Grading Panthers trade of Diontae Johnson to Ravens

The trade of Diontae Johnson isn't a surprise. The return for the Panthers is.

Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (5) reacts after making a catch in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers have officially started their fire sale, which is perhaps a very apt term for it, by sending Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens. It involved another pick swap much like the initial trade to bring Johnson in. Here's how the Panthers made out.

Trade grade for Diontae Johnson's Panthers exit

Just eight games into the season, the Panthers are calling it on Diontae Johnson. They're 1-7 and he's a pending free agent, so it made total sense to trade Johnson. The Ravens swooped in and offered a fifth-round pick for the receiver and a sixth-round pick. The Panthers get a D+ for this move.

At best, the pick swap from a sixth to a fifth ultimately means the Panthers are moving up 15 or 20 picks on day three. It's not that valuable to do that, especially now. At worst, the Panthers might own the first pick in the sixth round and the Ravens could own the last pick in the fifth. That is unlikely, but it's possible.

From a team-building standpoint, this is a solid trade. Keeping Adam Thielen instead of Johnson makes sense since he's under contract for longer, but opening up targets for Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and Jonathan Mingo is vital to developing them. That doesn't mean they should have shipped Johnson away for virtually nothing like they did, but it's a silver lining.

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