leaders in that locker room.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Yes, but you also can't or shouldn't pay him $20 million per. His top-end should be $15 million per and preferably closer to $13 million. He's just not worth it. If he sits out, so bet it. He doesn't get paid and is still under contract for another year. I'd be looking to let him play this year and tag him for a year anyway. Draft a WR this year and next. Neither DJ or Claypool are leaders in that locker room.

I have no problem doing this. The Steelers need to draft a receiver high regardless of what they do with DJ. I still think the long-term plan was for JuJu to sign an extension and Claypool to take over as a dominant No. 2 while letting DJ walk. JuJu didn't pan out and now they're in a tough spot. But they can't just trade DJ because they may not sign him to a long-term deal. That'd leave pretty much one NFL receiver on the roster. The rest of the guys are question marks and even Claypool can't get it done alone.

 

[ghiaz]

Let him sit or trade him. He is not worth $20 million per. $15 million per is the absolute highest they should even consider. He may be a WR1 but he is not a top 5, 10 or even 15 WR. He might crack the top 20. Give me Deebo, Brown or McLaurin over DJ any day of the week. Or Adams. Or Hill. Or Kupp, Jefferson, Chase, Allen, Hopkins, Metcalf, Thomas, Evans, Godwin, Or, etc. etc. etc. The list could go on and on.

Agreed. I don't care how well he runs routes. If he drops or fumbles the ball what does it matter.

 

[Steelworth]

It is his head. Het lets it get to him.

That's what worries me as I'm sure a lot of others. Wish nothing but great things for him as he seems like a good young guy, it's just hard to watch him squander opportunities and then downright dog it on others. I really wish they hired Hines Ward to be WR coach when they had the chance, but I think the rift between he and Tomlin prevented that.

DJ might be @Hines57 most favoritetist player on the roster.

 

[Steelworth]

Diontae Johnson pushes back on reported Steelers contract dispute - Sports Illustrated

“Don’t believe everything you see.”

www.si.com

Now you know why I said it. Guy throws out too much bullshit to be believable.

That guy might be the most annoying out of the bunch.

 

[slashsteel]

That guy might be the most annoying out of the bunch.

He is the Howard Stern of Steelers news. Lot of mouth very little substance.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

The Jags screwed the WR market when they gave Christian Kirk a huge deal. Kirk only played a full season once, and has NEVER cracked 100 yards receiving. Last year he played all 17 games, on a team that throws a ton, and with Hopkins injured, he was WR1.

Kirk's best season was 77 rec 982 yds 5 TD. I'm surprised half the WRs in the league aren't holding out for more money after seeing him get that payday for little production,

Is DJ worth being paid a huge contract? If yes, then keep him. If no, then they better start looking at alternatives.

Here's an interesting idea. The 49ers will have trouble paying Debo Samuel. They already have money tied up in other players and have to sign Bosa soon. Could they be willing to trade Samuel? Sure, he'd demand big money, but I'd feel good about paying that for a proven explosive player.

You don't get in trouble paying big money to great players. You get in trouble paying big money to good or decent players.

 

[Litos]

The Jags screwed the WR market when they gave Christian Kirk a huge deal. Kirk only played a full season once, and has NEVER cracked 100 yards receiving. Last year he played all 17 games, on a team that throws a ton, and with Hopkins injured, he was WR1.

Kirk's best season was 77 rec 982 yds 5 TD. I'm surprised half the WRs in the league aren't holding out for more money after seeing him get that payday for little production,

Is DJ worth being paid a huge contract? If yes, then keep him. If no, then they better start looking at alternatives.

Here's an interesting idea. The 49ers will have trouble paying Debo Samuel. They already have money tied up in other players and have to sign Bosa soon. Could they be willing to trade Samuel? Sure, he'd demand big money, but I'd feel good about paying that for a proven explosive player.

You don't get in trouble paying big money to great players. You get in trouble paying big money to good or decent players.

We don't have draft capital, what would he command ? A 1st & 3nd round pick?

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

49ers traded away Deforest Buckner for a single 1st round pick, no 13 overall to the colts. They traded him because they knew they wouldn't be able to sign him.

If the steelers were to make a play for Debo then maybe they could trade DJ and get some draft capital to make it happen.

 

[Steelmann]

He’s just another player made rich by big Ben… Holmes, Wallace, sanders, brown, bell, even Washington without Ben those guys not big money players… Steelers new gm is going to have to change how Steelers do business… you have to recognize your core big money guys and TRADE the ones your not going to keep getting nothing for bud Dupree was stupid it was obvious watt was going to be great, trade bud! Johnson is not a great wr TRADE him!! Team like the Steelers that depends on the draft is going to have to depend even more on the draft, use players like johnson, Dupree to get more picks or to trade up but just laying back getting nothing but holdouts is not going to serve the Steelers going ahead in this ridiculous new money era.

Some of the **** that comes out of people’s mouths is just mind numbing. So Diontae is just another player made rich by Ben. Well......let me see. He’s been In The league 3 years.....first year had the QB play of the duck and Rudolph. Last 2 years Ben was on the bottom heap of QB play In The league. 2 yard passes,inaccuracy horrible offensive play calling. And yes he didn’t help himself with The drops. If anything the horrible QB play and play calling cost Diontae money.

 

[Stryker]

Some of you guys don't understand how special DJ is. I pay the man now 15-18m/yr for 5 years and don't bat an eye. Better to pay him now than compete with the league or Tag him when he blows up this season.

This is the first 3 years of the X position on our team, the WR engine of our offense:
Games/ Starts/ Targets/ Receptions/ Yards/ YPC/ TDs/ 1st downs

DJ:

2019-2021				47	39	405	254	2764	10.9	20	135

AB:

2010-2012		38	13	249	151	2062	13.7	7 111

Ward:

1998-2000	PIT	48	29	217	124	1556	12.5	11 74

Holmes: Just realized Holmes was a Z receiver...

2006-2008	PIT	44	32	285	156	2587	16.6	15 122

Stallworth:

1974-1976	PIT	32	15	no target stats	45	803	17.8	7 no 1st down stats

Interesting note: Played his rookie year with Rudolph and Duck since he didn't start until Week 3 when Ben was hurt, but did catch 4 passes 42yds 0TDs in 2 games from Ben.

He leads everyone, in every category. 103 more catches than AB. 98 more than Holmes, a player we moved up for in the first round to make him the X.

We forget his expolosiveness and suddenness. Now he's starting to make those AB WOW catches as well. The ones that you have to watch on slo mo to understand how amazing it was, and for Refs to determine it was actually a catch.

Really if your only argument is 'I don't like drops' when he went from 17 to 5, I'll counter with you can't bump him at the line of scrimmage or defend him when he breaks. Best route runner I've seen other than Rice, this early in a career.

 

[Litos]

Some of you guys don't understand how special DJ is. I pay the man now 15-18m/yr for 5 years and don't bat an eye. Better to pay him now than compete with the league or Tag him when he blows up this season.

This is the first 3 years of the X position on our team, the WR engine of our offense:
Games/ Starts/ Targets/ Receptions/ Yards/ YPC/ TDs/ 1st downs

DJ:

2019-2021				47	39	405	254	2764	10.9	20	135

AB:

2010-2012		38	13	249	151	2062	13.7	7 111

Ward:

1998-2000	PIT	48	29	217	124	1556	12.5	11 74

Holmes: Just realized Holmes was a Z receiver...

2006-2008	PIT	44	32	285	156	2587	16.6	15 122

Stallworth:

1974-1976	PIT	32	15	no target stats	45	803	17.8	7 no 1st down stats

Interesting note: Played his rookie year with Rudolph and Duck since he didn't start until Week 3 when Ben was hurt, but did catch 4 passes 42yds 0TDs in 2 games from Ben.

He leads everyone, in every category. 103 more catches than AB. 98 more than Holmes, a player we moved up for in the first round to make him the X.

We forget his expolosiveness and suddenness. Now he's starting to make those AB WOW catches as well. The ones that you have to watch on slo mo to understand how amazing it was, and for Refs to determine it was actually a catch.

Really if your only argument is 'I don't like drops' when he went from 17 to 5, I'll counter with you can't bump him at the line of scrimmage or defend him when he breaks. Best route runner I've seen other than Rice, this early in a career.

15M multi year, minimun 4 and I'll keep him. The cap inflation will cover his contract as peanuts the final 2 years

 

[Marchetti67]

Diontae Johnson pushes back on reported Steelers contract dispute - Sports Illustrated

“Don’t believe everything you see.”

www.si.com

Now you know why I said it. Guy throws out too much bullshit to be believable.

bump!

 

[bigben]

They had a contract in hand but Dionte dropped the ball.

seriously though, the guy is a poor mans Wes Welker, with suspect hands. Don't pay him

 

[Hines field]

Take away his drops. Which you can’t. But take them away. Good route runner sure. Though I see an undersized guy that can’t break a tackle and a guy that will run backwards instead on moving the chains. He is a #1 on a team that does not have a true #1. Cannot let that guy hold you hostage. Want to holdout, go ahead. Easily replaced. Hell games where Ray Ray was targeted we didn’t miss much.

 

[Drink IRON City]

I'm still in the 15-17mil range and would hard negotiate to18mil. Definitely cap friendly termination year 4 but at that time this money will be a steal.



Salute the naTION

 

[SteelerFan448]

Take away his drops. Which you can’t. But take them away. Good route runner sure. Though I see an undersized guy that can’t break a tackle and a guy that will run backwards instead on moving the chains. He is a #1 on a team that does not have a true #1. Cannot let that guy hold you hostage. Want to holdout, go ahead. Easily replaced. Hell games where Ray Ray was targeted we didn’t miss much.

Ray Ray's production was more in line with what JuJu brought than Johnson.