Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (5) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Browns Strengthen Receiver Room With Diontae Johnson Signing

Diontae Johnson signs a one-year deal with the Browns

Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (5) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns have added to their wide receiver room following the conclusion of the NFL draft. Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Browns have struck a one-year deal with former Ravens receiver Diontae Johnson. The 6-year veteran was a free agent heading into this season after having played for the Steelers, Panthers, and Texans as well.

The #Browns are signing veteran WR Diontae Johnson, sources say. Cleveland brought the former #Steelers and #Ravens pass catcher in for a visit today, and the sides then agreed to a deal. Back to the AFC North for Johnson. pic.twitter.com/NZIsQqUZiZ
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 28, 2025

Johnson will feature in a wide receiver room alongside WR1 Jerry Jeudi and WR2 Cedric Tillman as the primary pass catchers for the Browns. Cleveland may have been forced to pursue a free agent receiver, given that they completely ignored the position in the recently concluded draft.

Browns signing WR Diontae Johnson. (via @MikeGarafolo) pic.twitter.com/F810tBIdND
— NFL (@NFL) April 28, 2025

As a matter of fact, the Browns got off to a great start by selecting defensive tackle Mason Graham with their first-round pick and adding a solid linebacker in Carson Schwesinger in round 2 to bolster the defensive side of the ball. However, from there onwards, Cleveland ended up selecting a tight end, 2 running backs, and 2 quarterbacks from their remaining 5 picks.

Despite the fact that Deshaun Watson may not play at all this season due to retearing his Achilles tendon, the Browns still have 5 signal callers in their QB room. In any case, the need for another receiver was apparent with the room lacking significant options.

Also Read: Severe Neck Injury Forces Steelers Cornerback To Step Away From Football

Johnson’s 2024 Season and Past History

The addition of the former Panthers receiver does bring variety to the Browns offense, yet the move may not be the wisest decision Cleveland has made, especially with Johnson’s overall history in the league.

Drafted in 2019 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson played a total of seasons in the Steel City, but his tenure was full of issues. Johnson reportedly got in a scuffle with Minkah Fitzpatrick, then another time had to be separated as he argued with a coach, called out fans, and even quit on plays.

Following his stint with the Steelers, Johnson joined the Panthers in 2024, but after seven games, it was evident things were not working out. He got angry at his quarterback, Bryce Young, and was extremely frustrated with the offensive play calls and how he was being used. In mid-season, the Panthers traded him to Baltimore, where it seemed like the perfect fit, but once again, Johnson’s behavior was a big concern. Frustrated with his limited snaps, the 28-year-old refused to enter a game against the Eagles, following which he received a one-game suspension.

The Ravens released him after just 4 games, and he signed with the Texans, appearing in just one game as Houston signed him after losing Tank Dell to injury. There is no clarity on how his stint ended with the Texans, but he was waived after their season came to an end, and now finds himself on a fourth team in less than a year.

Cleveland Browns

Diontae Johnson

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Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!