Panthers rookie CB Jaycee Horn reportedly aiming for late-season return

Jaycee Horn‘s injury prompted the Panthers move swiftly at cornerback. The team now has 2020 top-10 pick C.J. Henderson and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore on its roster.

But the Panthers are not closing the book on Horn playing again this season. Horn underwent foot surgery two weeks ago and is eyeing a return late this season, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. It is not clear if the rookie corner will be ready to make it back during Carolina’s regular-season slate, with Fowler adding the South Carolina product would aim at being ready to return by the playoffs — should the Panthers qualify for the first time since 2017.

Horn broke three metatarsal bones during the Panthers’ Week 3 win over the Texans. At that point, this year’s No. 8 overall pick was set to determine his course of action. One of those paths was to shut it down and prepare to return for the 2022 season. It appears Horn will not take that route yet. A two-to-three-month recovery timetable comes with the surgery Horn underwent.

Henderson has seen part-time action for his new team thus far, playing 32 snaps over the past two Panthers games. Gilmore is expected to be ready to return from his quad injury when first eligible in Week 7. After his suspension and a subsequent injury, offseason addition A.J. Bouye has moved into Carolina’s starting lineup opposite Donte Jackson.

The playoffs begin a week later this year, opening in mid-January. The Panthers have dropped their past two games, falling to 3-2, so they will have work to do in order to see their full assortment of corners play together.