Updated Carolina Panthers 2025 NFL Draft picks after Diontae Johnson trade

The Carolina Panthers bit the bullet and traded Diontae Johnson. This always seemed like the most realistic outcome to this quickly developing saga. There was no chance the wide receiver was signing an extension, so general manager Dan Morgan opted to get whatever offer he could and move forward.

Baltimore got him for pennies on the dollar, sacrificing a fifth-round selection for Johnson and a sixth-rounder. Looking at where the two teams could be picking in the draft, it means Carolina is currently moving up 19 spots. They are also paying his remaining salary besides the veterans' minimum as part of the transaction.

The trade was inevitable. What the Panthers managed to get in return was laughable. And the fans made their feelings known about the way things are being run on social media.

Morgan is planning ahead. The Panthers are 1-7 and bracing themselves for another rock-bottom campaign. If he thought this was the best they could get to remove a potentially disgruntled player from the equation, that's his prerogative as the front-office leader.

It doesn't make it much better for fans. Johnson is the latest in a long line of players who felt let down by the franchise and left when they had plenty more to offer. That's been the tale of the tape since David Tepper purchased the franchise and shows no signs of slowing down just yet.

Some fans have already turned their attention to the 2025 offseason and the recruits Carolina could potentially acquire to help improve the team's fortunes. Given this isn't going to be the most enticing free-agent destination without overpaying, building through the draft is the only way this moribund organization will improve its chances of reaching respectability.

Here's how the Panthers' draft picks in 2025 are shaping up after they decided to part ways with the former third-round selection out of Toledo.

Carolina Panthers 2025 NFL Draft picks after Diontae Johnson trade

• First round pick
• Second-round pick (via LA Rams)
• Third round pick
• Fourth round pick
• Fifth round pick
• Fifth Round pick (via Ravens)
• Fifth-round pick (via NY Giants)
• Seventh round pick
• Seventh-round pick (via 49ers)

That's not a bad starting point for the Panthers. It won't help them this season, but Morgan has a long-term strategy in place and needs a level of patience.

The problem? Fans are all out of that after how things have been managed throughout Tepper's ownership so far. Something that's turned a playoff team into a complete joke in a relatively short timeframe.

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