Pittsburgh Steelers three key players are departing from the club after series of…

Back in March, when the Pittsburgh Steelers traded former Pro Bowl Diontae Johnson, for the Carolina Panther’s #2 corner, Donte Jackson, in what was essentially a player-for-player swap, most considered it to be an ok, perhaps erring on the side of a poor value trade for one of the league’s most astute franchises.

Diontae Johnson, whilst not quite the player he was in his breakout 2021 Pro Bowl season, has been a borderline #1, or excellent #2 option in the league for almost half a decade now. Jackson, on the other hand, whilst a very solid corner, has struggled to remain healthy over the course of his 6 years in the NFL, having never managed to play a full season since his inaugural year back in 2018.

So, the question was, why exactly did the Steelers make such a trade with the Panthers? Especially in an era where receivers are being paid upwards of $35 million despite the influx of talent coming in from the college ranks, and in a time where all signs point to the NFL being a predominantly offensive minded league.