CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 13: Diontae Johnson #5 of the Carolina Panthers warms up before playing the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Matt Kelley/Getty Images)
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson is making a somewhat unexpected return to the Baltimore Ravens, nearly four weeks after the team cut him. After an even shorter but equally disappointing stint with the Houston Texans, Johnson is not eligible to compete for Baltimore during the playoffs.
Based on Johnson’s time in Baltimore earlier this season, in which he received limited opportunities and caused a slew of problems, it is highly unlikely that he will ever suit up as a Raven again. If he signs with another team as an unrestricted free agent in 2025, however, Baltimore could receive a compensatory draft pick.
The NFL’s rules state that teams are entitled to these picks if they lose more free agents than they gain in an off-season. This is almost certainly the Ravens’ motivation for claiming Johnson off waivers.
After a promising start to the 2024 season with the Panthers, Johnson was traded to Baltimore on Oct. 29. He was initially excited to be competing for a Super Bowl contender, but the relationship soured quickly. Johnson played in an extremely limited capacity for several games and was reportedly frustrated with his diminished role.
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After refusing to go into a game against the Eagles in Week 13, Johnson received a one-game suspension. The team sent him to waivers on Dec. 20. In four games for Baltimore, he caught one pass for six yards. The Texans picked him up three days later. Participating in Houston’s final regular season game and a playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round, he caught three passes for 24 yards.
“Unfortunately, with Diontae it didn’t work out,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday. “We’re on to the Chiefs.”
Johnson, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2019 to 2023, seemed to finally be capitalizing on his potential early in the 2024 season. His success in Carolina was short-lived, however, and his time in Baltimore and Houston has severely harmed his value in future negotiations. This shouldn’t be the end of the line, but he has more to prove now than he has at any other point in his career.
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