Diontae Johnson trade grades: Who won the Ravens-Panthers deal?

The Carolina Panthers are going obscurity successful 2024. That gives them nan leverage to waste and acquisition distant a seasoned wide receiver they’d acquired past offseason conscionable 7 games into his Carolina career.

The Panthers will nonstop Diontae Johnson and a sixth information prime northbound to nan Baltimore Ravens successful speech for a fifth-rounder successful nan 2025 NFL Draft. It’s a woody that helps boost Carolina’s arduous rebuild pinch a humble draught plus and gives Lamar Jackson immoderate other ammunition successful his effort to triumph his 3rd regular play MVP award.

Johnson wasn’t singular successful Charlotte, but almost thing NFL related has been. Let’s break down nan woody and make a rash determination astir which broadside sewage nan amended end.

Trade: Carolina is sending wide receiver Diontae Johnson to nan Baltimore Ravens, sources show ESPN. pic.twitter.com/OwYA6YurRb

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 29, 2024

The Diontae Johnson waste and acquisition details

• Ravens get: WR Diontae Johnson, 2025 sixth information pick
• Panthers get: 2025 5th information pick

Ravens grade

Somewhere astir nan clip Lamar Jackson bounced a third-and-long heavy shot disconnected Rashod Bateman’s facemask successful Week 8, it became abundantly clear nan Ravens would beryllium buyers successful a marketplace rich | pinch seasoned wideout talent. For a debased cost, Baltimore went retired and sewage a 28-year-old target who goes from quarterbacks for illustration Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky to playing pinch nan reigning MVP.

Johnson hasn’t been awesome successful Carolina but still leads nan Panthers successful receptions (30) and receiving yards (357). His 1.76 yards per way tally rank 38th among NFL wideouts, correct successful beforehand of Bateman and up of akin waste and acquisition bait for illustration DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk. While not a heavy threat aliases a jump shot savant, he’s tin of thriving successful nan short aliases intermediate ranges to support nan chains moving — spot his 52.9 percent occurrence complaint erstwhile targeted successful his last play arsenic a Pittsburgh Steeler past fall.

That intends he’ll beryllium capable to return nan sideline and underneath targets that request other thief and let guys for illustration Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely to respire a spot easier. He whitethorn not beryllium a 1,000-yard threat, but he tin beryllium a due WR2 who makes everyone’s lives easier. All it costs was a switch of astir 20 picks precocious successful adjacent year’s draft.

Grade: A-

Panthers grade

Carolina was successful a reliable spot. The squad has fewer marketable assets and nan ones they do play wideout, where

a) their worth has been dented by 1 of nan league’s worst offenses, and

b) there’s a crowded marketplace wherever players for illustration Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins person already been dealt to needy teams.

Johnson is simply a pending free agent, which near him nary early successful Charlotte. He’s besides 3 years removed from his lone 1,000-yard season.

In a scenery wherever Hopkins only brought backmost a 5th information pick, this was astir apt arsenic good arsenic nan Panthers could do. Maybe personification would person gotten hopeless arsenic nan waste and acquisition deadline approached, but it’s besides imaginable that would person near a needy squad retired successful nan acold pinch a bunch of seasoned assets that yet mean thing languishing connected its roster.

So Carolina played things safe and made a sensible deal. It’s not particularly exciting, but it’s a sound decision.

Grade: B