The Panthers brought back their leading rusher from the preseason.
The Carolina Panthers have brought back their leading rusher from the summer.
As first noted by team reporter Darin Gantt on Thursday, rookie running back Dillon Johnson has returned to the locker room as a member of the practice squad. The 23-year-old led the Panthers with 89 rushing yards during preseason play.
A standout from the University of Washington, Johnson broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans in the spring. They’d go on to waive the six-foot, 217-pounder on July 25, giving way to his signing with Carolina just six days later.
Johnson would star in the team’s second preseason outing against the New York Jets on Aug. 17, recording 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in the 15-12 loss. He’d be waived on Aug. 19.
The addition of Johnson now gives the Panthers a 17-man practice squad, with the extra spot being vacated by wide receiver Praise Olatoke of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.
As announced late this afternoon, the team has signed five players as they enter the final week of the 2024 preseason. Amongst the additions are cornerbacks Chris Wilcox and Quandre Mosely—both of whom worked out for the Panthers today.
Wilcox was a seventh-round selection of the NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. The Brigham Young University product—who has also picked up stints with the Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers—has yet to appear in a regular-season contest.
The same can be said for Mosely, who has bounced around the league since signing as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. Along with Dallas, the 25-year-old has made stops in Seattle, Tampa Bay and New England.
Both are joined by running back Jaden Shirden, wide receiver Sam Pinckney and cornerback Willie Drew—all undrafted rookies who have already spent time with the Panthers this offseason.
To make room for the signees, the Panthers placed cornerback Anthony Brown and quarterback Jake Luton on injured reserve, waived/injured cornerback Lamar Jackson and wide receiver Tayvion Robinson and waived running back Dillon Johnson.
Rookie RB Dillon Johnson accounted for over half of the Panthers’ total offensive output (and their only touchdown) on Saturday night.
How did the Carolina Panthers’ non-starters do in their second outing of the summer?
Here’s who Pro Football Focus thinks were the team’s best and worst performers from Saturday night’s 15-12 loss to the New York Jets:
Best of the offense
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1. RG Jack Anderson: 90.3
2. RB Dillon Johnson: 77.3
3. TE Feleipe Franks: 72.0
4. WR Jonathan Mingo: 71.8
5. C Andrew Raym: 68.7
Anderson did work in his Panthers debut, racking up 37 total snaps as the starting right guard. He earned a team-high 88.5 run-blocking grade and a solid 76.0 pass-blocking grade.
Johnson rushed for a game-high 83 yards, which accounted for over half of Carolina’s offensive output (156 total yards). He also scored the team’s only touchdown of their last four games.
Worst of the offense
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18. TE Jacob Hollister: 48.6
19. WR Michael Strachan: 44.9
20. LT Ricky Lee: 44.7
21. TE Jordan Matthews: 42.5
22. LT Tyler Smith: 38.4
Lee allowed a team-high three pressures, one of which resulted in a sack.
Matthews, who starred in last week’s preseason opener, lost a yard on his lone catch of the night.
Best of the defense
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1. ILB Michael Barrett: 81.6
2. ILB Claudin Cherelus: 80.4
3. S Demani Richardson: 73.6
4. DL Walter Palmore: 73.4
5. DL T.J. Smith: 72.3
Richardson and Smith each made a dynamic play, with the former reeling in an interception of UFL MVP Adrian Martinez and the latter a sack—his second of the preseason.
A couple of young safeties stepped up for the Panthers defense on Saturday night.
The Carolina Panthers couldn’t jump off the schneid on Saturday night—falling to the visiting New York Jets, 15-12, in their second preseason outing of the summer. But that doesn’t mean every Panther left the field with a big ol’ L.
Here are the six biggest winners from the exhibition:
RB Dillon Johnson
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Johnson was the Panthers offense, as his game-high 83 rushing yards accounted for over half of the team’s output. Plus, his 2-yard touchdown as time expired was Carolina’s first visit to the end zone in their last four games.
The only touchdown of the game comes at the buzzer!
Unfortunately for Johnson, his chances of making the initial 53-man roster are still essentially non-existent given how crowded the backfield is. But the undrafted rookie put together some eye-opening tape for a potential opportunity elsewhere.
WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
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The fourth-year wideout followed up a productive (and pugnacious) practice against the Jets with a fine sample-sized outing. Marshall Jr. reeled in grabs of five and nine yards during the offense’s second possession, moving the chains on the latter.
Oh, and he didn’t show up the defense on his receptions either. So it may be safe to say that he played smart football this time around while vying for a regular-season spot in the team’s receivers room.
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders
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Sanders led Carolina with 22 receiving yards on two catches. (Yes, the leading receiver accumulated just 22 yards.)
Anyway, the rookie looked solid on his pair of snags—utilizing his strong hands and, on his first, impressively absorbing a bit of contact from Jets cornerback Brandin Echols. This latest offering from Sanders is further proof that his development to this point is very encouraging.
Smith was one of two Panthers to record a sack in last week’s preseason opener. And on Saturday, he was one of one.
S Jammie Robinson
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Robinson was all over the turf on Saturday night, racking up a game-high seven tackles. With the Panthers searching for depth in their secondary, especially after the recent injuries to cornerback Dane Jackson and safety Xavier Woods, last year’s fifth-rounder is making a case for himself.
S Demani Richardson
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The undrafted rookie continued his defense’s stingy vibe from the past week, recording the only takeaway of the contest. Richardson picked off an overthrow from Jets quarterback and 2024 UFL MVP Adrian Martinez and ran the interception back for a 29-yard return.
The Carolina Panthers replenished their running back room on Wednesday.
As officially announced this afternoon, the team has signed undrafted rookie rusher Dillon Johnson. The six-foot, 217-pounder cracked into the league this past spring with the Tennessee Titans, who waived him on July 25.
A Greenville, Miss. native, Johnson split his four college campaigns between Mississippi State University (2020 to 2022) and the University of Washington (2023). He totaled 2,393 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns on 462 attempts.
Johnson’s signing comes a day after the departure of Rashaad Penny, who was placed on the reserve/retired list. Head coach Dave Canales spoke about Penny’s decision after practice on Tuesday.
“It was a really cool opportunity for me to see, I know Rashaad at his best, to see if we could get him to that kind of look,” Canales told reporters. “He came up and he just really, he just felt like he wasn’t himself and I had to respect that going forward.
“I don’t understand what that’s like to have a feel, to have a vision and wanting your body to do exactly what you tell it to do and not responding the right way. For sure, I was glad to be a part of this process with him just ’cause I’ve known him for so long. And I wish Rashaad the best.”
To make room for Johnson, the Panthers waived/injured wide receiver Daewood Davis—who was carted away from Monday’s outing due to a thigh injury.
Prior to Day 2 of training camp on Thursday, the Tennessee Titans waived running back Dillon Johnson, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. The move was made in advance of the team signing center Corey Levin and linebacker Shane Ray.
Johnson, who signed as an undrafted free agent in late April, was considered a dark horse candidate to make the Titans’ Week 1 roster. The 23-year-old had a breakout year at Washington last year after spending his first three collegiate seasons at Mississippi State.
Johnson rushed for 1,195 yards, which was the second-most in the Pac-12, on 233 carries and crossed the goal line 16 times. He also hauled in 24 catches for 190 yards out of the backfield.
With Johnson no longer in the mix, the Titans’ running back room has a bit more clarity. Tennessee will utilize a 1-2 punch of Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard. The competition for the third running back spot appears to be down to three candidates: Julius Chestnut, Hassan Haskins, and Jabari Small.
Chestnut has been with the Titans for the last two seasons after initially signing as an undrafted free agent in 2022. The 23-year-old rushed for 12 yards on nine carries in six games as a rookie. His season was cut short last year in Week 3 with a hamstring injury.
Haskins, drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, missed all of last season after being placed on injured reserve in late August.
Small joined the team as an undrafted free agent after amassing 2,122 yards and 24 touchdowns in four seasons at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Which of the reported Titans undrafted free-agent signings has the best chance to make the initial 53-man roster?
The Tennessee Titans have signed a slew of undrafted free agents after the 2024 NFL draft, although we’re still waiting on them to make the signings official.
One of the reported signings is Texas Tech offensive lineman Cole Spencer, who Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler believes has the best chance out of Tennessee’s reported UDFA signings to make the 53-man roster.
With more than 330 snaps accrued at left tackle (2,774), left guard (454) and right tackle (339), Cole Spencer’s versatility could help him pave the way to a backup role with the Tennessee Titans.
Spencer transferred to Texas Tech after five seasons at Western Kentucky and quickly became the glue that held the Red Raiders’ interior together. He allowed only one sack in six starts.
While Spencer’s lengthy injury history raises concern about his NFL longevity, his athleticism—his 4.89-second 40-yard dash would have ranked first among all offensive linemen at the NFL combine—and tackle/guard versatility gives him an intriguing floor for new Titans head coach Brian Callahan.
While Spencer is no doubt an intriguing players thanks to his athleticism and versatility to play guard and tackle, I’m going to disagree with Fowler and instead put my vote in for Washington running back Dillon Johnson, who was included in our post-draft 53-man roster projection.
The Titans are very lacking reliable depth options behind Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard, with Julius Chestnut and Hassan Haskins being the most notable names on the depth chart.
Neither one is a lock to make the roster, making the No. 3 running back role one for the taking. And, with the possibility the Titans carry four, there could be a pair of depth spots up for grabs at the position.
Johnson fits the mold of the bigger back I think the Titans should be looking for when it comes to the No. 3 role. He stands at 6-foot and 217 pounds and runs with the kind of physicality that makes him ideal for short-yardage and goal-line situations. He’d be an excellent complement to Spears and Pollard.
Now, that’s not to say Spencer doesn’t have a chance, because he certainly does. I just think Johnson has the better shot.
Washington Huskies running back Dillon Johnson made his way to the Pacific Northwest after three seasons at Mississippi State. He was used sparingly for the Bulldogs, rushing fewer than 90 times in each season, but Johnson carved out a role as a pass-catching back each of those years.
He found immediate success with the Huskies, earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2023. Washington fell short of winning a national title, but Johnson joins quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wideout Rome Odunze as NFL-bound prospects from this powerhouse offense.
Physical limitations should render Johnson no higher than an early Day 3 pick in the upcoming draft. He safely grades as a Round 5 selection. He’s not likely to steal the show in any backfield, but Johnson is a useful complementary piece who does a few things well enough to keep him in the NFL for several years.
Three-down utility — a sound pass-catching outlet to serve as a safety blanket
Capable blocker with sturdy frame to develop through pro-level coaching
Limited wear on the tires after only one full season as a primary back
Played at a high level vs. quality competition throughout Washington’s 2023 championship-appearance season prior to suffering an injury vs. Texas
Efficient production in ’23, scoring a touchdown every 14.6 attempts
Can wear down defenses as the game goes along
Underrated burst for the first 5-10 yards on outside runs — just quick enough to get to the edge
Gritty, team-first player who guts it out when less than 100%
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Cons
Takes on heavy contact, which could impact career longevity and opens him up to greater risk of injury
Lacks open-field elusiveness and finesse moves to create extra yardage
Can’t run away from defenders in the open field and will be an inefficient grinder in the NFL
It’s tough to tell if his vision is subpar or his lack of lateral ability causes him to abandon cutback and open-lane opportunities
More of an effort blocker than a technical marvel — already ahead of the curve but needs fine-tuning
One-year wonder in a great design and loaded offense?
Fantasy football outlook
Backs with Johnson’s profile tend to have shorter careers and only a limited runaway to contribute in fantasy lineups. He reminds of a blend between former NFL back David Johnson and current Arizona Cardinal James Conner. Both backs have enjoyed success during their pro careers but saw physical limitations factoring into lowering their fantasy ceilings.
From strictly a profile perspective, Johnson will have a role in fantasy lineups, though we may not like the inconsistency. He isn’t likely to develop into a lineup fixture, but the scoring potential and pass-catching utility gives him situation as well as system versatility.
