5 players the Carolina Panthers cannot live without in 2022

Jaycee Horn – Carolina Panthers CB

The impact made by Jaycee Horn during training camp and over the first two games was refreshing, to say the least. The No. 8 overall selection in 2021 brought a swagger and alpha mentality that had been missing at the cornerback position and for the player to break his foot in Week 3 at the Houston Texans was a significant blow.

Horn was just a rookie. But this was a physical specimen with the athleticism to match that made life extremely difficult for opposing wide receivers and even made quarterbacks think twice about throwing in his direction at all.

Things were never quite the same after Horn’s injury. There was no man to lock down one side of the field aside from the times Stephon Gilmore was healthy and the edge brought by the South Carolina product was missed in no uncertain terms.

The son of former Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn looks like his old self this offseason. This has brought a sense of renewed hope that a breakout campaign could be in the offing as a result.

Gilmore is no longer around, so the Carolina Panthers need Horn on the field more than ever. Any more complications on the health front would put a significant dent in their chances.

Horn is clearly chomping at the bit to make a statement next season. If everything goes well, it will be like having an extra first-round selection given how little he managed to contribute over his rookie campaign.