Diontae Johnson has yet to play a single down of football for the Carolina Panthers. Nonetheless, he already seems interested in sticking around for the long haul.
The 27-year-old wide receiver spoke with reporters following Tuesday’s outing of mandatory minicamp. Johnson, who is entering the final season of his current contract, was asked about the big-money deals being handed out at his position as well as the possibility of his own.
“It’s crazy,” he replied. “Everybody getting all these big contracts—it just motivates me to keep working. God gonna give it to me when he ready, so I just gotta keep stacking days and not really worry about . . . keep pressing. ‘Cause if I press, that’s gonna throw my game off and I’ma be doing stuff I don’t normally do out there trying to make plays.
“But just gotta stay relaxed, just keep being humble, make my plays. Help the team win the best way I can and my game gon’ speak for itself. And if they feel like they want to extend me, then I’m all for it.”
The Panthers traded for Johnson at the start of the new league year back on March 12. Carolina sent off cornerback Donte Jackson and agreed upon a late-round pick swap to acquire the former Pro Bowler from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Johnson, who expects to be a go-to target in 2024, is coming off a down year—one in which he totaled 717 yards and five touchdowns on 51 catches.
