The Carolina Panthers placed cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on injured reserve Wednesday, four days before Sunday night's home game against the Detroit Lions. Under NFL rules, a player put on injured reserve during the season must miss at least four games.
Horn, a Pro Bowl pick in 2024 and 2025, has started all 56 games he has played since Carolina drafted him eighth overall in 2021. He went on the list with a quad injury. Jackson, out with a groin injury, had started 37 straight games for the team.
That leaves three cornerbacks on the active roster: Akayleb Evans, Will Lee III and Chau Smith-Wade, according to the team's Sept. 29 roster. No cornerback has been added to the active roster since. The team signed one, Robert Rochell, to its practice squad, the group of players who practice with the team but cannot play in a game unless they are signed to the roster or promoted for that week.
Evans made the interception that a roughing-the-passer penalty erased late in last Sunday's 21-18 loss at Cleveland.
The week, move by move
Horn and Jackson were two of 16 roster moves the team announced from Saturday, Sept. 26, through Thursday morning. Most of the rest were routine trips between the active roster and the practice squad.
Saturday, Sept. 26. Linebacker Claudin Cherelus to injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Linebacker Maema Njongmeta signed from the practice squad to the active roster. Receiver David Moore and running back Anthony Tyus III promoted from the practice squad for the game at Cleveland.
Monday, Sept. 28. Guard Saahdiq Charles signed to the practice squad, where he spent most of the 2025 season.
Tuesday, Sept. 29. Guard Torricelli Simpkins III signed from the practice squad to the active roster. Njongmeta waived. Outside linebacker Cam Gill and tackle Isaia Glass signed to the practice squad, and guard Chandler Zavala released from it.
Wednesday, Sept. 30. Horn and Jackson to injured reserve. Moore and Tyus signed from the practice squad to the active roster. Rochell signed to the practice squad.
Thursday, Oct. 1. Njongmeta signed back to the practice squad.
Njongmeta made the full loop between Saturday and Thursday: up to the active roster, waived, then back on the practice squad. Moore, in his ninth NFL season, and Tyus both played at Cleveland after their promotions, Tyus in his NFL debut. Gill, who spent training camp with Carolina, set the United Football League's single-season record with 10 sacks this year for the Louisville Kings.
The Panthers play the Lions at 8:20 p.m. Sunday on NBC. Friday's injury report will carry the game statuses.