The Carolina Panthers traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson and a sixth-round draft pick to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-rounder.

Why they made the trade

The Panthers (1-7) are back in contention for the No. 1 pick in the draft, and the 28-year-old Johnson will hit free agency after the season. Johnson generated enough trade interest that it seemed inevitable he would be moved before next week’s trade deadline. The Panthers are in sales mode again.

The Ravens (5-3), on the other hand, look like Super Bowl contenders if they can strengthen some areas, including the need to improve the receiving group. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has a great chance to win his third MVP award this season, but he needed reinforcements.

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Johnson, who is only owed the balance of his $7 million base salary, has had three productive games this season amid the Panthers’ quarterback chaos. He was more of a threat during his best seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2020 to 2022, so the Ravens are hoping to help him recapture that production. It won’t mesh seamlessly with a midseason trade, but Johnson gives the Ravens a boost on the outside at minimal cost.

Johnson has played nine games against the Ravens, totaling 34 catches for 495 yards and three touchdowns. In other words, they are familiar with his work.

Raven class: B

The Ravens have shopped around the receiver market, but missed out on more prominent veterans like Davante Adams (New York Jets), Amari Cooper (Buffalo Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Kansas City Chiefs). After those three, Johnson could be the best receiver to be moved before the deadline.

Red Rifle swings it to Diontae for the TD

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/qWgQ1Fd7qg

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 13, 2024

The Ravens have a budding star in Zay Flowers, who has team highs with 41 catches and 527 yards, but their second most productive receiver is Rashod Bateman (22 catches, 422 yards, three touchdowns). Johnson is an upgrade over Nelson Agholor and makes Baltimore deeper at the position.

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The Ravens are going for it. And when Flowers suffered an ankle injury last week, they likely realized how quickly the depth at the position could be tested.

The challenge of making more moves for the Ravens has more to do with cap space and roster flexibility than draft capital. Sure, the team hates trade picks. But after this trade, they still have 11 potential picks in the ’25 draft, assuming they get the 4 comps projected.

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) October 29, 2024

Panthers class: C-

The Panthers have taken a small payroll cut that could be converted into free agency. Every little bit helps when a team is involved in an extensive renovation.

However, turning an early sixth-rounder into a late fifth-rounder doesn’t move the needle all that much. It feels like a low return, but it’s hard to believe the Panthers didn’t take the best offer on the table.

It’s also fair to argue that it would be counterproductive to cut a piece from the offense after second-year quarterback Bryce Young was reinstated as the starter due to Andy Dalton’s thumb injury. But there is so much uncertainty surrounding Young’s future within the organization that moving Johnson may not be a major concern.

The Panthers still have a long way to go and Johnson was not part of their future plans.

More trading qualities:

• Josh Uche: Chiefs can’t lose on high-profit deal; Patriots go into sales mode
• DeAndre Hopkins: Chiefs give Patrick Mahomes the help he desperately needs
• Davante Adams: Kudos to Jets for going all-in; why did the raiders wait so long?
• Amari Cooper: accounts are loading; Browns trying to make the best of a bad situation

(Photo: Ian Maule/Getty Images)