It was only a few weeks ago that the Baltimore Ravens swung a trade with the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver Diontae Johnson, but things have largely gone downhill since. The latest development in what has been a muted tenure for Johnson is a suspension handed down by the Ravens for one game, the organization announced in a press release.
In the statement, executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta said the suspension is for conduct detrimental to the team and stems from Johnson refusing to enter the Ravens game against the Philadelphia Eagles last week. The statement also noted it was a “difficult decision.”
Baltimore is on the bye in Week 14, so Johnson’s suspension will come into effect in Week 15 when the team visits the New York Giants.
This suspension comes mere weeks after Baltimore acquired Johnson from Carolina along with a sixth-round pick, in exchange for a fifth-rounder. Spending just over a month with the Ravens, Johnson has played only 39 snaps across four appearances. In all, he has caught one pass for 6 yards on his five targets.
Johnson logged zero snaps in the team’s loss to Philadelphia this week, despite the fact that No. 2 wideout Rashod Bateman was injured during the game. From this statement we now know that was Johnson’s decision.
Following the game, Harbaugh was cryptic when asked why Johnson didn’t play. Given another chance to explain on Monday, Harbaugh was somehow even more vague.
“At this time, I’m going to have to wait,” Harbaugh said, via ESPN. “There are moving parts we’re going to have to figure out and explore.”
Johnson had been a productive, if mercurial wide receiver during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching 391 passes for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns in his five seasons. He was traded to Carolina last offseason as part of a deal for cornerback Donte Jackson. He operated as one of the top wideouts for Bryce Young and Andy Dalton early in the year, catching 30 of 58 targets for 357 yards and three scores.
His acquisition led to speculation that he’d take on the No. 2 receiver role ahead of Bateman in Baltimore, but that has not come to fruition at all thus far.
