Sources – Ravens claim WR Diontae Johnson on waivers

The Baltimore Ravens have claimed former wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers from the Houston Texans, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

This is a procedural decision, as Johnson won’t officially join the Ravens until after the Super Bowl, but he qualifies as an unrestricted free agent.

Johnson was waived by the Texans on Tuesday. He was visibly upset in the locker room after the Texans’ playoff victory over the Chargers, sitting fully clothed in front of his locker and looking on in frustration due to the lack of playing time and targets.

“Unfortunately, with Diontae, it didn’t work out,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday. “We move on to the leaders.”

Johnson had three catches for 24 yards in two games with Houston after the Texans claimed Johnson off waivers from the Ravens on December 23. Baltimore moved on from the receiver after refusing to participate in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 1.

Before the Ravens waived Johnson, they suspended him one game for his refusal to play against the Eagles. Baltimore acquired him in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on October 29, but he played only 39 snaps for the team, catching one pass for 6 yards.

The Panthers acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers before the season. He had 30 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns for Carolina when he left for the Ravens.

The Steelers drafted Johnson in the third round of the 2019 draft, and he had 391 catches for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns in Pittsburgh. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2021 with his only 1,000-yard season and career-high eight touchdown receptions in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s final year.