Diontae Johnson’s time with the Baltimore Ravens has come to an end.
On Friday, the Ravens released the veteran wide receiver, who appeared in just four games with the team.
Johnson’s release comes nearly two months after Baltimore acquired him in a trade with the Carolina Panthers ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline. Despite the Ravens having high hopes that the former Toledo star would help add another playmaker for quarterback Lamar Jackson to work with, his time in Baltimore only proved to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Ravens now have waived WR Diontae Johnson. pic.twitter.com/Tw59w8E5Rx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 20, 2024
Earlier this week, the Ravens and Johnson mutually agreed to excuse him from team activities. He had originally been suspended by the franchise for conduct detrimental to the team after he reportedly refused to enter Baltimore’s Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“We have made the difficult decision to suspend Diontae Johnson for our upcoming game against the New York Giants for conduct detrimental to the team,” Ravens executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta said at the time. “Diontae’s suspension stems from refusing to enter our game against the Philadelphia Eagles. We will have no further comments on this matter going forward.”
As it turns out, Johnson wouldn’t appear in another game for Baltimore, with his release coming just days after the Ravens’ win over the Giants. Appearing in four games with Baltimore, the 28-year-old tallied one reception for six yards.
The Ravens’ release of Johnson marks the latest twist in his career. Originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he earned second-team All-Pro honors as a rookie and enjoyed a career-year in 2021 when he caught 107 passes for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns.
This past offseason, the Steelers traded Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. Appearing in seven games with Carolina, he tallied 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns.
Having been released by the Ravens, Johnson will be subjected to waivers before having the ability to sign with any team if he goes unclaimed.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.