Person: Panthers take risk in acquiring Diontae Johnson, but his upside is undeniable

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dan Morgan got one of the playmakers Tuesday he sought in Diontae Johnson.

But did the Carolina Panthers general manager also get one of the “dawgs” he famously referred to during his introductory news conference … or a mercurial receiver with a history of dogging it when things don’t go his way?

It likely depends on how often Bryce Young targets Johnson this season after the Panthers acquired the sixth-year wideout in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers that will become official Wednesday with the start of the league year.

Johnson is hardly the first wideout to earn his diva stripes. Steve Wilks didn’t have much use for the last one to play in Carolina, prompting Scott Fitterer to ship Robbie Anderson to Arizona for a pair of late-round picks after Anderson threw a hissy fit on the sideline in Wilks’ first game as interim coach in 2022.

Kno dat ‼️ https://t.co/MBpQ6PKVy4

— Diontae Johnson (@Juiceup__3) March 13, 2024

But after watching Young get knocked around last year while waiting for receivers to get open, the Panthers weren’t in a position to be picky when it came to categories such as “plays well with others” and “dives on loose balls.”

And it’s not like they gave up a lot for Johnson, who was second-team All-Pro as a rookie and a Pro Bowler as recently as 2021. Morgan sent cornerback Donte Jackson, who was set to become a salary-cap cut Wednesday and a sixth-round pick (No. 178) to Pittsburgh for Johnson and a seventh-round selection (No. 240).

With Johnson’s production declining as he entered the final year of his contract, the Steelers were willing to move the 27-year-old receiver. After a season in which defensive backs stuck to Carolina wideouts like gum on a sandal, the Panthers were willing takers. They’ll pick up Johnson’s $3 million roster bonus and $7 million salary in what amounts to a one-year trial run.

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If Johnson gets open, picks up yards after the catch and keeps his mood swings to a minimum, maybe Morgan and Dave Canales have him stick around through the rebuild. If he is inconsistent, complains to Young about throwing him the ball and fights with teammates — which he did in each of his last two seasons in Pittsburgh — well, it was worth a shot.

Asked for the scouting report on the 5-10, 183-pound Johnson, a pair of longtime personnel executives with other teams both began with snarky comments about his attitude. “Pain in the ass,” one said, “both on the field and off.”

But both praised Johnson’s playmaking ability, with one calling him and “quick and shifty” and the second scout describing him as a “good player (who’s) fast and dynamic.”

Diontae Johnson's season-by-season stats

YEAR	G	TGT	REC	YDS	YPC	CATCH	TD
2019	16	92	59	680	11.5	64.10%	5
2020	15	144	88	923	10.5	61.10%	7
2021	16	169	107	1,161	10.9	63.30%	8
2022	17	147	86	882	10.3	58.50%	0
2023	13	87	51	717	14.1	58.60%	5

When Johnson broke in with the Steelers as a third-round pick from Toledo in 2019, he ranked fifth in the league with an average separation of 3.6 yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Johnson’s separation became a little tighter each season through 2023, when his 2.9-yard average was tied for 54th among a group of 12 other receivers that included the Panthers’ Adam Thielen.

Thielen, who turns 34 in August, posted a 1,000-yard receiving season in his first year in Charlotte. Thielen again figures to line up predominantly in the slot, with Johnson the likely X and Jonathan Mingo the Z. But Canales likes to use his receivers in different spots, and Morgan is more interested in playmaking upside than alignment.

Johnson is an excellent route-runner, an area where he should be able to help Mingo improve after the second-round pick’s raw rookie season in that department. Johnson gets in and out of breaks quickly, and the Panthers hope he can rediscover his form from 2021, when he pulled down 107 passes (most of them from Ben Roethlisberger) for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns — all career highs.

In addition to Johnson, the Panthers brought back another receiver Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year deal with Ihmir Smith-Marsette, the team’s punt returner in 2023 who carved out a role as the gadget guy after Laviska Shenault was injured.

It will be interesting to see whether Morgan looks to add any other receivers or a tight end to replace Hayden Hurst, who is one of three veteran players the Panthers are releasing Wednesday. With a number of position boxes still to be checked (cornerback, safety, two edge rushers), there’s only so much Morgan can do in his first offseason in charge of personnel.

And so he took a flier on Johnson, who will bear watching — as the scout said — on and off the field.

(Photo of Diontae Johnson: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)