Jaycee Horn

Panthers GM: Would Need ‘Astronomical’ Return To Trade Certain Players

October 21st, 2022 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Panthers have stopped short of full fire-sale mode, the trade of Christian McCaffrey does send off signals big names can be obtained. But Scott Fitterer attempted to cool off any rumors of that sort in the wake of the All-Pro running back’s departure.

McCaffrey drew interest and fetched a four-pick trade package — far shy of the Cowboys’ franchise-changing Herschel Walker haul but more than the Colts collected for Marshall Faulk — but Panthers that play higher-value positions have steadily generated interest since Matt Rhule‘s firing. Fitterer stopped short of taking those players off the market but indicated they probably cannot be had.

“There’s players on this team that I really don’t want to trade, I know this organization does not want to trade,” Fitterer said Friday. “It would have to take something astronomical. But I think moving forward, we like where we’re at. We like our young players.”

It is fairly safe to assume D.J. Moore and Brian Burns qualify for the “astronomical” classifier. The Panthers view Moore as a foundational piece, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Burns could be in play, but Albert Breer of SI.com tweets it would take something like two first-round picks to pull off such a deal.

This year further educated the football-following public on wide receiver availability. Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown and Marquise Brown went for packages headlined by first-round picks. Given the buzz attached to Moore since Rhule’s firing, the Panthers likely would hold out for a compensation haul featuring a first-rounder and then some. Moore, 25, has back-to-back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons on his resume, reaching this benchmark consistently despite Carolina’s quarterback inconsistency. The Panthers gave him a three-year, $61.9MM extension in March.

Burns’ profile (one Pro Bowl) would not put him in the club of recent non-quarterbacks who commanded two first-round picks. Khalil Mack, Jalen Ramsey and Jamal Adams each had an All-Pro notch on their respective belts when they were traded for two first-rounders. Laremy Tunsil was moved without this accolade, however. Still, it is difficult to see a team betting that much on Burns at this point. He has not hit double-digit sacks in a season yet. The Panthers have been ready to re-up Burns for a bit now, though the team held off on doing an extension this year. Burns, 24, can drive up his extension price by continuing on his current pace.

Drafted during Rhule’s run, Derrick Brown is believed to be included in Carolina’s no-trade class. Shaq Thompson, the team’s longest-tenured player, is not. It will be interesting to see, especially now that McCaffrey is gone, if Thompson is moved before the Nov. 1 deadline. Players like cornerback Donte Jackson and offensive lineman Cameron Erving could be candidates as well, Joe Person of The Athletic offers (subscription required). Jeremy Chinn and Jaycee Horn can also be included among the core players Carolina does not want to trade, Person adds.

More players being sent away would naturally increase the chances the Panthers score a top-five draft choice. Carolina has not held such draft real estate since 2011, when it chose Cam Newton first overall. Hired during Rhule’s second offseason, Fitterer expects to be around when the team finds Rhule’s successor, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com tweets. David Tepper endorsed Fitterer this week and said he wants more balance regarding HC-GM decision-making, after Rhule held roster control during his tenure. Though, it probably cannot be considered a lock the second-year GM is back. Tepper fired GM Marty Hurney months after greenlighting a Rhule-Hurney arranged partnership. But Fitterer is running the show regarding Panthers trades. The longtime Seahawks exec has doubled the Panthers’ 2023 draft arsenal over the first four rounds, running it to six via the McCaffrey swap.

Latest On Panthers CB Jaycee Horn

August 6th, 2022 at 9:36am CST by Ben Levine

Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn missed the final 14 games of his rookie campaign after breaking three bones in his right foot. More than 10 months later, the former first-round pick is still sidelined. As Joseph Person of The Athletic writes, the Panthers continue to bring the cornerback along slowly as he recovers from the foot injury.

“I don’t want to get into all [the training staff is] doing,” said head coach Matt Rhule. “But they’ve taken some things and said, ‘Hey, give him a couple days.’ I think we all feel really good about where it’s headed.”

Horn made an appearance at OTAs and minicamp but reported soreness after his conditioning test, according to Person. He subsequently landed on PUP, and despite being activated since, he’s yet to participate in team drills. Horn isn’t expected on the practice field for at least a few more days, but there’s some optimism that he could return by next week.

“When you come back off a broken foot, you’re gonna deal with some soreness. … If you talk to anyone with a broken foot, they’re gonna tell you that’s what they generally deal with,” Horn told Person. “So I wasn’t too concerned. I was just taking the advice of the training staff and taking it slow.”

Following a standout collegiate career at South Carolina, the Panthers selected Horn with the eighth-overall pick in the 2021 draft. He started each of his three games last season, collecting five tackles and one interception. He’s expected to slide back into the starting lineup once he’s fully healthy.

Panthers Activate CB Jaycee Horn Off PUP

August 1st, 2022 at 8:20pm CST by Ely Allen

Carolina got some good news today in training camp with second-year cornerback Jaycee Horn being activated from the physically unable to perform list. The team made the announcement on their website this morning, stating that the 22-year-old was cleared to practice.

Horn missed nearly all of his rookie season last year after suffering a fractured foot in Week 3 of the season. The Panthers had to scramble using mid-season trades to acquire C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore to play opposite starter Donte Jackson. With Jackson re-signed and Gilmore gone to free agency, Horn should retake his spot atop the depth chart with Jackson, with Henderson coming first off the bench. There were also indications that, if Henderson can prove his development, Jackson and Henderson could be trusted outside with Horn playing inside more at nickel.

Horn had indicated that his surgically repaired foot was sore after the Panthers’ conditioning test. As a precaution, Horn was placed on PUP to start training camp, but he should return now, concluding a seamless recovery over the past 10 months.

Defensive coordinator Phil Snow, while probably unhappy to see Horn on the PUP list in the first place, will be extremely relieved to have Horn back. Horn will be a welcome addition to a defense that ranked fourth last year in passing yards allowed.

Panthers Place Shaq Thompson, Jaycee Horn On PUP List

July 27th, 2022 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two Panthers starting defenders will begin their training camps belatedly. The team placed Shaq Thompson and Jaycee Horn on its active/PUP list.

Thompson landed on the Panthers’ PUP because of an offseason knee surgery, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. While Matt Rhule described this as a cleanup-type procedure, Thompson will still miss a chunk of time leading up to the season. Horn beginning on Carolina’s PUP may be more notable, due to the extensive time he has spent rehabbing a foot malady.

Horn indicated his surgically repaired foot was sore after the team’s conditioning test. This comes two months after the 2021 first-round pick was declared “full go” after a rehab effort over the winter and through the spring. Horn should be expected to return soon, but it obviously makes sense for the Panthers to exercise caution here. The South Carolina alum broke his foot in Week 3 of last season and missed 14 games.

Players who land on the active/PUP list can return to practice at any point during camp, but if they remain on the list beyond August 23, a minimum four-week absence must ensue beginning in Week 1. Both Panthers are expected to be back at practice before that deadline, though Horn’s return to work will generate interest considering his time away.

The Panthers re-signed Donte Jackson to team with Horn long-term, and the team’s early-season trade for C.J. Henderson may pay greater dividends this season than it did in 2021. This mix of young talent will take over after the team let Stephon Gilmore walk in free agency.

NFC South Rumors: Mayfield, Henderson, Jones, Buccaneers

July 15th, 2022 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

After months of anticipation and speculation, the Panthers finally made the move to acquire Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield via trade. In the 27-year-old’s first press conference for Carolina, the new passer announced that he has “tweaked his throwing mechanics,” according to Anthony Rizzuti of USA Today.

The change in throwing motion is a direct result of the time Mayfield had to miss last year due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

“When it comes to my shoulder…my throwing motion was extremely violent,” Mayfield explained. “I’ve made some small changes and worked with a great QB coach, Jeff Christensen. He’s helped me get back to a form that…I haven’t thrown the ball this well in a long time. And throwing motion looks a little different and I’m thankful for that.”

Here’s a few other rumors from the NFC South, starting with another note out of the Tar Heel state:

The Panthers’ cornerback situation was a bit chaotic last year. After drafting Jaycee Horn in the first round of last year’s draft, and subsequently losing him to a right foot injury, Carolina was forced to acquire both C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore via trades. Henderson spent most of his first season with the Panthers adjusting to his second NFL defensive system in as many years in the league. This offseason, though, he’s reportedly begun to show the talent that got him drafted in the first round in 2020, according to ESPN’s David Newton. If Henderson can develop into a consistent starting talent, this would allow defensive coordinator Phil Snow and secondary coach Steve Wilks to have Horn move inside to play more nickel in passing situations, trusting Henderson and starting cornerback Donte Jackson on the outside.
Falcons’ defensive mainstay over the past few years, linebacker Deion Jones, will have a bit more than an injury recovery to battle with this offseason, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta experienced an influx of inside linebacker talent this offseason, bringing in veterans Rashaan Evans and Nick Kwiatkoski in free agency and drafting rookie Troy Andersen in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jones will be coming off shoulder surgery and head coach Arthur Smith told Ledbetter that “everybody is going to have to earn a spot” at the position.
The Buccaneers will have a lot to figure out in their secondary this offseason, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. The team was able to return starting cornerback Carlton Davis on a three-year deal back in March but has two options battling to start opposite him. Both being in contract years, Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting will both be working to try and earn a similar new deal to Davis’. Tampa Bay will operate primarily in a nickel-look defense, meaning all three can be on the field, but when they revert to a base formation either Dean or Murphy-Bunting will have to earn that time. Not to mention, in the off case that one or both struggle at any point, veteran safety Logan Ryan is ready and waiting with his years of cornerback experience in his back pocket.

Panthers CB Horn Is “Full Go”

May 28th, 2022 at 5:59pm CST by Ely Allen

After missing almost all of his rookie season with an injury, cornerback Jaycee Horn is feeling great and is reportedly “full go.” According to Steve Reed, a sports writer for The Associated Press, Horn told himself to be patient while dealing with the frustration of not being able to help his new team.

In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Panthers used their No. 8 overall pick to select Horn out of South Carolina. The expectation was that they would slot Horn as an immediate starter at nickel alongside free agent addition cornerback A.J. Bouye and starter Donte Jackson. Horn showed promise early, recording his first career interception in the second game of the season against division-rival Jameis Winston and the Saints.

In a Week 3 game against the Texans, Horn fractured bones in his foot, landing him on injured reserve. Unfortunately, he never made it back to the field in 2021, his rookie season ending after only three starts. In an attempt to make up for his absence, the Panthers would trade for two other former-top-10 draft picks in C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore.

With Horn fully healthy and ready to contribute, the Panthers’ cornerbacks room is looking much younger. Bouye and Gilmore left as free agents, although Bouye is still unsigned and could always return, leaving Jackson, Henderson, and Horn to lead the room. Behind them will likely be veteran journeyman Rashaan Melvin, Keith Taylor, who was forced into action due to the litany of injuries at the position last year, and Chris Westry who started two games for a very injured Ravens secondary last year. Seventh-round draft pick Kalon Barnes, Myles Hartsfield, Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, and Madre Harper will also be competing for roster spots this preseason.

The young, new-look cornerback group of Jackson, Henderson, and Horn holds a lot of potential. With safeties Jeremy Chinn and Xavier Woods patrolling centerfield behind them, the three former-SEC standouts will have plenty of opportunities to bring the same success to Carolina that they displayed in college.

NFC East Notes: Parsons, McAdoo, Giants

December 1st, 2021 at 10:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys are more than happy that they landed on linebacker Micah Parsons with the 12th-overall pick in this year’s draft. Parsons has started each of his 11 games for Dallas, collecting 67 tackles, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles, and he’s the runaway favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, if the Cowboys had had their way, they would have used their selection on a cornerback.

As Jon Machota of The Athletic writes, the team’s “original plan” was to select either South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn or Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II. However, those cornerbacks were scooped up at No. 8 and No. 9 respectively, forcing the front office to pivot. They ended up landing on the Penn State linebacker (after trading down), and the organization couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.

Parsons explained to Machota how he continues to improve throughout his first season in the NFL.

“People always talk about the rookie wall,” Parsons said, “but I just keep climbing and climbing because I’m excited to see what’s on the other side of that wall.

“I love what we have here. I’m just so honored and blessed to represent the star and have an opportunity to be a star here.”

Some more notes out of the NFC East…

The Cowboys are dealing with COVID-19 cases throughout their staff, so they’ll be temporarily promoting Ben McAdoo to a coaching role, tweets NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. McAdoo, who had been serving as a “consultant to the coaches” in Dallas, will be in the coaches booth for tomorrow’s game against the Saints. The 44-year-old spent two years as the Giants head coach between 2016 and 2017, and he returned to the NFL last season when he was hired as the Jaguars QBs coach.
Guess who else liked Horn and Surtain? The Giants, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, but the Eagles’ decision to trade up (with the Cowboys, no less) to select wideout DeVonta Smith was the move that really threw New York’s draft into disarray. With the organization’s targets off the board, the team ultimately decided to trade with the Bears, with the Giants selecting wideout Kadarius Toney at No. 20.
Another Cowboys/Giants connection: Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv writes that the Joe Judge/Jason Garrett pairing in New York was always an “arranged marriage.” Co-owner John Mara was the one who pushed to add Garrett as the team’s offensive coordinator, and the former Cowboys head coach was an “outlier” on a staff that generally had connections to their head coach. Garrett was ultimately canned by Judge and the Giants in late November after the team had collected a league-low 42 touchdowns.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports opines that the Giants should go all out on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason. The writer cites the organization’s draft capital (which, at the moment, includes picks No. 6 and No. 7), Daniel Jones‘ disappointment in New York, and Wilson’s supposed desire to play in the Big Apple. Assuming GM Dave Gettleman is out after the season, this would be a bold way for a new GM to begin their tenure, but the writer believes this would be preferable to rolling with Jones or drafting a quarterback in a weak class.

Jaycee Horn Aiming For Late-Season Return

October 16th, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jaycee Horn‘s injury prompted the Panthers move swiftly at cornerback. The team now has 2020 top-10 pick C.J. Henderson and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore on its roster.

But the Panthers are not closing the book on Horn playing again this season. Horn underwent foot surgery two weeks ago and is eyeing a return late this season, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. It is not clear if the rookie corner will be ready to make it back during Carolina’s regular-season slate, with Fowler adding the South Carolina product would aim at being ready to return by the playoffs — should the Panthers qualify for the first time since 2017.

Horn broke three metatarsal bones during the Panthers’ Week 3 win over the Texans. At that point, this year’s No. 8 overall pick was set to determine his course of action. One of those paths was to shut it down and prepare to return for the 2022 season. It appears Horn will not take that route yet. A two- to three-month recovery timetable comes with the surgery Horn underwent.

Henderson has seen part-time action for his new team thus far, playing 32 snaps over the past two Panthers games. Gilmore is expected to be ready to return from his quad injury when first eligible in Week 7. After his suspension and a subsequent injury, offseason addition A.J. Bouye has moved into Carolina’s starting lineup opposite Donte Jackson.

The playoffs begin a week later this year, opening in mid-January. The Panthers have dropped their past two games, falling to 3-2, so they will have work to do in order to see their full assortment of corners play together.

Gilmore Extension Not Yet In Panthers’ Plans

October 6th, 2021 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers made a second major addition to their cornerback group Wednesday, acquiring former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore from the Patriots. This followed Carolina’s trade for C.J. Henderson.

Carolina now takes on Gilmore’s contract. While Gilmore is attached to the $13MM-per-year deal he signed in 2017, he is due less than $7MM in 2021 base salary going forward. Gilmore’s contract expires after this season, but Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said the team will not immediately extend him post-trade (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s David Newton).

Gilmore expressed disappointment regarding his contract for years in New England, when he outplayed the deal he signed after coming over from Buffalo. He skipped the Patriots’ offseason program this year. Since his two All-Pro nods, however, Gilmore missed five games last year and is guaranteed to miss the first six this season due to the quadriceps injury he sustained late in 2020.

Fitterer does expect Gilmore to be ready to come off the PUP list when first eligible in Week 7, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Carolina’s new GM would seem to have extensive information on Gilmore, as they live next to each other in Charlotte. Gilmore is a South Carolina native who starred with the Gamecocks in college.

Gilmore turned 31 last month, and a potential re-up with the Panthers will likely hinge on his 2021 performance. While a high-cost short-term deal might be in the cards after a strong season, Gilmore’s window to land Jalen Ramsey-level money is likely closed. The corner’s camp acknowledged as much earlier this year, though Gilmore’s team did float Darius Slay‘s three-year, $50MM Eagles deal as a comp during his discussions with the Pats.

The Panthers have reshaped their cornerback room via the trade market, but they are not giving up on Jaycee Horn coming back this season. Carolina’s first-round pick broke three broken bones in his foot during the team’s Week 3 win and landed on IR. He was said to be conversing with his camp about the best course of action — be it a late-season return or preparing for the 2022 season. The Panthers remain hopeful the former scenario can come to pass, Fitterer said (via Newton, on Twitter). Matt Rhule said late last month Horn was set to undergo surgery. A two- to three-month recovery timetable is in the cards with that operation.

Panthers Won’t Put Christian McCaffrey On IR

September 27th, 2021 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Good news for Christian McCaffrey. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule says his injured hamstring won’t require a stint on the injured reserve list (Twitter link via Darin Gantt of the team website).

This means that CMC could return in less than three games, which would have been the minimum stint on IR. The Panthers are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year, when the running back missed all but three games with a shoulder injury. When healthy, there are few playmakers quite like McCaffrey.

In 2019, CMC set the league on fire with 2,392 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns. And, through his two games-and-change this year, McCaffrey looked sharp with 52 carries for 201 yards and a touchdown, plus 16 grabs for 163 yards.

Meanwhile, cornerback Jaycee Horn will likely land on the IR list now that he’s set for surgery on his broken foot. In a best case scenario, Horn could still return towards the end of the season. In the meantime, he’ll be replaced by newcomer C.J. Henderson, a highly-touted first rounder from just last year.

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