Being honest, not even the most positive Carolina Panthers fan can be fully excited for this NFL season. The team hasn’t been good for a while now, but if there’s something to salvage, is the fact that Bryce Young showed glimpses of talent last season, and there are good players on the roster, despite it not being stacked.

One of those talented players is Jaycee Horn, cornerback. Horn came to the league as a highly-touted corner but in the Panthers, let’s just say his potential hasn’t been able to fully explode. He knows that, and he is warning the team as a whole know they can’t be bad on defense again.

Last season, Carolina allowed the most points and second-most yards in NFL’s history! Hence, much of the team’s efforts in this offseason has been focused on strengthening this area, bringing five new names in free agency and four defensive player in the draft.

Horn, who was there last year, said via the team’s website, “You kind of want to throw it out of your mind because it’s a new season, but at the same time, it’s on the back of your mind too, because that should be really all the motivation you need to come back to camp. You don’t want nothing like that to happen again.”

Horn himself was the only bright spot in that defense

As mentioned before, the Panthers were historically bad! However, in a historically-bad defense, Horn found himself going to the Pro Bowl. He got one pick, 13 passes defended and allowed only a 53.2% completion on him. This marked the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

The new names on Panthers can help boost the defense

As you read above, there are nine total new defensive players. Among the most relevant ones, you can find Bobby Brown III, Tershawn Wharton, Patrick Jones II come to reinforce the trenches, alongside second-round pick Nic Scourton.

They brought Tre’von Moehrig and MJ Devonshire as help on the secondary. It will be a whole new roster joining Horn in trying to erase what last season looked like.

With the Panthers aiming for a competitive 2024 season, Horn is emerging as one of the key pieces in their plans. The team secured the young cornerback with a four-year, $100 million deal, signaling their commitment to building a stronger defense.

This significant investment reflects the Panthers’ determination to improve in the upcoming season. For Newton, the move demonstrates the team’s alignment with its goal of retaining top talent and bolstering their roster for the challenges ahead.

Appearing on the 4th and 1 Show, Newton offered high praise for Horn, calling him the best player currently on the team. “I think what Jaycee Horn brings to the table is his upside—it’s through the roof. Not only is he tall and rangy, but he can cover anyone on the field, no matter where they are. And that’s rare. He is the best player in Carolina,” Newton said.

Newton’s thoughts on other signings this offseason

With Jaycee Horn’s contract extension, the Carolina Panthers aren’t the only team spending big this offseason. Other franchises, like the Buffalo Bills, have also made notable moves, including extending quarterback Josh Allen and signing three other players to significant contracts. Another standout deal was Myles Garrett’s four-year, $160 million extension with the Cleveland Browns.

On the topic of the Browns, Cam Newton shared his perspective, noting that while Cleveland has a top-tier quarterback, the rest of the roster still has some work to do.

“He [Garrett] ain’t got a ring in Cleveland. The team needs more than just a quarterback—they need an entire game plan. They’ll need more than that to make the playoffs. They’re sitting on the rims, but the car isn’t that great. You need more than that,” Newton said.

Newton also weighed in on the Pittsburgh Steelers, praising their star power with DK Metcalf and George Pickens, but he believes they still lack a key piece. “You’ve got two big-body Mercedes-Benzes in the garage, but you need a sports car. You’ve got the van, but where’s the sports car? They need a tight end to take their offense to the next level. They weren’t that bad last season, but they could be better,” Newton remarked.

Horn’s stats with the Panthers

In his four seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Horn has yet to play in a postseason game, as the team has struggled to reach the playoffs in recent years. Over 37 games, Horn has made 153 tackles, including 3 quarterback hits. He’s also registered 8 tackles for loss and 62 yards in defensive interceptions.

Carolina entered Week 1 with a sense of renewed optimism, fueled by their recent draft selection of Bryce Young as the number one overall pick. This move signified a potential shift in direction for the franchise, which had endured several years of struggles in securing playoffs appearance.

However, the reality of their season opener proved to be a stark contrast to their expectations. Not only did they suffer a defeat at the hands of a divisional rival like the Atlanta Falcons, but they also encountered challenges in various facets of the game as the final score demonstrated.

Despite glimpses of brilliance from their rookie quarterback, the team faced adversity due to injuries. In particular, a significant setback looms over the Panthers, as a crucial absence of cornerback Jaycee Horn leaves a remarkable hole in their lineup.

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn Expected to Miss Multiple Weeks

The Panthers have had difficulties in getting the best performance from Horn, who had struggled to stay on the field during his short career. His numbers are pretty clear about this topic being an issue, as he missed 18 games during his first two seasons.

Hoen added yet another setback in the form of a hamstring injury sustained in the first half of their Sunday matchup against the Falcons. As reported by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the cornerback is expected to be out for multiple weeks.

This forces the team to find an immediate replacement to start for the foreseeable future, but they have found that in Troy Hill. It was the veteran who entered the game to replace Horn, so Hill seems to be destined to receive more snaps in the next few matches.

When Was Jaycee Horn Drafted?

Jaycee Horn was drafted with the eighth pick in 2021 by the Carolina Panthers.