As Diontae Johnson prepares to join his third team of the 2024 campaign, the wide receiver might not have the chance to choose his landing spot. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Johnson is unlikely to pass through waivers.
[RELATED: Ravens Waive WR Diontae Johnson]
Johnson can be claimed on Monday. Schefter points to the Chargers and Chiefs as potential landing spots, although both of those squads sit toward the bottom of the waiver order. Schefter notes that Johnson might not even makes it that far, especially since a claim carries little financial risk. Either way, it seems unlikely the embattled receiver will make it all the way to free agency.
After spending five productive seasons in Pittsburgh, Johnson was traded to Carolina this past offseason. The impending free agent maintained his production despite the change in scenery, hauling in 30 catches in seven games. However, with the Panthers struggling to compete, the wideout was firmly on the trade block, and he was eventually dealt to Baltimore for a late-round swap.
Johnson’s issues at his latest stop have been well chronicled. After hauling in a single catch through his first four games with the Ravens, the wideout refused to enter the team’s Week 13 contest. Johnson was subsequently suspended for the Ravens’ Week 15 game, and he was waived a few days after that suspension ended.
Considering the receiver’s upside (including a 1,200-yard campaign in 2021), it’s not a huge surprise that Johnson will command interest on the waiver wire. The Chargers have lost some WR depth throughout the 2024 campaign, but their top three of Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Joshua Palmer remain intact. In Kansas City, the Chiefs are set to get reinforcement at the position with Marquise Brown returning from injury. While Rashee Rice went down with a season-ending injury, the team has since acquired DeAndre Hopkins to pair with first-round WR Xavier Worthy. In other words, if Johnson is claimed by either of these teams, he may have a tough time carving out a role with only a couple of games remaining on the schedule.
The Chiefs don’t want this guy
…because he doesn’t have any actual arrests?
Washington needs him
He doesn’t make it to the chiefs. Someone will claim him just so he doesn’t
Top landing spots: Chiefs Commanders Lions Chargers
Long shots: Bills Seahawks Niners
Couldn’t Imagine: Steelers(again), Falcons, Jets Packers
Lolol, the bills have the best chemistry in the league and a passing game that is lighting up the scoreboard. They are NOT bringing in a malcontent to the locker room.
Hence why I said LONGSHOT
If by long shot you mean absolutely no shot whatsoever and would never even be considered then I agree
I’m a Steelers fan, so after the Steelers lose today, which I expect, and we hear that George *still isn’t ready to come back, maybe the panic button gets pushed. Who knows?
Kadarius Toney 2.0?
He needs to be smart about this decision, this could be his last shot. He actually gets to pick his team this time as he was traded to Car and then Bal.
He won’t get to pick his team if he is claimed.
That is true, so he will probably be unhappy again. Unless his agent tries to tell teams to not pick him up
Classic Risk vs Reward guy. The claiming team will be walking on pins and needles for this ticking time bomb. If he feels slighted in the very least, they will have to deal with a huge headache….
Isn’t he on the last year of his contract?
He is almost certainly claimed by a team like KC or maybe Houston.
Its a playoff contender for sure.
Or not all.
Could be a team that wants to assess him before trying to sign him next year. Not necessarily a contender.
Possibly – but seems like a extremely long shot.
Claiming him is no guarantee he will sign. Giving him an audition kind of feels like the upside is very limited.
Why? It’s not risk. He has the physical skills, it’s how he fits in based on the mental part of the game more.
No surprise at all that Baltimore didn’t work out for him. That dude wants to get fed and Baltimore doesn’t do that with receivers.
Is a non-playoff team going to do that? Where is the upside? Winning a few meaningless games?
Oh yeah, he will love it here and want to stay?
Do we want you commit to this guy after two meaningful games?
I don’t understand this logic, but I suppose you might be more of a gambler on reclaiming his number 2 status.
“How u feeling ? Were wondering if u could play cpl downs for the team today ? Please ?”
If its not too much to ask sir. We would be appreciative.
The Chiefs don’t need him. Hollywood is back and playing. They need a CD to replace Jaylen Watson
Won’t get past Houston
Not after today he won’t. I believe that Houston is sitting at the #22 spot. However, they might think that Odell Beckham Jr. is the lesser of the two head cases. Odell just has the bigger mouth publicly and owns his mental issues.
Karma would get him claimed by a non-playoff team
Well, hopefully Johnson’s next team won’t just come out and say that they have no starting role in mind for him after acquiring him. There’s not much excuse for not doing your job, but it seems pretty silly to say that to the media right after trading for a guy. If the Ravens didn’t like his fit, they shouldn’t have traded for Johnson, and certainly shouldn’t have given a known mercurial player more reason to be disgruntled.
This isn’t an excuse for Johnson by any means, it just feels appropriate to also discuss the Ravens’ misstep here in handling him. Maybe the next team can get more out of Johnson, or at least hide it better. Johnson, for his part, should take a minute to realize that teams won’t be interested in someone who just won’t his job. It doesn’t help his market to sit out, no matter what gripe he has actually is.
After the Tank Dell injury my money is on the Texans if anyone claims him at all. It’s not a good look when someone refuses to enter the game.
I’ll never understand the absurdity of a WR having like 1-2 decent years and they become complete divas and act like theyre better than prime Randy Moss lol Just run your routes buddy
Chargers make the most sense, but I think there out because of harbaugh and hortiz. They know his issues and will probably stay clear.