Wholesale changes could be coming for the Steelers, and not just because they remain unconvinced Kenny Pickett is their quarterback of the future.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Saturday that the Steelers are “open” to trade talks about receiver Diontae Johnson.
Russini added that there is interest around the league for the one-time Pro Bowler.
Johnson signed a two-year contract extension before the 2022 season that was worth as much as $39.5 million.
This year, he’s slated to come with a cap hit of almost $16 million.
Johnson joined the Steelers as a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Two years later, he earned Pro Bowl honors when he set career highs with 107 receptions, 1,161 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions.
Johnson also had a pair of touchdowns on the ground.
The 2021 season also happened to be the last one for two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger.
Last season, Johnson averaged a career-best 14.1 yards per reception.
But he played in a career-low 13 games and posted a career-worst 51 catches for the season.
Part of his lack of production can be attributed to the Steelers’ problems at quarterback.
Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky all took turns under center last season.
It was Rudolph who got the start for the Steelers in their wild-card round loss in the playoffs to the Bills.
Rudolph is now a free agent and Trubisky already signed a two-year deal to back up Josh Allen in Buffalo.
Last month, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that “there appears to be some internal division that maybe Mason Rudolph should be the starter,’’ since he played well down the stretch, as the team made the playoffs.
Pickett, the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2022 (No. 20 overall), has struggled to find the same level of success he enjoyed in college at Pitt.
The 25-year-old Pickett has played in 12 games in each of the last two seasons, with 13 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions.