Carolina Panthers traded for Diontae Johnson
The Carolina Panthers needed to find a legitimate difference-maker for quarterback Bryce Young in the passing game. Dan Morgan thought he'd found himself a bargain when he struck a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
Despite accusations of being a locker room distraction and pushing Mike Tomlin to the brink of his patience, the Panthers thought the reward outweighed the risk. This didn't cost anything more than cornerback Donte Jackson and a late-round pick swap, so hopes were high that he could provide a spark this offense lacked.
It didn't take long for things to unravel. Johnson was a focal point but became frustrated quickly. Whether it was Young's poor play or the team losing, the former third-round pick had no trouble voicing his displeasure about the way things were unfolding.
Morgan and Dave Canales weren't going to tolerate such behavior when they were trying to reestablish the culture. The Panthers shipped Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens before the trade deadline. They got almost nothing in return and took on the majority of his salary to seal the deal.
Johnson went on a road to ruin after that, completely botching his contract year. The trade didn't come off, but Morgan deserves credit for pulling the plug quickly.
Carolina Panthers signed Dane Jackson
Dan Morgan was a big fan of Dane Jackson. This stemmed from his pre-draft assessment of the cornerback when working for the Buffalo Bills. He banged the table hard to draft him in the seventh round and his voice was heard.
After a decent career as a rotational piece in Buffalo, Morgan felt he was ready for something more. The Panthers made Jackson a high-priority signing in free agency and he jumped at the chance to link up with the front-office figure again.
Jackson looked set to occupy the starting boundary position opposite Jaycee Horn. An unfortunate hamstring injury struck during the summer, which forced the Panthers into a shift.
Morgan traded for Mike Jackson Sr. and the rest is history. When Jackson eventually got back, there was no role for him. Ejiro Evero tried him at the nickel without success. He was sent to the fringes and entered the offseason under a cloud — not exactly what the general manager had in mind when making this acquisition.
It'll be interesting to see how Morgan approaches this issue. He's got an attachment to Jackson, that much is obvious. Unfortunately, the Panthers are running things with less sentiment attached to the football operation these days.