5 Panthers who boosted their stock during Patriots joint practices
By Dean Jones
Jaycee Horn – Carolina Panthers CB
There has been some quiet caution surrounding Jaycee Horn this offseason. On one hand, getting him back in any capacity was a boost, but some doubts remained as to how much he’d play over the first few weeks after experiencing soreness in his surgically repaired foot during conditioning tests to open training camp.
Horn turned out just three times for the Carolina Panthers before injury struck as a rookie. And the coaching staff has done right by the former No. 8 overall selection in terms of bringing him on gradually to avoid further complications.
It’s evident that Horn ramped things up in joint practices with the New England Patriots. Even though the South Carolina product was still on a snap count, which was frustrating from the player’s perspective.
Even so, the performance levels demonstrated by Horn throughout were nothing short of exemplary. He’s missed the game of football and is keen to silence some doubters, with his enthusiasm, press coverage capabilities, and overall attitude coming across superbly well in Foxborough.
If Horn suffers no further problems from a health standpoint and C.J. Henderson produces the goods after a standout summer, then the Panthers have a potentially dominant cornerback trio that could emerge as one of the league’s most feared.