Johnson bids for bigger role
Rookie WRs don’t always play much
Diontae Johnson played lights out in his first NFL game Saturday night against Kansas City. Sure, it was only a preseason game, but Johnson caught four passes for 46 yards and had a 24yard touchdown. He also had another touchdown catch called back after a pass interference penalty went against him.
But when will the Steelers know if Johnson will be able to contribute when the games count? That’s the question everyone wants to know with the season opener at New England a little more than two weeks from now.
Will Johnson be able to burst onto the scene like JuJu Smith- Schuster did in 2017? Will he struggle as many of his predecessors did in their first NFL seasons? Or will he fall somewhere in between?
The range of performances by Steelers rookie receivers over the years is wide. Smith- Schuster had the best rookie season of any receiver during the Mike Tomlin era when he caught 58 passes for 917 yards. Mike
Wallace ( 39 for 756 in 2009) and Martavis Bryant ( 26 for 549 in 2014) weren’t far behind.
But then there are players such as Antonio Brown. He turned out to be the greatest receiver of his generation, but he fell behind early and landed behind another rookie on the depth chart in 2010.
Emmanuel Sanders had 28 catches for 376 yards, and Brown 16 for 167 yards.
“If I remember, we had AB, he was punt- and kickreturner,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said after practice Wednesday at the Steelers’ facility on the South Side. “We didn’t use him until Week 13 or whatever, and he helped put us in the Super Bowl.”
Who can forget Brown’s one- handed grab that he pinned to his helmet in the AFC divisional round game against Baltimore? The big play set up the winning score. Then, in the AFC championship game a week later against the New York Jets, Brown caught a thirddown pass that helped the victorious Steelers run out the clock at the end of that game.
“Emmanuel Sanders, we played him before Antonio,” Fichtner said. “They weren’t on the same time frame. He was a little more advanced in the system and in being able to do the right things. You have to do the right thing first.”
That’s one thing Johnson has going for him. He is smart and already has a firm grasp of the offense. What’s holding Johnson back at this point are injuries. He has been slowed by hip and groin ailments throughout training camp.
“He’ll contribute because he’s intelligent,” Fichtner said. “He’s a pretty quick study. He’s obviously quick and can execute routes. He still has a lot to learn to get through the growing pains of pain and injury, working through it, preparing your body and being a professional. That’s what gets you through. I’m hopeful he can help us in some type of role — hopefully punt returns and stuff like that.”
A year ago at this time, James Washington was playing well in training camp and putting up some nice stats in the preseason games. But, like Brown, he only managed 16 receptions as a rookie, most coming late in the season after some well- publicized early season struggles.
Then there were the rookie receivers that really struggled: Limas Sweed ( six for 64 yards in 2008), Markus Wheaton ( six for 64 in 2013) and Sammie Coates ( 1 for 11 in 2015).
Smith- Schuster’s advice to Johnson is simple.
“Just know your assignment, know your plays, know where you’re supposed to be at the right time,” he said. “When I was here [ in 2017], I had a great receiver like AB to take the double coverage and I was able to make a name for myself. Diontae kind of has the same thing with me, [ Donte] Moncrief and even James. These are three guys who will make a name for themselves.”
When Brown was a rookie, he did not dress for seven of the 16 games. Now Johnson could be in a similar situation as he tries to fight for reps in a crowded and talented receivers group.
For now, Fichtner is playing Johnson strictly as an outside receiver. They’ll start moving him around once he demonstrates he can handle more. Nonetheless, Fichtner is confident Johnson will have a role.
“That’s why I say he has a chance because he’s really sharp,” Fichtner said. “He studies. He cares. He can take a mental rep, and it can be good for him. Some guys need all the physical reps, all the walk- through reps. I think he can see and listen to a coach and not have to have the rep.”