Dan Morgan is eager to reward those drafted by the Carolina Panthers who prove their worth as franchise cornerstones. And the general manager likes to do this ahead of time before the price goes up.
This is the correct way of doing business. Something that was seldom seen under previous regimes throughout David Tepper's ownership, and the Panthers are in a much more profitable position as a result.
The latest example of this ethos arrived earlier in the offseason. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn got a bumper new contract extension that made him the league's highest-paid player at the position briefly. This came after the former first-round pick removed the injury-prone tag and cemented his status among the league's best coverage presences on the boundary.
Every contract comes with risk, but Horn's got his prime years ahead. He's evolving as a leader and finally managed to put a consistent run of games together last time around. And looking at the current market, this deal could look cheap if further strides are made.
Carolina Panthers tying down Jaycee Horn early already looks like good business
Derek Stingley Jr. was the first to beat Horn's money. Sauce Gardner was next up for an extension, and the New York Jets duly obliged with a four-year, $120.4 million deal that also came with $60.1 million in new money guarantees, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
While Horn doesn't have the accomplishments or prolonged health that Gardner's achieved throughout his career to date, NFL inflation is a real thing. When the bar goes up, others looking to get paid demand more with a new measuring stick to aim for. That's just the way it is.
It's also why getting the South Carolina product tied down before Stingley and Gardner was imperative from the Panthers' perspective. Horn's deal wasn't cheap, but it did save them money in the long run.
If the Panthers had waited and Horn put together another Pro Bowl or better campaign in 2025, there's just no telling what his representatives could have come to the table with. Morgan and Brandt Tilis weren't going to be backed into a corner, and this approach represents a refreshing change of pace.
Horn has long-term security and knows how valued he is by the organization. The Panthers got ahead of the game, letting Gardner and Stingley reset the market without having to worry about their No. 1 cornerback's future.
That represents a win-win for everybody. It's also the correct way to do business as the Panthers continue their quest for respectability and so much more.