ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 09: Darryl Johnson #92 of the Buffalo Bills walks off the field after the second quarter of an AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts at Bills Stadium on January 09, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills sent defensive lineman Darryl Johnson to the Carolina panthers on the eve of cutdown day.
Familiarity is a good thing in the NFL. Just ask the Carolina Panthers.
On Monday, general manager David Fitterer swung a deal with the Buffalo Bills, landing defensive lineman Darryl Johnson for a sixth-round pick in the 2022 Draft. Johnson, who was lily going to be cut by the Bills despite a strong performance in training camp and the preseason, now catches on where he should earn snaps on a young defense.
For the Bills, this is an easy move to make. Why? Because general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott are originally from Carolina. While Fitterer isn’t a holdover from that regime — as he comes from the Seattle Seahawks — perhaps the Bills’ power duo knowing Carolin so well helped things along.
The Panthers make a late move to add Darryl Johnson before cutdown day
As for Johnson, he brings some experience and upside. In two years with Buffalo after being its seventh-round pick, Johnson has 29 tackles and two sacks in his limited role. With the Panthers, defensive coordinator Phil Snow should. find more reps for the youngster, allowing him to release any potential we’re yet to see.
Last year, Carolina used every draft pick to bolster its defense, a unit which then struggled but showed what could lie ahead. In grabbing Williams, the Panthers take another swing at said goal, while Buffalo gets some draft capital.