HOUSTON – The Texans, with a glaring need for a wide receiver with Tank Dell out for the season with a devastating knee injury, were awarded wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens, per a league source.
And the Ravens were awarded wide receiver and returner Steven Sims Jr. off waivers from the Texans, per a league source.
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It’s like a wide receiver for wide receiver trade, basically.
Johnson isn’t necessarily expected to play on Christmas against the Ravens.
Johnson was waived after a rocky tenure with the Ravens that last just seven weeks.
Acquired from the Carolina Panthers, Johnson was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team when he refused to to play in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Last week, he was excused from team activities. He caught one pass for six yards on 39 offensive snaps for Baltimore.
Dell is out for the season with a dislocated knee and a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Johnson was suspended by the Ravens in what general manager Eric DeCosta called a “difficult decision.”
Then, it was mutually decided to keep Johnson out of team activities.
For his career, the former Pittsburgh Steelers third-round draft pick has 422 catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns in stints for the Steelers, Panthers and Ravens.
The Ravens acquired Johnson and a sixth-round pick in 2025 from the Panthers for a 2025 fifth-rounder.
Johnson had 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns for Carolina. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
For the Steelers last season, Johnson stood around and didn’t attempt to recover a fumble by running back Jaylen Warren. He was derided on social media and scolded by coach Mike Tomlin.
A potential touchdown pass get knocked out of Johnson’s hands in the back of the end zone, too.
Tomlin said Johnson needs to control his emotions. Johnson apologized to his teammates.
“I didn’t know the play was still going,” Johnson said. “Like I said, if I could make the play again I would tackle the ball.”
A Travis graduate, Sims has 78 career receptions for 704 yards, 174 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
This season, he has no catches in seven games. He returned a punt for a touchdown in an AFC divisional round playoff game loss for the Texans against the Ravens last season.
Sims averaged 6.2 yards per punt return after averaging 12.3 yards per punt return last season. He is averaging 27.9 yards per kickoff return this season. He has two fumbles this season.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
