Why is Diontae Johnson missing from practice? Inside Ravens WR's drama with Baltimore
What is going on with Diontae Johnson's situation with the Baltimore Ravens? The Ravens just announced on Monday afternoon that they have mutually agreed to excuse Johnson from team activites this week.
This comes after the team suspended him from yesterday's game against the New York Giants after being detrimental to the team to the week before.
The Ravens tweeted this afternoon:
"We have mutually agreed with Diontae Johnson to excuse him from team activities this week."
Baltimore traded for Johnson before this year's trade deadline, and it's been a messy situation since. In his first four games with the Ravens, Johnson caught one ball for six yards on five total targets.
Before the Ravens' Week 14 bye, Johnson refused to enter the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, leading to his one-game suspension against the Giants this past Sunday.
NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo reported that Johson being excused from team activities this week isn't an extension of his suspension.
He tweeted:
"This is not an extension of the suspension for Diontae Johnson. #Ravens and his camp working through their options right now."
All the information isn't known about why Johnson and the team mutually agreed to keep him to keep him out of team activities this week. He could be dealing with a family matter, keeping him away from team activities.
Something else could have happened behind the scenes leading up to yesterday's game that resulted in the disciplinary action.
The Baltimore Ravens said Diontae Johnson would be a "key contributing factor" upon returning from his suspension
Diontae Johnson's situation with the Baltimore Ravens is interesting to say the least.
Johnson is a former 1,000-yard wide recevier, and hasn't been involved much in any of the games he played in with the Ravens. It was also very bizarre to hear the news of him refusing to play in the team's game against the Eagles.
Despite being suspended for a game for the action, the Ravens reportedly planned to get him back involved upon returning back to the team building on Monday. Garafolo reported that there was "no reason to believe" that Johnson wouldn't suit up again for Baltimore this season.
Garafolo reported:
“The hope is that Johnson, who is expected to return to the building on Monday, will find his way back into the good graces of this team and be a key contributing factor for them down the stretch … No reason to believe at this point that he won't suit up for the team again."
The Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers this Saturday. As of right now, it is unclear whether or not Johnson will be active for the game.
With Diontae Johnson being absent from team activites this week, it doesn't sound like he will play.