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Former Steelers WR Begins Career With Ravens

A former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver will play the rest of the season with an AFC North rival.

Jack Markowski

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) reacts after a deep catch in the second quarter of a Week 12 NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, at Paycor Stadium.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) reacts after a deep catch in the second quarter of a Week 12 NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, at Paycor Stadium. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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A familiar face has re-entered the AFC North battlegrounds, though this time he'll suit up for arguably the Pittsburgh Steelers' biggest rival.

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who played for the Steelers over parts of five seasons from 2019 to 2023, practiced with the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday afternoon for the first time since arriving via trade from the Carolina Panthers.

The 28-year-old, who is a pending free agent, was acquired by Baltimore on Tuesday along with a 2025 sixth-round pick in exchange for a 2025 fifth-rounder. He was one of the final remaining premier options at the receiver position on the trade market, and because Carolina has found itself far removed from playoff contention with a 1-7 record, it decided to pull the plug and pick up assets while rerouting Johnson to a more tenable destination.

Through seven games this season, he has recorded 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson will now team up with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers as the Ravens look to clinch their sixth postseason berth in seven seasons.

The Steelers originally selected Johnson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Toledo. Over 77 games (67 starts) with the team, he posted 391 catches for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns while earning Pro Bowl honors in 2021.

Johnson agreed to a two-year, $36.71 million extension with Pittsburgh in Aug. 2022, though he wouldn't stick around to play out the entirety of the deal. He was sent to the Panthers back in March for cornerback Donte Jackson, who's started all eight games for the Steelers this year, and a sixth-round pick in the 2024 Draft, which was used to select Iowa defensive tackle Logan Lee at No. 178 overall.

Pittsburgh has a need at receiver itself, though it was barred from bringing Johnson back due to an NFL rule stating that teams cannot trade away a player and then reacquire him in another deal until two years pass by.

The Steelers and Ravens will play each other at Acrisure Stadium in Week 11 before matching up at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 16.

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Jack Markowski
JACK MARKOWSKI

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