Pro Bowler wide receiver Diontae Johnson will not participate in team activities this week which may signal his release from the Baltimore Ravens before the NFL postseason. According to several reports, the Ravens are officially excusing Johnson from participating with the team coming off his suspension last week. Originally selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Johnson is still a Raven but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Ravens release him despite other reports saying otherwise. They might want to keep on the roster to avoid other AFC contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers to sign him on a temporary contract to give the roster a boost in time for playoffs.
However, he might not be worth the headache for any team this season so while there may be other teams looking to bring him in, Johnson might not play at all until next season. Baltimore is doing everything to make life easier for Johnson but his on-field performance might be bigger than just the off-field issues he’s dealing with. It might be he doesn’t want to be there which is why the Ravens are holding onto him because realistically Johnson could find a new team quicker than most available wide receiver free agents. While that might be true, it may not be a good look either for him since he isn’t willing to perform which will affect his free agent value in 2025.
It’s going to be hard for a team to sign him since he’s already been on two teams this season. He wasn’t a success in Carolina due to an atrocious supporting cast but he has better scenery in Baltimore so it’ll be interesting to see how this saga will play out.
Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson “Excused” From Team Activities May Lead to Release – Chiefs, Chargers Possible Next Teams
Three-Peat Piece
The Kansas City Chiefs came into the season with a lot of momentum but things have been crumbling on the offensive side of the ball. They lost Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice to season-ending injuries while Patrick Mahomes has been struggling to find his new consistent receiver. Surprisingly, no one expected Travis Kelce to be struggling with Mahomes but he’s aging and could look to retire after the season. However, they held their breath through and only lost one matchup despite losing several pass catchers.
The DeAndre Hopkins trade gave the Chiefs extra life but it hasn’t been explosive like most were anticipating. There’s no word if the Ravens would be willing to release Johnson before the season but if they do, the Chiefs should take a shot on him. Either way, Kansas City has a huge advantage in this scenario as Johnsons’ issues in Baltimore might be bigger than what the Ravens are trying to dwindle it down to. With DeAndre Hopkins, Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster becoming free agents in March, they should sign Johnson to give the offense more stability.
Better Luck Next Time?
In Los Angeles, the Chargers have a promising supporting cast after signing Jim Harbaugh and defensive Jesse Minter to start a new regime. It came off to a slow start but things got up to speed rapidly as Justin Herbert is improving with his arm and vision. Despite not having enough playmakers, they could benefit from signing another capable receiver behind Quentin Johnston and rookie Ladd McConkey. While Joshua Palmer and DJ Chark will become free agents, Johnson could join the Chargers to bring some much-needed competition in the aerial attack.
Johnston is still looking like his 2023 old self so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Chargers gave Palmer a contract extension after the year. Johnson might not be the permanent starter for a few games but he might have a bigger spotlight than what he was able to get in Baltimore.
The post Pro Bowler “Excused” From Team Activities May Lead to Release – Chiefs, Chargers Possible Next Teams appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.