Not long ago, Diontae Johnson was an All-Pro wide receiver and widely regarded as one of the NFL‘s top route runners.
Fast forward to 2025, and Johnson was cut by two different NFL teams in the span of a month. Last season, he suited up for three different teams: the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans.
Now, Johnson has signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns, so let’s revisit his strange 2024 season and whether he can get his career back on track.
Revisiting Diontae Johnson’s Strange 2024 NFL Season
During the 2023 NFL season, Johnson recorded 51 receptions for 717 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
In March 2024, he changed teams for the first time in his career, as the Steelers dealt the one-time Pro Bowler and a seventh-round pick to the Panthers in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round selection. Johnson appeared in seven games with the Panthers, tallying 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns.
This stint in Carolina ended up being relatively long and significantly more productive than his next two stops. The drama began once Johnson was packaged with a sixth-round pick and traded to the Ravens for a fifth-round pick.
The expectation was that Johnson would give Lamar Jackson another reliable veteran weapon alongside Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Mark Andrews, but things didn’t go according to plan.
Johnson had a disappointing four-game stint in Baltimore, recording just a single reception for six yards. Johnson’s time with the Ravens came to an end after he refused to enter a game because he was upset about his role. He was suspended for one game due to “conduct detrimental to the team” and released shortly after.
The Texans decided to give Johnson a chance — his fourth team in nine months. However, after a few weeks, Houston decided to give up on Johnson, too. He was cut after recording just three receptions for 24 yards across two games (including the postseason).
The same behavior that led to his release in Baltimore reportedly continued in Houston and led to his release. After the Texans’ playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Johnson was reportedly “visibly upset” in the locker room about his limited role, and his veteran teammates tried and failed to calm him down as he made a scene.
The Texans signed Johnson because Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs had suffered season-ending injuries, so they needed contributors in their receiver room. However, even on a team in major need of receiving help, Johnson wasn’t able to carve out a significant role and was once again cut for his behind-the-scenes antics.
Perhaps most surprising is that Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans had just raved about Johnson the week prior and discussed how he could help Houston in the playoffs.
“Diontae has done a really nice job since he’s been here,” Ryans said the week before. “He’s catching up to speed really well. He had a really good week of practice and made a nice play today for us. Tried to get it to him a few other times but it didn’t work out. I’m encouraged.
“With Diontae, adding him to our team, he’s a guy who has talent. He’s done it at a high level. He’s bounced around a little bit here. It really doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past or what the narrative is about. You come here and everything is a fresh start. So we’ll see how he can help us, what he can add to our team on the field and off the field.”
Ryans’ view of Johnson clearly changed rather quickly, and the Texans’ decision-makers decided he was hurting the squad more than helping as they advanced to the Divisional Round.
The Ravens ultimately claimed Johnson off waivers after Houston released him. However, they didn’t claim him to play him — instead, they made this move to block the veteran wide receiver from joining a fellow contender like the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs. Baltimore didn’t want Johnson providing valuable information to a rival team.
Now, Johnson will try to get his career back on track with the Browns, where he’ll reunite with quarterback Kenny Pickett, whom he played with in Pittsburgh.
Throughout the course of Johnson’s six-year NFL career, the 28-year-old has recorded 424 catches for 4,738 yards and 28 touchdowns.
