Ravens cut their big trade deadline acquisition

Aug 28, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; A Baltimore Ravens helmet sits on a box on the sidelines during the second half of their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens have put an end to the brief tenure of one of their top trade deadline acquisitions.

The Ravens waived wide receiver Diontae Johnson on Friday. Johnson is on a minimum salary after his trade to the Ravens, so any team could essentially claim him for no real cost.

Dionate Johnson had just 1 catch and 6 yards as a Raven.

He is now subject to waivers, with teams having until Monday at 4:00 PM ET to submit a claim.

Johnson has a minimum salary, so he is effectively a no-cost option for a team that deems him worth the addition. https://t.co/9wbukKo4ha

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 20, 2024

Johnson’s troubled tenure with the Ravens never got off the ground. Baltimore acquired him before the trade deadline at little cost, a move they were widely praised for. Perhaps the Carolina Panthers knew something, because Johnson was a non-factor in Baltimore, catching one pass for six yards in four games. He refused to enter the Ravens’ Week 13 loss to Philadelphia, which effectively ended his brief tenure with the Ravens. The only consolation for the organization is that the move was low-risk to begin with.

Johnson was already set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The 28-year-old had a 1,000-yard receiving season for the Steelers in 2021, and was a big part of the team’s offense as recently as last year. It remains to be seen if he lands somewhere before the end of the current season, but either way, he will likely have a lot of work to do in 2025 to rebuild the value he once had.