Panthers have not made a decision on Jaycee Horn’s 5th-year option

Panthers GM Dan Morgan said the team has not come to a decision on CB Jaycee Horn’s fifth-year option.

Apparently, the 2025 season is no sure thing for Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn.

The team’s president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan spoke with reporters via a Zoom call from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting on Monday. When asked if the team will exercise the fifth-year option on Horn, he did not provide a definitive answer.

Carolina selected Horn with the eighth overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. While he’s proven that his talent and effectiveness is absolutely undeniable, his availability is a completely different story.

The 24-year-old defender has dealt with injury after injury as a pro—from breaking his foot three games into his rookie campaign, to breaking his wrist near the end of 2022 and to sustaining a hamstring strain in the 2023 regular-season opener.

As a result, Horn has played in just 22 of a possible 51 games since entering the league.

The Panthers have until May 2 to either exercise or decline Horn’s fifth-year option. The option would cost the team approximately $12.4 million for the 2025 season.

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Panthers CB Jaycee Horn after eventful start to free agency: ‘Ima miss my dawgs’

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn is feeling the effects of a painful start to free agency.

Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan may on the hunt for some dawgs right now, but he’s still lost a few in the process.

On Monday, the home locker room over at Bank of America Stadium picked up a few very painful vacancies. After we learned that the Panthers were planning to part ways with safety Vonn Bell, they fell short in trying to retain linebacker Frankie Luvu and then traded two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants.

The losses hit quite hard for many involved with the organization, including starting cornerback Jaycee Horn . . .

Horn wasn’t the only player to feel the effects of the eventful day. Longtime Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson posted, in a since deleted tweet, a similar sentiment—stating that it was a “sad day.”

Along with Bell, Luvu and Burns, the Panthers defense is also expected to be without corner Donte Jackson in 2024. All four were starters for the unit this past season.

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Here’s how much the Panthers would pay for Jaycee Horn’s 5th-year option

We now know the value of Jaycee Horn’s fifth-year option.

Friday brought a whole lot of news about a whole lot of money for the NFL.

Along with this season’s figures for the record-breaking salary cap and the  franchise tags, we now know the value of every fifth-year option for 2025. For the Carolina Panthers and cornerback Jaycee Horn, the 2021 eighth overall pick would come with a $12,472,000 cap hit.

Horn, when on the field, has undoubtedly been one of the most effective players at his position. Unfortunately, that “when on the field” disclaimer is quite pertinent.

Due to a handful of unlucky breaks, most of them literal, Horn has played in just 22 of a possible 51 games for the Panthers over his three pro seasons. In that time, he’s recorded 85 combined tackles (three for a loss), 13 passes defensed and four interceptions.

So while there’s no doubting his status as a certifiable No. 1 lockdown corner, his health throughout the upcoming 2024 campaign may loom large for the organization.

The deadline to either exercise or decline Horn’s fifth-year option is May 2.

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Panthers’ 4 biggest needs entering free agency

Much of the Panthers’ 2024 offseason should be spent on helping out Bryce Young.

The Carolina Panthers are fresh off tying an NFL record for the most losses in a 17-game regular season and produced one of the most cringeworthy offenses in recent memory. So, uh, yeah—they have some work to do this offseason.

To make it a bit simpler, let’s check out their four biggest areas of need as we inch closer to free agency.

20 Valentine’s Day cards for the special Panthers fan in your life

Spread the love with our 20 Panthers-themed Valentine’s Day cards!

Still looking for that special something for that special Carolina Panthers fan in your life?

Well, look no further.

Let’s spread the love this Valentine’s Day with 20 Panthers-themed cards that friends, family members and/or significant others will absolutely fall for!

Grading Bleacher Report’s trade proposals for the Saints

Grading Bleacher Report’s trade proposals for the New Orleans Saints: Could Mickey Loomis finally move down in the 2024 NFL draft?

The New Orleans Saints are shifting gears and focusing on their offseason, and it’s possible that they could cut some deals with other teams to get under the salary cap and field a better roster in 2024.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine and Kris Knox came up with several trade proposals for New Orleans, though one is clearly a better offer than the offer. They also highlighted some internal trade candidates and possible targets on other teams. Let’s evaluate those options and grade their trade proposals:

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ 2023 season

PFF’s best and worst grades for the Carolina Panthers in 2023

Pencils down, players!

With the 2023 test officially over, let’s see which Carolina Panthers received the highest and lowest grades from Pro Football Focus.

Top takeaways from Panthers’ snap counts in Week 18 loss to Buccaneers

Panthers OLB Yetur Gross-Matos turned in a productive outing to cap off a career year.

Even in the final game of an absolutely lost 2-15 season for the Carolina Panthers, we have some numbers to look over.

Here are the top takeaways from Sunday’s snap counts:

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ Week 18 loss to Buccaneers

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn strapped on the seatbelt to close out the 2023 campaign.

Which Carolina Panthers did well on the final test of the 2023 season?

Here are the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades from the Week 18 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Studs and duds from Panthers’ Week 18 loss to Buccaneers

Derrick Brown was a big stud in a season full of duds for the 2023 Carolina Panthers.

Who shined and who struggled in the final game of the season?

Here are the studs and duds from the Carolina Panthers’ 9-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: