The Carolina Panthers must improve defensively to stand any chance of progress arriving when the 2025 campaign begins. And the more pressure defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's unit can generate on opposing quarterbacks, the better their chances will be.
Dan Morgan invested heavily in the defensive front. Pro Bowl lineman Derrick Brown is also set to return after a lengthy absence. This is only going to help, but it doesn't bode well for anyone who underperforms throughout Carolina's upcoming training camp and preseason games.
And if two rising stars set the tone this summer, the Panthers can finally dump a disappointing draft pick who never looked capable of meeting expectations.
D.J. Johnson faces a fight to retain Carolina Panthers' roster spot in 2025
The Panthers traded up twice on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft for Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. They've both impressed in Carolina's offseason program, displaying the work ethic and explosiveness that made them so highly valued by those in power.
Scourton and Umanmielen want to log prominent reps on the starting rotation immediately. The Panthers also have two dependable veterans in D.J. Wonnum and free-agent signing Patrick Jones II, which makes D.J. Johnson the odd man out unless there's a drastic turnaround in fortunes.
Bewilderment was in plentiful supply when the Panthers traded up to No. 80 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft for Johnson, an aging development project with a Day 3 grade according to most analysts. The former Oregon standout has played like a late-rounder over his first two seasons, and he might not get a third if significant improvements aren't made.
Johnson isn't up to the required standard. The Panthers are running a developmental staff with head coach Dave Canales leading the charge, but their moves over Morgan's second recruitment period suggest they are poised to cut the cord on this project way ahead of time.
It wasn't Johnson's fault that he was taken so high in the pecking order. That dubious distinction falls on previous general manager Scott Fitterer, who panicked when edge rushers began to fall off his board and reacted poorly. This also raised assumptions regarding his on-field influence that never matched his talent level.
The Panthers could take him onto the 53-man roster, but it would be nothing more than the fifth option. And if special-teams ace Amare Barno proves his fitness, that might be the final nail in Johnson's proverbial coffin in Carolina.