5 Carolina Panthers players who desperately need to develop in 2022

CJ Henderson – Carolina Panthers CB

Trading for CJ Henderson was seen as a long-term investment by the Carolina Panthers. They were reportedly high on the cornerback coming out of Florida before eventually going with defensive tackle Derrick Brown at No. 7 overall and a third-round pick coupled with Dan Arnold represented a solid risk for a top-10 pick with just one year of experience under his belt.

Things just didn’t work out for Henderson with the Jacksonville Jaguars. His desire was called into question and being part of such a poor franchise was clearly impacting the player in a detrimental way.

If the Panthers were hoping would get an instant lease of life, they were mistaken. Henderson was brought along gradually by the coaching staff and even though there were some impressive moments, a clear inconsistency in coverage means the jury is still out regarding whether or not this was the correct call to make.

This offseason is the biggest of Henderson’s football life by a considerable margin. Carolina will be expecting more from the corner next time around and this will increase further if Stephon Gilmore and Donte Jackson don’t come back in free agency.

The ball is in Henderson’s court, so to speak. He has the physical attributes to become a productive player at the next level, but the time for substantial improvements has well and truly arrived.