There used to be no love lost between the Carolina Panthers and Marshon Lattimore. But with Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Sr. now out long-term, could a move for the veteran cornerback be an option?
Some mitigating factors are in play, but it's something to consider at the very least.
Lattimore remains out of the league, which isn't surprising. The four-time Pro Bowler tore his ACL in Week 9 of last season against the Seattle Seahawks, ending his short but underwhelming stint with the Washington Commanders.
Carolina Panthers should check in on Marshon Lattimore amid cornerback injury crisis
Nothing has been confirmed about his recovery, but he shouldn't be too far away now.
Before Lattimore's ill-fated trade to the Commanders, the Ohio State product was among the league's most productive shutdown corners. His smooth coverage skills and never-say-die attitude were a revelation for the New Orleans Saints. Injuries dented his progress at times, but at his best, few were better.
Nothing much went right for Lattimore in Washington. He came into the building with a hamstring injury that he couldn't shake off. The highs were high, and the lows were low, but the same problems surfaced in 2025 before another devastating setback.
The Commanders inevitably cut Lattimore, saving $18.5 million in cap space. He's been out of work ever since, which isn't surprising. Until teams know he is on the road to recovery, they won't take the plunge.
But it wouldn't hurt the Panthers to check in and see where things stand.
Carolina Panthers would be taking a big risk with Marshon Lattimore, but they are desperate
Not having Horn and Jackson is a bitter pill to swallow. Head coach Dave Canales said both are expected back at some point in 2026, but the Panthers don't want to be out of the running before then. And looking at the options available, they are desperately short of experience.
Moving for Lattimore would be risky, of course. But if he is healthy and gets back to anything like his old form, the 2017 first-round pick would quickly become a useful short-term stopgap.
Obviously, Lattimore has missed a lot of time. There's no telling how long it would take him to log meaningful reps. He should be fresh after spending so long away from the gridiron, but it might take even longer to find his football legs again.
And time is what the Panthers don't have right now.
Lattimore is undoubtedly the most accomplished veteran on the market. He's regressed, but desperate times call for desperate measures. And having the chance to get one over on the team that traded him might be all the motivation he needs.
Time will tell. The Panthers might be content with what they have, but with an NFC South title to defend, general manager Dan Morgan cannot take any possibility off the table.
Whether that results in a move for Lattimore remains to be seen. But if everything checks out on the health front, there are far worse avenues the Panthers can go down.
Watch this space, I guess...
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