OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The future of wide receiver Diontae Johnson with the Baltimore Ravens is uncertain after the team announced Monday the sides have mutually agreed to excuse the veteran wide receiver from team activities this week.
Johnson was eligible to return after serving a one-game suspension last week. The Ravens disciplined Johnson after he refused to enter Baltimore's last game, a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 1.
Asked if he foresees Johnson coming back to the team next week, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, "What I foresee really, to be honest with you, and all I'm really thinking about right now is Pittsburgh and getting our team ready for Pittsburgh. So, he won't be here this week and next week will take care of itself."
The Ravens are playing one of Johnson's former teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Saturday in a pivotal AFC North game. With a win, Baltimore (9-5) would tie Pittsburgh (10-4) for first place in the division. With a loss, the Ravens would watch the Steelers clinch the AFC North title on their home field.
This has turned out to be one of the more puzzling trades in Ravens history. On Oct. 29, Baltimore acquired Johnson and a sixth-round pick from the Carolina Panthers for a fifth-round selection. Johnson, who was the Panthers' leading receiver at the time, has only totaled one catch for 6 yards with Baltimore.
In four games with the Ravens, Johnson received 39 snaps while playing behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor. Then, Johnson suited up for a Dec. 1 game against the Eagles but wouldn't play, according to Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta.
Harbaugh declined to explain why the Ravens chose to excuse Johnson from the facility instead of releasing him.
"I know you guys want to hear the story," Harbaugh said. "There's a lot of moving parts. There are reasons for doing things that are front office type reasons. Do I want to sit here and get into all the different calculations that Eric makes? I really don't. I want to think about Pittsburgh and our team get ready for Pittsburgh and the guys who are going to be here playing against Pittsburgh. That's my focus 100%."
If Baltimore waived Johnson, he could land with another AFC team that the Ravens could face in the playoffs. Without Johnson, quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens continue to rank among the top passing attacks in the NFL. Jackson is fifth in the league with 3,580 yards passing and second with 34 touchdown passes.