Steelers Are Now Paying Diontae Johnson At Least $20 Million
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't going to extend Diontae Johnson until they give Minkah Fitzpatrick a new contract. But, as usual, they're waiting - and it's becoming a concern for their budget.
While the Steelers try to finish off free agency and prepare for the NFL Draft, the rest of the league is putting the final touches on new contracts for wide receivers. And like every position from time-to-time, the wideout market is booming.
Johnson's extension remained somewhat reasonable at the beginning. He wasn't getting Devanta Adams or Tyreek Hill money, and Christian Kirk's mega-deal was slowly fading into the wind.
For the Steelers, it still looked like Johnson's salary would remain around $15 million per year.
Now, it's at minimum $20 million, and chances are it's higher.
With the extension of Brandin Cooks in Houston, the wide receiver has officially reset. The 28-year-old signed a two-year deal that's reportedly worth $20 million per year to stay with the Texans.
So, that's not where Johnson's negotiations start. He's just 25-years-old, the team's top receiver for the last two seasons and coming off a 1,161-yard, eight-touchdown season in 2021.
Johnson meets all the criteria to hit that $20 million range. And while they continue to wait before talking, names like DK Metcalf and Deebo Samuel are talking, and chances are they're going to be higher than Cooks.
Contract talks could be pushed to next offseason, but the Steelers don't want to see their top wideout hit the open market with the way money is being tossed around. Meanwhile, Johnson and Chase Claypool are their only returning starters, and even if they draft a rookie, they need options at the position.
Pittsburgh is in a pickle. But there's no way around it - this team is about to pay their top receiver at least $20 million.
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