It was tough to get a word out of cornerback C.J. Henderson at his first press conference after he was traded from the Jaguars to the Panthers in September 2021.
The then-second-year cornerback was still getting used to a new environment in Charlotte — one that was more normal than the one he left in Jacksonville. And he’s naturally a quiet person.
But this offseason, Henderson has come out of his shell, his Panthers teammates say. And they hope that, along with the ease he’s playing with during workouts, will help him unleash his potential as he enters Year 3 of his NFL career.
“He’s out there talking, communicating, playing fast,” Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson said. “He has a lot of confidence in himself, and that probably stems from him, offseason work and getting him used to the team.”
Said cornerback Donte Jackson: “C.J. is a student of the game. He just wants to be great, and he asks a lot of questions and he does everything you want him to do.”
“He had to get acclimated last year. It was probably a trade he didn’t expect. But he’s more comfortable. He’s been smiling, laughing more.”
When he’s relayed those words from Thompson and Jackson, Henderson smiles. He remembers entering an unfamiliar place with new faces, as he, a former first-round draft pick, tried to find comfort in his new team.
But it was Thompson and Jackson, Henderson said, who helped him get adjusted.
“They helped welcome me in with open arms,” Henderson told The Charlotte Observer. “Those were two guys I talked to a lot, and they helped me with that transition.”
Jacksonville’s decision to trade the 2020 No. 9 overall pick was unusual at the time. Teams don’t normally give up on first-round players less than two years after they draft them. Jacksonville traded Henderson and a fifth-round pick to Carolina for tight end Dan Arnold and a third-round pick.
But Henderson said “the feelings were mutual with the trade.” The Jaguars were the worst team in the NFL last season, and multiple reports suggest former Jacksonville coach Urban Meyer led a toxic work environment for his players.
Henderson was glad to go to a new team and start fresh. He said this year feels a lot different.
“It’s different, less pressure than being the main guy and having to step into that role early in your career,” Henderson said.
Henderson changed his jersey number this offseason from No. 15 to No. 24. When he initially arrived at Carolina, there weren’t many numbers available, so he wore No. 15.
He said he needed to get out of No. 15.
“I had to get some swag back,” Henderson said with a smile.
There’s a lot to learn about Henderson, who doesn’t volunteer much information about himself when cameras are rolling. He’s not active on Instagram; he has one post, June 12, about a camp he was hosting. He doesn’t appear to have a Twitter account, and if he does, it’s hard to find.
He keeps to himself.
But when asked about his hobbies outside of football, Henderson said he likes to do a variety of things from puzzles to reading and “trying out new food places,” in Charlotte.
Henderson, who is originally from Miami, says he’s a big sushi guy, and his new favorite place is Konnichiwa Charlotte. He also likes to go to steakhouses and Italian Restaurants; North Italia and Stir Charlotte are among his favorites.
Henderson plans to continue to explore Charlotte while the Panthers break for the summer.
“I want C.J. to be C.J.,” Panthers coach Matt Rhule said. “I don’t want anyone to change who they are. ... But I do want them to feel comfortable that they have people here who care about them and want them to play their best.
“I think he’s been a great addition for us and he’s a really talented player.”
As for the season, Henderson is hoping to have the best year of his career. With Jaycee Horn healthy from a foot injury, and a new secondary coach in Steve Wilks, the Panthers’ defensive backs figure to be one of their best units, if not the best.
Henderson said his biggest goals are to make it through the season healthy and the rest will “take care of itself.”
“When I train and prepare like I know how to, I feel like the sky is the limit for me,” Henderson said of Year 3. “I have good guys around me that will help me reach that potential. So we’re all just shooting for the stars.”
