The Carolina Panthers are acquiring Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback C.J. Henderson, reportedly closing in on a trade to acquire the former top-10 pick.
Henderson, the No. 9 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, found himself on the outs in Jacksonville. He seemingly lost the trust of Urban Meyer and was put on the trade block before the season.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported the sides were close. Carolina is trading tight end Dan Darnold and its third-round pick to the Jaguars for Henderson and a fifth-round pick.
- CJ Henderson stats (2020-21): 33 solo tackles, six pass deflections, one interception in 10 games
Coming out of Florida, Henderson entered the 2020 NFL Draft with plenty of buzz. At 6-foot-1 with great length and a 4.39 40-yard dash, many believed he had the talent to be a Pro Bowl cornerback. The 22-year-old ran into some issues in Jacksonville, landing on the COVID-19 reserve list and missing time for personal reasons.
Carolina’s big swing comes just days after it lost Jaycee Horn to a broken foot. Horn, the No. 8 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, played extremely well before suffering the non-contact injury in Week 3.
With Horn expected to miss a majority of the regular season, the Panthers made an aggressive move to fill the void in the secondary. If a change of scenery is what Henderson needed, the Panthers’ coaching staff could help him reach his potential.
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