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Daniel Oyefusi
BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns broad receiver Diontae Johnson mentioned Wednesday that he needs to “change the narrative” on himself after a drama-filled 2024 season during which he frolicked with the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans.
After main the Panthers with 30 receptions and 357 receiving yards within the first two months of the season, Johnson was traded to the Ravens with a sixth-round draft decide for Baltimore’s fifth-round choice. He lasted seven weeks with the Ravens, totaling one catch, six receiving yards and a one-game suspension for refusing to play in a Dec. 1 recreation towards the Philadelphia Eagles.
After Baltimore waived him, Johnson was claimed by the Texans on Dec. 23 and managed two catches for 12 yards in a single recreation with Houston. He then was waived by the Texans on Jan. 14 after he was visibly upset after enjoying 15 snaps in a wild-card playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Although Johnson declined to enter the specifics of what transpired final season, the feedback Wednesday marked his first because the ordeal.
“I do not need to communicate on quite a lot of stuff,” Johnson mentioned. “Everyone’s going to have their opinions, you already know what I am saying? So on the finish of the day, I am the one one in that room that basically know what is going on on. They’re entitled to their very own opinion, so I can solely go off of what I do know after which attempt to go off what I put on the market and my greatest effort. However like I mentioned, final 12 months is final 12 months. I am making an attempt to alter that narrative and transfer the precise approach and preserve going.”
The Browns in late April signed Johnson, 28, to a one-year deal well worth the veteran minimal ($1.17 million) that features no assured cash. Johnson mentioned the Browns have been the one staff that reached out to him in free company earlier than he signed.
Cleveland has a big void for a receiver reverse Jerry Jeudy, who was named to his first Professional Bowl final season. Jeudy and Johnson are the one receivers on the Browns’ roster who’ve caught a minimum of 50 passes in a season.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned he had a “good discuss” with Johnson after the staff signed him.
“Diontae’s doing a pleasant job,” Stefanski mentioned Tuesday. “Clearly getting on top of things with terminology and people forms of issues, and I believe we’ll simply proceed to work. However it’s good to have him out right here.”
A 3rd-round decide within the 2019 NFL draft, Johnson had 391 catches for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He earned a Professional Bowl choice in 2021 along with his lone 1,000-yard season and a career-high eight landing receptions in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s ultimate 12 months.
“I am nonetheless in that kind,” Johnson mentioned. “It is only a matter of every time I get my alternatives to place it on movie.”
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley contributed to this report.
