Panthers reward lineman Johnson

Charles Johnson is returning for a 12th season with the Carolina Panthers. He’d like to see his old buddy Julius Peppers back in Carolina, too.

Carolina announced the 33-year-old Johnson signed a two-year extension.

The deal is worth $9.5 million, according to a person familiar with the negogiations.

Johnson becomes the third defensive end to resign this off-season with Carolina, joining Mario Addison and Wes Horton.

But Johnson believes there is room for another defensive end in Peppers, an unrestricted free agent who played eight seasons with the Panthers from 2002-’09 before bolting to the Chicago Bears following a bitter contract dispute in Carolina.

“Just keep stacking the D-line,” Johnson said. “I will even root for them to bring Pep(pers) back. If they bring Julius back, I’m all aboard.”

Johnson said he plans to call Peppers and try to “recruit” him back to Carolina for one more season.

Peppers turned 37 in January. He has played the last three seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

Peppers had 25 sacks over the past three seasons with the Packers, including 71⁄2 last season.

Jets receiver suspended: The National Football League suspended New York Jets receiver Jalin Marshall for the first four games of the 2017 season for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancers.

The New York Daily News reported that the second-year player from Ohio State tested positive for Adderall.

Also a kick returner, Marshall made the Jets as an undrafted free agent. He had 14 receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns, but a torn labrum in his shoulder forced him to miss six games.