Dan Morgan isn't running a charity. He's running a business, and it's been a long time since the Carolina Panthers were treated as such.
The general manager is a ruthless roster builder. Anyone not buying into the team's new ethos or displaying the necessary progress is shown the door. Again, this is the correct (and only) way to bring the Panthers out of the football wilderness and back to respectability.
And that leaves one draft pick from the previous regime potentially out of chances heading into training camp.
Carolina had to prioritize its defense this offseason. Morgan was a proud defender himself, so watching Ejiro Evero's unit crumble last season no doubt embarrassed him more than anybody.
Fortunately, the front-office leader recognized the need to be aggressive. Morgan spent lavish sums to improve the trenches. He found a marquee tone setter for his secondary. He also traded up twice on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft for two promising edge rushers — Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen.
D.J. Johnson could officially be out of chances with the Carolina Panthers
Couple this with Patrick Jones II joining from the Minnesota Vikings in free agency and the presence of D.J. Wonnum, and that's a decent pass-rushing quartet capable of providing an upgrade. And Morgan felt confident enough in the options to release veteran Jadeveon Clowney once reinforcements were acquired.
This is positive for the Panthers. But for D.J. Johnson, it paints an increasingly bleak picture.
Johnson hasn't met expectations since the Panthers traded up to secure his services at No. 80 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. This was perceived as a major reach by almost everybody after the pick was made. The former Oregon standout has done nothing to change this narrative.
As expected, Johnson struggled to generate pressure. There were flashes against the run, but the consistency is nowhere near the level expected. And now, there's a very real chance he won't be on the 53-man roster when Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars rolls around.
If Johnson does enough to make it, he will be nothing more than the fifth option. Not exactly what Evero or previous general manager Scott Fitterer had in mind, but that's what happens when you panic and overdraft for need.
Unless Johnson beats out special-teams ace Amare Barno and intriguing veteran Boogie Basham this summer, Morgan could cut the cord on this failed experiment. And in all honesty, that looks like a realistic outcome at some stage, regardless of whether he gets a reprieve in 2025 or not.
Johnson needs to improve and show the correct resolve. Nothing else will do.