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Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen tabbed as potential options for ailing Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs

Matt Alquiza

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The Carolina Panthers could learn a thing or two from the Kansas City Chiefs. The midwestern juggernaut has owned the 2020’s behind Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Steve Spagnuolo’s vicious, über-aggressive defense. The franchise that has won three of the last five Super Bowl titles is undefeated through four contests in 2024, but their hot start has been pyrrhic. 

Kansas City, for the first time since Andy Reid’s appointment in 2013, is winning in spite of their offense. Patrick Mahomes has never needed a deep stable of weapons to lead the Chiefs to an elite scoring output, but the all-time great talent is struggling to move the ball with his bargain bin set of skill position players. 

The Chiefs top two projected receivers entering the season (Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown) are both done for the year, and their starting running back, Isiah Pacheco, is set to miss extended time. Left to catch passes from the reigning MVP are Kelce (still good despite some media questioning), JuJu Smith-Schuster, rookie speedster Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, and Skyy Moore. The Chiefs could use an upgrade at wide receiver, and fast. 

Kansas City’s scoring output has dropped every week. 27, 26, 22, and 17 are the Chiefs week-to-week point totals, resembling a middling NFL offense, not the world-beating, unstoppable unit of old. 

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Panthers could be of assistance. 

Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen could upgrade Chiefs weaponry

On a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee show, Schefter tabbed Panthers’ receiver Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen as potential trade targets for the Chiefs. “Diontae Johnson is in the last year of his contract. He’s going to be leaving Carolina at the end of the year anyway. If they lose a few more games, why would you not be open to the idea of moving him if you got the right offer before the deadline. I think the same thing would be true of Adam Thielen. A veteran who you probably want to do right by. If you’re 1-6 at the trade deadline or 2-6 whatever it may be.”

A bit of a bombshell dropped by Schefter on Monday afternoon. If he is correct, and Diontae Johnson is likely to move on next offseason (that is a conversation for another day), than Carolina could look to trade the veteran wide receiver. Dan Morgan and Dave Canales quickly diagnosed the Panthers' need for a go-to wide receiver following 2023's offensive disaster, and they found their antidote in Johnson. Carolina acquired their leading target (and a seventh round pick) for woebegone defensive back Donte Jackson and a sixth round pick, and that swap has paid dividends early in 2024.

Johnson leads the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, quickly developing into the dominant target he was brought to Carolina to be. However, if his time in Carolina is limited, a trade deal to capitalize on their cheap spring investment would be a shrewd move for the Panthers first-year general manager and head coach combination. Trading Johnson would be a massive blow to the improved Carolina offense, but the vision is sensible.

Thielen, on the other hand, would be significantly easier to deal. The veteran wideout is already 34-years-old, and he's under contract for 2025 (albeit with a potential out in his deal that the franchise could exercise at the expense of $5 million in dead cap). Moving Thielen would open up snaps for Jonathan Mingo, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker, three developing prospects that need as much on-field action as possible as Carolina continues to evaluate their roster.

The Panthers have improved their on the field product. The insertion of Andy Dalton into the starting lineup has breathed new life into the Carolina offense, but apparently it's still not enough for the franchise to be seen as anything other than a feeder system for the NFL's elite. It's too early for the Panthers to consider positioning in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a trade of Johnson or Thielen would likely be the first step in that process, whenever that may be.

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Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

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