Ravens head coach John Harbaugh on Sunday declined to provide an explanation for why wide receiver Diontae Johnson did not participate in Baltimore’s loss to the Eagles despite being dressed and active.
On Monday, the answer remained a mystery. When asked to clarify Johnson’s status, harbaugh said this:
“At this point I’ll have to wait, just to clarify,” Harbaugh said. “There are some moving parts that we’re going to have to figure out and explore and just see where we are.
“I know that’s not the answer you want. But it’s the best I can do to be fair to everyone right now.”
Harbaugh declined to confirm when asked if he expected Johnson to remain on the roster after Baltimore’s Week 14 bye.
“We’ll just figure it out and see where we are in the next few days and this week,” Harbaugh said.
None of that sounds good to Johnson.
The Ravens acquired Johnson in a trade in October from the Carolina Panthers. Johnson was Carolina’s leading receiver at the time with 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games.
Johnson has been active for five games, including one start, since joining the Ravens before Week 9. He has been targeted five times and has one catch for six yards. On Sunday he did not see the field.
It adds to a strange season for Johnson, a former Pro Bowler with the Steelers who caught 107 passes for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021 with Pittsburgh.
There is certainly room in Baltimore behind top receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Nelson Agholor is Baltimore’s third-leading wide receiver with just 13 receptions for 205 yards in 13 games. But for undisclosed reasons in Baltimore, Johnson is not gaining traction.
The Ravens acquired Johnson in a swap of late-round picks (a fifth for a sixth). The acquisition cost was low and the Ravens could release him without a significant loss if they choose. But for now, Harbaugh is keeping things at home regarding what’s going on with Johnson and how the team may decide to proceed.