(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Carolina Panthers have a new WR1.
The Dave Canales era is going to put an emphasis on offense, hoping that Bryce Young looks better than he did in his rookie season.
Of course, any player can only do so much with the weapons he’s been given, which is why the Panthers went out of their way to get Diontae Johnson.
Johnson knows he’s no longer a player for a playoff-caliber team, but he’s also well aware of the fact that he’s going to be asked to do some mentorship instead (via Around the NFL):
“He’s accurate, smart,” Johnson said. “That’s what I’ve seen from watching his tape. A great player. Can make plays. Can make any throw on the field. I’m here to make him better; help him grow.”
Panthers WR Diontae Johnson ready to help QB Bryce Young “grow”https://t.co/FhZrRRY1Ba pic.twitter.com/kagXAJItn1
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) April 24, 2024
With that in mind, he talked about how he’s going to be instrumental in helping their young franchise quarterback grow and develop.
There were some concerns about Young when he first entered the league.
Plenty of people questioned his ability to withstand the physicality of the NFL, given that he was quite short and skinny for his position.
Others claimed he wouldn’t even be able to see over the defense.
Young struggled with inconsistency in his first campaign in the league, and having his head coach fired midway through the season didn’t do a lot to help.
Needless to say, we’ve seen that kind of thing happen way too many times in the past, and it’s never been wise or fair to count out a player after a bad rookie season.
The Panthers are trying to build their offense around their franchise player, and while Johnson isn’t a superstar by any means, he’s a proven veteran who should be able to make life way easier for him.
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