The shockwaves are still reverberating around the Carolina Panthers after they decided to trade wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Although it seemed inevitable, it's also a damning indictment of the current state of affairs within this pathetically-run organization.
Dan Morgan practically giving Johnson away to the Baltimore Ravens made this pill even more bitter to swallow for fans. The Panthers got a fifth-round selection. They had to give up their sixth-rounder and also pay the majority of his remaining salary to strike a deal. This is the definition of a contending team preying on dysfunction.
The move reeked of panic. Of desperation to remove Johnson from the equation. The Ravens were only too happy to take advantage, adding the Pro Bowl pass-catcher to a formidable offense in their quest to finally reach the Super Bowl.
Carolina Panthers were backed into a corner with Diontae Johnson
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports provided some insight into why the Panthers let Johnson leave for nothing more than moving up 19 spots on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft as things stand. The insider revealed that the relationship between the player and the organization was broken. He added that teams around the league were all too aware of the predicament and exploited it accordingly.
"This was a relationship that was a failure to launch. Communication issues was how it was described to me. The return on this trade indicates the rest of the league knew that Diontae Johnson was not going to be a Carolina Panther for very long. I know there were teams interested a couple of weeks ago. Carolina started by talking about a Day 2 pick and then wound up having to do this pick swap. That's evidence of what the market is, sure, but the word was out that Diontae Johnson was not long for the Carolina Panthers."Jonathan Jones, CBS Sports
Diontae Johnson and the Panthers never worked out and the league knew it, as evidenced by the compensation Baltimore sent pic.twitter.com/TfblHnYpSg
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) October 29, 2024
Asking for a Day 2 pick and then accepting this sort of offer means the Panthers got fleeced - not for the first time since David Tepper bought the franchise from Jerry Richardson. Morgan is swimming upstream and fighting a losing battle right now. The former linebacker needs to weather the storm and hope things improve in 2025. Being reactive won't do anyone good, least of all if Tepper returns to his impulsive self.
This does nothing to alter Carolina's status as the NFL's laughingstock and one of the league's worst-run football operations. There was hope things could progress in some capacity during the offseason. But a 1-7 record coupled with ongoing disharmony and fan disillusion indicate it could be years before the Panthers become a respectable squad.
Supporters of this dismal franchise are tired. They're tired of being mocked. They're tired of being constantly embarrassed by events on and off the field. They're tired of having no legitimate hope for the future while other once-struggling teams around the league thrive.
Johnson's departure was always on the cards. The Ravens knew it and exploited Carolina's complete lack of leverage. Even if the wideout leaves in free agency, they'll get a compensatory draft pick for their troubles.
That's what good teams do. They plan with the long-term in mind, covering every base while also focusing on the now. It's about time Morgan and the Panthers started following this trend.