Bleacher Report suggests Cowboys trade with Steelers for Diontae Johnson

At this point, we are mere weeks away from Dallas Cowboys training camp. However, teams can still sign free agents, make cuts, or make trades. The Cowboys could certainly use some depth help at many roster positions, but who knows if the front office will make any moves.

In the spirit of the 4th of July, Bleacher Report released an article detailing some “firework” NFL trade ideas. While the writer tried to come up with “realistic” scenarios, most of these likely won’t happen. And, unsurprisingly, America’s Team was involved in the “transformative” trades.

Writer Kristopher Knox suggested that the Cowboys should trade a 2023 second-round pick for Steelers WR Diontae Johnson. The receiver is set to enter his fourth year in the NFL and is coming off a Pro Bowl season with 107 receptions, 1,161 yards, and eight touchdowns. However, he hasn’t entirely been consistent in his time with Pittsburgh. Here’s what Knox had to say about why this trade makes sense:

"Like the Bears, the Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a rebuild in 2022. Ben Roethlisberger retired this offseason, and Pittsburgh will start either Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph or rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett in Week 1.While wideout Diontae Johnson would help the Steelers’ next quarterback tremendously—he had 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns this past season—his Pittsburgh future is uncertain. While he hasn’t requested a trade as Deebo Samuel has, Johnson is entering the final year of his rookie contract.If the Steelers aren’t willing to lock up Johnson, they could trade him out of the conference and to the Dallas Cowboys, who lost both Amari Cooper (traded) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. in the offseason.Adding Johnson would help ensure that Dallas’ top-ranked offense keeps rolling. The Steelers, meanwhile, would get more in return than they would by losing Johnson for a compensatory pick in 2023 free agency."

Bleacher Report thinks the Cowboys should trade with the Steelers for WR Diontae Johnson

The reality is that there is absolutely no way Stephen and Jerry Jones would agree to this deal. If they thought Amari Cooper, widely considered a top wide receiver in this league, was only worth a fifth-round pick, it’s unlikely they think a less talented receiver is worth a second-round pick. This maneuver may make sense for Pittsburgh, who is in the middle of a massive rebuild, but it doesn’t work well for Dallas who is trying to get themselves to a Super Bowl ASAP.

Another thing to think about is the Cowboys’ cap situation. The team has already agreed to sign Michael Gallup to a five-year, $62.5 million extension. Next year, the front office is going to have to shell out some serious cash – especially in this wide receiver market – to keep CeeDee Lamb as well. It just doesn’t make sense that Dallas would want to have Johnson, Gallup, and Lamb on massive receiver contracts, especially since Johnson has yet to prove himself as a top receiver.

While adding in some help to the receiver room would be wise, the Cowboys are not going to want to take on the price that Johnson believes he deserves. The team already has a former Steelers receiver on the roster and doesn’t need to trade important draft capital for a potentially helpful WR.