Counting down the days until the season opener in Jacksonville
We’re down to single digits in our countdown towards the Carolina Panthers season opener. It’s just over a week away. With there being eight days left, our countdown piece is focused on number 8 himself: cornerback Jaycee Horn.
Horn, the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has been the best defensive back on the Carolina Panthers since he was drafted. His reception amongst fans has been mixed, however, due to a combination of injuries spoiling his availability, need at other positions available at his draft position, and the low visibility of a good cornerback on network television broadcasts.
His reputation inside the building and around the league is nothing less than sterling. He is widely respected as one of the better young corners in the league and was paid like one by the Panthers at the start of free agency this year. Horn’s four-year, $100M extension briefly made him the highest paid defensive back in NFL history.
Horn’s injuries haven’t been the type to suggest lingering health concerns or an overall fragility, but he has certainly had bad luck. That has continued this offseason with a preseason car accident that resulted in him requiring stitches in his hand. The team is being quiet on his availability for Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on the first batch injury reports this week.
Category: General Sports
