Rookie WR Diontae Johnson Worked Mainly Outside During Steelers First OTA Practice

[polamalubeast]

After reportedly not being a full participant in the team’s annual rookie minicamp a few weekends ago due to an undisclosed injury, it sounds Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson, the team’s first of two third-round draft picks this year, was able to practice fully during the first OTA session of 2019.


During his post OTA practice session with the local media, Johnson, a Toledo product, was asked if an injury indeed prevented him from participating in the team’s rookie minicamp. The rookie, however, wouldn’t take the media bait.
“Nah, you probably have to ask Coach [Mike] Tomlin about that,” Johnson said. “But it wasn’t nothing.”............

Read more @ https://steelersdepot.com/2019/05/ro...-ota-practice/

[tube517]

DIVA! He refuses to play in the slot!!!! ZOMG, it's Ben's fault.

[hawaiiansteeler]

DIVA! He refuses to play in the slot!!!! ZOMG, it's Ben's fault.

Fire Colbert!

[Mojouw]

Johnson better get good reps on the outside. If he can't impact on the outside, then he was not the draft pick they were looking for. That is where they "hole" in the roster is right now. They have plenty of guys who can get open from the slot or from the bunch. They are missing the almost universally acknowledged master of getting open from lining up outside on the line of scrimmage and using technique to beat the coverage. Johnson needs to turn into the guy who can be 1 in all those 3WRs on one side and 1 WR on the other formations and get open.

[Dwinsgames]

Johnson better get good reps on the outside. If he can't impact on the outside, then he was not the draft pick they were looking for. That is where they "hole" in the roster is right now. They have plenty of guys who can get open from the slot or from the bunch. They are missing the almost universally acknowledged master of getting open from lining up outside on the line of scrimmage and using technique to beat the coverage. Johnson needs to turn into the guy who can be 1 in all those 3WRs on one side and 1 WR on the other formations and get open.

I would agree with everything above ( here comes that HUGE little word ) IF they had not signed Moncrief .....

with Moncrief in house a WR was not even a " must have piece " and I honestly took the drafting of Johnson as insurance for Washington as much as anything else ...

if Washington comes alive its a nice problem to have you are instantly loaded if he doesn't you have Johnson ...

Washington and Johnson are fighting IMO for WR#3 reps the 1 and 2 are already penciled in with JuJu and Moncrief

[polamalubeast]

I would agree with everything above ( here comes that HUGE little word ) IF they had not signed Moncrief .....

with Moncrief in house a WR was not even a " must have piece " and I honestly took the drafting of Johnson as insurance for Washington as much as anything else ...

if Washington comes alive its a nice problem to have you are instantly loaded if he doesn't you have Johnson ...

Washington and Johnson are fighting IMO for WR#3 reps the 1 and 2 are already penciled in with JuJu and Moncrief

If 2 of his receivers are good for the next season, the steelers will be fine at this position

Some fans or media will have to stop comparing its receivers to AB.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Washington and Johnson are fighting IMO for WR#3 reps the 1 and 2 are already penciled in with JuJu and Moncrief

that would be ideal, I think Johnson is going to need some time to adjust to the NFL...

[Dwinsgames]

that would be ideal, I think Johnson is going to need some time to adjust to the NFL...

I do too , that said we could be surprised but I am not gonna hold my breath

[hawaiiansteeler]

I do too , that said we could be surprised but I am not gonna hold my breath

I'm hoping Washington challenges Moncrief for the #2 WR job, but I'm not going to hold my breath either...

[polamalubeast]

JuJu was supposed to be the 4th WR at his rookie season .... We can not know who is the 2nd or 3rd WR of the steelers right now ....

But I am hopeful that the steelers will have at least 2 good WR behind JuJu.

[Mojouw]

I would agree with everything above ( here comes that HUGE little word ) IF they had not signed Moncrief .....

with Moncrief in house a WR was not even a " must have piece " and I honestly took the drafting of Johnson as insurance for Washington as much as anything else ...

if Washington comes alive its a nice problem to have you are instantly loaded if he doesn't you have Johnson ...

Washington and Johnson are fighting IMO for WR#3 reps the 1 and 2 are already penciled in with JuJu and Moncrief

That may be the case this entire year and almost certainly the first half the season. But long term, Johnson is touted to have a skill set that no one else on the Steelers current WR roster really has. That ability to use the whole route tree and technique to separate off the LOS. Juju, Washington, Moncrief, Rogers, and the rest are all better when they are aligned off the line of scrimmage. Does that mean they can not or will not do it? Of Course not.

But the best case scenario for WR alignment (not pecking order) would be Johnson on the LOS, Moncrief off as the "deep ball guy" (Bryant's old role), Juju operating out of motion or the slot as a match-up nightmare (later career Hines Ward), Rogers/Switzer as Swiss Army guys out of the slot or motion, and Washington playing a role as another off the line of scrimmage contested catch guy (honestly I would like to see him step into Juju's role from his rookie year).

Despite all the pre and post draft reports that want to put Johnson in the slot; I still really believe that if he can not impact (long-term) on the outside right at the line of scrimmage, then it was not the right pick.

[DesertSteel]

I think Washington, Moncrief and Johnson fighting out reps is a wonderful problem to have!

[polamalubeast]

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Johnson played mostly outside at Toledo, so I dont know what the big deal is, or why its news worthy.

I have seen pro comparisons to Emannuel Sanders or Travis Benjamin for Johnson. I thought a good comparison for James Washington was Chris Chambers...long speed guy who challenges for 50-50 balls in the air. If they pan out like that, then the Steelers will have decent enough group for Ben to throw the football to.

[Mojouw]

Seasons over. He called him his son. Clearly another sign of doom. Fire everyone.

[pczach]

Seasons over. He called him his son. Clearly another sign of doom. Fire everyone.

You mean he basically called him a kid????

The season is obviously over.

[hawaiiansteeler]

You mean he basically called him a kid????

The season is obviously over.

what makes it worse is Johnson is older than JuJu.

we're totally screwed, next thing you know JuJu is going to be throwing footballs at Ben.

[Craic]

I would agree with everything above ( here comes that HUGE little word ) IF they had not signed Moncrief .....

with Moncrief in house a WR was not even a " must have piece " and I honestly took the drafting of Johnson as insurance for Washington as much as anything else ...

if Washington comes alive its a nice problem to have you are instantly loaded if he doesn't you have Johnson ...

Washington and Johnson are fighting IMO for WR#3 reps the 1 and 2 are already penciled in with JuJu and Moncrief

I am thoroughly confused by the Steelers fans fascination with Moncrief. If you go by stats alone (I know, stats don't tell the whole story, but they do help tell part of the story), Moncrief is another Markus Wheaton, especially over the last three years.

[hawaiiansteeler]

I am thoroughly confused by the Steelers fans fascination with Moncrief. If you go by stats alone (I know, stats don't tell the whole story, but they do help tell part of the story), Moncrief is another Markus Wheaton, especially over the last three years.

having Blake Bortles, Cody Kessler and Jacoby Brissett throwing the football to you can definitely affect your receiving stats...

[polamalubeast]

Moncrief had one bad season in his career and it was in 2016 and I think he was hurt in that year

For the rest, it's solid, especially with the awful QB and o-line the colts and the jaguars have had in his last two years ...... I think Markus Wheaton only had 2-3 catch with the Bears in 2017 in the entire season and he is OUT of the NFL right now ... Not a good comparison.

[teegre]

The kid’s meal at Chipotle is a good deal. Much cheaper than buying it all separately. Quesadilla (or taco), beans, rice, juice (or milk), and fruit (or chips).

[SteelMember]

The kid’s meal at Chipotle is a good deal. Much cheaper than buying it all separately. Quesadilla (or taco), beans, rice, juice (or milk), and fruit (or chips).

The Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli and norovirus are all complementary...

"Come for the food. Stay for the restrooms!"

[tube517]

The Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli and norovirus are all complementary...

"Come for the food. Stay for our restrooms!"

The one here has been closed a few times for violations. Not sure how they survive but I'll never go again.

[86WARD]

I am thoroughly confused by the Steelers fans fascination with Moncrief. If you go by stats alone (I know, stats don't tell the whole story, but they do help tell part of the story), Moncrief is another Markus Wheaton, especially over the last three years.

Look at Moncrief with Luck and Hasselbeck in 2015. Put up decent numbers for a second year receiver starting 10 games. 2016 he missed 7 games with a shoulder injury. 2017 he was injured off and on and Luck was out for a full season. 2018 he’s catching passes from Cody Kessler and Blake Bortles...not exactly two guys you’d want to catch balls from. Moncrief is no top-tier WR...however, he’s got as much potential, if not more, than any other WR on the roster and he’s going to be catching balls from a Hall of Fame QB. He’s got the speed to stretch the field for JuJu, he creates separation and he’s improved his route running since coming into the league. There’s more to be excited about in regards to Moncrief than Washington or Johnson at this point.

[tube517]

Look at Moncrief with Luck and Hasselbeck in 2015. Put up decent numbers for a second year receiver starting 10 games. 2016 he missed 7 games with a shoulder injury. 2017 he was injured off and on and Luck was out for a full season. 2018 he’s catching passes from Cody Kessler and Blake Bortles...not exactly two guys you’d want to catch balls from. Moncrief is no top-tier WR...however, he’s got as much potential, if not more, than any other WR on the roster and he’s going to be catching balls from a Hall of Fame QB. He’s got the speed to stretch the field for JuJu, he creates separation and he’s improved his route running since coming into the league. There’s more to be excited about in regards to Moncrief than Washington or Johnson or Hunter or DHB at this point.

Fixed.

[86WARD]

Fixed.

Are Hunter and/or DHB still on the roster? I thought DHB was never re-signed.

[hawaiiansteeler]

[tube517]

Are Hunter and/or DHB still on the roster? I thought DHB was never re-signed.

My point is Moncrief is an upgrade over these 2.

[Born2Steel]

I thought all OTA practices were outside.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I thought all OTA practices were outside.

Yes there were. In other news, Martavis Bryant worked out mainly on grass this offseason.