3 pending free agents the Carolina Panthers could surprisingly re-sign in 2024
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers could re-sign C.J. Henderson
Much like Yetur Gross-Matos, the future of C.J. Henderson looked bleak heading into the season. The much-maligned cornerback struggled to make the necessary impression following his trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars, which put him in the dreaded draft-bust territory after coming into the NFL as a top-10 pick out of Florida.
Henderson's done well to fight back when all hope seemed lost. Having better coaches on the defensive side of things helped, but he's coped admirably with increased responsibilities after Jaycee Horn went down in Week 1.
There are still lapses in concentration that might not ever get eradicated from Henderson's game. This is dependent on the financial implications, but giving the defensive back a one-year extension to prove his worth under another different coaching regime has obvious benefits.
This one could go either way, in all honesty. Henderson can boost his chances by putting together a solid run of games down the stretch - something he looks more than capable of despite showing some rust at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers upon his return to the rotation in Week 13.
The Panthers have had countless problems in 2023. However, the defense has done more with less, which could see a few depth chart pieces retained when it looked for all the smart money as if they'd be moved on without much fanfare.