Carolina Panthers' next contract extension candidate is glaringly obvious

Dan Morgan is moving a lot differently from his predecessor Scott Fitterer. There's more professionalism and strategic purpose associated with the Carolina Panthers since his contentious promotion to the front office leadership role. He's also gone through on his intent to reward those who prove their worth.

Tying Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown down long-term was the first big domino to fall throughout the offseason. The Panthers also got an extension agreed during the season for the first time in a while after coming to a contractual agreement with running back Chuba Hubbard.

This is a sign that things are being done with more direction with the bigger picture in mind. The previous two regimes talked like they knew what they were doing, but there was very little substance attached. Morgan is a man of few words. And yet, his actions speak for themselves.

Hubbard's four-year deal was well deserved and confirms his status as a core part of the team's long-term strategy. The move received widespread approval among the fanbase, who turned their attention almost immediately to the next extension candidate on the Panthers' list of priorities.

And there is only one man at the forefront.

Jaycee Horn.

Carolina Panthers must extend Jaycee Horn at the first opportunity

The stud cornerback has been nothing short of sensational for the Panthers this season. Horn's proven his credentials as a shutdown presence capable of locking down one side of the field with minimal fuss. More importantly for the No. 8 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, he's proving to be dependable on the health front.

After featuring in just 22 games over his first three seasons, Horn's luck has taken a positive turn this time around. Whatever changes were implemented to his offseason training schedule have paid off. The South Carolina product hasn't missed a game and is performing at an elite level for good measure.

The Panthers got plenty of calls about Horn before the 2024 trade deadline. Those around the league saw Carolina's dismal record as a potential opportunity to pick up some of their most talented individuals. Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo were moved. Morgan did not entertain the thought of parting ways with his most prolific cornerback.

Those in power bought themselves some time with Horn by triggering his fifth-year option before the campaign, meaning he's not scheduled to hit free agency until 2026. Looking at how Morgan handled Brown's contract heading into the final year of his deal, it would be a big surprise if he didn't adopt a similar method in this scenario to prevent any unnecessary complications.

Extending Horn won't be cheap. But the Panthers have let too many top stars leave for pennies on the dollar or nothing at all in recent years.

Changing the culture starts with exactly this. Keeping the team's most valuable contributors and building around them.

Horn has already declared his willingness to stay with the franchise and help get them back to prosperity. This will probably happen once the campaign concludes, but it should be among Morgan's top priorities before he sets his sights on acquiring reinforcements via free agency and the draft.

Fans would be looking at Horn's upcoming contract predicament with a sense of trepidation under the previous decision-makers. That's not the case anymore.

More Carolina Panthers news and analysis