By Anthony Licciardi
Diontae Johnson will have the opportunity of a lifetime in 2022. A contract year for the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, each game will be an audition for what could be a big pay day. Trust me, if you had the chance to increase your salary by 700%, you’d try a little harder, too.
Johnson is the undisputed No. 1 receiver for Pittsburgh. Last year, he made up more than a quarter of the team’s targets and 35.2% of their air yards. Those marks were both top 15 amongst wide receivers last year.
However, Johnson benefited from the brisket that was Ben Roethlisberger’s shoulder. The quarterback’s 6.8 air yards per attempt led only Jared Goff in 2021. Johnson, a smaller, shiftier receiver, was able to soak up targets by running routes complementary to Big Ben’s aging skill set.
Roethlisberger’s retirement led to an open door in the QB room. Johnson will now be catching passes from rookie Kenny Pickett or Mitchell Trubisky, the favorite for the job. Trubisky rebounded his value in Buffalo after being laughed out of the Chicago Bears offense. In distancing himself from the now-fired Matt Nagy, Trubisky has repositioned himself as a respectable candidate to start.
It might be a step up from the retirement home offense the Steelers ran last year, but it’s still a ways away from an inspiring passing attack. If they’re going to take that next step offensively, Johnson will have to take one himself. In doing so, he’ll make himself a lot of money.
Can Diontae Johnson carry Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks?
We know he won’t be going to the laboratory on company time this year, but that in itself won’t guarantee success. If he’s going to get the contract he wants, he’ll have to prove himself as a legitimate No. 1 receiver and not just a product of the offense.
He must to continue to beat press coverage when lined up outside, though his snaps as a boundary receiver may decrease with the selection of George Pickens. In the slot, he’d see even more opportunities for easy completions.
Improving upon his biggest concern, questionable hands, will be paramount. Trubisky and/or Pickett will look to Johnson as a reliable target to move the sticks. An abundance of drops will leave his unproven quarterbacks in precarious situations.
With a big season, Johnson could make himself some money. But what about us? FanDuel currently has Johnson’s 2022 receiving yards line at 950.5. The odds for him to go over that mark are -112, meaning a $100 bet would win you $89.29.
There’s about 20 million reasons for Johnson to take off in 2022. Steelers faithful and bettors alike will look to profit off of his potential pay day.