Tim Benz: Donte Jackson, fellow Steelers embrace Diontae Johnson’s return to AFC North in Baltimore

Former Pittsburgh Steeler Diontae Johnson saw just 13 snaps in his Baltimore Ravens debut and was not targeted on the day.

That was the plan heading into Baltimore’s Week 9 game against the Denver Broncos, a contest the Ravens (6-3) won 41-10. The Ravens coaching the staff wanted to get Johnson up and running before it fully integrated him into the offense after acquiring the 28-year-old Tuesday from the Carolina Panthers.

Well see how much learning they can cram into Johnson’s head between now and Thursday night’s AFC North game against the Cincinnati Bengals, then return to Acrisure Stadium to play the Steelers on Nov. 17.

Before the team left their practice facility Wednesday for their bye week, Steelers players acknowledged the trade but stopped short of fixing it. That even applies to cornerback Donte Jackson, the player Pittsburgh got in exchange for Johnson from Carolina in March.

Actually Jackson embraces the news.

“It’s great. It’s a competitive game. I’m a corner. He’s a receiver. We’re going to be competitive,” Jackson said. “I’m excited for it. I’m sure he is. But I don’t really try to make too much of it. We have other opponents (Washington on Sunday) before that.”

Jackson went so far as to suggest that he is happy for Johnson.

“It’s great to see him will come back to a division with which he is familiar. It’s great for the gamegreat for this competitive division,” Jackson continued.

While Jackson plays down the angle two weeks out, Johnson’s presence in the Purple and Black is sure to spice it up. what already is a fierce rivalry. It’s one that’s going to simmer all the way up to week 11 before its first installment in 2024.

“It’s always the games you live for. Especially in our division that plays in the AFC North. These games are going to be high intensity like they always are,” linebacker Alex Highsmith said.

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If Joey Porter Jr. being assigned the second team’s top receiver, as is usually the case, will likely mean he will see a lot of Baltimore’s Zay Flowers. Flowers is Baltimore’s top target for quarterback Lamar Jackson. He just had a huge game Sunday, with five catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns against the Broncos.

So Jackson may be locked in against Johnson quite a lot when the teams meet twice during the final nine weeks of the season. Or, if Johnson works out of the box a lot, a combination of Cam Sutton and Beanie Bishop could be responsible for keeping Johnson quiet.

“It amps things up a lot,” Porter said of Johnson’s arrival in Baltimore. “He’s gone to their team, like we have (former Baltimore linebacker) Patrick Queen on our team. It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to get fired. I know we will be ready for it, as they are.”

Jackson, for his part, has been a significant upgrade for the Steelers at the cornerback position opposite Joey Porter Jr. The seventh-year pro already has three interceptions and despite one tough game against the New York Giants last Monday night, has pretty much been an asset in the coverage.

The Steelers’ inability to fill in at the receiver position to replace Johnson is a completely different story. But it’s not Jackson’s fault. That’s on general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin when it comes to their inability to properly scout, draft, trade for or sign any pass catchers better than Calvin Austin or Van Jefferson at No. 2 options for George Pickens for this year.

That won’t say anything about the depth at the position should Pickens ever get hurt. However, Jefferson and Austin have at least started to make more of an impact since Russell Wilson stepped in at quarterback two weeks ago.

It is clear that the Steelers have already won the Jackson-Johnson trade with the Panthers since Johnson stayed in Carolina for just under half a season. Will the addition of Jackson make up for the absence of have a true no. 2 receiver with enough of one margin to call it a win for the Steelers themselves if one isn’t acquired by Tuesday’s trade deadline?

So far, I would argue that it has.

But having Johnson in the division, with two more head-to-head matches coming up, offers plenty of potential to change that opinion.