The Cleveland Browns have decided to roll the dice again.
Just days after making headlines with their unexpected draft selection of quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the Browns are back in the game, this time for signing wide receiver Diontae Johnson, whose recent NFL journey has been anything but smooth.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Johnson has agreed to a one-year deal with Cleveland. This marks his fourth team in less than a year, a rapid carousel that saw him traded, cut, suspended, and sidelined before finally landing in what could be his last shot at redemption. With recent history in mind, the Browns now find themselves with yet another player facing serious questions about attitude and consistency.
Browns’ Pattern Of Risky Moves
Johnson’s arrival continues a growing trend in Cleveland. The Browns seem determined to build a high-risk, high-reward roster, including a quarterback known more for his personality than his poise in the pocket and a wide receiver who burned bridges in multiple locker rooms last season.
It all started with the March 2024 trade that sent Johnson from the Steelers to the Panthers. Seven months later, the Panthers moved him to Baltimore, where things unraveled quickly. In December, Johnson refused to take the field during a Week 13 loss to the Eagles, prompting the Ravens to suspend and then waive him for conduct detrimental to the team. Houston took a brief chance on him, but after just two appearances and minimal impact, they too showed him the door.
Now 28, Johnson heads to Cleveland hoping to reset his career. He caught 107 passes for over 1,100 yards in 2021 with the Steelers, but recent struggles have raised serious doubts. In Houston, he logged just two catches on four targets, a stunning drop for a player once considered a key weapon in Pittsburgh’s offense.
The Browns, meanwhile, are no strangers to controversial calls. Their fully guaranteed $230 million contract with Deshaun Watson in 2022 remains one of the most scrutinized deals in NFL history. After serving an 11-game suspension related to more than 20 sexual misconduct allegations and dealing with recurring injuries, Watson’s tenure has yet to live up to expectations.
Now with Sanders and Johnson in the fold, the Browns have again leaned into volatility. Whether this latest gamble pays off or implodes, they’re not afraid to take chances.
