How does the Diontae Johnson trade help the Ravens?
By Joe Lago
The Baltimore Ravens became the latest team to join the NFL's trading frenzy over wide receivers, acquiring veteran Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday.
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The teams also exchanged 2025 draft picks with the Ravens sending a sixth-rounder to the Panthers for a fifth-rounder.
Comp update: It’s a pick flop, with the Panthers getting a 5th-round pick for Diontae Johnson and a 6th, per sources. https://t.co/bCW4sVBc5R
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 29, 2024
Baltimore's strength on offense remains in the running game with workhorse Derrick Henry, who leads the league with 946 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, and quarterback Lamar Jackson, who ranks 13th with 501 rushing yards. Not surprisingly, the Ravens average an NFL-best 200.0 rushing yards per game.
The addition of Johnson won't have quite the impact of Henry, the team's biggest free-agent signing last offseason, in the passing game. However, the 28-year-old will provide some much-needed depth in a receiving corps that lacks a reliable No. 2 wideout.
Second-year pro Zay Flowers leads the team with 41 receptions and 527 receiving yards, and his connection with Jackson has grown over the last four contests with 24 catches and three 100-yard games. Johnson figures to be a better complement to Flowers and Baltimore's talented tight end tandem of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely than inconsistent fourth-year receiver Rashod Bateman.
The 28-year-old Johnson had 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns for a struggling Panthers squad. He earned a Pro Bowl selection with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 when he recorded 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight TDs.
The impetus behind the deal to get Diontae Johnson was improving their WR depth. Ravens have been thin there all year. But Johnson does have some return experience as well and Ravens have gotten nothing from their return game all year. Could be an option to help in that area.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) October 29, 2024
As with anything Carolina does these days, its latest move has drawn criticism.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell tweeted that the Panthers "are basically eating $3.2 million to move up 10-15 spots in the fifth round." But the deal also made it clear that Carolina's decision makers wanted Johnson gone, according to The Athletic's Joe Person.
Wow. Panthers are basically eating $3.2 million to move up 10-15 spots in the fifth round. And it seems telling that nobody else in the league wanted to top that offer when Johnson's basically making the minimum the rest of the way https://t.co/ewbxbcXPrc
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 29, 2024
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