Ravens Cut Diontae Johnson, Ending Weeks-Long Drama

Diontae Johnson of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to a game against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Nov. 3. Greg Fiume/Getty Images

The Baltimore Ravens have released wide receiver Diontae Johnson, the team announced on X Friday.

Johnson had previously been excused from team activities after serving a suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. His release puts an end to a weeks-long drama between Johnson and the team after he refused to enter the game during Baltimore’s 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 1.

The move comes just two months after Baltimore traded for him and one day before the Ravens will square off against the team that drafted him, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Ravens traded for Johnson in late October, giving up a fifth-round draft pick in 2025 for the receiver and a sixth-round pick. Baltimore also agreed to take on a portion of Johnson’s contract. He was seen as a weapon for quarterback Lamar Jackson and veteran locker room presence to help young wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers. He appeared in a total of 39 snaps in four games for the Ravens, catching one pass for six yards on five targets.

Johnson registered zero snaps in the Ravens’ loss to the Eagles, despite Bateman dealing with an injury. Head coach John Harbaugh refused to comment, and the nature of his absence was a mystery until the team suspended him several days later, which confirmed that he had stayed out of the game by choice.

“We have made the difficult decision to suspend Diontae Johnson for our upcoming game against the New York Giants for conduct detrimental to the team,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement on Dec. 4. “Diontae’s suspension stems from refusing to enter our game against the Philadelphia Eagles.” On Monday, the team “mutually agreed“ to excuse Johnson from team activities ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Pittsburgh.

Harbaugh was also mum on Johnson’s standing with the team Monday. “All I’m really thinking about right now is Pittsburgh and getting our team ready for Pittsburgh,” he told reporters at a press conference Monday. “So he [Johnson] won’t be here this week and next week will take care of itself.”

“I know you guys want to hear the story,” he added. “There’s a lot of moving parts, there are reasons for doing things that are front office type reasons. Do I want to sit here and get into all the different calculations that Eric [DeCosta] makes? I really don’t. I want to think about Pittsburgh.”

Johnson’s departure leaves the Ravens stretched thin at wide receiver. Nelson Agholor had previously been listed as questionable on the team’s injury report with a concussion, but was downgraded to out Friday. Bateman is also listed as questionable with a foot injury. The Ravens announced they had elevated Anthony Miller from the practice squad to help bolster the position.

Johnson was drafted out of Toledo by the Steelers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He struggled with drops early in his career but became a reliable weapon and returner for Pittsburgh. He had the best season of his career in 2021, catching 107 passes for 1,161 and 8 touchdowns. In 2022, he signed a two-year, $37 million extension with $27 million guaranteed.

Johnson was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2023 in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick. He played in 13 games for Carolina, registering 51 catches for 717 yards and five touchdowns. He appeared in seven games for Carolina in 2024, catching 30 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns before being traded to Baltimore.

Johnson’s decision likely affects his future; he was set to become a free agent in 2025.

The Ravens face off against the Steelers on Saturday, in a contest that will determine the fate of the AFC North. A Ravens win would put the Ravens in first place in the division, and sink the Steelers into a wild card spot.