5 blatantly obvious Carolina Panthers 2025 cut candidates entering Week 6
By Dean Jones
Dan Morgan has a lot on his plate right now. The Carolina Panthers are 1-4 and facing questions about the franchise's current direction once again. This was never going to be a quick fix and the injuries haven't helped, but the general manager should be acutely aware of the challenges that await heading into his second offseason at the helm.
Everyone expects those in power to get a pass for this season regardless of how it turns out. That's no guarantee given how impulsive team owner David Tepper has been since purchasing the franchise from Jerry Richardson, but patience is needed. Morgan is trying to make the best out of a bad situation right now. Giving him another recruitment period to put his plans into action would be wise.
This is a constant assessment. Some players are catching the eye despite the team's lowly record. Others are failing to meet even modest expectations. A select few have their futures hanging in the balance as Morgan moves forward with a business-first mindset that puts the Panthers first at all times.
With this in mind, here are five Panthers players who look like blatantly obvious cut candidates in 2025 through the opening five weeks of the 2024 campaign.
All financial figures provided by Over the Cap.
Blatantly obvious Carolina Panthers 2025 cut candidates entering Week 6
D.J. Johnson - Carolina Panthers OLB
- Dead cap figure: $501,086
- Money saved: $999,729
There are almost financial implications to D.J. Johnson's future one way or another. However, this experiment needs to end.
Johnson was a controversial selection in the 2023 NFL Draft when the Carolina Panthers traded up to land the aging edge rusher at No. 80 overall. Ejiro Evero reportedly banged the table hard for the prospect given his scheme fit. Previous general manager Scott Fitterer panicked when other players of interest began dropping off his board. This is not the way to run a composed draft and the franchise paid a heavy price.
The former Oregon standout hasn't shown any notable growth in Year 2 of his professional career. The fact Carolina is scouring the free-agent market almost weekly in a desperate attempt to resolve its pass-rushing issues is a damning indictment of Johnson's progress. His 57.1 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus ranks No. 108 out of 169 eligible edge defenders. That's nowhere near the level anticipated.
If general manager Dan Morgan addresses his pass-rush reinforcements with urgency during the offseason, Johnson's departure should soon follow. Yet another draft blunder from Fitterer that became a hallmark of his time in Carolina.