Browns Sign Former Ravens WR

The move marks yet another return to the AFC North for Johnson, who spent the first six years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2018-23.

Baltimore acquired Johnson from the Carolina Panthers in a mid-season trade on Oct. 29. The trade quickly turned into a disaster for the Ravens, not because they gave up anything substantial — they essentially just traded down a handful of spots on Day 3 of the draft — but because he became a distraction for the team.

Johnson only appeared in four games and on 39 offensive snaps for the Ravens, catching just one pass for six yards on five targets. Reports emerged that he was unhappy with his lack of playing time, and the situation reached a messy conclusion on Dec. 1, when Johnson refused to enter a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Ravens suspended and subsequently released him in the days following that game.

By the general manager Eric DeCosta's own admission, the trade was a swing and a miss.

"I think we looked at it as a chance for us to strengthen a position group, potentially, [with] a guy we've played against a lot. I think we did our homework," DeCosta told reporters on Jan. 22. "We understood the risks and the rewards. [We] didn't look at it as cost prohibitive. It was a relatively inexpensive deal for us to make, in many ways. We knew that it wasn't 100% going to be a slam dunk. It didn't work out. We always try to mitigate our risks. "

"One of the jobs of a general manager is to mitigate your risk and look at the downside and the upside and see how it works out. In that particular situation, I really didn't see a lot of downside. I think we understood what the downside might be – that [Johnson] would be unhappy with his role, potentially."

The Ravens actually did claim Johnson on waivers during the playoffs, so they could receive a compensatory pick if his contract with the Browns is worth enough. Until more details emerge, though, it's impossible to know for sure if it will net another pick for Baltimore.