Is it an overreaction to say the Carolina Panthers season is over? After finishing the 2023 season with the worst record in football, Carolina hired a new head coach in Dave Canales and added several key offensive playmakers to try and make life easier for first-round pick Bryce Young. Based on one week of action, it was all for naught, as the Panthers lost in miserable fashion to the New Orleans Saints. If the team can’t improve in the coming weeks, don’t be surprised if they trade wide receiver Diontae Johnson to a new team.
Acquired in an offseason trade, Diontae Johnson proved during his five years with the Pittsburgh Steelers that he can overcome subpar quarterback play. However, he apparently cannot overcome Bryce Young, as the 2023 first-overall pick had a disastrous debut in Week 1. You can’t blame the supporting cast for the Alabama product playing this poorly, and if you don’t have a quarterback, you don’t have a realistic shot of winning. The Panthers will probably embrace another rebuild in 2025, and they’ll likely send Johnson to whichever team offers the biggest return.
Chargers, Ravens Could Trade For Diontae Johnson Following Disastrous Loss
The Los Angeles Chargers began the Jim Harbaugh Era on a high note, comfortably defeating the Las Vegas Raiders with a strong defense and a reliable running game. Rookie Ladd McConkey showed some promise with five receptions for 39 yards and one touchdown, but the rest of the depth chart looked as bad as you’d expect. Quentin Johnston has yet to play up to his first-round billing, and nobody else stepped up in DJ Chark’s absence. With postseason hopes, the Chargers could trade for Diontae Johnson to add some life to this passing attack.
Diontae Johnson is no superstar, but the trade target would be a clear upgrade for this team. Since entering the league, the wide receiver has made a name for himself despite catching passes from Mason Rudolph, a washed-up Ben Roethlisberger, Kenny Pickett, and now Bryce Young. If he can be a perennial 800-yard receiver with those quarterbacks, imagine what he could do with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Justin Herbert. The Kansas City Chiefs look unstoppable, but Johnson could be enough to get this team into a high Wild Card spot.
More Weapons For Jackson
The Baltimore Ravens lost a heartbreaker to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, but they will remain one of the top teams in the NFL. The defense is strong, Lamar Jackson is still an MVP-caliber player, and Isaiah Likely might be coming into his own. However, this team could use another wide receiver. Baltimore peppered Zay Flowers with targets in Week 1, and the first-round pick didn’t make the most of his opportunities. Flowers is a good player, but a Diontae Johnson trade could bring out the best in both guys.
The Ravens spent five years watching Johnson play for the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. If any team could get the most out of a Diontae Johnson trade, it’s probably them. Maybe Rashod Bateman starts playing like a first-round pick, but if he can’t establish himself in the coming weeks, Baltimore should pick up the phone and see how much it costs to get the former third-round pick.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – USA Today Sports
