Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson relishing return to role as top option with new team

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Diontae Johnson is relishing the prospect of being a No. 1 wide receiver again.

When Johnson was acquired by the Panthers in an offseason trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was informed by new head coach Dave Canales that he’d be the primary option in Carolina’s passing game.

“I liked to hear that,” said Johnson, who is entering his sixth season in the league. “Now it’s up to me to run my routes and get open.”

Johnson is familiar with being the go-to guy.

From 2020-22, he averaged 94 catches, 989 yards and five touchdowns per season for the Steelers, including a huge season in 2021 when he had a career-high 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns while being targeted 169 times.

But Johnson’s role dropped off significantly last season with the emergence of wide receiver George Pickens and Pittsburgh’s inconsistency at quarterback. He was targeted a career-low 87 times and finished the season with just 51 catches for 717 yards and five TDs.

Although he declined to provide any personal statistical predictions for this season, Johnson said he feels “very confident” that he can get back to the production level of 2021 and be a dominant receiver.

The Panthers feel that way too, which is why they sent starting cornerback Donte Jackson to the Steelers to get Johnson.

“As we build our offense, we will really try to feature someone — and for us right now it’s ‘Where’s Diontae Johnson at?’” Canales said.

Canales said the Panthers plan to move Johnson around in different formations, and he has been spotted lining up in the backfield during training camp. Canales isn’t worried about teams focusing their attention on Johnson.

“Tendencies are OK as long as you know you have them,” Canales said. “The defense is going to be looking for someone and I think that opens everything else. So I think the patience of the quarterback going through progressions and finding the next guy, and I think the (other) receivers and tight ends will come alive after that.”

Johnson sat out Wednesday’s practice with what Canales described as a mild groin sprain, but the injury is not considered serious. It’s unclear if he will participate in the team’s joint practice with Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Thursday in Charlotte.

The Panthers could certainly use a boost from Johnson.

He joins an offense that was one of the worst in the league last season and was shutout the final two games of the season with rookie Bryce Young struggling to make his mark at quarterback. Young was 2-14 as a starter and finished with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

But Johnson likes what he’s seen from Young in practice saying he has poise and confidence. Johnson said Young has the skills to excel at the NFL level.

“I think he’s going to surprise some people,” Johnson said. “I think this offense will surprise some people.”

The Panthers spent the offseason putting some new players around Young.

They invested more than $150 million on guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to bolster a porous offensive line, and drafted wide receiver Xavier Legette from South Carolina in the first round to go with Johnson. Adam Thielen, by far the team’s most reliable receiver in 2023, returns and the Panthers are optimistic former second-round draft picks Jonathan Mingo (2023) and Terrace Marshall Jr. (2021) can take the next step and develop into consistent playmakers.

Young has already developed a good rapport with Johnson in practice with the duo hooking up on short and intermediate routes on a consistent basis.

That has Young excited for the season.

“To see the amount of fire that he comes out with every day, saying, ‘hey, let’s get this right after practice’ and just how competitive he is, you can see how much he cares about this,” Young said. “He cares about the details and little things.”