Mark Madden: Growing weary of several Steelers

Some Pittsburgh Steelers make me weary. Beyond the endless quarterback debate, that is.

The most tiresome is receiver Diontae Johnson, the Dollar Tree version of Antonio Brown. Less expensive but less production. Less chaos, too, but still too much.

Johnson got a two-year contract extension worth $36.71 million. He has responded with two official drops, several other incompletions that could have been caught, a few failures to get his feet down in bounds, a meager 26 yards after catch, no touchdowns and a reported halftime row with Mitch Trubisky that maybe got the quarterback benched Week 4 vs. the New York Jets.

Johnson was mad about not getting the ball enough. But in the first half of that loss to the Jets, Johnson let a pass slip through his hands, hit off his helmet and get picked. He also couldn’t get his toes down for what would have been a touchdown catch.

Maybe Trubisky should have been complaining to Johnson, not vice versa. If Johnson makes either of those plays, Trubisky could still be starting. The Steelers might have won.

Johnson’s stats add up: He has a team-high 33 receptions for a team-high 275 yards. But he’s not a winning football player and is a pain in the backside besides.

Johnson got his money. Now he’s all about drops and whining.

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Running back Najee Harris is runner-up when it comes to aggravation. Is his foot hurt or isn’t it? If he has a steel plate in his shoe, should he be playing? All this is exacerbated by the Steelers’ informal (yet rigid) policy of lying about injuries.

It also is inflamed by Harris’ very marginal stats: 83 carries, 264 yards, 3.2-yard average, one rushing touchdown. Harris has played 23 NFL games and has just three 100-yard games. For a first-round pick, that’s not so good.

Blame the offensive line. Have you noticed that when the Steelers stink, it’s never really anybody’s fault? Except the offensive coordinator’s, of course.

Guard Kevin Dotson is also boring me. Dotson took three penalties against Tampa Bay this past Sunday, forced a timeout to get burned when he was late taking the field for a field-goal try and got beat for the hit that got quarterback Kenny Pickett concussed.

Dotson then made himself a sympathetic figure by saying he had received death threats on Twitter.

That shouldn’t happen. But to my experience, those aren’t a legit concern. Just block better.

“I gave up a sack,” Dotson said. “I don’t know why everyone is going crazy. Maybe because it was Kenny Pickett.”

That’s exactly why. Nobody can touch or even criticize the golden child. (Pickett’s stats are rotten, BTW.)

Several Steelers do provide their money’s worth. (Not too many. That’s why they’re 2-4.)

Safety Terrell Edmunds has started 65 out of a possible 71 games since he was the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2018. Edmunds hasn’t been spectacular, but he’s been competent. He provided needed glue and communication when injuries made him the defensive backfield’s lone starter available in Sunday’s victory over Tampa Bay.

Edge rusher Alex Highsmith leads the NFL with 6½ sacks. T.J. Watt’s absence hasn’t deterred Highsmith or created many problems for him.

Inside linebacker Myles Jack has been Mr. Consistent. His 58 tackles lead the Steelers by a mammoth 23. Jack’s presence has enabled fellow inside ’backer Devin Bush to raise his game to mediocre, sometimes better.

Right guard James Daniels and right tackle Chuks Okorafor have been decent. Given preseason expectations for the offensive line, that’s a godsend.

We now return you to the endless quarterback debate, already in progress.