Carolina Panthers restructure Jaycee Horn
- Cap savings: $12.31 million
As previously mentioned, most of the Carolina Panthers' lofty earners are franchise cornerstones. That gives general manager Dan Morgan the option of restructuring contracts to provide some short-term relief.
Jaycee Horn is one of them. He cemented his status among the league's best shutdown cornerbacks last season, earning his second straight Pro Bowl distinction and locking down almost everyone in his path. The South Carolina product also managed to stay relatively injury-free, though the concussion issues down the stretch are worth monitoring in the coming months.
The Panthers made Horn the NFL's highest-paid cornerback with his contract extension ahead of time. That didn't last long, but it's already looking pretty cheap compared to the rising contract costs and high-caliber performance.
That's why Horn's contract could be tweaked. The former South Carolina sensation is still getting the same money; it'll just be worked differently. The $12.31 million in Carolina funds that could reportedly be freed up by this move is tempting. That would go a long way toward helping Morgan bring in productive free agents into the building at an important stage of his project.
Any major concerns anybody had about Horn have been silenced over the last two seasons. And Morgan may need to kick the can down the road this time around.
Carolina Panthers extend Mike Jackson Sr.
- Cap savings: $3.24 million
Speaking of cornerbacks, Mike Jackson Sr. was nothing short of exceptional during the 2025 campaign. He took things up a notch through elite-level coverage capabilities and a genuine willingness to assist against the run. He quickly became a formidable proposition to overcome, and Carolina should do whatever it takes to extend his stay.
Jackson earned All-Pro consideration, and rightfully so. Dan Morgan's decision to acquire the player in a late-offseason trade with the Seattle Seahawks before the 2024 campaign was arguably his best move yet. He solidified a problem area, forming a dominant partnership with Jaycee Horn. With another strong campaign in 2026, he's going to command a substantial amount on his next deal.
Even though Jackson will be 30 after the season, getting another deal worked out beforehand might be a risk worth taking. That's not going to be at the team-friendly deal he's currently playing on, but he's more than proved his worth.
Morgan saw something in Jackson when the Seahawks were ready to give up on him for nothing more than seventh-round linebacker Michael Barrett. The immediate savings attached to a new contract won't be earth-shattering, but the added benefits of locking him up to continue his outstanding tandem with Horn cannot be disputed.