4 draft prospects the Panthers skipped that expose D.J. Johnson mistake

Former Carolina Panthers outside linebacker D.J. Johnson | Jared C. Tilton/GettyImagesThe Carolina Panthers' costly experiment with D.J. Johnson is over.

Those in power waived the underperforming edge rusher after one bad performance too many against the New England Patriots. This cements what fans have known for years about their decision to trade up and acquire him at No. 80 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

There were more than a few eyebrows raised when the Panthers made this move. Scott Fitterer panicked. Dan Morgan and Ejiro Evero were complicit in the decision. It never looked like panning out, and Carolina put the former Oregon star out of his misery just over halfway into his rookie…