CHAD Johnson may be one of the biggest names to ever play for the Cincinnati Bengals, but there is a different team he has his eye on this season.
The 2025 NFL season is quickly approaching, and so many things have changed over the offseason.
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Some teams got better and some got worse, but no one will truly know how they perform until they get on the field.
However, Johnson — affectionately known as “Ocho” — has his pick for a team that is going to take a big leap forward.
“I say the Panthers,” Johnson told The U.S. Sun.
“I’m only high on the Panthers because what they’re doing is special.”
One of the main reasons for his faith in the Panthers is quarterback Bryce Young.
Young is entering his third season in the NFL in 2025, and showed tremendous improvement at the end of last year.
“Bryce Young got benched,” Johnson said.
“He got benched, but he came back. I don’t know what he ate, I don’t know what prayer he said.
“But he came back out this world… phenomenal.”
After playing the first two weeks of the season, Young did not start Weeks 3-7.
However, he was thrust back into action in Week 8 and appeared transformed.
In his two starts before Week 8, Young passed for 245 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
Over a full season, that’s on pace for 2,082 yards with no touchdowns and 25 interceptions.
When Young returned to play, he passed for 2,104 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Over a full season, that would look like 3,576 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
In comparison, Patrick Mahomes threw for 3,928 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 2025.
Young was playing like a two-time NFL MVP to end the 2025 season.
“They ended on a great note, so that’s something for them to build off of,” Johnson said.
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Johnson also pointed at the Panthers’ wide receiver room as a dangerous group this season.
“The addition of the receivers,” Johnson said.
“You got Adam Thielen, veteran presence coming back. Xavier Legette going in with another season under his belt.
“T-Mac [Tetairoa McMillan] receiver out of Arizona coming in. Jimmy horn, Colorado.”
Thielen regressed a bit in 2025 after a 1,000-yard season with the Panthers in 2024. Still, he had 615 yards and five touchdowns.
Legette didn’t have a spectacular rookie season in 2025, going for 497 yards and four touchdowns, but positive reports have come out about him in training camp.
The Panthers also have two exciting new rookie receivers in McMillan and Horn.
McMillan went off for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns last season and was drafted with the No. 8 overall pick.
Horn had 441 yards and a touchdown in college last year and was taken with a sixth-round pick.
Together with Young, Johnson thinks the Panthers offense can make a name for itself in 2025.
“I think they’re going to be a surprise team this year,” Johnson said.
