4 players who could transform the Carolina Panthers in 2022

Jaycee Horn – Carolina Panthers CB

Not having Jaycee Horn for more than two and a half games during his rookie season was a big blow. The Carolina Panthers invested heavily in the cornerback at No. 8 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and based on very limited sample size, they made the right call despite an obvious need to find a long-term answer at quarterback.

Horn’s transition to the NFL couldn’t have gone much better. He instantly became a team alpha in training camp and also demonstrated lockdown capabilities over the first fortnight before a broken foot in Week 3 at the Houston Texans brought his campaign to an abrupt halt.

All signs point to Horn making a full recovery and he certainly looks the part this offseason. Providing there are no more hazards on the health front, this is like an extra first-round selection for the Panthers in 2022 given how much time he missed in Year 1 of his professional career.

Getting Horn back on the field consistently has untold potential. If the South Carolina product can pick up where he left off and shut down one side of the field for Phil Snow’s defense, then it will provide the Panthers with something they haven’t had for some time.

Horn is a star in the making. Expectations are through the roof now he is fit and firing on all cylinders, but there is nothing to suggest his talent or mentality cannot reach these lofty goals.