On Diontae

[swissvale72]

From Madden. I think he’s right…been saying it all off-season.

https://triblive.com/sports/mark-madden ... g-foolish/

[.Kodiak]

My take....they thought they could get Auiyk...and SF called their bluff on 5-7 off suit.

"Khan artist" is going to bend over and announce this deal in 5-6 weeks.

[anpsteel]

I do not understand peoples admiration for this clown

He was a very good route runner

That’s it

He was inconsistent at catching the ball

Terrible after the catch

And apparently a very bad influence in the receiver room

[RemoAZ]

I'm surprised they haven't traded a bunch of draft pics for a receiver yet. We're already screwed for the next 4 years. Might as well make the future even worse.

[K_C_]

Addition through subtraction at it's finest.

I'm gonna miss this type of shit, but what a route runner!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pamzvU5 ... SimplyAS10

[Mick]

We would have had to pay $10M to keep diontae, who averaged 800 yards/year over the last two seasons. In a league where a guy just signed for $24M/year after averaging 430 yards/year over the last three seasons.

[swissvale72]

I do not understand peoples admiration for this clown

He was a very good route runner

That’s it

He was inconsistent at catching the ball

Terrible after the catch

And apparently a very bad influence in the receiver room

Yeah, he was pretty terrible after the catch taking it to the house for the winning TD against Baltimore in the season finale. Yeah, I know some episodes of losing yards after the catch..,but always in an effort to turn a short gain into something more.

I don’t so much follow the money, but was he due to make $18mil this years? I wasn’t suggesting new contract for him, rather just letting him play out his contract year, as should have happened with santonio in ‘10.

[K_C_]

I do not understand peoples admiration for this clown

He was a very good route runner

That’s it

He was inconsistent at catching the ball

Terrible after the catch

And apparently a very bad influence in the receiver room

Yeah, he was pretty terrible after the catch taking it to the house for the winning TD against Baltimore in the season finale. Yeah, I know some episodes of losing yards after the catch..,but always in an effort to turn a short gain into something more.

I don’t so much follow the money, but was he due to make $18mil this years? I wasn’t suggesting new contract for him, rather just letting him play out his contract year, as should have happened with santonio in ‘10.

That dude is about as close to being Santonio Holmes as Richard Simmons.

Holmes was a gamer. Johnson was a moron.

[Jobu]

I find it amusing how Steelers fans love the new WR until the next new WR comes along!

[swissvale72]

I do not understand peoples admiration for this clown

He was a very good route runner

That’s it

He was inconsistent at catching the ball

Terrible after the catch

And apparently a very bad influence in the receiver room

Yeah, he was pretty terrible after the catch taking it to the house for the winning TD against Baltimore in the season finale. Yeah, I know some episodes of losing yards after the catch..,but always in an effort to turn a short gain into something more.

I don’t so much follow the money, but was he due to make $18mil this years? I wasn’t suggesting new contract for him, rather just letting him play out his contract year, as should have happened with santonio in ‘10.

That dude is about as close to being Santonio Holmes as Richard Simmons.

Holmes was a gamer. Johnson was a moron.

I’m not comparing him talent or production-wise to Santonio Holmes…and I think you known that, KC. I’m comparing their similar situations of being dealt for shit entering their respective contract years, where one might expect maximum effort.

Also, if you remember, many of the asshats on this esteemed website were glad to see the “troublemaker” Holmes gone as well, citing his unremarkable stats while ignoring that he was a clutch mother-fucker, even going so far as to minimize his spectacular sb-winning catch by citing “he dropped the pass on the previous play”…to which I would remind that bill maz hit into a double play on the at-bat preceding his series winning walk-off.

[Ice]

From Madden. I think he’s right…been saying it all off-season.

https://triblive.com/sports/mark-madden ... g-foolish/

Pretty much with ya on this one, Swiss. Not Johnson's biggest fan, but for the $10 million he was going to cost this season, we could've used the production, and even if we pull off a trade, replacing it is going to cost considerably more than that figure. I'd have let the dude play out the contract, too. Hopefully we're wrong. It'd be SBI.

[Pabst]

Things to consider:

- If the Steelers hadn't dealt DJ, we'd have a giant hole at #2 CB right now. People are focusing on the lack of depth at WR, but CB was also a massive issue heading into the offseason.

- The Holmes trade is tough to compare since Ward and Mike Wallace were on the roster at the time.

- I agree 100% that what Mark Madden was saying 4 months ago was 'foolish'

[anpsteel]

I do not understand peoples admiration for this clown

He was a very good route runner

That’s it

He was inconsistent at catching the ball

Terrible after the catch

And apparently a very bad influence in the receiver room

Yeah, he was pretty terrible after the catch taking it to the house for the winning TD against Baltimore in the season finale. Yeah, I know some episodes of losing yards after the catch..,but always in an effort to turn a short gain into something more.

I don’t so much follow the money, but was he due to make $18mil this years? I wasn’t suggesting new contract for him, rather just letting him play out his contract year, as should have happened with santonio in ‘10.

How many first downs did he lose after already having the line to gain?

A dozen? More?

He constantly lost yardage

He’s easily the worst after the catch receiver I’ve ever witnessed

[swissvale72]

I do not understand peoples admiration for this clown

He was a very good route runner

That’s it

He was inconsistent at catching the ball

Terrible after the catch

And apparently a very bad influence in the receiver room

Yeah, he was pretty terrible after the catch taking it to the house for the winning TD against Baltimore in the season finale. Yeah, I know some episodes of losing yards after the catch..,but always in an effort to turn a short gain into something more.

I don’t so much follow the money, but was he due to make $18mil this years? I wasn’t suggesting new contract for him, rather just letting him play out his contract year, as should have happened with santonio in ‘10.

How many first downs did he lose after already having the line to gain?

A dozen? More?

He constantly lost yardage

He’s easily the worst after the catch receiver I’ve ever witnessed

I'll challenge your memory on this one, Amp. It happened some, but was due to his trying to gain more yardage with happened far more than the reverse....as I remember.

[Ice]

The Pickett/Canada passing game was such a cluster fuck, it's easy to imagine a receiver running around trying to make an individual play, just to try and get something, anything going on 3rd and 7, which is where that combo found us most every series.

Not excusing it, but definitely understand the likely motivation behind it.

[Deebo]

Things to consider:

- If the Steelers hadn't dealt DJ, we'd have a giant hole at #2 CB right now. People are focusing on the lack of depth at WR, but CB was also a massive issue heading into the offseason.

- The Holmes trade is tough to compare since Ward and Mike Wallace were on the roster at the time.

- I agree 100% that what Mark Madden was saying 4 months ago was 'foolish'

That's the thing with this: they robbed Peter to pay Paul from a positionality standpoint (WR to CB). They felt they'd have an easier time replacing WR production vs CB production.

[swissvale72]

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2 ... ck-in-2022

[jewelsongs]

They knew it was a great year for receivers. There is a lot of time before the season starts.

[K_C_]

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2 ... ck-in-2022

Johnson's running backwards was only a small part of his problem.

His biggest issues were coming up with ANYTHING CLOSE to a contested catch (Perch gave me a lot of shit for saying DJ "slipped" when Pickett was in trouble (which was the whole game) and he threw a ball to DJ who had position on the DB behind him. Pickens goes up and gets that pass with no problem. Really any receiver with a working brain goes up and gets that ball with no problem. Not DJ. At the absolute worst fucking time, the guy slips, can't jump and the ball is picked. That's a DJ special right there.) Also, Johnson near the sidelines was always an adventure. For as talented as the guy was, he had very little concept or understanding that both feet needed to be inbounds when catching a football near the sidelines and his idiocy in that regard will not soon be forgotten. Then we have DJ's innate ability to RARELY EVER be on the same page as his QB when the QB was forced to improvise. If I had a nickel for each time DJ zigged when his QB expected him to zag, I'd have about 10 bucks. Roethlisberger came off the field shaking his head plenty of times because he couldn't understand what in the fuck was going on in DJ's head.

Then last year, effort issues reared their ugly head. I don't need to go any further with that.

He had to go. Should have been traded a season earlier.

[beerbrother]

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2 ... ck-in-2022

Damn. The 1st part of his 2022 season really sucked bad by those statistics. More plays with zero and negative YAC than positive.

Game 1: -1, 0, 0, 0
Game 2: 2, 0, 0, -0.5, 4, 0
Game 3: 0, 5, 1, -2, 3, -1, Fumble
Game 4: 5, 6
Game 5: 4, 0, 3, 0, 4
Game 6: -1, 0, 0, 0, 1

The 2nd half of the season looked pretty good. More positive plays, very few negative.

Which player is going to show up? What is the effect on the chemistry of the locker room?

Regrettable that the Steelers are lacking a replacement. His attitude was an issue last year, Minka was about ready whoop his ass over something.

[Steel Bingo]

Like it or not, media narrative has significant authority these days. Diontae’s name lost quite a bit of respect when he did not make any effort to finish the play on Warren’s fumble in Cincinnati. After that play, a guy who had already exhibited questionable effort at times was not going to regain full credibility.

Swiss, I agree with you on how Holmes was let go too early, but even then, it was not until there was less than two minutes remaining in SB XLV when that decision could have been said to have caught up. Still, I would agree you are right on that.

Choosing to get something for DJ was a calculated move for the Steelers. And as Pabst pointed out, they attempted to fill a hole. If Johnson played to his ability, yeah, right now the move looks bad. But, Diontae does Diontae things. He goes 80 yards for the only TD in Baltimore, but he also does not finish plays the way a traditional Stillers’ WR should. I think DJ could start on Pittsburgh’s all-time enigma squad.

Over the course of a full season, it is a lot to expect the animosity towards him to not get the better of the situation at some point. At which time, he may develop some bogus injury and not return to the field. 6 or 7 weeks of DJ, but then him on the bench, dauber in the dirt and loads of negative press looks to have also been a possibility. After last season, it is hard to deny that his storyline for this season did not carry the risk of - that everyone was aware of how his character was trending, so not getting something for him when they could and expecting him to finish strong (not regress or go backwards), was a mistake.

There does appear to be a hole at WR, but I am not sold that DJ would be the best option to fill that. I can also understand not wanting to risk relying upon him, and everything that comes with him, to fill that role for a full season, and hopefully post season.

So they have traded him, and have yet to fill the perceived void. In ’05 they let Plax walk, and replaced him with Cedrick Wilson, Randle El, Heath and Willie Parker (out of the back field). Maybe they have a plan in place that is not evident to the rest of us.

[W&M_Steeler]

Yeah, he was pretty terrible after the catch taking it to the house for the winning TD against Baltimore in the season finale. Yeah, I know some episodes of losing yards after the catch..,but always in an effort to turn a short gain into something more.

That DJ touchdown was almost as impressive as Kenny Pickett's perfect preseason... the Ravens already had the #1 seed secured. They sat several key starters that game and were barely giving any effort in that rainy, sloppy mess of a game.

[Steeldrama]

Ok fellas about a week away from the start of training camp where I HOPE to see this WR mess get sorted out.

Sure

it's a problem

Maybe even a big problem

But

If you even glance at rosters around the league, even the contenders have holes on their roster.

The Bills have WR issues too.
Have you seen the Chiefs OT's?
Lose that dad bod, Pat. You're going to be runnin more than you're used to.

In our own division, the Ravens have questions on their OL and WR room.

Anyway, I didn't like the return on the DJ trade, but always have to expect a lower return when trading a hostage.

That said, if Donte Jackson (DJ?) plays above JAG level I'll call it a win.

Like some of you I'd love to see a trade for at minimum a WR2, but at what price?

I love baseball, it fills a sports void, but still way too much down time in the offseason for the imagination to run amuck.

It's fun to daydream about Brandon Aiyuk, CeeDee Lamb, DK Metcalf etc but those don't appear to be realistic, cost efficient options.

It's not often a Pro Bowl caliber player is simply released at the start of camp like a Joe Haden.

Omar needs to pay close attention to that waiver wire because Van Jefferson AIN'T IT.

Dude sucks goat balls.

I hate to pin my hopes on an undersized 3rd round rookie, but I think the flyin' Hawaiian Roman Wilson is your defacto #2 until another option presents itself.

Dig him

BUT

Damn I wish he were bigger.

A lot off topic but I'll tell you who is bigger, fellow Hawaiian Tetairoa McMillan, a 6'5 WR currently playing for this year's BIG 12 Champion Arizona Wildcats.

NHALS will have to die for Omar to land that stud.

I'm WAY too optimistic about these 2024 Steelers for THAT to happen.

Go Russ!
Go Najee!!
Go Skenes!!!
GO LIVVY!!!!

[swissvale72]

Yeah, he was pretty terrible after the catch taking it to the house for the winning TD against Baltimore in the season finale. Yeah, I know some episodes of losing yards after the catch..,but always in an effort to turn a short gain into something more.

That DJ touchdown was almost as impressive as Kenny Pickett's perfect preseason... the Ravens already had the #1 seed secured. They sat several key starters that game and were barely giving any effort in that rainy, sloppy mess of a game.

So what!! Steelers absolutely needed a W….tied going into 4Q

[Deebo]

That's honestly the only time I can remember Clank taking one to the house on his own merit.

Most of the time the fucker just went down or was caught from behind.

I can assure you, he won't be missed.

DJ is another dude who started off gangbusters and then regressed. I feel like it's a pattern and I don't think unexpected considering the drafting philosophy of Tomlin: get a guy with great measurables so he can win the 1 on 1 battles. DJ, Claypool, etc fall into this category.

They overlook the passion for football. I don't think DJ has that and it certainly doesn't seem like that passion rubbed off on him by anyone in the room. This team suffers from a leadership void (both formal leaders and informal leaders), and Tomlin is a huge negative in that regard.

Thankfully they seem to be moving away from dudes with great measurables and get guys who like to play the rough and tumble game of football. I think Jones is a mean MFer as well as Roman Wilson. They love the game and will do anything to win.

DJ? He doesn't want to get his fingernails dirty...

[Ice]

I think coaching has been an issue with the WRs since Drake passed away.

[Gonzo]

I think we are underestimating how much the Steelers like Roman Wilson
I read Tomlin was gushing over him at Senior Bowl

[anpsteel]

Things to consider:

- If the Steelers hadn't dealt DJ, we'd have a giant hole at #2 CB right now. People are focusing on the lack of depth at WR, but CB was also a massive issue heading into the offseason.

- The Holmes trade is tough to compare since Ward and Mike Wallace were on the roster at the time.

- I agree 100% that what Mark Madden was saying 4 months ago was 'foolish'

That's the thing with this: they robbed Peter to pay Paul from a positionality standpoint (WR to CB). They felt they'd have an easier time replacing WR production vs CB production.

Sure, they switched position deficiencies

BUT

With this coach, and OC a #2 CB has more value than a #2 WR

AND

By getting rid of DJs negative attitude, sloppy standards and contract dispute mentality

How much do you improve Pickens?

His work habits

His maturity

His commitment to the team


And maybe the most important

The likelihood you can resign him?.


I think that all matters a lot.

[Deebo]

Things to consider:

- If the Steelers hadn't dealt DJ, we'd have a giant hole at #2 CB right now. People are focusing on the lack of depth at WR, but CB was also a massive issue heading into the offseason.

- The Holmes trade is tough to compare since Ward and Mike Wallace were on the roster at the time.

- I agree 100% that what Mark Madden was saying 4 months ago was 'foolish'

That's the thing with this: they robbed Peter to pay Paul from a positionality standpoint (WR to CB). They felt they'd have an easier time replacing WR production vs CB production.

Sure, they switched position deficiencies

BUT

With this coach, and OC a #2 CB has more value than a #2 WR

AND

By getting rid of DJs negative attitude, sloppy standards and contract dispute mentality

How much do you improve Pickens?

His work habits

His maturity

His commitment to the team


And maybe the most important

The likelihood you can resign him?.


I think that all matters a lot.

For the record, I was for getting rid of DJ. I think he was part of the problem and not the solution from a locker room standpoint. I have no issue with what they did and see why the did it. Everyone has roster holes

[swissvale72]

I sincerely hope I’m wrong. As I coined following the loss of Joey Porter in ‘07 (and was wrong then).

SBI > Being Right