Late-bloomer DJ Johnson climbs Panthers depth chart

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Second-year linebacker D.J. Johnson is in position to become a rotation player on the Carolina Panthers defense after a quiet rookie campaign.

Emerging Carolina Panthers outside linebacker D.J. Johnson should hire teammate Jadeveon Clowney as his press agent.

Following last week’s Fan Fest at Clemson, Clowney stumped for the second-year defender to get the first chance at starting on the opposite edge of the Panthers’ 3-4 base defense.

“I think he’s definitely one of the best edge setters that we have out there,” Clowney told reporters. “Setting the edge stopping the run, D.J. definitely brings that physicality to the game and you need that out of the guys around you.”

Will Johnson be around the opening snap huddle Thursday when the Panthers play their first preseason game at the New England Patriots?

Coach Dave Canales said Saturday it’s trending in that direction.

“Yeah,” he said after the training camp session at the new practice facility behind Bank of America Stadium. “D.J. is definitely going to play. He could be out there with the first group. That’s a conversation we’ll have with the defensive staff, but he’s showing like he knows what he’s doing.”

One of the Panthers’ biggest rebuilding questions centered on fielding two disruptive edge rushers. Failed contract talks led to the offseason trade of Brian Burns to the New York Giants. Casual fans on social media obliterated the deal, but astute insiders focused on the salary cap savings, which led to the addition of Clowney and other assets.

With Burns, the Panthers registered a league-low 27 sacks last season.

With Clowney on one side and possibly Johnson on the other, the Panthers are counting on creating more pressure to help rebound from a 2-15 campaign.

“D.J., he's doing fantastic,” Canales said. “He’s the effort and the style we're looking for. D.J.'s exemplifying that. So, I'm really hoping to see what he gets to do.”

Johnson didn’t do much as a rookie last season.

For the first three weeks, he did not dress but ultimately appeared in 13 games, mostly on special teams, and compiled just 16 tackles and zero sacks or quarterback hits. He engaged in just 231 defensive snaps.

When the Panthers traded up 13 spots to select Johnson 80th overall in the 2023 draft, more than one league executive questioned the logic. As an older prospect out of Oregon, Johnson’s scouting report listed his “raw” skills, evidenced by being clocked at 4.49 seconds in a 40-yard dash during the scouting combine. But the converted tight end still needed time to develop as a defender and his postgame altercation with an Oregon State fan cost him an opportunity to play in a bowl game.  

Still, when he entered rookie camp, Johnson sounded confident he could produce professionally.  

“I definitely feel like my best football is ahead of me,” he said. “I have always taken a lot of steps from the end of the season to now to prepare and get better.”

Johnson started making an impression on the new coaching staff during organized training activities in June. With Clowney and K’Lavon Chaisson absent from the third week of the offseason program and free-agent signee D.J. Wonnum sidelined with a quad injury, Johnson started climbing the depth chart.

The difference between this training camp to his first, Johnson said, comes down to “experience. Being around these guys, seeing how they work, watching how they get ready.
“Overall, I’m just more comfortable playing football. Honestly, I just have my head down and working real hard.”

At the end of last season, questions swirled about Johnson’s roster spot. Was he a draft-day bust? Or is the 25-year-old simply a late bloomer? Beginning Thursday, the Panthers’ fans who once doubted Johnson could see if they were right or if he’ll continue to retain Clowney as his press agent.

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