The suspension of Diontae Johnson is on the minds of a number of players for the Baltimore Ravens, including his fellow wide receiver Zay Flowers.
A second-year pro who leads the Ravens in receiving, Flowers told reporters he considers Johnson as “one of my guys; he’s one of our guys,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. The latter noted Flowers also said “Johnson would be welcomed back by the team.”
While he’s eager for Johnson to return after a team-imposed suspension, Flowers was careful not to undermine the Ravens disciplinary procedures. Instead, Baltimore’s first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft expressed an understanding for how his team has dealt with Johnson.
As Flowers put it, via Hensley, Ravens players “understand both sides and there are consequences that come with this game. I know he’ll be back soon and that’s all we worry about.”
Flowers chose his words well and injected some timely diplomacy into a tense and unwanted situation for the Ravens. Yet, Flowers also hinted at a desire to finally get Johnson onto the field more often.
Diontae Johnson Problem Not Going Away for Ravens
Playing time is at the heart of Johnson’s fall out with his coaches. The wideout’s frustrations boiled over when he refused to enter the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.
Head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta naturally reacted. They suspended Johnson for Week 15’s game on the road against the New York Giants.
Harbaugh isn’t giving away about when Johnson will return. Instead, he defiantly referred any questions about the players status to the team’s original statement about his suspension, per Hensley: “I think the statement said there would be no further comment on that. We’ll kind of leave it at that and we’ll see where it goes.”
DeCosta and Harbaugh had to act, but the Ravens being on the wrong end of a 24-19 scoreline against the Eagles brought home the need for another playmaker in the passing game. That’s exactly what the Ravens hoped to get when they traded a fifth-round choice in next year’s draft to the Carolina Panthers to acquire Johnson.
He was supposed to create separation and give quarterback Lamar Jackson another viable, after-catch game-changer. It hasn’t happened, and the Ravens can’t ignore the obvious frustration of Jackson and Flowers.
There’s an acceptance among important players the Ravens need Johnson in the lineup. Flowers certainly could use the help.
Zay Flowers Needs Help
Jackson has been content to talk up other receivers as his go-to targets, but this passing game still goes through Flowers. He’s gotten six or more targets in each of his last five games, while also tallying double-digit targets on four occasions earlier in the season.
The Ravens need to help ease Jackson out of his reliance on Flowers. It will only happen if other receivers step up and assume the responsibility.
Perhaps Rashod Bateman will do it, but he needs to stay healthy. Fortunately, Bateman is back practicing this week, according to Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink, a possible indication the pass-catcher won’t miss time after suffering a knee problem against the Eagles.
Bateman gives Jackson a legitimate field-stretcher, while Nelson Agholor is useful between the numbers and in the red zone. What’s missing is another speedster able to attack defenses at multiple levels of the field the way Flowers can.
Johnson has that potential, but he must be willing to prove himself to coaches and adhere to the Ravens plan for him. The rewards for both player and team include making the NFL’s highest-scoring offense even better and powering a playoff push.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Ravens WR Has a Lot to Say About Suspended Teammate Diontae Johnson appeared first on Heavy Sports.