The Ravens have suspended veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson for one game, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
General manager Eric DeCosta issued the following statement on the team’s decision: “We have made the difficult decision to suspend Diontae Johnson for our upcoming game against the New York Giants for conduct detrimental to the team. Diontae’s suspension stems from refusing to enter our game against the Philadelphia Eagles.”
DeCosta added that the Ravens would not have any additional comment on the situation moving forward.
Johnson did not play a single snap in the Ravens’ Week 13 loss to the Eagles despite a knee injury that knocked starter Rashod Bateman out of the game. Head coach John Harbaugh declined to elaborate on Johnson’s absence after the game, though his comments hinted at the sort of internal issue that DeCosta’s statement revealed.
Johnson has been active for all five games since his arrival in Baltimore, but only played 39 snaps on offense with just one catch for six yards on five targets. Bateman’s injury appeared to be an opportunity for the veteran wideout to see more targets from Lamar Jackson, but Johnson refused to enter the game, leading to his suspension. Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace filled in for Bateman instead, with Agholor unable to reel in his two targets while Wallace caught both of his for 14 yards.
The suspension continues a tumultuous contract year for Johnson in which he was averaging 51.0 yards per game in Carolina before his trade to the Ravens. Johnson quickly grew frustrated with his minimal role in Baltimore’s offense, though it is unclear why he would turn down the opportunity for more snaps when it arose.
The Ravens’ decision to suspend Johnson signals that the team is considering moving on from the veteran receiver. Baltimore still thinks that Johnson “could help them down the stretch,” according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, especially if Bateman misses time. However, a team with strong playoff chances and Super Bowl aspirations needs “everyone to be fully committed and team-focused,” per Schultz, forcing the Ravens to determine if Johnson is worth keeping around.
Baltimore has some time to weigh their options with a bye week before their Week 15 matchup against the Giants in which Johnson will be ineligible to play. Keeping him on the roster after the bye would indicate that the Ravens have resolved the situation with Johnson.
This is not the first internal issue the Ravens have dealt with this season. Marcus Williams has been reduced to a healthy scratch multiple times after his struggles in coverage, and Eddie Jackson was released after refusing to travel with the team to Pittsburgh in Week 11.