Diontae Johnson has an opportunity to revive his career with the Cleveland Browns, but he’ll need to prove he can be a reliable contributor to earn a role.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski recently discussed the addition of Johnson, who signed with Cleveland in April.
“Diontae [Johnson]’s a veteran that’s played at a high level. We’ll see as he gets involved more. These OTAs will be really good for him because this system is new for him,” Stefanski said. “But I’m excited about the skillset and he’s got to obviously prove it to us and he’s excited to do that.”
Johnson joins a Browns wide receiver room that’s short on depth. Jerry Jeudy will be the top pass-catcher for Cleveland but there’s uncertainty beyond that. Cedric Tillman, David Bell, Jamari Thrash and DeAndre Carter will be in the mix for targets.
Diontae Johnson Coming Off Turbulent Season
Johnson has struggled to recapture the form that made him a Pro Bowler in 2021, when he posted career highs with 1,161 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Since then, his production has steadily declined, with his most recent season marked by instability and inconsistency across three different teams.
Johnson began the year with the Carolina Panthers, quickly emerging as a top target in a struggling offense. He led the team with 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games, including a standout performance in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders, where he racked up a career-best 122 receiving yards and a touchdown.
However, frustrations with Carolina’s offense led to a midseason trade to the Baltimore Ravens. His time in Baltimore was brief and turbulent. He appeared in four games, recording just one catch for six yards. Johnson was suspended for one game after refusing to enter a contest, leading to his release.
The Houston Texans claimed Johnson off waivers, but he failed to make an impact during his short stint and was waived once again. In total, Johnson finished the season with 33 catches for 375 yards and three touchdowns across 12 games.
Diontae Johnson Has No Guarantee in Cleveland
The Browns signed Johnson to a one-year, $1.17 million deal — the veteran’s minimum — with no guarantees. Cleveland will not hesitate to let him go if he makes a mistake or creates a locker room drama. Johnson must make the right impression to stick around, per Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
“He’ll come in behind the eight-ball, needing to prove himself and show the Browns that he can put his head down, work hard, and mostly keep his mouth shut, which hasn’t been his forte,” Cabot said. “If Johnson gripes about his role, his targets compared to (Jerry) Jeudy and (Cedric) Tillman, or which quarterback should be starting over the other, he’ll find himself saying goodbye to his fifth team in just over a year, and possibly to his NFL career.”
The Browns and Johnson need each other. Cleveland failed to address wide receiver in the draft or with a free agent splash. If he can get back on track, it would benefit both sides tremendously.
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