While waiting for contract, Diontae Johnson sits out team drills on 1st day of Steelers camp

Diontae Johnson said Wednesday morning that he’d “paid attention” to the situations involving T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick entering the final year of their contracts with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

So, Wednesday afternoon, Johnson followed in their footsteps.

Johnson did not participate in team drills during the first day of training camp at Saint Vincent College. A pending unrestricted free agent this coming spring, Johnson is eager for a new contract in the context of the market for wide receivers exploding over the past year.

“I acknowledge that he was less than 100% participation,” coach Mike Tomlin said following the workout on Chuck Noll Field. “We’ll continue to manage the circumstance. But right now, my energy and focus is on those that are participating, and I think that’s the appropriate mindset to have from time to time.”

Maybe don’t yet read TOO much into this… but… Drills are going on… the Steelers WR group is doing its thing… and the longest-tenured member of the WR group is doing his thing… and they are separated… pic.twitter.com/vn6qro8Mmc

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 27, 2022

Johnson did not speak to reporters after practice, but before it he did not commit to what level he would practice. He ended up not doing so fully, just like Watt did throughout training camp last summer and how Fitzpatrick did during this spring’s organized team activities and minicamp.

Each defensive star signed a massive contract, with Watt returning to full practice mode soon thereafter. Fitzpatrick’s deal was agreed to last month; he opened training camp on the Non-Football Injury list because of a wrist ailment.

“(Watt and Fitzpatrick) handled their situations how they handled it; I am gonna handle mine how I handle mine,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he spoke with Watt and Fitzpatrick and another Steelers player who has gone to training camp for the final year of his contract, Cameron Heyward.

“I learned you can’t take stuff personally because it’s business at the end of the day,” Johnson said. “That’s what I’m learning, slowly. It’s just like anything, stuff gets frustrating, but it’s how you respond to it. I’m not letting that get to me at all; I am just going to keep going at it and worrying about the right things.”

Johnson stretched with the team in its 90-minute afternoon workout Wednesday, the first at Saint Vincent since he was a rookie in 2019. When other wide receivers gathered to do catching drills, Johnson went off to another area of the field while a Steelers staffer threw him passes.

Once 11-on-11 work began, Johnson’s helmet was off and he did not keep it near him. Johnson was attentive and enthusiastic during practice, excitedly running to greet players who made plays.

“Obviously, I want to be out there (taking part in drills),” Johnson said, “but circumstances — extenuating circumstances — are part of the business. I am gonna let that take care of itself.”

Diontae Johnson on drops and targets etc pic.twitter.com/jouSI9XobL

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 27, 2022

Johnson said “if it was up to me, yeah,” he would practice fully — but he implied someone else would direct him not to. Tomlin said it was not his decision, leaving it likely that not practicing was based off the advice of his representation, the QC Sports agency.

Johnson finished tied for fifth in the NFL in catches (107) and 10^th in yards (1,161) in 2021. Scheduled to make $2.79 million this season, Johnson surely has noted the bounty of big-money contracts given to wide receivers this offseason. Top receivers are getting upwards of $60 million in guarantees and average annual salaries of $20-30 million.

“I feel like I’ve established myself so far and I’m going to continue to establish myself even more,” Johnson said. “That’s all I can do is keep getting better.”

Unless something changes, though, the avenue for that improvement won’t come via team drills at training camp.

Though the Steelers lost three of their top five wide receivers from 2021 to free agency, they drafted George Pickens and Calvin Austin III among the first four rounds in April. Johnson and Chase Claypool are the lone starting-caliber veteran receivers on the roster.

“I want to be here. I want to be here long term,” he said. “It’s up to (Steelers management). I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

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