Panthers News: Miles Sanders, Jaycee Horn, Bryce Young and Marquis Haynes
By Dean Jones
How will the Carolina Panthers use Jaycee Horn?
When one examines the most important Carolina Panthers players entering the 2023 season, cornerback Jaycee Horn would be near the top. Those in power didn't do much to strengthen their cornerback options this offseason despite the questions surrounding most within the room, which is down to poor performance and injury histories that could throw the team's plans into tatters.
One only has to look at how fans reacted to Horn's ankle and foot injury that ruled him out of Carolina's mandatory minicamp to see the level of trepidation. Something that is further highlighted by the former first-round selection out of South Carolina's inability to stay healthy for a full slate.
There's no doubt Horn is among the league's best when firing on all cylinders. The presence of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero should see his game go to a different stratosphere in 2023, which could see the third-year-pro adopt a Jalen Ramsey-type role according to Andy Benoit of The 33rd Team.
"Don’t be surprised if instead of using [Jaycee] Horn like [Patrick] Surtain, [Ejiro] Evero, who was the Rams’ secondary coach in 2021, actually uses him like Jalen Ramsey. The L.A. superstar played boundary corner like Surtain, but in many nickel (4-2) and penny (5-1) packages, he slid to the slot, where he thrived as a zone defender, tackler and occasional blitzer. Horn has already played outside and inside under the previous Panthers coaching staff."
- Andy Benoit, The 33rd Team
Whichever way Evero and the Panthers choose to deploy Horn throughout the campaign, one thing above all else is of paramount importance. That is, of course, doing everything possible to maintain his fitness.