Have the Carolina Panthers adopted a new normal for Jaycee Horn?
The oft-injured fourth-year cornerback closed up shop a bit early at practice on Saturday morning. Following the session, head coach Dave Canales was asked if Horn was on a “pitch count” for the outing.
“Yeah, by design,” Canales said of Horn, who was eventually replaced by fourth-year veteran Dicaprio Bootle. “He had a great day two days ago. Some of his highest speeds that he’s had. And so with that, we just wanna make sure we’re smart about just continuing that flow.
“This is still an acclimation period. So we’re really trying to take advantage of that and make sure we continue to ramp him up so he’s ready to go.”
Although highly effective, Horn’s impact at the NFL level has been hindered by a string of injuries. The setbacks, which began early in his 2021 rookie campaign, have forced him to miss 29 of a possible 51 games over his three-year pro career.
That history obviously hasn’t escaped Horn—who told reporters on Wednesday that he’s focused on the now, not the distant future.
“I don’t even think about extensions,” Horn said when asked about the possibility of a new contract. “Like I said, I’m focused on showin’ these guys I can be available and puttin’ out good tape on Sunday.”
Horn and the Panthers will rev up the action on Tuesday, when pads enter the equation at training camp for the first time this summer.
