The Carolina Panthers are playing the role of sellers before next week’s trading deadline. They are trading wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens, according to multiple media reports.
According to the reports, the trade includes a draft pick swap. The Ravens are sending a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft to Carolina. The Panthers are sending in the exchange a sixth-round pick in 2025 alongside Johnson in return.
Johnson is use to packing his bags and being on the move. It is the second time he has been dealt this year. The Panthers acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens’ AFC North rival, before the season, where he spent the first five years of his career. Johnson will become just the third wide receiver in the past 24 years to catch a pass as a Raven and as a Steeler, according to ESPN Research, joining Mike Wallace and Miles Boykin.
The trade adds a new valuable offensive weapon and an insurance policy, just in case someone goes down with an injury, to a Ravens unit that has arguably been the league’s best through the first eight weeks of the season. Baltimore leads the league with 452.1 yards of offense per game and ranks second to only the Detroit Lions with 30.3 points per game.
Embed from Getty ImagesJohnson joins a wide receiving corps that is loaded, featuring 2023 first-round pick Zay Flowers and 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman, who is in the middle of a breakout season with 22 receptions for 422 yards and three scores through eight games. It also helps to have Derrick Henry at the running back position.
A former Pro Bowler with the Steelers, Johnson was playing in his first season with the Panthers. In seven games, he was Carolina’s leading receiver with 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns.
He leaves an offense that has been among the league’s worst with Bryce Young and Andy Dalton under center, to playing with a two-time MVP and leading candidate to win this year’s award in Lamar Jackson. He is going to feel like a kid in a toy store. Baltimore, meanwhile, upgrades its already potent offense for a swap of late-round draft picks.
With an upset loss to Jameis Winston and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, 29-24, the Ravens dropped to 5-3 and find themselves in the middle of the pack of AFC playoff contenders. They trail the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs (7-0) by 2.5 games and are a game behind the 6-2 Steelers in the AFC North standings.
The Ravens are scheduled to host the Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos on Sunday before division games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Steelers in Weeks 10 and 11.
With Johnson now out of the picture, the Panthers receiving corps will feature veteran Adam Thielen, coming off a hamstring injury, first-round pick Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, David Moore and undrafted rookie Jalen Coker.
