Imagine a wide receiver once hailed as the next Antonio Brown, dancing past defenders in Pittsburgh, only to vanish into a whirlwind of trades, suspensions, and locker room drama. He had been consistent in the Steelers’ wide receiving corps for five seasons, but about a year ago, the team decided they needed to make changes. The math was simple for HC Mike Tomlin. “We traded player for player, we had an opportunity to get Donte Jackson,” he shrugged.

It wasn’t as easy for Diontae Johnson, though; He was constantly on the move last year. Steelers traded him to the Panthers in March 2024, who, in turn, passed him off to the Ravens in October. Just two months in Baltimore, he got suspended “for conduct detrimental to the team,” the Ravens’ general manager Eric DeCosta explained. Johnson had refused to enter the game against the Philadelphia Eagles… The team soon released him, and he found his home with the Houston Texans, and their HC DeMeco Ryans had even expressed, “You come here and everything is a fresh start.” It wasn’t.

But all this also reminded football fans of the murmurs going around when the Steelers decided to get rid of him. Sure, Tomlin had already shared the reason, yet a couple of reports suggested otherwise. While some stated Johnson was heading into the final year of his contract as an explanation for the Steelers’ action, there were also speculations that the team wanted him away from George Pickens. Steelers insider Gerry Dulac was the one to claim this, referencing the player’s reportedly bad influence on Pickens. Either way, the shunned WR now has a new home… once again.

And he’s wearing orange and brown. Diontae Johnson’s journey isn’t just a comeback story. It’s a test of whether lightning can strike twice in a league that rarely forgives fumbles—both on and off the field. But Cleveland is ready to take a gamble with the player who was cast aside by three teams in nine months. And just like that, the Dawg Pound has a new chew toy. Kevin Stefanski didn’t hesitate. The latest update is that Browns signed Diontae Johnson on a one-year deal. While the financial details are still not available, certain reports suggest it is valued at $3.428 million for 2025. The team had $19.032 million in cap space available before signing him. What’s more?

Cleveland’s desperate for WR depth. After skipping receivers in the draft, the Browns now pair Johnson with Jerry Jeudy, hoping for a revival akin to Josh Gordon’s 2013 explosion, minus the off-field chaos. Now, Cleveland becomes Johnson’s fourth stop in 12 months. Their WR depth chart looks like this: Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Jamari Thrash, Diontae Johnson, Michael Woods II, David Bell, Kaden Davis, DeAndre Carter, Gage Larvadain.

The team added multiple new players to its roster during the 2025 NFL Draft. It used five of its seven picks on the other side of the ball, but none were WRs. They chose running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, TE Harold Fannin Jr., and quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. They had also added QBs Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, and now Johnson becomes one of their latest additions.

2021 was his best season as he was a Pro Bowl selection with the Steelers and recorded career highs with 107 receptions, 1,161 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. And in his entire career, he has started 75 games, recorded 424 passes for 4,738 yards and 28 touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how he gels with the Browns. And while Johnson seeks redemption, the Browns made another headline: Abandoning Kenny Pickett.

A quarterback carousel in Cleveland after signing Diontae Johnson

Cleveland declined the QB’s $22.1 million fifth-year option, opting for a ‘prove-it’ year. Pickett, traded twice since 2023, now battles Joe Flacco and rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. “No preconceived notions,” Stefanski insisted, though Flacco’s 4-1 run in 2023 looms large. Meanwhile, Pickett’s résumé—14-10 as a Steelers starter needs better numbers.

“I’m not going there to hang out,” Pickett told TribLive earlier this month. He’ll need Johnson’s help to survive this showdown. And ironically, Johnson’s best years came with Pickett in Pittsburgh. Now, Johnson’s 2021 Pro Bowl connection—107 catches, 8 TDs—is a flicker of hope. “Kenny Pickett’s a guy that I believe in, that we believe in,” Stefanski said last month. But belief only goes so far. Cleveland’s offense ranked last in scoring (15.2 PPG) in 2024. They need Johnson to be more than a decoy for Nick Chubb’s backups. But skepticism lingers.

Johnson’s route-running precision once rivaled Cris Carter’s. Now, he’s a reclamation project—a vintage Corvette stuck in neutral. If Stefanski revs the engine, Cleveland’s gamble could pay off. If not? We guess he’ll be on the move once again.

For Johnson and Pickett, that moment is now. Cleveland’s low-risk bets could yield playoff glory—or become another punchline. Will Diontae Johnson silence the noise, or will his past haunt the Dawg Pound? And can Pickett outduel a 40-year-old Flacco and two rookies?