Predicting Carolina Panthers Diontae Johnson’s contract extension: How much will star WR make?

Matt Alquiza | Oct 3, 2024

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Carolina Panthers

Diontae Johnson has been a revelation for the Carolina Panthers.

The veteran wide receiver’s connection with new starting quarterback Andy Dalton has brought some positive vibes to a Panthers franchise that needed them desperately. Johnson’s last two games have been head-turning, even causing speculation that Carolina may look to deal their ace receiver before the league’s November 5th trade deadline.

Both Johnson and head coach Dave Canales have refuted those trade rumors, and if Johnson sticks around in Carolina through the end of the season, they’ll likely look to ink him to a long-term contract extension. Johnson is on the second of a two year, $36.7 million contract he signed as a Pittsburgh Steeler in advance of the 2022 season. The wide receiver market has exploded since that date, and the 28-year-old at the peak of his powers is projected to cash a massive paycheck this spring.

The question becomes: how big with that paycheck be? Let’s take a look at some of Johnson’s compatriots and how they’ve been compensated in recent years.

Recent NFL wide receiver contracts

Justin Jefferson is the highest paid receiver in this history of the National Football League. He locked in a four-year, $140 million contract this offseason, completely resetting the receiver market when his pen touched paper. That contractual number is the benchmark that elite receivers will be striving for going forward, but it is frankly unattainable for Johnson.

The Panthers wide receiver is currently the 24th highest paid receiver in football. My projection is that he will receive an offer from Carolina that will bump his ranking into the teens, and we have precedence for the contract Carolina may offer to their star.

Calvin Ridley, now a Tennessee Titan, received a four-year, $92 million contract from the Music City franchise. Ridley, 30, was coming off a solid campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and hit free agency as the top receiving weapon on the market. Johnson will find himself in a similar situation next spring.

The other big-named wide receivers hitting free agency at the end of the season are Tee Higgins, Stefon Diggs, and Amari Cooper. Both Cooper and Diggs are past their prime years, leaving only Higgins and Johnson as receivers with a full tank of gas left for 2025 and beyond.

Ridley’s benchmark of $23 million in annual salary is an attainable goal for Johnson. Terry McLaurin, Michael Pittman Jr., and DK Metcalf are the next three highest-paid receivers ahead of Ridley, and in my opinion that is the tier Johnson will find himself in salary-wise. Johnson will be nearly the same age Ridley was at the time of his extension, and their past production is similar, making him a reasonable comparison for the Panthers star.

Look for Johnson to ink a four-year deal with the Panthers, or another franchise, with an average annual value of somewhere between $23 and $24 million. A fair value for an NFL receiver of his impressive skill set.