The 2024 season was one to forget for veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Johnson, who emerged as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in Pittsburgh, was traded to the Carolina Panthers last offseason, where he hoped to boost his value and show that he could be a WR1 in 2024.
However, that dream didn’t come to fruition as the Panthers parted ways with Johnson ahead of the trade deadline, sending him to the Baltimore Ravens. He didn’t spend a lot of time with the Ravens. They kicked him to the curb in mid-December, which led to Johnson finding his way to Houston.
Johnson appeared in two games, which included the Texans’ wildcard playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, Houston also moved on, waiving the veteran ahead of its next playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
With Johnson seemingly tanking his value last season, it wasn’t a surprise that he didn’t sign until last month. The veteran receiver had to settle for a one-year veteran’s minimum ($1.17 million) with the Cleveland Browns.
In fact, Johnson told Mary Kat Cabot of Cleveland.com that the Browns were the only team to reach out to him.
Ex-Texan Dionate Johnson Lands in Rough Spot for 2025 Season
On paper, the Browns seem like a good opportunity for Johnson to show that last year was a fluke, as Cleveland’s WR unit leaves much to be desired after Jerry Jeudy. But at the same time, the Browns' QB situation is not ideal heading into this season.
Last season, Johnson had the chance to play with C.J. Stroud. This season, he could be playing with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, or Shedeur Sanders. As of right now, it's unclear who will be the starter in Cleveland when the regular season begins.
That puts Johnson in a rough spot for a receiver looking to revive his stock around the league. He has four different QBs to build chemistry with this offseason, and the one he vibes with the most may not even be his main passer. And even if his preferred gunslinger starts Week 1, there's a legitimate chance Cleveland tries out other options throughout the campaign give their plethora of choices.
Johnson clearly was desperate to sign a deal given the lack of interest, but given the Browns' situation, he may have been better waiting until preseason injuries opened up a better opportunity.