HOUSTON – The Texans have moved on from veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson after just two games, cutting ties with an often disgruntled player who is now off of his third NFL team this season.
After a playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at NRG Stadium, Johnson was visibly upset and teammates, including team captains Azeez Al-Shaair and Joe Mixon, were trying to calm him down. His displeasure with his role is a recurring theme for him this season and has now led to another lost opportunity.
Johnson, previously claimed off waivers after a rocky seven weeks with the Baltimore Ravens, caught one pass in a playoff win for 12 yards. It was his only target and he played 16 snaps on offense for 22 percent of the playing time.
He’s a pending unrestricted free agent.
The Texans are replacing Johnson on the 53-man roster by promoting wide receiver Jared Wayne from the practice squad, per a league source. Wayne is a former undrafted free agent from Pitt who has played in three games this season, primarily on special teams, with no targets and catches.
Johnson was jettisoned from the Ravens as drama behind the scenes stemming from his displeasure with his lack of touches in the offense ultimately came to a head as his business relationship with the team deteriorated to the point where he was placed on waivers.
The Texans also placed rookie tight end Cade Stover on injured reserve. Stover suffered a broken collarbone against the Chargers, per a league source. Stover previously missed two games after undergoing an emergency appendectomy before a game against the Miami Dolphins. The fourth round draft pick from Ohio State has a solid rookie year, displaying potential as a blocker and a pass-catcher.
Johnson caught two passes for 12 yards on four targets with one first down and returned one punt for zero yards in 22 snaps and 37 percent of the offensive playing time during a 23-14 regular-season finale win over the Tennessee Titans.
On his third NFL team of the season after a previous ill-fated trade to the Ravens from the Carolina Panthers that didn’t work out as he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team for refusing to enter a game, Johnson was supposedly off to a good start with the Texans.
“With Diontae, I was really impressed with this last week of practice,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said before the Chargers game. “I thought he picked up on the things we were asking him to do. I thought he had some really nice catches, really nice plays throughout practice and he got in the game. We were able to get him a little involved in the game as well. I thought he handled himself really well. We will start to continue to feed him more to see how he can help us.
“The skillset, the talent is there it is just a matter of him integrating into our offense and making sure we put him in positions to where we can accentuate his talents because he is a talented player. He has made a ton of plays in this league, and it is exciting to see what he has been able to do on the practice field. So, I am excited to see that come to life on gamedays. He has done a great job, happy to work with Diontae. He has been a pleasure to work with.”
However, Johnson is now off the team.
Previously, Texans Pro Bowl Joe Mixon expressed a lot of confidence in Johnson and the impact he can make now that he was getting settled in with his third team of the season as he catches passes from quarterback C.J. Stroud.
“I’m going to give y’all a treat: Diontae Johnson, he’s gonna look real good out there for us,” Mixon predicted before the Titans game. “Incorporating him into the offense, I think that was major. I’ve played again him for years. I’ve obviously respected him as a football player. For him to come in and us be able to uplift him, because he was struggling this year going from place to place and figuring out where he stands.
“He came in here ready to grind, ready to work. We love that as a Texans organization, as a team. I love that a guy will give his all and do everything the right way. He learned the offense real fast. The way him and C.J. are clicking, I love to see. In terms of going into the postseason, you can never take that for granted.”
The Texans, with a glaring need for a wide receiver with Tank Dell out for the season with a devastating knee injury, were awarded the veteran wide receiver off waivers.
“Just to be here, fresh start, getting around the guys just being here to actually be in the building and not worry about everything that’s been going on, just focus on the Titans and learning plays, I’m just taking it one day at a time,” Johnson said in his first comments after joining the Texans. “I want to leave that in the past. Fresh start here.
“I had a good time there, I got some good teammates I got to know. Those relationships are going to be here and I’m going to move forward here. I’m trying to win games here and go far in the playoffs. I see myself fitting in real well. Knowing C.J., I met him at a signing and kept in touch here and there throughout the season. To finally get here and be in the offense with him is just a blessing, just his talent he brings to the game.”
What happened with the Ravens? Johnson caught one pass for six yards on five targets and played in just 39 offensive snaps. He was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team when he refused to play in a Dec. 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then, he was excused from team activities in a mutual decision with management and the coaching staff.
Johnson has gotten extremely emotional and upset when he doesn’t get the football, according to multiple league sources. Several sources emphasized that Johnson has a friendly, kind personality, but can be volatile when things don’t go the way he expected them to. Teammates have said positive things about Johnson, who was warmly greeted with hugs by former teammates, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, when the Ravens were at NRG Stadium on Christmas and defeated the Texans in a 31-2 blowout victory.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
