Diontae Johnson calls out Carolina Panthers' teammates after Week 7 debacle

Diontae Johnson was almost an innocent bystander as the Carolina Panthers fell to another catastrophic defeat in Week 7. The Washington Commanders lost rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels on the opening drive, but it didn't matter. They overwhelmed Dave Canales' men through an efficient offensive strategy and smothering defense en route to a convincing triumph.

Frustrations are building across the franchise. Players are looking visibly dejected as another campaign spirals into oblivion. Canales is trying to keep spirits high. Lord only knows what team owner David Tepper is thinking about the current state of affairs. It's a complete mess with no end in sight.

Johnson was expected to become a force versus a vulnerable Commanders' secondary who were torched by Zay Flowers at the Baltimore Ravens. The Pro Bowl pass-catcher was dealing with several injury issues but toughed it out, which didn't come with anything more than one reception from three targets for 17 receiving yards.

Diontae Johnson calls out Carolina Panthers' teammates for lack of execution

That was embarrassingly good enough for the second-most receiving yards on the day. Johnson was visibly disinterested and deflated after the game, calling out his teammates for their lack of execution and demanding this underperforming team to do their job with more conviction.

"I mean, frustrated, but I can't play every position on the field and make every play, you know what I'm saying? So everybody gotta do they job when it comes down to it. So yeah, it's tough, but I just gotta tell myself to keep going regardless."

- Diontae Johnson via Joe Person/X

This is not quite the functional operation Johnson is used to. Going from Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to this must make him miss being part of the AFC North set-up, especially considering they're currently at 5-2 with a strong chance to make the postseason.

Johnson's been the subject of intense trade speculation despite arriving during the offseason. The Panthers need to stockpile assets before the 2025 recruitment period begins. There are plenty of receiver-needy teams around the league. Potential options also decreased once Davante Adams and Amari Cooper got moved in quick succession.

Letting good players leave became synonymous with previous regimes. Johnson would become the latest in a long line who'd probably go on to thrive elsewhere. But if the wideout signals his intent to depart once his contract expires next spring, which seems highly likely all things considered, general manager Dan Morgan must extract maximum value while he still has leverage.

Things don't get any easier for the Panthers next weekend when they travel to the Denver Broncos. Johnson can see things unraveling and is discontented. Whether that results in forcing the issue and demanding a move away remains to be seen.

Just where the Panthers go from here is anyone's guess. They are under-strength, devoid of any depth, and have no real long-term plan at the quarterback position. That's a dangerous concoction that almost always amounts to a prolonged failure in the NFL.

Johnson wanted more upon joining the Panthers this offseason. But these comments suggest the high standards he expects from others are not being met.

And he wasn't afraid to let them know about it.

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