- The Carolina Panthers have announced that edge defender Charles Johnson has been suspended for four games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The suspension will come into effect immediately and he will be eligible to return for the team’s Week 17 clash against the Atlanta Falcons.
- The 11th-year veteran has been a key figure in the Panthers defensive line rotation this year, and has played 57.0 percent of the team’s defensive snaps this season. However, he’s not been as effective as has been in years past, and through 12 weeks, his PFF overall grade of 45.3 ranks 109th of 112 edge defenders.
- The Panthers will notice Johnson’s absence in the pass-rush down the stretch. Through 11 games, Johnson has played 216 pass-rush snaps and has produced 18 total pressures, resulting in a pass-rush productivity of 6.4, good for 50th among 65 qualifying players at the position.
- With Johnson out, Julius Peppers is set to start across from Mario Addison. Peppers, who has played in a situational role this year, has been more productive than Johnson in the pass-rush thus far, and through 12 games, he has racked up 20 total pressures from 199 pass-rushing snaps for a pass-rush productivity of 8.8, first among Carolina’s defensive ends and 31st among the 65 qualifying players at the position.
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