LATROBE, Pa. -- Don't sweat the small things.
That seems to be the focus of Diontae Johnson as he enters his fourth training camp with the Steelers here at Saint Vincent College.
Johnson, much like teammates T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, staged his version of the NFL hold-in on Wednesday as the Steelers held their first official practice of their 2022 training camp here at Saint Vincent College.
That means he did his normal pre-practice workout, catching dozens of extra passes. And he continued that process once the team began its 90-minute workout, sticking with a trainer on the sideline.
“I acknowledge that he was a less-than-100-percent participant," Mike Tomlin said, adding he's not concerned about it right now. "We’ll continue to manage the circumstance. But right now, my energy of focus is on those that are participating. And I think that's the appropriate mindset to have. From time to time you get in a setting like this, your manning situations and circumstances and people. But largely my energy is devoted to those that are working and in the larger body. And that's where I'm at with it.”
The Steelers' top receiver is entering the final season of his rookie contract, meaning he'll make $2.79 million this season. Considering the former third-round draft pick has made just $3.2 million in his first three seasons, it's a big raise.
But it pales in comparison to some of the big contracts handed out to wide receivers around the league during the offseason. Heck, it pales in comparison to the big deals signed by Watt and Fitzpatrick in the past calendar year. Watt's deal made him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player -- a deal that his since been surpassed -- while Fitzpatrick's contract, signed earlier this year, made him the league's highest-paid safety.
Johnson's total compensation this season ranks him 65th among NFL receivers this season, just behind rookie teammate George Pickens -- when Pickens' rookie signing bonus is included in his 2022 pay -- and just ahead of former teammate Ray-Ray McCloud, who signed a free agent deal in the offseason with the 49ers.
Considering Johnson is just the fourth wide receiver in team history to record 100 catches in a season -- joining Hines Ward, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown -- he's grossly underpaid this season.
"(I'm) just taking it a day at a time. I can’t be worried about the wrong stuff because if I worry about that, it’s going to get in the way of my business on the field," Johnson said Wednesday before the Steelers practiced. "I’m not trying to let that affect me at all. I can only control what I can control. I just keep praying I can get something done. If I don’t, I’ll keep working."
But he'll apparently be working on his own -- at least for now.
It's something both Watt and Fitzpatrick have done to varying degrees now that the NFL has made fines for mandatory missed practices mandatory.
Watt did not participate in the team portion of practice in training camp last year before signing his four-year, $112-million extension in the days before the start of the regular season. Fitzpatrick was a regular at the team's offseason conditioning program, but didn't take part in the team portion of practice at mandatory minicamp in June, signing his four-year, $73.6-million extension in the days after camp ended.
Those two moves set the stage for how Johnson is handling things.
"I paid attention to Minkah and TJ and how they handled their situation. I’m going to handle mine how I handle mine," he said. "I talk to (T.J.) every day. I talk to him and Minkah and Cam (Heyward) a little bit because they’ve all been through this situation."
Johnson is coming off a season in which he caught 107 passes for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns -- all career highs -- while earning a trip to the Pro Bowl, it most certainly pales in comparison to his peers around the league.
And with JuJu Smith-Schuster now a member of the Chiefs after leaving in free agency, Johnson is the senior member of not only the Steelers' wide receiving corps, but their offense as a whole. He's become the leader of that group -- at least the wide receivers.
"I would say they are because they gravitate to me," Johnson said of the team's other wide receivers. "There are certain things they ask of me on the field. I’m going to give them an answer. I might not always be right, but I’m going to give them an answer to my best."
He's taken on a mantle of leadership.
"You see the things he does pre-practice, the way he prepares, the way he warms up," said Mason Rudolph, one of the few offensive players on the roster who have been with the team longer than Johnson. "When he first got here, he was young. He’s much more focused, much more business-like about his work. There’s less joking around. When he gets on the field, he’s locked in. He sets a good example for the younger receivers. He’s a great player. I’m looking forward to him taking that leadership role in the receivers room."
Johnson has done that -- or at least tried to do that -- in his own way.
"I’m not a vocal (guy). I lead by example," Johnson said. "A lot of the guys try to come out there and get some work before practice, catches and all of that. That’s what I’m going to keep doing."
He just might not be doing it on the field for a while.
Certainly that could change. Johnson said he thinks there had been some talks between the team and his agent, Bradley Cicala of QC Sports. Cicala, however, did not return phone calls or texts confirming that.
And Johnson hears the critics who say he's not worth a deal for $20-plus million per year as other wide receivers have gotten, even though he's been an All-Pro as a punt returner and now also has a Pro Bowl under his belt.
"You know what you’re capable of doing on the field. But it’s how you carry yourself throughout the situation," Johnson said. "I’m being as positive as I can every day and not worrying about stuff and letting it bother me. I can just keep getting information from certain players about how they handled it and add that to my repertoire. Keep on doing what I’m doing."
• Rookie receivers Pickens and Calvin Austin both had big moments at Wednesday's truncated practice.
Pickens, a second-round draft pick, nearly came down with what would have been a phenomenal leaping catch early in the session, but lost the ball when he hit the ground.
He later caught a long touchdown pass from Mitch Trubisky.
Austin, a fourth-round pick, did his work in a more thrilling fashion, catching a bubble screen, getting a kick out block from Gunner Olszewski and then turning on the jets for a long touchdown catch-and-run.
If those two keep that up, Johnson's hold-in could be short-lived. They won't pass him on the depth chart, but if both show they can be early contributors, Johnson could feel pressure to get back on the field.
• Kenny Pickett had some rookie moments, looking unsure of himself at times. That's to be expected, however, working behind a third-team offensive line that, quite frankly, didn't give him much time.
Pickett threw an interception to Tre Norwood on which he wound up on the ground. And the quarterbacks aren't supposed to wind up on the ground.
Tomlin has never believed in having his quarterbacks wear a different colored jersey to designate they shouldn't be hit. Bill Cowher never did so before him either. It was just expected that defenders should know not to hit the quarterback.
But Pickett stepped up into the pocket on his interception -- right into the back of his offensive linemen, causing him to short-arm the throw.
Welcome to the NFL.
• Wednesday's practice, as mandated by the NFL, was only 90 minutes in length and was more of a walk-through than an actual practice. There also was some rain in the area.
It's within reason to believe Johnson didn't practice because of those two issues, as well. The turf was slick.
• There was really no change in how the quarterbacks were handled. Mitch Trubisky was No. 1, Rudolph No. 2 and Pickett No. 3. Seventh-round draft pick Chris Olodokun didn't get a single offensive snap.
We'll see if that changes moving forward -- especially Saturday once the pads come on. But I don't necessarily expect it to do so.
The Steelers would like Pickett to take his time and learn. They're not going to rush things.
• And no, if Pickett doesn't start a game this season, he wasn't a wasted pick. Quarterbacks always have value.
In fact, if Pickett doesn't start, that means the Steelers had a good season and Trubisky was good, as well.
• No changes in the offensive line configuration from minicamp and OTAs, either. For now, at least, Kevin Dotson continues to hold off Kendrick Green at left guard.
The key for Dotson is if he can stay healthy. That's the team's biggest question about him.
• This was supposed to be a heat acclimation day. While it was somewhat muggy, the temperature never got above the mid-80s with rain threatening throughout practice.
• We saw an awful lot of pre-snap motion, quarterback rollouts and play-action in this practice. It was similar to what we saw in training camp last year, too.
The difference is that while they were trying those things out last year to see if Ben Roethlisberger could do them, they know their four quarterbacks can do them all this year. Yes, even Rudolph.
The offense will have an entirely different look to it.
• One interesting thing Johnson said Wednesday is that he feels this year's wide receiver group is more diverse already than what the Steelers had last season.
And that's not a rip on last year's group. But McCloud had to play in the slot. JuJu Smith-Schuster was largely relegated to slot play, as well. James Washington was largely a player who had to line up on the outside.
Pickens and Austin can play inside or outside.
"Depending on whatever the play call is, they move us around the offense, whether it’s a certain route or what they want us to do in that particular situation," Johnson said. "I’m going to be playing in and out. Anybody can play in and out because of the group of receivers we have here. I’m not saying anything bad about the last group of receivers we had here, but everybody can play everywhere, so we can be more comfortable."
That should make them more difficult to defend, too.
It also says that Johnson is 100 percent going to play this season. In fact, he's very focused on doing so.
"I’m trying to do what I did last year, but better," Johnson said. "Hopefully I can do the same thing I did last year with the catches and eliminate the drops — although that’s going to happen. It’s how to respond different from it and get better."