In his first two games as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, wide receiver Diontae Johnson hasn’t had much of a role offensively after a trade from the Carolina Panthers.
Across two games against the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals, Johnson has played 22 total snaps and seen just two targets. Thursday night against the Bengals, Johnson had his first catch for the Ravens, hauling in a crossing route late in the first half, but failed to get out of bounds as Bengals’ corner Mike Hilton tackled him inbounds, running out the clock on the first half.
After that, Johnson didn’t do much of anything, and even slipped and fell on a route in which he was targeted. It’s been a rough introduction to his Ravens tenure for the veteran receiver.
But now, entering Week 11 with plenty of time and practices under his belt in Baltimore, the veteran receiver’s role should increase offensively. That it could come against his former team in the Pittsburgh Steelers, who traded him to Carolina this offseason, is rather fitting.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expects Johnson’s role to ramp up this week.
“Absolutely, absolutely. See, same kind of conversation, and he’s been here now for somewhat of a number of practices,” Harbaugh said when asked if Johnson’s role would increase this week, according to video via the Ravens’ YouTube page. “I mean, last week…we only had one practice that was really where he got a chance to move around.
“But I would expect that to ramp up.”
The matchup against the Steelers is something that Johnson has been looking forward to since being traded to the Ravens two weeks ago. Johnson was surprised by the offseason trade to the Panthers in a swap of draft picks and cornerback Donte Jackson, a move that was made after the Steelers reportedly grew tired of the headaches from Johnson over the past few years.
Things then didn’t go all that well in Carolina for Johnson as he was frustrated with QB play, leading to a trade to Ravens and adding another explosive weapon for Baltimore as it looks like the best offense in football.
After five seasons in Pittsburgh, he’ll get a shot at revenge with the Ravens, and he’ll do so returning back to the North Shore in Pittsburgh for his first matchup on the other side of the Ravens-Steelers rivalry.
We’ll see if his workload ramps up. So far, he hasn’t done much of anything, and the Ravens haven’t exactly needed him just yet, either. That could change in Week 11 against the Steelers. Harbaugh expects it to.
