The Carolina Panthers kick off their preseason on Thursday night in the NFL's Hall of Fame Game against the Arizona Cardinals. This will be a great chance for head coach Dave Canales to see what he has with most of the team's depth.
Not every starter on the Panthers' roster will play, which means new opportunities arise for many players on the roster bubble. One particular position group catches my attention for Thursday night's unofficial kickoff contest.
Sixth-round draft pick Jimmy Horn Jr. is one of the players fighting for his future. He is in a must-prove situation, and it all starts in the preseason.
Jimmy Horn Jr. is under pressure to impress during Carolina Panthers' preseason slate
Horn is a unique player in that he has the speed no one else on offense has, other than Chris Brazzell II, who is out for the rest of the year with season-ending LCL surgery. Having watched Horn's tape following last year's draft, I came away impressed with his short-area quickness, explosiveness, and long speed after the catch.
However, there is more to being a speedy wideout in the NFL than just being a speedy wideout. You must provide other contributions a little lower down the pecking order.
Horn was a raw route runner out of Colorado. On top of that, he didn't provide any special-teams skills other than potentially taking punts or kickoffs back as a return specialist. If you're a Day 3 selection at the bottom of the depth chart and lack expansive special-teams skills, it is hard to see the field altogether.
In training camp and Fan Fest, Horn has been seen working with return specialists, and for that reason, there is some hope that the explosive pass-catcher can work his way back onto the 53-man roster when cuts come around. Standing out throughout Carolina's warmup slate is crucial, and there should be chances to shine.
Again, no starters on the field, and undrafted rookie Haynes King is expected to be the quarterback for a majority of the game after Kenny Pickett takes on a couple of series. This is one of Horn's four chances to make a name for himself, and he must deliver the goods.
I want to see how contributive Horn can be on special teams and growth as a route runner. He is auditioning for other NFL teams who may be watching from afar. If productive, the hype around the second-year pro will explode.
With Ja'seem Reed's training camp performance and other veterans locking themselves in on the depth chart, it is time to make noise if you're Horn.
Because there might not be a tomorrow.
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