Diontae Johnson has had quite the 2024 season. After being waived by the Houston Texans on Tuesday after two games, the Baltimore Ravens claimed the receiver once again off waivers on Wednesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
Johnson won't be able to officially join the Ravens until after the Super Bowl at this point, though, so he may never actually play another game for them. It seems like a strategic move for the Ravens more than anything, because Johnson is poised to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, meaning he can now be included in Baltimore’s compensatory pick formula. This gives the team more opportunities to earn draft picks in 2026.
Back to Baltimore: The Ravens claimed their former WR Diontae Johnson on waivers today from the Texans, per the league’s wire. This a procedural move and Johnson won’t officially be “awarded” to the Ravens until after the Super Bowl. But he qualifies as an unrestricted free agent… pic.twitter.com/5bGRL9ymcX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2025
The Ravens acquired Johnson the first time this season on Oct. 29 ahead of the trade deadline from the Carolina Panthers. He had a tumultuous stint in Baltimore as he served a suspension due to "conduct detrimental to the team." The wide receiver reportedly refused to enter the game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 1, resulting in the suspension which was announced on Dec. 4. Johnson was later waived by the Ravens on Dec. 20.
Although Johnson only caught one pass from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson during his short, nearly two-month stint in Baltimore, he will be helping the Ravens more this offseason. We'll see if another NFL team wants to give Johnson a shot on their roster in 2025.
More of the Latest Around the NFL
This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Ravens' Odd Move to Claim Diontae Johnson Again Will Help Them in Offseason.
