ExtremeRavens Posted December 2 Posted December 2 What role — if any — Diontae Johnson will have with the Ravens going forward remains to be seen. The veteran wide receiver, whom Baltimore acquired from the Carolina Panthers ahead of last month’s trade deadline in a swap of draft picks, did not play in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Afterward, coach John Harbaugh said he didn’t “have enough information” to talk about why that was the case, despite the one-time Pro Bowl selection being active for the game and Rashod Bateman going out with a knee injury in the third quarter. A day later, Harbaugh declined to provide specifics, instead only offering a cryptic response. “At this time I’m gonna have to wait,” he said. “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.” Asked if he expects that Johnson will continue to be on the team, Harbaugh again declined to answer. “Like I said, work it out and see where we’re at over the next few days,” he said. Should the Ravens release Johnson, it would only be the latest in a series of similar moves. Already, Baltimore cut ties with veteran safety Eddie Jackson last month and has benched starting safety Marcus Williams. Whatever happens, it has been a tumultuous few weeks since Johnson’s arrival on Oct. 29. After leading the Panthers in receiving with 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns through the first seven weeks of the season, he has barely played for Baltimore. With an offense that already includes receivers Bateman and Zay Flowers, along with tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and running backs Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, there have only been so many touches to go around. Johnson has logged just 39 snaps across five games for Baltimore, one of which he was inactive for after joining the Ravens a few days ahead of their Week 9 blowout of the Denver Broncos. Johnson has just one catch for 6 yards during that span, which came in a Week 10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson didn’t play in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, despite being active. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Sunday, Johnson spent the entirety of the game on the sideline with a coat draped over his uniform. In the two games before that, he was targeted only three times by Lamar Jackson. Asked about Johnson following Sunday’s loss, the quarterback tried to be positive. “We want him out there,” Jackson said. “He’s a great receiver. We didn’t get him from the Panthers for nothing.” But that might end up being essentially what his contribution is for the Ravens if they decide to move on from him. Baltimore will have plenty of time to decide. The Ravens have a bye this week and won’t play again until Dec. 15 against the New York Giants. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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