Sep 29, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott (21) and cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) take the field during 1st quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon USA TODAY NETWORK
The Carolina Panthers are nearing a pivotal second training camp for head coach Dave Canales and his coaching staff.
Following a first season of twists and turns (and a ton of points allowed), Canales and his crew are hoping to see improved returns from Ejiro Evero’s defense in 2025. And while the front office invested a lot of resources to improve the defensive front, the secondary — particularly at cornerback — is mostly filled with familiar faces.
As the Panthers inch closer to summer workouts, The Observer is breaking down Carolina’s depth chart with a position-by-position analysis series. After taking a look at the inside and outside linebacker groups last week, our attention turns to the top-heavy cornerback unit.
Is depth a concern at cornerback?
The Panthers invested a ton of money in their defense this offseason. And while the top decision-makers focused on adding new faces to their front seven in March, general manager Dan Morgan decided to double down on his two starting cornerbacks, Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, with a pair of contract extensions.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson celebrates his knocking the ball away from Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., during action at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, December 22, 2024. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 36-30 in overtime. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Horn signed a four-year, $100 million deal before Jackson put ink to a two-year, $10.5 million contract during the first week of free agency. The double-down deals were logical, as Horn maintained his health throughout the bulk of last season, and Jackson might have been the biggest overachiever on the roster last year. In theory, the pair’s familiarity should only make them better together, especially as Horn continues to ascend as a Pro Bowl defender.
But after those two veterans, the Panthers’ cornerback room is notably inexperienced.
While Chau Smith-Wade was able to make an impact at nickel corner during the second half of his rookie season, he’s still learning how to play one of the more demanding positions in the sport. Smith-Wade is a bit undersized for what Evero wants in an outside corner — Smith-Wade’s position of focus in college — but he possesses good speed, toughness and intellect for the slot spot. The second-year corner was one of the standouts of the offseason program, and if he can continue to play well — and possibly show some extended versatility — the Panthers can feel good about their starting secondary. And given the team’s rather light safety depth chart, it also wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Smith-Wade get moved around quite a bit this summer.
The Panthers have limited depth behind the top trio, but the front office still seems to feel better about the group than onlookers.
Shemar Bartholomew, another second-year cornerback, had a nice set of spring practices, and the team is hoping that having a full summer with the playbook will help him grow on defense. Akayleb Evans, a former Minnesota Vikings draft pick, is back for the summer after being picked up midway through last season. Evans has some starting experience and seems to be the favorite for the No. 4 job entering camp.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson, right, knocks the ball away from Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., left, during action at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, December 22, 2024. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 36-30 in overtime. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
From there, the Panthers are hoping someone from the pile of MJ Devonshire, Corey Thornton, Michael Reid and JaTravis Broughton steps up and surprises them in practice and the preseason.
Like most NFL teams, the Panthers are — at best — three deep at corner entering camp. Beyond that, the projections aren’t particularly palatable. Still, the team has been patient with the group, despite the availability of Jaire Alexander (now with Baltimore), Kendall Fuller, Rasul Douglas and others.
The team looked into Alexander, but never made an offer to the Charlotte native, a league source told The Observer in June. The Panthers weren’t interested in trading for Miami Dolphins-turned-Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey, either.
Could their plans change during camp? Sure.
Could the Panthers hold tight and wait for an opportunistic deal at cornerback like they did last year with Jackson? Seems likely.
Is this going to be an uneasy group until a move is made? Almost certainly.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Chau Smith-Wade celebrates an interception with special teams assistant coach Daren Bates (far right) and teammates against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, December 1, 2024. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH Knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com
Horn’s notable injury history and Jackson’s one-year wonder status make the position vulnerable to volatility. So, depth is paramount. The Panthers are hoping that the answer comes from an internal competition. While that might seem to be a bit too optimistic for a franchise that has historically fumbled from a depth perspective, the team can’t rebuild an entire defensive depth chart in one year.
As of now, the cornerback position doesn’t have enough proven depth to be considered whole entering camp. But if one of the younger guys emerges in the preseason, perhaps the Panthers can save a few bucks with a developmental contributor.
Panthers’ cornerback depth chart
The projected starters: Horn, Jackson and Smith-Wade (nickelback) — Horn is one of the faces of the defense, and his 2024 emergence should be a sign of things to come. Horn, when healthy, is a top-10 cornerback, and his length and size are major assets in Evero’s zone-heavy coverage scheme.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn smiles as he walks to training camp practice on Thursday, July 25, 2024. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Jackson, who was acquired midway through the preseason last year, had an impressive first year in Carolina. The Panthers are banking on a repeat performance, even if Jackson feels like a potential regression candidate. If Jackson can stay steady (and healthy), the Panthers’ double-down bet will pay off.
Smith-Wade, last year’s fifth-round pick, has a lot of momentum entering training camp. He made a handful of plays in front of the media during the offseason program, and he is considered a strong worker behind the scenes. If he can take another step forward as the nickel corner, the Panthers will have a top-three group worth feeling good about.
The projected backups: Bartholomew and Evans — If you responded, “Who?” when scoping out these names, no one would judge you. Bartholomew and Evans aren’t necessarily proven entities on Mint Street, but they do have some upside worth exploring.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Shemar Bartholomew on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Still, is that enough to feel secure about if Horn or Jackson were to go down? Nope.
And that’s probably why the Panthers’ fan base is so on edge about the cornerback depth chart. It’s the fear of the unknown talent, and that’s completely understandable.
It’s on one or both of them to earn trust from the staff, the front office and the fan base this summer.
The competition: Devonshire, Thornton, Reid and Broughton are looking to prove they’re worthy of being in the conversation for roster spots. Devonshire was claimed off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders in April while Thornton, Reid and Broughton are undrafted rookies.
Panthers rookie cornerback Corey Thornton, right, gets one-on-one practice with veteran Jaycee Horn during the second day of minicamp in Charlotte, NC on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
If one or more can emerge this summer, perhaps the Panthers can take it easy on the waiver wire ahead of Week 1. Of the group, Thornton and Devonshire seem to be the best suited to step up.