Diontae Johnson’s 2024 season was a rollercoaster that veered hard off the tracks. What began as a trade-deadline swing by the Baltimore Ravens ended in chaos, suspension, and a one-catch stat line that now looks even worse with hindsight. Johnson infamously refused to enter a game against the Philadelphia Eagles, earning a suspension and a quick exit from Baltimore. Houston picked him up for a postseason run—then dumped him before the Divisional Round.
Somehow, in a way only general manager Eric DeCosta could, Johnson made his way back to the Ravens on waivers... only to be ignored the rest of the way. Bringing him back was clearly a play for a potential 2026 compensatory pick, which they will not be getting.
That strange tour capped off one of the most bizarre one-year implosions for any veteran wide receiver in recent memory. Once seen as a polished route runner and reliable WR2, Johnson became a cautionary tale in real time—burning bridges in Pittsburgh, Carolina, Baltimore, and Houston within a matter of months.
Now we know what it literally cost him.
Browns offer lifeline, but the price is public—and brutal
Cleveland officially signed Johnson after bringing him in for a visit, and on paper, the move fits their offseason blueprint: throw whatever they can at the wall and see what sticks in the hopes of it paying off. But the financials, reported by ESPN’s Field Yates, paint a very different story for Johnson.
“Diontae Johnson’s 1-year contract with the Browns is for the veteran’s minimum of $1.17M and does not include any guaranteed money. A zero-risk deal for Cleveland, while Johnson will work to reestablish his value at still just 28 years old.”
No guarantees. League minimum. In Cleveland. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
That’s a steep drop for a player who once earned a two-year, $36 million extension in Pittsburgh and could’ve positioned himself for another multi-year payday with even average production in 2024. Instead, his refusal to play against the Eagles, the suspension that followed, and a disappearing act in Houston sent his stock into freefall. By the time the Browns came calling, he had no leverage left.
It’s a brutal fall from grace. The Ravens took a swing on Johnson (yours truly viewed it as a steal and thought of a hilarious DeCosta pun to go along with it at the time) and got burned. The Texans tried to revive him and gave up during the playoffs. And now the Browns are the latest to roll the dice—with zero risk and, seemingly, zero expectation.
The saddest part? Johnson’s story is no longer about talent. It’s about trust. And until he earns that back, this is the kind of contract he’ll have to settle for.
For Baltimore, it’s another chapter closed. For Cleveland? It’s probably a short-term rental—one that confirms just how much Johnson fumbled, both literally and financially.