The Diontae Johnson era in Baltimore was somehow both too short and too long all at the same time. The Baltimore Ravens took a midseason swing on the former Pro Bowler, hoping he’d provide an extra spark to the offense down the stretch. Instead, he gave them one catch, six yards, and a headache that wasn't worth the price of admission at M&T Bank Stadium.
Johnson refused to enter a game against the Philadelphia Eagles, got suspended, got cut, somehow landed on the Houston Texans, and then somehow ended up back in Baltimore on waivers. It was one of the strangest in-season tours the NFL has seen in recent memory, and now? He’s looking for his next stop in the 2025 free agency.
Problem is, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton doesn’t think teams will be lining up to sign him. In a recent article, Moton listed Johnson as one of the eight players who might be in for a rude awakening in free agency. Turns out, burning bridges with three teams in a single season doesn’t exactly boost your fee-agency stock.
Diontae Johnson might not like his next contract offer
If Johnson was hoping for a multi-year deal to settle in somewhere, he might want to brace himself for disappointment. Per Moton:
"Johnson didn't make any impact in Baltimore. The Ravens suspended him for refusing to go into a game against the Philadelphia Eagles and released him weeks later. The Houston Texans rostered him for three weeks before Baltimore claimed him off waivers.
"At 28, Johnson could have a few optimal years left in his career, but he's bounced around the league with issues concerning his work ethic and commitment to a team environment. The six-year veteran shouldn't expect anything more than a flier-type one-year deal."
It’s not exactly shocking, but it is a steep fall from grace for a guy who once put up 1,100 yards in Pittsburgh and was seen as one of the more polished route runners in the league. Now? He’s just hoping for a contract that doesn’t scream “desperation signing.”
That being said, all it takes is one team to talk itself into the “change of scenery” narrative. Maybe an organization with a shaky receiving corps thinks it can be the one to finally unlock him. But at this point, the reality is clear—Johnson is far removed from his Pro Bowl days, and teams aren’t exactly lining up to take on a project with as much baggage as Johnson.
He’ll probably get another shot somewhere. But after Baltimore, Carolina, and Houston all cut bait in the span of a few months, it’s fair to wonder how many more chances his NFL future has left.