Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn may have been a bit absent over his first two NFL seasons, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t appreciated.
CBS Sports writer Jeff Kerr recently named the NFC’s most undervalued players—pitting their high level of performance on the field against their current contracts. For the Panthers, it’s Horn—who has proven to be one of the very elite one-on-one defenders in the sport:
Another player on a rookie deal, the Panthers receive excellent value for a player of Horn’s caliber. Horn allowed just a 35.8 passer rating in coverage last season, with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He was only targeted 51 times last year, a definition of a shutdown corner when he’s on the field.
In the third year of his rookie contract, Horn’s cap number for 2023 is $5,757,858. Whether Horn is on the field or not, that’s excellent value for the Panthers — especially since he’s already one of the better cover corners in the game.
Fortunately for Carolina, they won’t have to break the bank for the talented 23-year-old just yet. Horn still has two years and a fifth-year option left on that rookie pact.
So for now, health is the main concern for the 2021 first-rounder—who has missed 17 of a possible 33 games thus far. Can Horn shake off his most recent foot injury and really establish himself as a top (and present) cornerback in 2023?
