Even with his fifth-year option having been picked up earlier this offseason, cornerback Jaycee Horn says he’s not focused on sniffing out a brand-new contract here in 2024. But according to a new report from ESPN’s David Newton, the Carolina Panthers might be.
Newton’s latest offering over at the worldwide leader gives us a glimpse into the former eighth overall pick as he enters his fourth NFL campaign. And included in the piece is this following nugget:
Horn hasn’t even approached the Panthers about a contract extension because he knows the only way to prove his worth is to play a full season — and Carolina management hasn’t seriously approached Horn about an extension because they need to see him play a full season to know his value.
But Newton later adds:
The Panthers believe Horn is one of their cornerstones, and according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, are preparing to pay top dollar to keep him.
As Newton notes in his post from Friday, Horn has stated that he’s more concerned with proving his durability rather than his monetary value for the time being. The talented 24-year-old has missed 29 of a possible 51 games due to numerous injuries since entering the league in 2021.
“I don’t even think about extensions,” Horn said back in late July. “Like I said, I’m focused on showin’ these guys I can be available and puttin’ out good tape on Sunday.”
Well, he certainly puts out good tape when he is available.
Horn has caught the eyes of the film buffs over at Pro Football Focus, who seem to believe he’s growing by the season. He’s seen both his overall defensive grade and coverage grade improve year over year—recording marks of 67.8, 71.4 and 84.1 for the former category and 67.4, 73.2 and 83.0 for the latter.
With his fifth-year option in tow, Horn is slated to become a free agent following the 2025 season.
