In a move as surprising as it felt inevitable, the Baltimore Ravens have officially waived wide receiver Diontae Johnson just weeks after they acquired him from the Carolina Panthers, according to Adam Schefter.

“Diontae Johnson now will go on waivers and can be claimed Monday at 4 pm ET,” Schefter shared on social media. “There is, in the opinion of some, a reasonable chance that Johnson will be claimed Monday.”

Originally acquired alongside a 2025 sixth-round pick for a 2025 fifth-round pick, Johnson appeared in four games with one start for the Ravens, catching one ball for six yards in his first and (presumably) only season in Charm City. But why did the Ravens decide to excuse him from practice one week after suspending Johnson for declining to play against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13? Well, some of it might be because of a certain division rival, the Steelers, who have a history with the Toledo product and would happily add him to their roster down the stretch.

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“The aftermath of the Diontae Johnson situation is hazy. People with the team are still trying to process his refusal to go into last week's game against Philadelphia. A team source called it a “major letdown,” though the source also said the receiver's demeanor this week before the Ravens broke for the bye was about as good as could be expected,” Fowler wrote for ESPN.

“Something to keep in mind if Baltimore cuts Johnson: It plays Pittsburgh — Johnson's old team — in Week 16. Whether the Steelers would want him back is unclear, but the way some people around the league see it: The threat of him sharing Ravens offensive intel with Pittsburgh could make Baltimore hold on to him.”

On paper, the idea to waive Johnson on Friday makes sense, as he will be on the wire until Monday at 4 pm ET, avoiding any possibility he somehow takes the field this weekend for Steelers-Ravens on Saturday Afternoon Football. Granted, he could still land in the Steel City or on another AFC team in time for the playoffs, which could, therefore, end up biting Baltimore in the end, but for now, the deal is done, and this ugly tenure of Ravens football is officially over.