Tag: Diontae Johnson trade

Will new Texans WR Diontae Johnson play vs. former team on Christmas?

Diontae Johnson might be headed to Houston, but will the Texans have him suit up on Wednesday to take on his former team?

Diontae Johnson might be a member of the Houston Texans, but his impact on Wednesday’s Christmas matchup against his former team could be scarce.

One could argue that it’ll be invisible.

With the Texans being on a short week and Johnson being claimed off waivers Monday afternoon, it seems unlikely that the former Baltimore Ravens pass-catcher will see action against Lamar Jackson and the AFC North franchise at NRG Stadium.

When asked about adding a receiver following a season-ending injury to Tank Dell, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said it wasn’t off the table, though it would be challenging to get them involved in a gameplan by the end of Tuesday’s walkthrough.

“It’s hard to add anyone when we play in two days,” Ryans said Monday. “It’s unrealistic that someone is coming in and playing for us on Wednesday. We’re rolling with what we have and what we have is good. I really like all of our guys.”

Johnson, 29, was waived by the Ravens last week after he refused to play in their Week 13 game against the Eagles. He spent seven weeks with the team but only played in four games.

Still, the Texans are hopeful they’ll get the version of Johnson Baltimore traded for back in October amid a playoff run over the next month. Talent-wise, he’s a reliable target capable of turning into a quality No. 1 threat in any passing attack.

Before being traded to Baltimore, Johnson served as the Carolina Panthers’ top target, hauling in 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games. He also collected over 100 receptions and 1,110 yards during the 2021 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ryans said that while the loss of Dell stings, he likes the talent returning behind Nico Collins at receiver on a short week. John Metchie III is expected back after missing Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury.

“[I] like how our guys work and they understand what we’re asking of them and we’re going to go out and compete,” Ryans said.

A 2019 third-round pick out of Toldeo, Johnson has totaled 422 receptions for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns in six seasons with the Steelers, Panthers and Ravens.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Texans weren’t only team in AFC playoff interested in former Ravens WR Diontae Johnson

Dionate Johnson is a Houston Texan, but another team wanted his services en route to a postseason bid.

Tank Dell’s season-ending knee injury put the Houston Texans in a bind. Luckily, a former No. 1 receiver was on the market at the proper moment.

Houston claimed former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers ahead of its Christmas Day matchup with the AFC North franchise on Monday afternoon.

While Johnson might be headed to Houston, the Texans weren’t the only playoff-caliber roster interested in adding the disgruntled Ravens star. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Los Angeles Chargers also put in a waiver claim for Johnson, thus creating the Harbaugh-to-Harbaugh bridge once more.

So, why did the Texans land Johnson? Based on the waiver order, Houston had top priority. Once you add in that both Dell and two-time All-Pro Stefon Diggs are out for the year, it makes sense why one team needed him a bite more.

The Ravens waived Johnson on Friday, ending his underwhelming seven weeks with the team. Baltimore suspended him for one game after he refused to play in a loss against the Philadelphia Eagles last month. He was then excused from all team activities last week.

Houston is hoping to get the version of Johnson the Ravens traded before back in October from the Carolina Panthers. As Bryce Young’s top weapon, Johnson had 30 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns for Carolina when he was dealt for a fifth-round pick after seven games.

A third-round draft pick out of Toledo in 2019 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson has totaled 422 catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns for Pittsburgh, Carolina and Baltimore.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium.

New Texans WR Diontae Johnson could face former team twice before end of the season

New Texans WR Dionate Johnson could face off against the team that sent him packing twice before the end of the 2024 season.

It seems unlikely that new Houston Texans receiver Diontae Johnson will suit up this Wednesday against his former team.

Impossible? Not at all.

Johnson, who was claimed off waivers by the Texans Monday following the season-ending injury to Tank Dell, could take the field in a limited role on Wednesday when the Texans do battle on Christmas Day against the Baltimore Ravens. 

Sure, he could run a few go routes, make a play on a post pattern and call it a day. Meanwhile, he’d be doing against the team that sent him packing less than two months after trading for him to be a staple of the offense en route to the playoffs.

But this isn’t the only time the two franchises could face off against one another before the end of the 2024 campaign. If the postseason started today, Houston, which clinched the AFC South, would serve as the No. 4 seed and host MVP favorite Lamar Jackson and Baltimore once more on wild-card weekend.

The Ravens initially suspended Johnson before waiving the disgruntled pass-catcher on Friday afternoon. This was after the veteran receiver refused to play during the 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month.

Prior to joining Baltimore at the trade deadline, Johnson, 28, led the Carolina Panthers in with 30 catches for 357 receiving yards and three touchdown through the first seven games. He was shipped off to the Ravens in exchange for a future fifth-round pick.

A 2019 third-round pick out of Toldeo by the Steelers, Johnson has totaled 422 career catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns with Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Baltimore.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. as part of a Netflix double-header.

Texans claim Ravens WR Diontae Johnson off waivers amid Tank Dell injury

The Houston Texans have found their new Tank Dell replacement in Dionate Johnson.

The Houston Texans have found their Tank Dell replacement for the remainder of the 2024 season.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Texans have claimed former Baltimore Ravens pass-catcher Dionate Johnson off waivers Monday following Dell’s season-ending knee injury.

The best part? Johnson would have been in Houston this week since the Texans take on the Ravens Wednesday afternoon as part of a Christmas double-header on Netflix.

Johnson, who was acquired by the Ravens from the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29, was expected to bolster a passing attack for reigning MVP Lamar Jackson amid a postseason run, but the two sides were at end during their brief marriage.

Earlier this month, Johnson was suspended by Baltimore for one game after he refused to play Dec. 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was then excused from team activities this past week.

He was placed on waivers Friday and was expected to land elsewhere in the AFC. Besides causing multiple headaches for the Ravens, Johnson played 39 snaps in four games and totaled one catch for six yards.

A third-round draft pick in 2019 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson has totaled 422 catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns for Pittsburgh, Carolina and Baltimore.

He’ll need to take over as the No. 2 option opposite Nico Collins with Dell and Stefon Diggs out.

The Texans are thin at receiver beyond Collins after also losing Diggs to a torn ACL earlier this season. After suffering a torn ACL and dislocated knee in Saturday’s 27-19 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston’s options were scarce.

John Metchie III, Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson are other receivers on the Texans’ depth chart. Jared Wayne could be called up from the practice squad for a third time on Wednesday, but the team would have to add him to the active roster following the matchup.

Before being traded to Baltimore, the Steelers shipped Johnson off to the Panthers last offseason for a mid-round pick. He totaled 30 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns for Carolina in seven games.

Johnson will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Did Ravens’ disastrous drops in the loss to Browns lead to decision to acquire Diontae Johnson?

Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer reports that the Baltimore Ravens entered the mix late to trade for Diontae Johnson

The Ravens’ five-game winning streak ended after a disastrous 29-25 loss to the Browns in Week 8.  One of the most significant components of the defeat was Rashod Bateman dropping a wide-open pass on a third down late in regulation.

“No, I saw the ball all the way up to the last minute, and then the ball went directly into the sun,” Bateman said. “I can’t do anything about that, so God just got me on that one, I guess. That’s all I can say.

Hours after the loss and just days before the NFL trade deadline, Baltimore acquired former Panthers and Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer reports that the Ravens entered the mix for Johnson late, and you have to wonder if Sunday’s game played a part in the deal.

While Johnson had been the Panthers’ No. 1 wideout all offseason and into training camp and the regular season, his 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns weren’t enough to entice a team to trade major assets for him. In Baltimore, he will be no better than the third wideout behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, most likely.

Johnson could eventually cede snaps from Nelson Agholor, while Zay Flower has solidified himself as one of the top young pass catchers in the NFL.

If Bateman can be more consistent, Baltimore’s passing game could be lethal down the stretch.

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Texans miss out on potential Stefon Diggs replacement

The Houston Texans miss out on a potential Stefon Diggs replacement after the Baltimore Ravens traded for Diontae Johnson.

While the Houston Texans could be in line to target a receiver via trade after losing Stefon Diggs, Diontae Johnson won’t be an option.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens are acquiring the Carolina Panthers receiver in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. Carolina will also send Baltimore a 2025 sixth-round pick.

According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Panthers are also paying down some of his salary, meaning that Baltimore will owe Johnson roughly $625K for the rest of the year.

Johnson is on the move for the second this season. Carolina acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers in hopes of elevating its receiving corps under new head coach Dave Canales this offseason.

In seven games with the NFC South franchise, Johnson totaled 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns.

He is now the fourth receiver traded to an AFC team this month, joining former Raiders star Davante Adams (New York Jets), Tennessee Titans All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins (Kansas City Chiefs) and Browns Pro Bowler Amari Cooper (Buffalo Bills).

Diggs, who joined the Texans via trade this offseason from Buffalo, suffered a torn ACL in Week 8’s win over the Indianapolis Colts and will miss the remainder of the season. The four-time Pro Bowler was also in a contract year and will become a free agent this offseason.

“You can’t really — you try to think positively about it, but it’s not a bunch of positive thoughts,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “I just feel bad for him. I’m praying for him.”

Houston’s loss comes on short notice as the Texans take on the New York Jets this Thursday. Top target Nico Collins remains on the injured reserve, but he is expected back for Week 10’s showdown against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football.

With Collins out, Diggs had been Stroud’s go-to target. In eight games, he ranked seventh in the NFL in catches (47)  and was second on the Texans in yards (496). Diggs also was tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with three.

“Love everything about Stef and everything he brought to our team,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Praying for him to get back strong.”

How the Texans look without Diggs could factor into Houston targeting a receiver before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 5. Tank Dell, John Metchie III, Xavier Hutchinson and Robert Woods headline a receiver room that’ needs someone to step up.

Dell should be the favorite to take over as the new No. 1 for Week 9, especially given his relationship with Stroud. So far, the second-year target has struggled to duplicate his rookie success as the No. 3 option.

Through seven games, Dell has totaled 229 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including one in Sunday’s win during the second quarter.

Kickoff from MetLife Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.