The Carolina Panthers' defense reverted to their typically poor levels in Week 4 against the New England Patriots. As it turned out, this was the final straw for one of the biggest draft blunders (and there were many) from the previous regime.
Ejiro Evero banged the table hard for D.J. Johnson. General manager Dan Morgan was also in the draft room as Scott Fitterer's right-hand man when the Panthers moved up to No. 80 overall in 2023 to secure his services. This dropped jaws around the league, given that the player was projected to be a Day 3 pick due to his age and inconsistent college production.
Fitterer panicked when other edge rushers began to drop off his board. Evero and others gave Johnson their seal of approval. Not even three years later, the former Oregon standout was made surplus to requirements.
Carolina Panthers finally cut their D.J. Johnson experiment short after one failure too many
After another woeful performance at Gillette Stadium, the Panthers had seen enough. Johnson was waived, which made him the collateral damage from another disastrous display that left more questions than answers. There weren't many tears shed among the fan base, as the player had not exactly endeared himself to the Carolina faithful after failing to meet expectations.
First of all, Johnson is not really to blame. He didn't ask to be a third-round pick whom the Panthers moved up to acquire. That raised the bar to a level he couldn't meet, and the signs were evident immediately. He generated almost no consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. There were some decent moments versus the run, but it was nowhere near consistent enough.
The writing was on the wall for Johnson this offseason. Carolina drafted Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. They signed Patrick Jones II in free agency. He made the roster after reportedly having a strong summer, but the leash remained incredibly short.
Johnson cannot be depended upon. That's the long and short of it, really. What the future holds for the player is anyone's guess, but the Panthers were right to end this experiment prematurely.
The excuses are starting to wear thin. Fans are growing tired of the same problems recurring. Momentum arrives, then quickly evaporates. It's a dangerous cycle that shows no signs of rescinding with Carolina at 1-3 and facing another lost campaign. Johnson was the sacrificial lamb in this instance, but it won't be much longer before the blame firmly centers on head coach Dave Canales and his staff.
As for Johnson? He might land on another practice squad somewhere. At the same time, he was an aging development project coming into the league, so this might be the end of the road.
Time will tell, but the Panthers should never have drafted him in the first place.