Ravens' Harbaugh coy on future of WR Johnson
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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh was vague on the future of recently acquired Diontae Johnson, a day after the wide receiver didn’t play a snap in Sunday’s 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“At this time, I’m going to have to wait just to clarify it,” Harbaugh said Monday. “There’s some moving parts there that we’re going to have to figure out and explore and just see where we’re at. I know that’s not the answer you want, but that’s the best I can do in fairness to everybody right now.”
In four games with the Ravens, Johnson has one catch for six yards. He suited up Sunday but didn’t play, even after starting wide receiver Rashod Bateman left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury.
Harbaugh was noncommittal on whether Johnson will remain with the team.
“We’ll just work it out [and] see where we’re at over the next few days this week,” said Harbaugh, whose team is on a bye this week.
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Johnson, 28, led the Carolina Panthers in receptions (30), receiving yards (357) and touchdown catches (three) through the first seven games before being dealt to Baltimore on Oct. 29. The Ravens sent a fifth-round pick to Carolina for Johnson and a sixth-round selection. It was considered a low-risk move because the Panthers picked up most of Johnson’s remaining salary, leaving Baltimore to pay about $625,000.
In Johnson’s first game with the Ravens on Nov. 7, he caught his only pass for Baltimore while playing five snaps. Over his next three games, Johnson was targeted three times with no receptions while participating in a total of 17 snaps.
After Sunday’s game, quarterback Lamar Jackson said he spoke to Johnson about staying locked in after not playing.
“We want him out there,” Jackson said. “He’s a great receiver. We didn’t get him from the Panthers for nothing.”
A third-round pick in 2019 by the Steelers, Johnson has totaled 422 catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns for Pittsburgh, Carolina and Baltimore.
Jackson’s top three receivers are Zay Flowers, Bateman and Nelson Agholor. Harbaugh said Bateman’s knee injury is not a long-term one.