Image of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Diontae Johnson Ideally, we’ll want the vibe of Walter White. The contract is for the veteran minimum of $1.17 million, but it has no guaranteed money attached. At only 28 years of age, Johnson brings a depth of experience and new ambition. The team is really looking forward to being able to use all his talents. On January 14, Johnson was waived by the Houston Texans. Now, he’s hell bent on rewriting his story after a lost and stormy 2022 campaign.
He couldn’t hide his disappointment after receiving just 15 snaps in a wild-card playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers. This lack of PT has only exacerbated his hunger to show what he can do once unleashed on the gridiron. In his defense, in a somewhat recent public statement, he made it clear he intends to perform better and change people’s minds.
“I don’t want to just get up there and pontificate on the things that I want to preach to you,” added Johnson.
Despite everything he went through last year, Johnson has his sights set on the future. In an interview on NFL Network, Watson said he was thankful that the Cleveland Browns were the only organization to call him in free agency. This helped to stoke his desire to show a new side of himself in this exciting new phase of his career.
Johnson’s experience is a massive asset for the Browns. Hell, he and Jerry Jeudy are the only receivers on the roster to have at least 50 catches in one season. In 2021, Johnson solidified himself with a Pro Bowl selection. His best year came in 2012, when he enjoyed his lone 1,000-yard campaign and a career-high eight touchdown catches. During his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was a statistical juggernaut. He had 391 receptions, 4363 yards receiving and 25 TDs.
Johnson’s journey to Cleveland has been rocky. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft. He had certainly begun his career on a high. He found himself on the outs after being traded to the Baltimore Ravens. In seven weeks with a new team, he caught just one pass for six yards before being suspended for insubordination when he refused to play in a late-December game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
After that run, Johnson signed elsewhere with the Texans, where he had just two receptions for 12 yards as a member of Houston’s practice squad. With each transition, he has aimed to silence critics and prove his worth as an impactful player in the league.
Everybody’s going to have their opinions, you know what I’m saying? So at the end of the day, I’m the only one in that room that really knows what’s going on, Johnson remarked. “Last year is last year. So I’m just trying to combat that narrative and go the right direction and continue to go.
Diontae Johnson’s making a fresh start with the Browns. His drive and fierce competitive nature set him up to totally change his narrative. The upcoming season presents an opportunity for him to demonstrate resilience and reclaim his status as a key contributor on the field.
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