Panthers to work out Josh Norman following Jaycee Horn injury

The Carolina Panthers may be three games below .500, but they’re still right in the thick of the NFC South hunt. However, they suffered a major setback this weekend as second-year cornerback Jaycee Horn broke his wrist and will require surgery, putting him in danger of missing the rest of the season. With Horn likely out of the picture as the Panthers contend for a playoff appearance down the stretch, Carolina gave a call to an old friend…Josh Norman.

That’s right, without their young starlet corner unavailable for the foreseeable future, the Panthers are taking a look at former All-Pro Josh Norman to take his place. According to NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, Norman will work out with the team on Monday:

“With Jaycee Horn undergoing wrist surgery Tuesday, #Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks says veteran CB Josh Norman will work out for the team today and potentially could sign before Sunday’s game against the #Bucs.”

There you have it. The former Panther great is back in Carolina and could potentially join the team. He originally spent four years with the Panthers out of college and excelled, finishing 4th in the Defensive Player of the Year race in 2015. That sparked a massive boost in his potential second contract. And when he went to Carolina with the hopes of fattening his extension, Panthers brass declined to hand Norman his massive deal, and instead let NFC rival Washington swoop in and hand him 75 million bucks over the next five years.

Alas, Josh Norman never had another season even close to 2015. After his fourth season with Washington, the team cut him and he landed in Buffalo for a year and then in San Francisco last season. Nobody has signed the veteran DB this year, but the Panthers could make a late splash and pick him up after one of their starting cornerbacks went down.