Panthers HC Dave Canales says the team is not interested in trading WR Diontae Johnson

Canales has good reason to stick with Johnson, his team's best receiving option in a passing game that required a quarterback switch from Bryce Young to Andy Dalton to get going. Watching the Panthers' games, it's clear that Johnson is their best receiver, especially after they lost veteran Adam Thielen to a hamstring injury that forced the Panthers to place him on injured reserve in late September. In the two weeks with Dalton as the starting signal-caller, Johnson saw a jump in performance, catching 15 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

If Canales and general manager Dan Morgan agree that they want to win as many games as possible in 2024, they will keep Johnson. If Morgan is more interested in raising long-term capital, Johnson could become available.

Johnson carefully blocks out the noise. He has a job to do with his current team.

“At the end of the day, I can’t control some of what they put out,” Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. “All I can do is come here and continue to be the player I have been since I got here.

Like the rest of the Panthers, Johnson needs to have a much better idea of ​​his chances of success (and another contract sometime in 2025) since Dalton is throwing passes to him, not Young. But as is often the case in the NFL, the Panthers' overall record could play the biggest role in determining Johnson's fate. If they can get a few wins, they have reason to maintain the status quo with their squad.

If not, expect Johnson's name to be bandied about a lot in the coming weeks.