The Houston Texans have picked Diontae Johnson off the waivers. The franchise made this decision after Tank Dell suffered a season-ending injury in Week 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Dell is set to miss a lengthy period as he tore his ACL, dislocated his knee, and also suffered other damages. The 25-year-old wideout joins Stefon Diggs on the injury list, and a move to get another wide receiver makes sense for the Texans.
Fans React to Texans Getting Diontae Johnson Ahead of Ravens Game
The Texans acquired Johnson just before their game against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas. The AFC North team traded for Johnson from the Carolina Panthers before the trade deadline, but the move did not work out, and they ended up releasing him.
With Johnson’s first game for the Texans potentially being against the Ravens, the NFL fans on social media projected a revenge game for the wide receiver. Here are some of the reactions:
He is torching the Ravens https://t.co/9N3nfQO77x
— 🎱🎱 (@Dak_2_Lamb) December 23, 2024
“We’re in business. Revenge game incoming,” said one Texans fan.
Another fan added, “Revenge game in your first game with a new team is wild.”
he bouta fry the ravens 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/4QZ1yzcJZy
— 𝒁𝒆𝒆 𖣂 (@OwnedByCeedee) December 23, 2024
“DeMeco Ryans can get him in a winning attitude. This is a necessary grab for Houston,” wrote a fan.
“Fingers crossed they let him get revenge on Christmas!! This playbook won’t take too long to learn,” said a fan.
Incoming random 13 receptions, 220 yards, 3 tds against the ravens https://t.co/GcLoB6lh2o
— Bam Adebayo and Bo Nix supporter (@Footballer_L) December 23, 2024
Johnson played four games for the Ravens and had just one reception for five yards on six targets. Due to his usage, he fell out with the team, and John Harbaugh ultimately decided to part ways with the one-time Pro Bowler.
Johnson, who is now on his fourth different team this year, played just 16% of the total snaps on offense during his time in Baltimore. However, he will get enough opportunities to prove his worth in Houston as the Texans will rely on him to fill the void of Dell.
The Texans have already won the AFC South, so their last two games of the regular season will focus on Johnson fitting into the offense. Having a player like Nico Collins alongside will make the job easy for him, and hopefully, he can build chemistry with C.J. Stroud.
Los Angeles Chargers Were Also Interested in Johnson
The Los Angeles Chargers were another team that was interested in claiming Johnson off the waivers. However, the Texans had a higher priority on the waiver wire order than the Chargers, and they got the former Pittsburgh Steelers star.
Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers had earlier also tried to get Johnson from the Carolina Panthers via a trade. Justin Herbert’s team is weak at the wide receiver position, and getting a player of Johnson’s caliber would have helped them in the playoffs.
Nevertheless, the Texans will now try to get the best out of him. Johnson played seven games for the Panthers before getting traded to Baltimore, and he had 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns on 58 targets for the NFC South team.
After this season, the 28-year-old wide receiver will be a free agent, and he must perform well for the Texans. Johnson has likely already lost a lot of money due to his time with the Ravens, but now he has the opportunity to improve his value around the league.