Panthers sign former Washington wide receiver to fill void from Diontae Johnson trade

Carolina added a former Commander to their practice squad to help boost its depth at wide receiver.

Tim Weaver | Oct 30, 2024

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 24: Dax Milne #15 of the Washington Commanders warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. / (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

The Diontae Johnson trade is a hard one to swallow if you're a fan of the Carolina Panthers. We had hopes that the Panthers would at least be able to secure a fourth-round pick but as it turns out they had to pay somebody else to take him off their hands. So, in addition to only moving up a few spots in the middle of the Day 3 draft order, the Panthers are also paying the rest of Johnson's salary this year.

With Johnson's spot at the top of the wide receiver depth chart vacated everybody else moves up a rung. At the bottom, the Panthers are bringing in a new face. The team just announced that they have signed former Washington Commanders wide receiver Dax Milne to their practice squad.

Panthers sign WR Dax Milne to practice squad

#Panthers added former Washington wide receiver/returner Dax Milne to the practice squad on Wednesday.
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 30, 2024

Milne (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) played his college ball at BYU, where he led the nation in catches (70) and receiving yards (1,188) in 2020. After that, the Commanders picked him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Since then Milne has appeared in 28 games but he has not been involved much offensively, totaling 15 catches, 120 yards and one touchdown. In 2022 the Commanders put him to good use a a return specialist. He totaled 311 yards on a league-high 40 punt return attempts as well as 300 yards on 15 kickoff returns. If Milne is going to have a role for these Panthers, it will probably be along those lines.