Week 1 was a tough outing for the Carolina Panthers. They lost their season opener to the Atlanta Falcons 24-10, starting the Bryce Young era off on the wrong foot. On top of that, they suffered a major loss from their lineup.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn suffered a hamstring injury in the first half against the Falcons that led to him missing the remainder of the game. Unfortunately, he is going to be sidelined for a lot more than that.
Horn has already been ruled out for the Panthers’ Monday Night Football matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. But, as shared by Adam Schefter of ESPN, he is going to be sidelined a lot longer than that.
According to Panthers’ head coach Frank Reich, Horn’s hamstring injury is serious enough that the team expects him to miss extended time. There is a chance that he will have to undergo surgery and he could land on the injured reserve as a result.
That is a brutal blow for the Panthers as Horn has showcased the ability to be one of the better young cornerbacks in the NFL when on the field. Alas, therein lies the problem, as the No. 8 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has struggled to stay healthy.
Horn missed 18 games in his first two seasons in the NFL. He suffered a season-ending foot injury in the third game of his rookie season and last year he missed the final four after fracturing his wrist.
Veteran Troy Hill will likely be called upon to replace Horn in the lineup as he took his spot on Sunday afternoon against the Falcons. Last season, Horn finished 29th in the NFL among qualified cornerbacks with a PFF grade of 71.4. Replacing a player of that caliber, a borderline No. 1 and star No. 2, will certainly not be easy for Reich and his staff.
