What enticing traits does Diontae Johnson bring to the Carolina Panthers after the productive wide receiver arrived via trade?
Finding improved weapons for quarterback Bryce Young was a critical need for the Carolina Panthers this offseason. Those in power went a long way to achieving that by pulling off a trade for wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Considering the compensation attached, this looks like a tremendous bit of business.
The Panthers are sending cornerback Donte Jackson - who was set to be released - and the No. 178 overall selection to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In return, they'll get Johnson and a seventh-rounder. This is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward pickup and one that should help enormously.
Much more is needed, but the Panthers have a legitimate playmaker for Young to utilize. If further additions arrive, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft will have no excuses next time around.
That's for the future. For now, here are three enticing traits Johnson brings to the Panthers.
Diontae Johnson brings aggression
Diontae Johnson isn't the most physically imposing wide receiver, but he's never found wanting for effort. He never backs down from a challenge and adopts an aggressive approach that's hard not to love. One could argue his mentality hasn't been seen in the Carolina Panthers wide receiver room since Steve Smith Sr. was around.
While Johnson isn't anywhere near as talented as Smith, he'll bring the fire every time he steps onto the field. The Panthers lacked motivation and inspiration during Bryce Young's first season under center. Looking at the wideout's first five years in the league, that's about to change.
Diontae Johnson brings explosiveness
Whether it was Frank Reich and Thomas Brown's mundane scheme or the lack of genuine talent, the Carolina Panthers offense lacked any qualities whatsoever in 2023. Bryce Young suffered enormously as a result. Making things more dynamic and playing to the signal-caller's strengths is the primary objective for Dave Canales during his first season as head coach.
Diontae Johnson is going to assist greatly from an explosiveness standpoint. The former third-round selection out of Toledo is sharp out of his cuts and can make people miss in the open field. He's adept at moving off press coverage despite his lack of size and is especially influential over intermediate routes.
While Johnson wouldn't be classed as an elite burner, his game speed is solid. This is reflected in the player's superb production over the last five seasons, amassing 4,363 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns from 391 receptions during that span.
His career catch percentage of 61.2 percent is average, but it's also worth remembering that the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't exactly benefitted from stable quarterback production in recent years. Bryce Young is an upgrade on anything Johnson's had under center since Ben Roethlisberger in 2021. This was the season where he went over 1,000 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl.
Johnson brings something the Panthers didn't have before his arrival. This also doesn't preclude those in power from making further additions with most of their assets still intact.
Diontae Johnson gets open
Another major failure of the Carolina Panthers' wide receivers last season was an inability to create separation. Only Adam Thielen seemed capable of manipulating space for himself. This led to quarterback Bryce Young almost force-feeding the football in his direction with no dependability elsewhere.
Diontae Johnson gets open. He's a slick route-runner who knows how to use leverage to his advantage. He stops on a dime and has the quick twitch agility to make even the smallest window count. This is exactly what Young needs in pursuit of bouncing back from a horrific rookie campaign with mitigating circumstances attached.
According to ESPN's open score - which accounts for routes ran and success rate against various coverages - Johnson sits No. 1 league-wide over the last three seasons. This means he knows how to separate quickly and make a quarterback's life easier.
If Johnson can improve his ball security with better distribution, the Panthers have a steal on their hands. What this means for the future of others remains to be seen, but Dave Canales has already stated there will be no room for sentiment when it comes to molding a better roster this offseason.
Should Johnson bring the same aggression, explosiveness, and ability to get open into the Panthers' offensive game plan, the benefits will be substantial. And Young will be smiling more than anyone else.