With Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins all finding new homes in the past few weeks, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson is arguably the best wide receiver remaining on the trade block. A third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Johnson established himself as a reliable receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers but eventually wore out his welcome with the franchise. Traded to the Carolina Panthers, first-year head coach Dave Canales believed the Toledo product could be a steadying presence for 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young.
That didn’t happen, as Young’s struggles continued and the team benched him after two starts. While Johnson found some life under veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, the 1-6 Carolina Panthers have no reason to keep a player on a collision course with free agency. With the trade market heating up, Diontae Johnson recently said he wants to be in Carolina, but that decision might not be up to him. Several teams like the Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Chargers could use another set of hands, and Carolina would be foolish to turn down a mid-round pick for his services.
Panthers WR Diontae Johnson on trade rumors about him: ‘’I’m here. I want to be here.’’
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) October 24, 2024
Diontae Johnson Addresses Trade Rumors: “I Want To Be Here”
Diontae Johnson says he wants to stay with the Panthers, but it’s hard to take him at face value. Less than a week ago, the visibly frustrated wide receiver told reporters that he “can’t play every position” following Carolina’s 40-7 loss to the Washington Commanders. In that moment, he wanted to be on the other sideline, and that dream could come true in the next few weeks. Second-overall pick Jayden Daniels took the world by storm, but the breakout rookie suffered a rib injury early in Week 7. While he will try and play through the ailment, it’s safe to assume he won’t be at full strength for quite some time.
Daniels’ natural ability combined with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme gave the Commanders one of the league’s top offensive despite an underwhelming group of wide receivers. Terry McLaurin is still a great player, but the supporting cast of Noah Brown, Oladmide Zaccheaus, and rookie Luke McCaffrey are nothing to write home about. A Diontae Johnson trade will make life considerably easier for Daniels and should help mitigate the natural drop in production that comes with playing through a painful injury.
Competency Around Justin Herbert
After a slow start to the season, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is fully healthy and firing on all cylinders. The former first-round pick had a fantastic game against the Arizona Cardinals, but it didn’t matter. The team lost a 17-15 heartbreaker, in large part because the Chargers receivers actively sabotaged the entire game. This depth chart was perilously thin to begin with, but it’s an outright disaster with Quentin Johnston and second-round pick Ladd McConkey battling injury. No team could use a Diontae Johnson trade more than the Chargers, and they can’t afford to sit around and wait.
At 3-3, the Chargers don’t stand a chance at the AFC West crown but could earn a Wild Card spot. However, the AFC is flooded with teams flirting with .500, so a single win or loss could be the difference between making the playoffs and sitting on the couch in January. Diontae Johnson would fix the biggest flaw on the Chargers roster, and there’s no excuse not to trade for him immediately.
Main Photo: Jim Dedmon – USA Today Sports
