Diontae Johnson and the Steelers should be on the same page about a possible contract extension. It is clear both sides need more information before a deal can be done. And by that I mean the season needs to play out before Johnson's market value and value to the team is truly known.
There shouldn't be much disagreement on that point, although there is more risk for Johnson, who wants to be paid like one of the top 10 receivers in the NFL. And that market went crazy in the offseason, meaning Johnson is looking to get paid more than $20 million per year.
The Steelers have yet to give any indication of their plans for Johnson, other than saying they would like to give him a long-term deal, but you can be assured they are not interested in paying him that much money.
The issue the Steelers have is they aren't sure if Johnson is truly a No. 1 receiver or if he is a really good No. 2 receiver who happens to be the best player on his team. The past two seasons suggest he can be as productive as many of the top receivers but he probably needs to prove he can be a 100-reception, 1,100-yard type player again, a level he has reached only once in his career.
It will be a huge year for him in that regard, especially with the Steelers likely to focus more on the running game. Mitch Trubisky is expected to be the starting quarterback, which frees offensive coordinator Matt Canada to call his offense as he sees fit rather than how it fit with Ben Roethlisberger. That is not a knock on the former quarterback but the reality of a likely Hall of Famer who led the team to two Super Bowls earning the right to run the offense to his liking,
Canada is known as an offensive coordinator who likes to feature the run game. The irony is Johnson's receiving statistics might dip, but he might actually run for a few more yards given Canada's love of jet sweeps and reverses and other plays designed to get the receiver out on the edge.
Johnson absolutely should demand what he wants as a No. 1 receiver, but the Steelers probably need to see more from him and their younger receivers, as well.
If second-round pick George Pickens plays up to expectations, this conversation might be moot. If Chase Claypool takes the next step in his development and becomes a dominant player, the need to keep Johnson around at a big salary goes away as well. Fourth-round pick Calvin Austin III isn't Johnson, but he has a similar skill set and could take on many of the running play responsibilities, making Johnson expendable as well.
Which is another way of saying the Steelers should not rush into handing Johnson a huge contract.
Johnson obviously is anxious to get his deal done but it wouldn't be the worst thing for him to wait, either. The "bet-on-myself" model has blown up on some guys, but it also has paid off in a big way. Johnson could solidify himself as a No. 1 receiver and get the payday he wants. He would, with a second big season in a row, be able to command top dollar on the market, and if the Steelers then wanted to franchise tag him it would cost them much more than $20 million.
The downside is he has to stay healthy but if he is willing to take that risk, there is no question he could benefit by waiting until after the season to talk about a new contract.
For the Steelers, there is no real downside in waiting, other than possibly ending up in a Le'Veon Bell-like situation where Johnson decides he would rather sit out than play under the franchise tag. That doesn't seem likely, but the Steelers could risk letting him walk away in free agency as well.
That last part, though, is why they need to let this season play out. If Pickens and Claypool are who the Steelers think they are, then Johnson becomes expendable.
This season should be treated as information gathering for Johnson and the Steelers. By the end of it, both sides will have a better idea how to approach negotiations. It seems far less complicated and far less risky for the Steelers if they wait, and Johnson will give himself the best chance at cashing in on that megadeal he so desires.
