Knee-Jerk Reactions: Ravens Trade for WR Diontae Johnson

The Ravens and Carolina Panthers have reportedly struck a deal that sends wide receiver Diontae Johnson to Baltimore along with a 2025 6th-round pick in exchange for a 2025 fifth-rounder.

The Ravens are very familiar with Johnson, who spent 2019-2023 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was with the Panthers for just seven games before coming back home to the AFC North. His best season was 2021, when he caught 107 passes for 1161 yards and eight touchdowns. After the Ravens saw their own WR corps suddenly have a case of the dropsies again in Cleveland, they hope to shore things up, as Johnson’s 3.5% drop rate is the 10th lowest among all wideouts with at least 200 catches since 2021, per PFR (via Ramey).

RSR staff react to the move here.

Kevin McNelis

I’ll be honest, I didn’t see this one coming. Overall, the offensive side of the ball hasn’t been much of a concern outside of pass protection at times, but when you look at what the Ravens gave up to get him (next to nothing), it makes tons of sense. Johnson has high upside as a reliable target and has produced some good numbers in a Carolina offense that has largely been abysmal this year. I’m curious as to whose targets decrease with Diontae in the fold, but time will tell. My best guess is a combination of Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor’s.

The benefit of this move is that Baltimore is largely in the same place they were before with room to maneuver on the defensive side of the ball as well.

EDC… PLEASE make a maneuver on the defensive side of the ball.

Tanner George

In and of itself, this is a good trade for Eric DeCosta & Co. Sending a 5th rounder to Carolina for an above-average receiver coupled with a 6th round pick is excellent work, and there’s a good chance that Baltimore can get an additional 6th rounder in 2026 should they let Johnson walk in free agency. Plus, the Ravens are reportedly set to pay just $625,000 of his remaining salary, so I love the value with this one.

However, considering how this team’s performed through eight weeks, I’m finding it hard to get excited about this deal. Rashod Bateman had seemingly come into his own, rounding into a nice #2 option for Lamar Jackson, but this move almost certainly demotes him to WR3… which probably won’t go over well for a guy who’s called out the front office before. I’m still waiting for EDC to make a move to get some help on the defensive side of the ball, but thankfully the draft capital sacrificed probably won’t prevent him from getting another trade done. Johnson won’t be the difference between winning a Super Bowl and not (that’s the defense), but his acquisition certainly helps Baltimore’s case.

Grade: A-

Darin McCann

This isn’t a bad idea at all, particularly at the price.

I think my favorite part of it — outside of the capital it took to get him — is that he could serve as a force-multiplier. His place in the rotation could mean more opportunities for Nelson Agholar in the return game, and could enable the Ravens to adjust to different packages when they see teams coming at them single-high, as Kansas City and Cleveland did time and time again.

Putting the kind of speed on the field the Ravens are capable of presenting now should lighten more boxes, and hopefully prevent teams from going all-out in hopes of slowing down the Ravens’ run game. It’s not the defensive splash I’m still hoping for, but it makes them better. And deeper.

Deeper and better is a good thing when we haven’t even hit the half-way point to the season. There will be attrition. Prepare for it now.

Plus, aren’t we all hoping he goes just a little bit off against his old team at least twice this year?

Ben Dackiw

Let’s be real, it’s a good depth move, but doesn’t move the needle all that much. Tidy piece of business by EDC to get a decent receiver for pretty much nothing, but Diontae Johnson isn’t the piece that pushes the Ravens over the top.

Something else is coming. The defense has been far too much of a disaster to not try to upgrade. Perhaps it will be another Panther the Ravens try to acquire to bolster their pass rush…

Derek Arnold

Speaking of knee-jerk reactions, I don’t think this was as much of one by EDC to Bateman’s sudden regression to his old self thanks to those two crucial third-down drops in Cleveland as it may seem, but you know #7 can’t love this news. Ol’ Nelly Agholor had a critical drop of his own the other day too. For what they gave up (barely anything), I like the move – Johnson can provide some intel for these two upcoming games with his old squad, his miniscule drop rate has to be music to Lamar Jackson’s ears, and this could push someone like Chris Collier or Tylan Wallace, who’ve both been lackluster in the return game, off the gameday roster.

EDC is just getting started, of that I’m nearly certain. Defensive help is on the way.

Chad Racine

I can’t say this is exciting at all. I’ve watched too many Pittsburgh games where Diontae Johnson dropped many passes. However I’m not mad about it like I’ve already seen some Ravens fans get.  Fans want to see the defense fixed and I’m sure that’s EDC’s goal as much as possible. However with a late round pick swap and only owing $625k this year, he saw value and worth a swing. I’m sure EDC is not done but these fans expecting players like Maxx Crosby need a reality check.

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