The rich got richer with the Ravens' addition of wide receiver Diontae Johnson in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.
Baltimore's wide receiver duo of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman were already playing well, and Johnson adds another bona fide speed and route-running threat for Lamar Jackson.
Here's a look at the film from this season to see what Johnson is doing well:
Ravens got another premier separator.
Baltimore already had two of the best in the league in creating separation in Flowers and Bateman. Johnson fits right in, giving Baltimore another weapon in their quest to knock off the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The Ravens ran into trouble last season in the AFC Championship when the Chiefs played man-to-man press coverage and dared Baltimore to beat them on the outside.
Baltimore was already better equipped to handle that this year, but Johnson is another tough cover in man-to-man coverage. He's a premier route-runner who can challenge cornerbacks vertically with his speed and set-up moves.
Johnson's quarterbacks the last three seasons have been Andy Dalton, Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett, and Mitchell Trubisky. Now he has Jackson, who can better take advantage of the top-tier separation that Johnson can generate.
More three-wide receiver looks?
The Ravens have not used as many three wide receiver formations as they did last year. This year, they've gone three wide 32% of the time. Last year, when they had Odell Beckham Jr., it was 56.5%.
The Johnson addition likely won't dramatically shake up a No. 1-ranked offense that is humming. The Ravens aren't going to suddenly go back to the Year 1 Todd Monken offense. However, the Ravens could have an uptick in three-wide formations with Johnson on board.
Johnson has played the majority of snaps during his career as an outside wide receiver, but he's shown this season in Carolina that he can be highly effective in the slot, where he has caught 11 of 16 targets for 112 yards and two touchdowns, per Next Gen Stats. That's good for a quarterback rating of 102.1.
Isaiah Likely (98) leads the Ravens in routes run from the slot, followed by Mark Andrews (80), Flowers (68), and Nelson Agholor (62). Johnson isn't going to take over slot duties, but he will be worked into that mix, especially when the Ravens go three-wide.
A new Slant King?
Beckham had a reputation for being dangerous on slants, which earned him the nickname of the "Slant King." The Ravens saw some flashes of that, but not consistently.
Johnson is known for being more of a perimeter threat, as his 242 catches on passes outside the numbers is the sixth-most since he entered the league in 2019, per ESPN. But his 2024 tape with the Panthers shows a dangerous target over the middle, which is where Baltimore may be able to use him more.
Last year, the Steelers rarely attacked between the numbers, as Johnson was targeted on just three slants the entire season. This season in Carolina, he's already had 12 targets on slants and made seven catches for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Johnson carries a reputation for having some drops, but he's shown strong hands, particularly over the middle, this season.
Johnson is highly effective getting quick separation with his releases, and if opponents continue to play with a single-high safety and their linebackers either blitz or are breached, Johnson could break some big gains on slants.
Big-play punt return experience that could help.
Johnson hasn't returned a punt since 2020, but he could revive that part of his game in Baltimore.
Deonte Harty is on injured reserve and his replacement, Tylan Wallace, has averaged 10.5 yards per return and made the wrong decision fair catching a punt at the 6-yard line in Cleveland.
Johnson led the league with 12.4 yards per return in 2019, including an 85-yard return for a touchdown. The same elusiveness that makes him a problem as a receiver makes him challenging to bring down as a returner.
