Why not? And what comes next?

Both reactions apply to Tuesday’s news that the Baltimore Ravens have agreed to trade a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for talented but mercurial wide receiver Diontae Johnson and a 2025 sixth-rounder. The Panthers, who obviously wanted Johnson gone, also agreed to pay a portion of his salary, meaning the Ravens owe the receiver about $625,000 for the rest of the season.

If the Ravens (5-3) and Panthers (1-7) continue on their current trajectory, the difference between fifth- and sixth-round picks could be significantly less than 20 spots midway through the third day of the 2025 draft. For that low price and a very modest salary that won’t have a significant impact on the team’s tight salary cap situation, the Ravens are getting a wide receiver who can get open, make big plays and potentially help in a return game that almost existed not all year round.

This is where the “why not” comes into play. The Ravens have essentially given up next to nothing to find a guy who can help them offensively and potentially on special teams.

Wide receiver didn’t come close to meeting Baltimore’s biggest need. Zay Flowers is on pace for an 87-catch, 1,120-yard season. Rashod Bateman is on pace to set career highs in receptions and receiving yards, and his three touchdowns are already a career high. No. 3 receiver Nelson Agholor has only scored 22 goals all season, but Lamar Jackson has shown over the last two seasons that he has confidence in the veteran star cornerback in Sunday’s loss to the Cleveland Browns Denzel Ward hit for a touchdown.

The Ravens have used their 11 personnel, or three receivers on the field, less than 30 percent of the time this season. Tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and even Charlie Kolar were involved in the passing offense, as was No. 2 running back Justice Hill. So it’s not like it would have hurt Jackson if the guys threw the ball when general manager Eric DeCosta made that move.

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Todd Monken’s offense was efficient, balanced and dynamic. The Ravens rank first in the NFL in offensive DVOA (defense adjusted above average) and Jackson ranks fifth in the league in passing yards. They also run the ball in a top position in the league.

However, Johnson just gives the Ravens another option for the defense to deal with. The 28-year-old had 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games for the struggling Panthers. Over the past five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson averaged 78 catches and 873 receiving yards per year.

Johnson can separate. He can excel in man-to-man coverage. He also has plenty of experience within the AFC North. At least with this move, the Ravens have significantly improved their depth and better protected themselves in the event that one of their top pass catchers is sidelined due to an injury lasting several weeks.

The only downside would be if Johnson, an impending free agent, complained about his role. Baltimore’s current group of pass catchers has had to embrace an unselfish approach in an offense that relies heavily on the running skills of Jackson and Derrick Henry and distributing the ball in the air. Six Ravens have more than 10 catches.

Flowers, Bateman, Andrews and Likely all had games this season in which they only scored one or two goals. To put that in perspective, Johnson is averaging more than eight goals per game in Carolina. It seems unlikely that he would consistently reach that number with the Ravens. Johnson hasn’t been shy about complaining about touches, chances or quarterback play during his recent stops. He was also criticized at various points for drops and not finishing plays.

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That obviously won’t work with a cohesive Ravens team and in a tight-loose locker room, so there’s a risk of volatility with this charge. However, the Ravens have a long history of acquiring outspoken players with notable personalities and ensuring those players thrive within the organization’s culture. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had no problems with it last season, even though he never got the touches he wanted.

If that’s the biggest risk here, it’s worth taking. And did we mention that the Ravens gave up virtually nothing?

This is where “what’s next” comes into play. If the Ravens receive the maximum number of four compensatory picks as expected, they will still have up to 11 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. So this deal with Carolina doesn’t affect the flexibility to trade more draft capital before the November 5th deadline if they choose.

And since they only have to pay a very small portion of Johnson’s salary, it won’t be too prohibitive if the Ravens want to make another deal via trade. According to the NFL Players Association’s Public Salary Cap Report, the Ravens entered Tuesday with a salary cap hit of just under $4 million, making completing a deal even more difficult.

But Tuesday’s acquisition won’t significantly hinder the team’s efforts to add another piece, and it’s become pretty clear that help is needed on the other side of the ball. The Ravens pass defense has been a mess for most of the season. They don’t put constant pressure on the quarterback. Reporting failures and communication problems occur every week. An already thin defensive line has been hit by injuries recently.

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Before Tuesday, the general assumption was that if the Ravens were to make a deal — and DeCosta always wants to be in the trade mix before the deadline — it would involve adding a pass rusher or defensive back. The addition of Johnson doesn’t change the team’s ability to do that.

If DeCosta just took over for Johnson next Tuesday at 4 p.m., one can even question why the struggling defense was neglected. But now? There’s not much to question about the Johnson deal, other than why not and what’s next?

(Photo: Jacob Kupferman / Associated Press)