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Panthers Gifted Massive Trade Leverage With Star WR After Stunning Week 8 Injury

With Jags WR Christian Kirk out for the rest of the season, the Carolina Panthers can determine the best deal in a potential Diontae Johnson trade.

By Jovan Alford

Sep 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
Sep 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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With the Carolina Panthers suffering their fifth straight loss on Sunday to the Denver Broncos, it seems more likely they will be active at the trade deadline. One player Carolina will likely move at the trade deadline next week is veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson.

Johnson missed Sunday’s game with a rib injury but could be the next receiver traded after we saw Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins get moved over the last two weeks. 

The veteran wideout doesn’t have huge numbers this season (30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns), but it's enough to garner interest from other WR-needy teams across the NFL. 

Along those same lines, the demand for Johnson will likely go up after a devastating injury to Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk, who was viewed as a likely trade candidate ahead of the deadline.

On Sunday night, FOX Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that Kirk suffered a broken collarbone during the Jags’ Week 8 game against the Green Bay Packers and will miss the rest of the season.

With Kirk sidelined for the rest of the season, the Panthers hold a lot of leverage in a potential trade for Johnson. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that Carolina is seeking a mid-round pick in return for the veteran receiver.

If you are Panthers GM Dan Morgan, that’s not a crazy ask for Johnson, especially given the injury to Kirk. Prospective teams could try to lowball the Panthers in a potential deal as Johnson is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

However, the Panthers could surprise us all and keep Johnson to hopefully re-sign him in the offseason. But that option doesn’t seem too likely, so the job for Morgan and the rest of the front office is to get the best deal possible.

If things were better for Carolina, Johnson would be the perfect option to grow with this young team. But the Panthers are still a year or two away from competing in the NFC South, which has seen a new contender rise in the Atlanta Falcons.

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