The 2024-25 season has been an absolute roller coaster for Diontae Johnson. Johnson went to the Carolina Panthers this offseason before being traded to the Baltimore Ravens midseason. The Ravens eventually cut him, and Johnson ended up with the Texans in Houston.

Earlier this week, the Texans waived Johnson and he was eventually claimed by none other than the Ravens. Many people are now wondering why the Ravens would just bring Johnson back after cutting him not too long ago. Well, Baltimore has other incentives for re-signing Johnson that don't involve anything that the wide receiver can bring on the field.

Bringing Johnson back for the time being opens the door for the Ravens to potentially get a compensatory draft pick for him in the offseason, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. If Johnson goes out on the free agent market and signs with somebody else, Baltimore would have a chance to get an extra draft pick for losing Johnson.

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While this may seem unfair to Johnson, it's unlikely that he was going to land on a team where he would see significant action during these playoffs anyway. As a result of this move, the Ravens could get another crack at a key roster piece next season in the draft.

The Ravens initially brought Johnson in to give them some help at wide receiver this season. The Ravens have been relying on Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers out wide, but they don't have a ton of depth at the position outside of that. The Ravens thought that Johnson could be that guy, but things didn't end up working out.

Regardless of their relative weakness at wide receiver, the Ravens are still rolling into the Divisional Round of the playoffs with a ton of confidence after an excellent offensive performance against a good Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens run game all had stellar days in that one, and Baltimore should feel very confident that it can go into Buffalo this weekend and make it very difficult for the Bills.