Diontae Johnson had his warts, as most players do, but he was among the best route runners in the NFL. He consistently placed near the top of the league in average separation and provided a clean target for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterbacks over his five seasons with the team. Last season, when Johnson returned from injury, head coach Mike Tomlin said he was happy to have back an “expert” route runner.
“He’s an expert route runner. Vertical, non-vertical. He can create separation at break points,” Tomlin said in a press conference posted on the team website.