The Baltimore Ravens are done with Diontae Johnson. After weeks of drama, zero impact, and one refusal to play that will live in infamy, Baltimore has officially waived the veteran wide receiver. The timing couldn’t be more poetic: Johnson hits the waiver wire just one day before the Ravens face his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in a game that could determine the AFC North.
Diontae Johnson now will go on waivers and can be claimed Monday at 4 pm ET. There is, in the opinion of some, a reasonable chance that Johnson will be claimed Monday. https://t.co/8DxktWeSEQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 20, 2024
This move feels long overdue. Johnson was brought in at the trade deadline to boost the Ravens’ offense, but his contributions barely registered. In four games, he logged 39 offensive snaps and produced a grand total of one catch for six yards. That’s it.
Meanwhile, his off-field antics—culminating in his Week 13 refusal to enter a game against the Philadelphia Eagles—turned him into more of a liability than an asset. Baltimore suspended him for conduct detrimental to the team, and now they’ve rightfully decided they’re better off without him entirely.
Head Coach John Harbaugh kept it short earlier this week when asked about Johnson, making it clear his focus was on preparing for Pittsburgh. Translation: Johnson was already irrelevant to this team, and now it’s official.
The Ravens will be just fine without Diontae Johnson
Now that Johnson is on waivers, any team desperate enough can take a chance on him, and Adam Schefter reports there’s “a reasonable chance” someone might bite.
Sure, his career numbers—422 catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns in five-plus seasons—look good on paper. But that’s exactly the issue: none of that production followed him to Baltimore. Instead, all the Ravens got was drama, excuses, and one measly catch for six yards. Jokes.
The Ravens gave up a fifth-round pick to acquire Johnson from the Panthers, along with a sixth-rounder and some salary relief. At the time, it seemed like a smart move for a team looking to gear up for a playoff push. Instead, Johnson flamed out spectacularly. When a wide receiver refuses to do the one thing he’s paid millions of dollars to do—play football—what else can you do but show him the door?
Baltimore, for its part, isn’t dwelling on this disaster. Devontez Walker’s emergence against the New York Giants has given the team a spark. His first NFL catch was a touchdown, a moment of effort and precision that stood in stark contrast to Johnson’s no-shows. The Ravens have also elevated Anthony Miller from the practice squad for added depth, as Rashod Bateman (foot) is questionable and Nelson Agholor (concussion) is out.
For Ravens fans, the end of the Diontae Johnson saga feels like a weight lifted. The team took a swing, missed badly, and now they’re cutting their losses.
As Baltimore gears up for its biggest game of the season, one thing is clear: they don’t have time for passengers. Johnson didn’t want to be here, and now he isn’t. Good riddance.