Panthers to trade for WR Diontae Johnson: Donte Jackson, picks swapped in deal with Steelers

The Carolina Panthers weren’t done wheeling and dealing after Monday’s trade of Brian Burns to the New York Giants.

On Tuesday, the Panthers agreed to trade cornerback Donte Jackson and a 2024 sixth-round pick (178th overall) to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Diontae Johnson and a 2024 seventh-round pick (240th overall), a league source told The Charlotte Observer. The trade can’t become official until the start of the new league year on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report the trade of Johnson to Carolina.

The Panthers had been searching for a veteran upgrade at wide receiver but didn’t want to overpay or diminish their draft pick inventory this offseason. The agreed upon trade helped the Panthers seemingly avoid both of those potential offseason pitfalls.

Johnson, 27, will be penciled in as the Panthers’ top outside receiver opposite second-year wideout Jonathan Mingo and veteran slot wideout Adam Thielen. While Thielen eclipsed 100 catches and 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his career last season, the Panthers still needed a legitimate outside threat to help second-year quarterback Bryce Young get the offense down the field at a faster pace in 2024..

Johnson, a 2019 third-round pick out of Toledo, is capable of making big plays in the passing game. In five seasons, Johnson has caught 391 passes for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns. Johnson was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021 after collecting 107 catches for 1,161 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns in his third NFL season.

Johnson, who has one year left on his contract, is due a $3 million roster bonus on Saturday. The Panthers will obviously pay that bonus, but will also be on the hook for his $7 million base salary. Johnson has no guaranteed money left in his contract, so he might be inclined to sign a short-term extension with Carolina. He could also bet on himself and use the change of scenery as a “prove it” year.

The Panthers were able to keep a pick total of seven with the inclusion of Jackson in the trade. Along with the swap of late-round picks, Jackson will bring his talents to Pittsburgh. The Steelers showed some interest in Jackson leading up to the trade deadline last season, but the Panthers ultimately held onto him. He was expected to be cut at the start of the new league year before his $4 million roster bonus was due on Saturday, according to a league source.

However, Jackson and his impending roster bonus will now need to be paid by the Steelers. With Jackson also entering the final year of his contact, Pittsburgh could, in theory, look to rework his deal upon arrival.

Jackson was one of the Panthers’ longest-tenured players, having been with the squad since 2018. The former second-round pick appeared in 80 regular season games (76 starts) during his six years with the franchise.

Jackson’s tenure in Carolina had several highs and lows. While he produced 14 interceptions from 2018 to 2022, he failed to a haul in a pick last season during an inconsistent campaign. Jackson, who recovered from Achilles surgery last offseason, was ranked 64th out of 127 cornerbacks this past season by Pro Football Focus.

While the trade helped the Panthers gain an upgrade at wide receiver, their need at cornerback continues to be high. The team’s only proven players at the position are 2021 first-round pick Jaycee Horn and veteran Troy Hill, who agreed to a one-year deal on Monday.

Here is an updated look at the Panthers’ 2024 draft pick inventory:

Second round (2): 33rd overall (first pick in round), 39th overall (via NYG; seventh pick in round)

Third round (1): 65th overall (first pick in round)

Fourth round (1): 101st overall (first pick in round)

Fifth round (2): 141st overall (via NYG; sixth pick in round), 142nd overall (via TEN; seventh pick in round)

Seventh round (1): 240th overall (via PIT; 20th pick in round)

Correction: A previous version of this story said Johnson was a second team All-Pro in 2021. He was a second-team All-Pro returner in 2019 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2021. The story has been updated.