After buying and selling WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, the Pittsburgh Steelers created a gap at vast receiver. It’s nonetheless a necessity 4 video games into the 2024 season, and the large mind transfer may really feel like bringing Johnson again to the Steelers earlier than the 2024 deadline. On some degree, it is sensible. The Panthers aren’t playoff contenders and can seemingly promote on the commerce deadline. Johnson is within the remaining yr of his contract and can be low cost for Pittsburgh to reacquire. He is aware of the workforce and if one thing goes unsuitable, ought to he grow to be a locker room subject, the Steelers might lower bait with none critical consequence.
Seems, the NFL is one step forward. Guidelines put in place by the league don’t permit gamers to be instantly traded again to their authentic workforce. NFL Community Ian Rapoport uncovered the little-known rule Monday afternoon because it pertains to New York Jets EDGE Hasson Reddick. Acquired through commerce from the Philadelphia Eagles in April, Reddick’s but to pay for the Jets because of a contract deadlock. Rapoport factors out the Jets can’t simply ship him again to the Eagles and reset the commerce.
Rapoport then shared the particular guidelines that apply in direction of gamers buying beforehand traded gamers. Basically, there are guidelines that restrict how a participant can return to their authentic membership for the primary two seasons after being traded.
Listed below are the complete NFL guidelines on trades and gamers being re-acquired. https://t.co/8MF8IaudEG pic.twitter.com/eXboevtY8n
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 30, 2024
For Johnson, exceptions ‘B and ‘C’ don’t apply. Johnson simply performed his fourth recreation for the Panthers, as Carolina’s offense has proven new life beneath QB Andy Dalton. Over the previous two video games, Johnson has caught 15 passes for 205 yards and a couple of touchdowns with Dalton within the lineup.
The ‘C’ exception pertains to a failed bodily, a participant being acquired however going again due to a medical subject. That’s uncommon however has occurred across the league. For instance, in 2022, TE Adam Shaheen was traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Houston Texans however reverted again after Dolphins’ medical doctors flagged him for knee subject. Clearly, that’s not making use of to Johnson, who was despatched to Carolina in March.
The primary exception permits a participant to circle again after 4 video games, nevertheless it seems to solely be by a free agent signing or waiver declare, not a commerce. This lately occurred with QB Josh Dobbs. Pittsburgh traded to him to Jacksonville in Sept. 2019 after which claimed him off waivers in September 2020. That’s authorized however it seems that per NFL guidelines, they couldn’t have traded again for him for 2 seasons.
So until Johnson is outright launched (a vested veteran, he wouldn’t be topic to waivers), the Steelers couldn’t commerce again for Johnson this yr or subsequent season even when they needed to. There’s been no reporting Pittsburgh had any curiosity reacquiring him even when the dots and workforce want have been straightforward to attach.
If Johnson does get traded, it’ll be to a different membership. Maybe the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, in want of a receiver after seemingly dropping No. 1 Rashee Rice for the season whereas dropping Hollywood Brown earlier within the yr. Kansas Metropolis reportedly had curiosity in Diontae Johnson earlier than Pittsburgh traded him to Carolina however the Steelers turned down the possibility not eager to ship him to an AFC competitor.
Frankly, I had no thought this was a rule, and studying the Web’s response, few others have been conscious of it.
If Pittsburgh goes vast receiver buying forward of the Nov. 5 deadline, it’ll must be for another person. It received’t be Diontae Johnson.
