GM Omar Khan wants WR Diontae Johnson with Steelers 'for a long time'

The Pittsburgh Steelers did well to lock placekicker Chris Boswell down on Monday via a new four-year, $20.5 million contract that reportedly includes $12.5 million guaranteed. Boswell's status was, however, just one business matter regarding a Steelers player hovering over the team early into training camp. 

Steelers star wide receiver Diontae Johnson has embraced a so-called "hold in." He has not been a full participant for practices as he looks to secure an extension before he's asked to play on the final year of his rookie contract. According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan addressed Johnson's future on Tuesday and indicated he wants the 26-year-old to remain with the franchise beyond just the 2022 season. 

"The conversations we have with Diontae and his representatives are going to stay between us," Khan explained. "We don’t discuss that publicly, but we have been in conversations. We want Diontae and we are excited to have Diontae a part of this team. We hope he is going to be a Steeler for a long time."

D.K. Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks and Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers recently became the latest players at the position to earn big-money extensions this offseason. Per Brooke Pryor of ESPN, Khan admitted that such deals add "to the conversation, let me put it that way" as it pertains to Johnson.

Johnson led the 2021 Steelers with 107 catches, 1,161 receiving yards and eight touchdown grabs and ideally will soon become a favorite target of a new starting quarterback, presumed to be free-agent signing Mitchell Trubisky.