The Cleveland Browns made a notable free-agent signing earlier this month, inking veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson to a one-year deal for the vet’s minimum.
For the Browns, they needed another veteran option outside of Jerry Jeudy. Meanwhile, this was a much-needed opportunity for Johnson after a whirlwind 2024 season that saw him play for three different teams. Johnson was potentially looking at a payday in free agency, but after things went south in 2024, he had to settle for a one-year deal.
That said, Johnson has a chance to boost his stock in Cleveland with a good season. However, he’s already getting off to the wrong start, especially in the fan base’s eyes.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the veteran pass catcher was among the players not in attendance at the voluntary OTA. She adds that Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski emphasized that OTAs are voluntary.
As you can imagine, some Browns fans on social media weren’t happy to hear this, given how things played out for Johnson last season. On the other hand, other Browns fans pointed out that OTAs are voluntary.
While Stefanski and some of the fan base are correct about OTAs, the optics of being there could’ve helped Johnson a little bit. The veteran wide receiver is coming off an unfortunate 2024 season.
He started the season playing for the Carolina Panthers, but was traded ahead of the deadline to the Baltimore Ravens. However, Johnson only played four games with them before they cut ties with him on Dec. 20, 2024.
But he wasn’t sitting in free agency for long, as the Houston Texans signed Johnson a few days later. That said, Johnson only played in two games as the Texans cut him after their wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
After bouncing around with three different teams, Johnson has a lot of work to do in Cleveland, as he isn’t guaranteed to make the roster based on his contract. The Browns could easily part ways with him at any point if they don’t think it's working out.
