{"id":18739,"date":"2024-11-25T06:48:55","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T06:48:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=18739"},"modified":"2024-11-25T06:48:55","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T06:48:55","slug":"ravens-do-not-anticipate-major-role-for-diontae-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=18739","title":{"rendered":"Ravens Do Not Anticipate Major Role For Diontae Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Ravens were happy when they landed Diontae Johnson<\/a> <\/strong>at the trade deadline<\/a>, but the veteran wide receiver is not expected to step into a major role in Baltimore\u2019s offense this season.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Johnson\u2019s acquisition was more about value, versatility, and depth. The Ravens only had to give up a fifth-round pick for Johnson and a sixth-round pick from the Panthers, with Carolina eating most of the wideout\u2019s remaining salary. Based on current draft pick projections, Baltimore essentially moved back about 20 spots in the 2025 draft to add Johnson to their roster, a pittance for a receiver with a career average of 54.3 yards per game.<\/p>\n

The Ravens believed that Johnson was \u201ctoo good a player to pass up\u201d for such a low price, though they did not make the trade expecting Johnson to immediately slide into a starting role, according to ESPN\u2019s Dan Graziano<\/a>. Instead, he provides veteran depth as insurance for injuries to Zay Flowers<\/a><\/strong> or Rashod Bateman<\/a><\/strong> while giving the Ravens \u201ca chance to use more three-receiver sets than they usually do, should they want to go that route.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flowers and Bateman have been firmly entrenched as Baltimore\u2019s starting wideouts this year with a healthy dose of heavy personnel looks on offense with fullback Patrick Ricard<\/a> <\/strong>and tight ends Mark Andrews<\/a><\/strong>, Isaiah Likely<\/a><\/strong>, and Charlie Kolar<\/a><\/strong>. Johnson\u2019s main path to more playing time is obvious passing downs that require three receivers, though the Ravens rely on their league-leading rushing attack with Lamar Jackson<\/a><\/strong> and Derrick Henry<\/a><\/strong> to keep them out of such situations.<\/p>\n

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken<\/strong> hinted at the difficulty of working Johnson into the offense.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not easy for him,\u201d said Monken<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to try to find ways to get him on the field, but we haven\u2019t really lost anybody, we\u2019re doing pretty good with the guys we\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Monken has a point: Baltimore leads the NFL with 4,731 yards and 7.0 yards per play this season, with significant gaps between them and the second-ranked teams. Johnson still has the talent to contribute, but the Ravens won\u2019t go away from what\u2019s worked this season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n