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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterDec 9, 2024, 05:52 PM ET
- Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens insist they are focused on making a playoff run and not on the recent discipline of one of their teammates.
The Ravens suspended Diontae Johnson for one game on Wednesday after general manager Eric DeCosta said the veteran wide receiver refused to enter their Dec. 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. On Monday, coming off the bye, Johnson’s fellow wide receivers said they don’t have any issue with it.
“It ain’t a distraction,” receiver Zay Flowers said. “That’s not my decision to make. He’s still one of my guys. He’s one of our guys.”
Asked if Johnson would be welcomed back, Flowers chuckled.
“Yeah, he’d be welcomed back,” he said.
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Johnson, who is not practicing with the team during his suspension, will miss Sunday’s game at the New York Giants.
The Ravens (8-5) are in great position to make the playoffs, but they will likely need to win the final four regular-season games to have a shot at repeating as AFC North champions. Baltimore trails the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) by two games.
When Baltimore traded a sixth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29 for Johnson and a fifth-round selection, it was supposed to be a move that helped the Ravens down the stretch. But Johnson went from being the Panthers’ leading receiver through the first seven games of the season to totaling one catch for 6 yards for Baltimore.
In four games with the Ravens, Johnson has only been on the field for 39 snaps, and his lack of opportunities could impact him when he becomes a free agent in March. Johnson suited up for the loss to the Eagles, but he didn’t play a snap, even though starting wide receiver Rashod Bateman left in the second half with a knee injury.
“We all understand both sides,” Bateman said. “There are consequences that come with this game. I know he’ll be back soon, and that’s all we worry about.”
The Ravens haven’t really needed Johnson since acquiring him. Baltimore has the NFL’s fifth-best passing attack this season, averaging 243.4 yards per game. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is on pace to surpass his career high in passing yards while throwing 29 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Bateman also said this won’t become a distraction for the team.
“Everybody in here are grown men, and we all know we have a task at hand individually,” Bateman said. “He knows that, too. Hopefully we’ll see him back next week.”
Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked if there was a path for Johnson to return to the team after the suspension.
“The [organization’s] statement [following the announcement of the suspension] said that there would be no further comment on that, so we’ll just kind of leave it at that and see where it goes as time permits,” Harbaugh said.
The Ravens are currently the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff race and have a 97.2% chance to reach the postseason, according to ESPN Analytics. Baltimore’s final four games are at the Giants, home against the Steelers, at the Houston Texans and home against the Cleveland Browns.
