The Diontae Johnson saga continues!
In a stunning, comical and calculated move, the Baltimore Ravens have claimed wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers. Yes, the same wide receiver they:
- Made a deadline trade for
- Suspended after refusing to play against the Philadelphia Eagles
- Cut fewer than two months after acquiring
- Faced off against on Christmas Day after being claimed by the Houston Texans
Uniquely, though, the Ravens won’t have him “awarded” to the team until after the Super Bowl, which is why the move is quite a clever ploy by General Manager Eric DeCosta.
Back to Baltimore: The Ravens claimed their former WR Diontae Johnson on waivers today from the Texans, per the league’s wire. This a procedural move and Johnson won’t officially be “awarded” to the Ravens until after the Super Bowl. But he qualifies as an unrestricted free agent… pic.twitter.com/5bGRL9ymcX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2025
Two reasons this move is clever for Baltimore.
First, the Ravens acquiring Johnson keeps him away from other teams that may have considered or put in a waiver claim for. Though it’s unlikely other teams would want him on their roster for the final playoff push, he could have managed to land with the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs or an NFC team that the Ravens could face in a potential Super Bowl matchup. Now, Johnson will be unable to play in the playoffs.
The second bit is the potential for a compensatory pick. Johnson will land with the Ravens as an unrestricted free agent. If he — by some wild chance — signs a deal of any true value, he would help the Ravens’ compensatory formula and net them an extra pick. It’s unlikely any of this will occur, but the potential for it, not risking an opponent to acquire a guy who is objectively talented, and not losing a roster spot claiming him until post-Super Bowl delivers this as a procedural tactic.