Wide receiver Diontae Johnson was claimed off waivers by the Texans on Monday, according to multuple reports.
Johnson will now get a fresh start in Houston as it looks to fill a hole with the loss of Tank Dell, who suffered a torn ACL and dislocated kneecap during the Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs, further stretching an already thin receiver group outside of Nico Collins.
Johnson’s time with the Ravens was far from perfect during his seven weeks with the franchise after Baltimore acquired the receiver in a trade with the Panthers on Oct. 29.
The 28-year-old played just 39 snaps for the Ravens along with making just one catch for six yards before he was cut on Friday.
But the bigger issues came off the field as he was suspended for one game after he refused to play against the Eagles in Week 13 and was excused from team activities last week.
Before the trade from Carolina, Johnson had 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns this season.
In five seasons with the Steelers, he had 391 receptions for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Johnson’s lone 1,000-plus-yard season came in 2021.
The interesting twist to the whole scenario is that the Texans and Ravens will face one another on Christmas Day.
The Chiefs, Chargers and Steelers were reported to be potential landing spots for Johnson after he had been waived on Friday.
However, the Texans were clearly in need of a receiver once Dell’s situation became as serious as it did.
“That s–t hurts. It hurts. We know how much he meant to this team,” Collins said of Dell, per ESPN. “But losing one of your brothers, man, it hurts. Speedy recovery for my dog. Mentally, he’s going through it, but we have to keep stepping, keep climbing for him.”
