The Steelers have started discussions with wide receiver Diontae Johnson about a new contract, but that doesn't mean they will sign him before the start of the regular season — or even before free agency in 2023.
General manager Omar Khan said at a Tuesday news conference at Saint Vincent College the Steelers would like to sign Johnson and "hope he's going to be a Steeler for a long time." However, according to a team source, the sides are so far apart from what Johnson is seeking and what the Steelers are willing to spend, the plausibility of getting a deal done before the Sept. 11 season opener in Cincinnati is slim.
That could create a potential problem for the Steelers in general and Johnson in particular. He has been taking part in individual drills but has not participated in team sessions since the start of training camp, hoping his "hold-in" will result in a new contract like it did for outside linebacker T.J. Watt last year.
"You want everyone out practicing, but we've taken the approach we're using it as an opportunity to look at other guys that are practicing, especially the young guys," Khan said. "We want Diontae. We're excited to have him be a part of this team, and we hope he's going to be a Steeler for a long time."
At what point does Johnson decide to return to full practice if he fails to get a new deal? And would the Steelers elect to fine their third-year wide receiver, which they could decide to do, if he continues his hold-in?
Either way, it's a tenuous situation for both sides.
"There are options out there, but we want Diontae here," Khan said.
It is not known what Johnson is seeking, but the Steelers do not appear prepared to pay what some other top receivers in the league have been fetching, including San Francisco's Deebo Samuel, who signed a three-year, $73.5 million extension the other day. Also, the Seattle Seahawks signed receiver DK Metcalf to a three-year, $72 million contract extension last week.
Khan acknowledged contract discussions change as players around the league sign massive deals.
If Johnson does not get a contract before the start of the season, he may decide to test the free agent market in the hope of getting a contract similar to what Samuel and other top receivers in the league have been getting.
"It's a product of the times and the situation we're in," Khan said.
The Steelers have not been afraid to spend money — lots of it — to retain their top players. In the past 11 months, they made outside linebacker T.J. Watt, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and kicker Chris Boswell among the highest-paid — if not the highest-paid — players at their respective positions in the NFL.
Boswell was the most recent, signing a five-year, $23.26 million deal that included an $8 million signing bonus Tuesday morning that made him the league's fourth-highest paid kicker in average salary. The total value of his contract is second only to Atlanta's Younghoe Koo ($24.25 million).
"Every one of those situations is uniquely different," Khan said.
