A former third-round pass rusher out of Oregon, DJ Johnson is looking for a fresh start with Washington after a rocky stretch in Carolina.
DJ Johnson arrived in the league as an athletic developmental edge rusher, taken by Carolina in the third round after a winding college career that included stops at Miami and Oregon. After his run with the Panthers ended, he landed with the Commanders as he tries to establish himself as a full-time NFL contributor.
Path to the league
Johnson began his college career at Miami as a four-star recruit before transferring to Oregon, where he spent five seasons, including time playing both defensive end and tight end. The Carolina Panthers traded up to select him 80th overall in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Johnson's most productive stretch came in 2024 with Carolina, appearing in 14 games with 2 starts and recording 44 tackles, half a sack, a fumble recovery, and a pass deflection. His career was interrupted in January 2025 when he suffered a concussion in a car accident in Charlotte, landing him on injured reserve.
2025 season recap
The Panthers waived Johnson in late September 2025. He signed with Washington's practice squad on December 31, 2025, and received a reserve/futures contract with the Commanders in January 2026, giving him a new opportunity to compete for a roster spot on the edge.
Sources
- Wikipedia: D. J. Johnson (defensive end)
- ESPN: DJ Johnson
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
4 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | panthers | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | panthers | 14 | 44 | 19 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | panthers | 13 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive End
- Group
- defense
- College
- Oregon
- Hometown
- Sacramento, CA, USA
- Age
- 27
- Status
- active
