After serving a one-game suspension this past weekend, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson still won’t be back with the team anytime soon.
The Ravens announced on Monday that they mutually agreed with Johnson to excuse him from team activities this week.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network noted that this isn’t an extension of Johnson’s suspension, and the Ravens and his camp are “working through their options right now.”
Since being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29, Johnson’s tenure in Baltimore has been a massive disappointment. He appeared in four games and recorded just one catch for six yards on five targets.
Things reached a boiling point when Johnson refused to enter the Ravens’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13, resulting in his suspension before the team’s bye. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta called the disciplinary action a “difficult decision.” Johnson sat out Sunday’s game as the Ravens defeated the New York Giants 35-14 to improve to 9-5.
Baltimore gave up a fifth-round pick to acquire Johnson and a sixth-round pick from Carolina, which had already picked up most of his remaining salary for the 2024 campaign. If the Ravens choose to cut him, they risk losing out on a potential compensatory pick in the 2026 draft if he signs with another team in free agency.
Johnson is already set to hit the open market at the end of the year, so perhaps both sides could find a way to continue their partnership while the Ravens chase a spot in Super Bowl LIX.