The Cleveland Browns have experienced a lot of change this offseason, and that was for a reason. They had a disappointing season in 2024, and the last few months have been about seeing who will have a role on this team going forward.
Roster cutdown day is on Aug. 26 at 4 p.m. ET, and the Browns will have some serious decisions to make on who will stick on the roster. Cleveland's offense needs work, but it looks like they won't be keeping wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
Browns WR Diontae Johnson Will Likely Be Gone Soon
The Browns signed Johnson to a one-year, $1.17 million deal, but there's no guaranteed money included in the deal. The 2024 season was a massive disappointment for Johnson as he was on the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans. Despite being on three teams, he couldn't stick anywhere and ended up getting released by both the Ravens and Texans.
That's why the Browns put no guaranteed money in the deal. He has to prove it to make the roster, but he hasn't done that this summer. As highlighted by Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports, Johnson struggled in joint practices against the Philadelphia Eagles and had several drops. That isn't ideal, considering that Philadelphia has an open No. 2 cornerback battle that no one has been able to win.
He also ran a lazy route in the preseason against the Eagles, leading to a pick-six by Andrew Mukuba. Overall, this preseason, Johnson has managed to reel in just one catch for seven yards. For a player who needs to stand out in every opportunity presented to him, he has struggled to do so.
The Browns have Jerry Jeudy as the WR1 and expect Cedric Tillman to take a leap in 2025. While Johnson has a 1,000-yard season under his belt, that last came in 2021. Cleveland signed Isaiah Bond to a three-year, $3.018 million fully guaranteed deal on Aug. 18, adding another obstacle in the veteran playmaker's way.
The Browns have another young, speedy deep threat on the roster, and that is just another player who will be pushing for playing time. Johnson has been given multiple chances to latch onto a team and hasn't taken advantage. And that could be the case again in Cleveland.