Earlier in the week, the Carolina Panthers waived former sixth-round wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. to open a roster spot for linebacker Tyrel Dodson. Horn had a disappointing game in the season opener, which included a botched punt return.

Horn earned one of the final spots on the 53-man roster primarily because of his value on special teams. After that fumble, the Panthers had serious questions about what value he actually brought on the active roster and ultimately had to make the tough decision with the hope that they could bring him back after clearing waivers.

“We had a great conversation—he and I and Dan [Morgan] talked about it,” head coach Dave Canales said. “Wanted to make sure he understood that we see the progress that he’s making, we see the strides. And right now, with what the roster was doing, I didn’t want him to go in the tank and be discouraged. . .

We want him to come back. We want him to be here on the practice squad, because he brings a lot to what we can do. And this isn’t the end of that story. This is just a part of it. And right now, we have to make the best decisions, I have to make those hard decisions along with Dan to make sure we get guys out there that we feel confident with.”

Despite the Panthers’ best interests of waiting to keep Horn on the practice squad, Horn had other plans that made this decision a definitive one for Carolina.

Jimmy Horn Jr. signs to the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad after clearing waivers

Horn cleared through the waiver wire on Wednesday and could have rejoined the Panthers on the practice squad as Canales hoped for. Instead, Horn opted to take his talents elsewhere after being waived by the team that drafted him.

Early Thursday morning, Horn signed with the Cleveland Browns onto the team’s practice squad, reuniting him with his former college quarterback in Shedeur Sanders.

The move gives Horn a fresh start with a quarterback he’s familiar with and puts an end to his time in Carolina. And now the Panthers have to fully move on themselves.

John Metchie III set to take over Jimmy Horn Jr.’s duties on special teams

With Horn out of the picture and running back Trevor Etienne on the injured reserve, the Panthers were in need of a new starting punt returner and will be turning to veteran wide receiver John Metchie III to fill that role.

“John gives us a guy that we trust,” Canales explained. “He also has returned for us. He’s done a good job in the preseason. We wanted to give him those opportunities to see if he could help us in that way, and I feel confident he’ll do a good job.”

So, one receiver in Jimmy Horn Jr. opted to rejoin his former college quarterback in Cleveland, opening the door for Metchie to get more opportunities in Carolina on special teams and on offense working with his former college quarterback in Bryce Young. How fitting is that?

All eyes are now on Xavier Legette

Another wide receiver to watch this week for the Panthers is Xavier Legette, who now has the next shortest leash in the room after Horn’s departure. Legette had zero receptions on two targets in the season opener, yet Canales still sees the break through coming for the team’s former first-round pick.

“For XL, it’s coming. I truly believe it,” Canales said. “And I think I’ve said this a lot of times up here, but hard work works. And that’s what I’ve seen out of him. He just grinds. He had a fantastic practice (on Wednesday), and he’s a part of our game plan, we’re counting on XL. I can’t wait to see him continue to take those strides.”

If he doesn’t and continues disappointing, Legette could eventually be the next Panthers’ wide receiver to find himself on the move.