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Insider Scoop : Fire Sale as Panthers 5 Big Names Could Follow After Diontae Johnson Departure.
The Carolina Panthers trading wide receiver Diontae Johnson seemed like a foregone conclusion after he was inactive against the Denver Broncos in Week 8. General manager Dan Morgan was criticized for receiving almost nothing in return and paying for the privilege, but he felt ridding the franchise of this problem was worth taking on most of the player’s remaining salary.
Johnson is another player who left the Panthers when there was still more meat on the bone. The Pro Bowl pass-catcher will now look the help get the Baltimore Ravens over the hump. That’s not a bad spot to end up in after being shipped to the NFL’s bottom feeder earlier this year.
Attention immediately turned to which players could be next on the chopping block. Reports suggest the likes of running back Chuba Hubbard and stud cornerback Jaycee Horn won’t be going anywhere. That doesn’t the Panthers aren’t done disposing of assets if the right offers come along.
With this in mind, here are five Panthers players who could be traded next after Johnson’s hasty exit.
Miles Sanders is playing much better this season. The veteran running back has slotted into the complementary role behind Chuba Hubbard, making an impact when called upon and also contributing to the passing game for good measure. However, he looks like one of the more expendable all things considered.
Sanders is a prime salary-cap cut candidate next spring. Jonathon Brooks has one more week to be activated before the second-round rookie is forced to miss the entire season. There’s not much chance of that considering the uproar that would come with it, so the former Penn State star might be demoted to No. 3 on the running back depth chart if the Texas product is ready to go.
Whether there would be any major interest in Sanders is anyone’s guess. The Carolina Panthers wouldn’t get anything more than a late-round selection or perhaps even a pick swap while eating some more salary commitments. But anything is better than nothing for someone who won’t be part of the team’s future.
Diontae Johnson’s departure removes the Carolina Panthers’ most prolific weapon in the passing game. They’ll be relying heavily on young guys such as Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker to step up. This bears more significance if those in power also remove Adam Thielen from the equation before the November 5 cut-off point.
Thielen signed for the Panthers in 2023 after being sold dreams of playoff contention and a roster ready to compete by the previous regime. That didn’t materialize, so the front office could do right by the wideout and get him a move elsewhere if there is sufficient interest.
The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State had his practice window opened after a spell on injured reserve with a hamstring complication. It’s impeccable timing that could draw attention from wide receiver-needy teams around the NFL who’ve missed out on some deals to date.
There are some financial factors to consider when examining Thielen’s trade value. The veteran would likely relish the chance to finish his prolific career on a contending team, but the Panthers won’t want to leave themselves short after removing Johnson from the equation.
Jonathan Mingo looks like a draft bust. He came into the Panthers with great fanfare and the supposed potential to be the next athletically imposing Ole Miss wide receiver to achieve success in the pros. It’s been an unmitigated disaster with no signs of getting better anytime soon.
Mingo didn’t bring in any of his three targets in Week 8, which was immensely disappointing with Diontae Johnson out of the lineup. Undrafted free agent Jalen Coker is way ahead of him currently – a damning indictment of how the coaching staff perceive his development.
The Panthers could decide to cut their losses if there’s any interest at all before the trade deadline. Considering how little they got for Johnson, the offers could be even worse or not arrive at all where Mingo is concerned. That’s a sorry state of affairs not even two years into his rookie deal.
Perhaps someone will see something in Mingo that the Panthers cannot get out of him. Time will tell on that one, but Carolina should be willing listeners if calls come in for the No. 39 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
