In Charlotte, North Carolina, the Carolina Panthers are gearing up to face off against the Chicago Bears this Sunday. A major topic of discussion has been the 2023 trade that sent top wide receiver DJ Moore to the Bears in exchange for the number one pick, which the Panthers used to select quarterback Bryce Young.
However, with Young’s recent benching, the Panthers’ long-term solution at quarterback is now in question. On the bright side, the team may have found a suitable replacement for Moore in receiver Diontae Johnson. Over the past two games, Johnson has been among the NFL’s leaders with 15 catches on 27 targets for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
Coach Dave Canales has made Johnson the focal point of the offense, similar to what he did with Mike Evans when he was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator and DK Metcalf when he was the Seattle Seahawks’ passing game coordinator. The chemistry Johnson has developed with veteran quarterback Andy Dalton is making him a top candidate to be one of the top wide receiver free agents in 2025.
With Dalton at quarterback and Johnson as the focus, the Panthers have averaged 31.7 points over the past two weeks, a significant improvement from the 6.5 points they averaged in the first two weeks when Young was the starter. Johnson’s recent production has made the Panthers look like winners in the trade that brought him from the Steelers.
Running back Miles Sanders praised Johnson’s ability to create separation in small areas, saying it’s “just very fun to watch.” Safety Xavier Woods, who played against Johnson two years ago when he was with the Steelers, said Johnson “kind of ran through us and over us” and that his recent performance is no surprise.
Johnson’s leadership skills have also gotten rave reviews in Carolina. He’s been quiet but effective, similar to what Moore brought to the team. The only negative aspect of Johnson’s game is his tendency to drop passes, which resurfaced last week. However, he took responsibility for the mistakes and has otherwise lived up to every expectation the Panthers had when they traded for him.
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