Ravens head coach John Harbaugh on Sunday dismissed why wide receiver Deonte Johnson didn’t play a snap in Baltimore’s loss to the Eagles despite being dressed and active.
On Monday, the answer remained a mystery. Asked to clarify Johnson’s status, Harbaugh had this to say:
“At this point, I have to wait, just to clarify,” Harbaugh said. “There are some moving parts that we have to figure out and explore and just see where we’re at.
“I know it’s not the answer you want. But it’s the best I can do to be fair to everyone right now.”
Harbaugh declined to confirm when asked if he expected Johnson to remain on the roster after Baltimore’s Week 14 bye.
“We’ll just work it out and see where we’re at over the next few days and this week,” Harbaugh said.
None of this sits well with Johnson.
The Ravens traded for Johnson in October from the Carolina Panthers. Johnson was Carolina’s leading receiver at the time with 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns through seven games.
Johnson has been active for five games, including one start, since joining the Ravens 9 weeks ago. He has been targeted five times and has one catch for six yards. He did not see the field on Sunday.
It added up to a wild season for Johnson, a former Pro Bowler with the Steelers who caught 107 passes for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021 with Pittsburgh.
Baltimore certainly has room behind top receivers Jay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Nelson Agholor is Baltimore’s No. 3 wide receiver with just 13 catches for 205 yards in 13 games. But for undisclosed reasons in Baltimore, Johnson isn’t gaining traction.
The Ravens acquired Johnson for a late-round pick swap (fifth for sixth). The acquisition cost was low, and the Ravens could release him without a significant loss if they chose to do so. But for now, Harbaugh is keeping things in-house about what’s going on with Johnson and how the team might choose to move forward.
