Latest intel suggests Panthers will keep throwing two players into the fire at key position until reinforcements come back
The Carolina Panthers were put in a tough spot when cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson both sustained significant injuries, but the Panthers plan to keep rolling with the current options.
The Carolina Panthers were faced with a brutal situation back in Week 3 when Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, the team’s top cornerback duo, both sustained significant injuries that will sideline them for the majority of the 2026 regular season.
Coming out of that game, many Panthers writers (including myself) started looking into potential trades Carolina should make to add a more experienced player to the position. Even after a bad game against the Detroit Lions, a full bye week, and another up-and-down game against the Philadelphia Eagles from the two replacements, no outside additions seem to be expected from Panthers general manager Dan Morgan.
“The 3-2 Panthers are dealing with injuries to the secondary, but they remain hopeful that corners Jaycee Horn (quad) and Mike Jackson (groin) will be back during the second half of the season,” Jeremy Fowler said, via ESPN. “Both are progressing well in their rehabs. So the Panthers are in a hold-down-the-fort situation, though fill-ins Will Lee III and Akayleb Evans have played admirably so far.”
Trial by fire is expected to continue for Will Lee III and Akayleb Evans
How long Lee and Evans will have to continue holding down that fort is the big question. Teams have been active the last two games targeting those two players and it’s been a successful strategy. Over those two games, Lee and Evans have combined to allow 25 receptions for 317 yards and two touchdowns on 38 targets.
Last week against the Eagles was a bounce-back performance from Evans (who really struggled against the Lions), but it was a tough day for Lee this time around. The Eagles targeted the Panthers’ rookie 13 times in that game and Lee had two bad penalties in coverage. Yet, the team wasn’t overall discouraged by his play.
“He’s getting penalties because he’s challenging people. I’m fine with that,” head coach Dave Canales said. “Can he work on having cleaner hands? Sure. Are you going to be a successful DB in this in the NFL if you don’t use your hands? No, you’re not. And I love the fact that he took the challenge. He stayed up there and pressed.”
The Eagles did get the better of Lee on a late touchdown to wide receiver DeVonta Smith, but it was one of those things where a perfect ball and catch beats out the perfect coverage.
“They were able to get a big touchdown later on in the game, but for the most part, that’s exactly how you’ve got to play ball when you have your opportunities, get up there, challenge them, make them have to throw an accurate pass,” Canales explained. “So I was really proud of the way he played.”
Continuing to roll with Lee and Evans until Jackson and Horn return is a gamble. Let’s call a spade a spade here. Both players are inexperienced and teams are going to continue going their way often with the football because right now it’s working.
Fortunately, the Panthers have managed to get by despite that being an obvious limitation after winning each of those two games. However, it’s not a sustainable process but again I understand the Panthers wanting to develop these two players the hard way.
For what it’s worth, the team hopes to have Jackson back by some point in November and have Horn back by early December at the latest. There’s still a lot of football to be played between now and then, and I guess we’ll see how these two young cornerbacks continue to hold up in the meantime.
