Pat McAfee guest calls Diontae Johnson deal a 'ridiculous trade' by the Panthers

Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi went off on the Panthers' agreeing to deal with the Ravens.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 29: Diontae Johnson #5 of the Carolina Panthers attempts to catch the ball during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers apparently made up their minds weeks ago to trade wide receiver Diontae Johnson. On Tuesday they pulled the trigger, sending Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for, well, not a whole lot. Carolina sent a sixth-round pick to Baltimore and got a fifth-rounder back, but given where these two teams are likely to finish in the draft order it's not much of a jump at all. On top of that, the Panthers are also paying most of Johnson's salary for the remainder of the season.

While it's fair to point out that there's a good chance Johnson would have left next year in free agency anyway and the Panthers would have gotten nothing, getting such a poor return for the best wide receiver on the roster is pretty hard to swallow. A lot of folks are scratching their heads over why they'd agree to the deal, including former NFL executive Michael Lombardi. Here's what he told Pat McAfee about the trade yesterday.

Michael Lombardi goes off on Panthers' trade

"The Panthers basically just gave Diontae Johnson to the Ravens..

This really was a ridiculous trade and I have no idea what the Panthers are doing" @mlombardiNFL #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/GPfPngxFgL

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 31, 2024

Not great. First-year general manager Dan Morgan has made some sharp moves - notably upgrading Carolina's offensive line in free agency and finding a couple gems like Jalen Coker. This one was not his most-inspired moment, though.

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