Packers Add Former Third-Round Pick With 'Huge Upside' to Edge Room

The Green Bay Packers signed D.J. Johnson, a former third-round pick by the Carolina Panthers, to their practice squad, according to a source speaking with Packers On SI. Johnson originally entered the NFL in 2023 and has starting experience. At Oregon, he produced six sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss as a sixth-year senior. He posted impressive combine numbers, measuring 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds and running the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds. Scouting notes described him as explosive and rugged with a strong bull rush, but needing technique and consistency. Johnson also played both sides of the ball at Oregon, including a brief tight end stint. In the NFL, he appeared in 13 games as a rookie, then played 14 games in 2024. He was released after four games in 2025 and has not played since.