The Cleveland Browns took two quarterbacks and two running backs, but no wide receivers in their seven picks of the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead, they waited to ink one in free agency.
Just two days after the draft wrapped, the Browns brought in a veteran wide receiver — once rostered by their fiercest rivals — who walked away with a deal.
New Start for Diontae Johnson With Cleveland Browns
With questions already swirling about the team’s starting quarterback heading into offseason workouts — they currently have five — the Browns struck a deal with a former Pittsburgh Steelers star, Diontae Johnson.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Johnson visited Cleveland on Monday and left with a new contract. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s a one-year deal for the 2025 season, offering the Browns an experienced, yet polarizing, weapon at a time when stability is most needed.
The #Browns are signing veteran WR Diontae Johnson, sources say. Cleveland brought the former #Steelers and #Ravens pass catcher in for a visit today, and the sides then agreed to a deal. Back to the AFC North for Johnson. pic.twitter.com/NZIsQqUZiZ
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo)
Johnson’s journey to Cleveland is the latest twist in a career that’s had its share of highs and lows. A third-round pick by the Steelers in 2019, Johnson arrived in Pittsburgh with high expectations after the team dealt Antonio Brown to the then-Oakland Raiders. Johnson flashed his potential early, becoming one of the league’s more reliable pass catchers.
His best season came in 2021, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl after racking up 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns — all career highs. Over his five years in Pittsburgh, Johnson totaled 391 catches, 4,363 yards, and 25 touchdowns, showcasing a blend of route-running precision and quickness that made him a favorite target for Ben Roethlisberger and later the Steelers’ younger quarterbacks.
Still, Johnson’s time in Pittsburgh wasn’t without issues. Drops were a recurring problem early in his career, and whispers about locker room friction persisted. Ultimately, Pittsburgh chose to move on, trading Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in March 2024 in exchange for veteran cornerback Donte Jackson. It was a very smart move.
Turbulence Follows as Johnson Becomes Cleveland’s Risk to Manage
As most receivers tend to, Johnson’s career crumbled after he left the confines of Pittsburgh. His time with Carolina and Baltimore was short-lived and turbulent. After struggling to find chemistry with second-year quarterback Bryce Young in Carolina, Johnson was dealt to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens at the trade deadline, but his stint there quickly unraveled. Frustrated by a reduced role, Johnson famously refused to re-enter a game against the Philadelphia Eagles, leading to a suspension and eventual release.
The Houston Texans — armed with C.J. Stroud — briefly picked Johnson up, but the stay was just as rocky. After a playoff win over the Chargers, Johnson’s dissatisfaction with his role reportedly boiled over into a postgame locker room outburst. According to KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson, team captains Azeez Al-Shaair and Joe Mixon had to calm Johnson down following the incident.
Critics pointed to Johnson’s recurring issues with attitude and team dynamics — a concern that reportedly contributed to Pittsburgh’s decision to move him last offseason. The Steelers had grown wary of pairing Johnson with George Pickens, another talented but sometimes combustible receiver.
Johnson is no longer a problem for the Steelers, Panthers, Ravens, or Texans. He’s the Browns’ problem now — just one of many. Cleveland is betting that Johnson’s raw ability and fresh surroundings will allow him to recapture the form that once made him one of the Steelers’ most dangerous weapons — provided the quarterback situation in Cleveland can stabilize.
