After being the subject of trade rumors all offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. That was supposed to be Johnson’s fresh start.
With the Panthers not in contention and Johnson on the last year of his contract, it made little sense for the rebuilding franchise to hold onto him past the Week 10 deadline. So, the Panthers traded Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens. But was the deal even worth it?
Did the Carolina Panthers Get Enough in Return for WR Diontae Johnson?
The terms of the Johnson trade are a bit of a head-scratcher for the Panthers.
Baltimore flopped 5th- and 6th-round picks to trade for Diontae Johnson. Now if Johnson signs a contract that is equivalent to $5 million a year – and that should be a layup with wide receiver prices being what they are – he will get the Ravens a 6th-round pick back in 2026. https://t.co/fzMugifBhm
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 30, 2024
The Ravens didn’t even give up a pick outright to acquire Johnson. They gave the Panthers a fifth-round pick in exchange for Johnson and a sixth.
Given that the Ravens are going to make the playoffs and are likely headed for a deep playoff run and the Panthers are contending for the No. 1 overall pick, the difference in the two selections could be only a handful of spots.
When talking about late-Day-3 picks, there’s no meaningful difference between the selections. While the Panthers had nothing to gain by retaining Johnson in a lost season — knowing he’s an unrestricted free agent in March — it still begs the question of what benefit they derived from the deal.
The #Panthers traded away Diontae Johnson for the NFL equivalent of a warm bottle of RC Cola.
But there are still six more days until the NFL trade deadline and there’s plenty of information to consider.
Musings on the deadline, a mailbag & more: https://t.co/OkGGsWhFTa
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) October 30, 2024
It’s a funny quote from the Panthers beat reporter, but also accurate. What did the Panthers gain?
Getting something is better than nothing, but the Panthers pretty much gave Johnson away. There is a point in any trade where the price reaches a point where benefiting another team is just not worth it.
The Ravens not only gained a top wide receiver, but they may not even lose a pick. As Adam Schefter of ESPN pointed out, they’ll get a compensatory sixth-round pick back if Johnson signs with another team.
Should that happen, the Ravens will essentially have rented Johnson for half a season and gained a draft pick in the process. Their only “loss” would be however far they end up moving down from their fifth-round pick to the Panthers’ sixth-round pick.
There’s a non-zero chance the Ravens win the Super Bowl and the Panthers finish with the worst record. If that happens, the Ravens will have moved down one spot to obtain 10 weeks of Johnson (plus the playoffs) and an extra sixth-round pick. Seems like a pretty good deal.
How Johnson Fits in the Ravens’ Offense
The Ravens already had one of the best offenses in football. Their average of 30.3 points per game leads the AFC and trails only the Detroit Lions for tops in the entire league.
This is a roster with no shortage of offensive weapons. Lamar Jackson is the frontrunner to win his second straight MVP award and third overall.
Derrick Henry is cementing his legacy as one of the best running backs in NFL history, on pace for 2,000 yards rushing at age 30.
Zay Flowers is building upon an impressive rookie year and Rashod Bateman is playing the best football of his career. They also have two quality tight ends in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
The Ravens did not need Johnson. But he certainly helps makes this offense even more dangerous.
While Johnson profiles as a WR1 target hog, that does not appear to be the role he will play on his new team.
Long Tweet/ For those wondering about potential impact to the #Ravens WR depth chart:
I’m told Diontae Johnson’s trade acquisition does not reflect a change in view of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman as the team’s current WR1 and WR2, per source.
While, I'm told Johnson was… pic.twitter.com/hQUNP9uhSf
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 30, 2024
To summarize Josina Anderson’s tweet, Johnson is not necessarily going to start opposite Flowers in two-receiver sets. He will likely share that role with Bateman. Flowers will remain the guy in single-receiver sets. And in three-receiver sets, Johnson and Bateman will line up outside, pushing Flowers to the slot.
An 11-personnel setup of Johnson and Bateman on the outside, Flowers in the slot, and Andrews as the pass-catching tight end looks incredibly dangerous.
At this point, the Ravens have to be considered co-favorites with the Kansas City Chiefs to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Thanks to one of the best front offices in the NFL going on 20+ years, the Ravens are even better positioned for a championship run than they were last year.