After being let go by the Baltimore Ravens last week, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson was subject to waivers on Monday and has been claimed by an AFC playoff contender.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Houston Texans have claimed Johnson off waivers. The Texans have been riddled with injuries at the position this season, which explains their interest in him.
In case you were wondering, the Steelers did not get a chance to claim him, as the Texans were higher in the waiver priority. It’ll be interesting to see if any reports surface about the Steelers putting in a claim or not.
Johnson’s tenure in Baltimore was a disaster, as he barely saw snaps and targets early on, and that led to him getting frustrated with the team. Things came to a head when Johnson refused to enter the Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. That led to a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
Why was Diontae Johnson suspended by Ravens?
“We have made the difficult decision to suspend Diontae Johnson for our upcoming game against the New York Giants for conduct detrimental to the team,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said after the suspension was announced. “Diontae’s suspension stems from refusing to enter our game against the Philadelphia Eagles.”
After he was excused from the team in the lead up to the Week 16 game against the Steelers, Johnson was cut loose on Friday
Being disgruntled is nothing new for Johnson. Before he was traded to the Carolina Panthers during the offseason, Johnson had an ugly ending with the Steelers that led to the trade. His frustrations stemmed from he struggles the Steelers had at the quarterback position, and on offense overall.
Johnson was then frustrated in Carolina before he was traded to the Ravens, with the same issues irking him. Now, we’ll see if Johnson can be a better soldier and rebound with his new team.
The Texans have lost multiple wide receivers to season-ending injuries, including Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. Johnson has a good chance for a significant role in Houston.
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