Jaycee Horn believes Panthers are on the rise: 'Jump on the ship while you can'

Carolina's star cornerback brings some infectious enthusiasm into this weekend's international game.

Tim Weaver | Nov 9, 2024

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 29: Jaycee Horn #8 of the Carolina Panthers runs onto the field before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers' defense is in the middle of an incredibly-challenging season. The loss of Derrick Brown for the year after just one game and Shaq Thompson a couple weeks later represented two big body blows to a defensive-front seven that may have already been the weakest in the NFL even while those two key veterans were healthy.

The back end of Carolina's defense this year hasn't been much better, but there has been one glaring exception to the rule. After being limited by injuries for much of his first three seasons in the NFL, cornerback Jaycee Horn has managed to stay healthy this year and is playing a high level of shutdown coverage from week to week.

Horn's own stock is on the rise and he also thinks that his team will be joining him soon. Here's what he told reporters earlier this week about where this team is headed, according to Carolina Blitz.

Jaycee Horn on Panthers rising

"We on the rise, man. We’ve been down bad for a little while, but our time coming. So you might as well jump on the ship while you can, because once we start winning we ain’t taking a lot of new fans.... We gonna remember everybody that was talking bad on us, so jump on the ship while you can."

For the year Horn is only allowing a 43.6% completion rate and an 89.6 passer rating. With a new contract for starting running back Chuba Hubbard having been hammered out this week, signing Horn to a long-term extension should now be general manager Dan Morgan's number one priority. Horn stands to make at least $20 million per season on his next deal, which would rank him in the top-five earners at his position.

That's a lot for any one player who doesn't play quarterback, but corner is a premium position in the modern game and it's critical to retain a talent like this. Paying Horn a lucrative long-term deal will ultimately be far-less costly than allowing him to leave in free agency, anyway.