ESPN’s Seth Walder: “Grade for the Ravens: A. Another contender landed another wide receiver via trade – and this is my favorite of those deals so far. The Ravens paid almost nothing to acquire a good player who can help them in their Super Bowl quest. In Johnson, the Ravens land a high-end route runner who can create open windows for quarterback Lamar Jackson. … In a vacuum, I like the pickup. Given the price? It’s a home run. A fifth- and sixth-round pick swap, considering that the Ravens will likely be drafting in the back half of the fifth round and the Panthers at the very top of the sixth, is worth the equivalent of a seventh-round pick in ESPN’s draft pick valuations (and that’s probably generous). That the Panthers also opted to pick up most of Johnson’s remaining salary for the year, per The Athletic, makes for a deal that borders on absurd.”
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin: “Grade: A. The fit couldn’t be more ideal, to be honest. Johnson is best-suited playing off other weapons, and his route-running should complement the speed of Zay Flowers and the power of Derrick Henry. His arrival also means less of a burden on fellow wideouts like Rashod Bateman. … This is a classic low-risk, high-reward swing, and the Ravens can reassess Johnson’s value come the offseason.”
USA Today’s Nate Davis: “Winners: Ravens and DeCosta. They add another weapon to what is probably the league’s most dangerous and multi-dimensional offense. … One of the league’s top general managers, he learned quite well during a decades-long apprenticeship under predecessor and Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome. DeCosta snagged Johnson for less than a song, making him the latest substantive acquisition in what’s become a tradition over the years in Baltimore – players like LB Roquan Smith, CB Marcus Peters, OLB Yannick Ngakoue and LT Eugene Monroe among the significant types who have joined the Ravens midway through a season.”
Zrebiec: “If the Ravens (5-3) and Panthers (1-7) continue on their current trajectory, the difference between the fifth- and sixth-round picks might be far fewer than 20 spots in the middle of Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. So for that small of a price and a modest salary that won’t have a significant impact on the team’s tight salary-cap situation, the Ravens get a wide receiver who can get open, create big plays and potentially help in a return game that’s been nonexistent pretty much all year.”
The Baltimore Sun’s Childs Walker: “This wasn’t the move we expected from a team that already leads the league in passing efficiency. The Ravens need players who can break up deep balls more than they need another guy who can catch them. That said, Johnson has been a durable, productive receiver throughout his six-year career, and he’ll give Lamar Jackson another target who can punish blitzes and make plays in the red zone. The Ravens didn’t give up much to get him and better yet, they kept Johnson away from AFC rivals that might immediately plug him in as a starter.”
The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer: “If the season’s first two months hadn’t already confirmed it, the Ravens’ trade Tuesday for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson left no doubt: This is the most talented group of skill position players that quarterback Lamar Jackson has ever had. Johnson, who was leading the Panthers in every major receiving category (30 catches, 357 yards and three touchdowns), cannot fix a beleaguered Ravens defense. But he can add another dimension to a high-powered offense that already ranks among the league’s most efficient and explosive.”