Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn is scheduled to undergo wrist surgery on Tuesday, leading the team to work out a familiar face to potentially fill his roster spot: Josh Norman.
Interim coach Steve Wilks said Monday that how long Horn, 23, will be out will be determined post-surgery. Horn injured his left wrist in the fourth quarter of the Panthers’ 37-23 win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the team confirmed that Norman — a former All-Pro with the Panthers — was at the team’s facility on Monday. Wilks said, depending on the workout, Norman could be added to the team in time to play Sunday in a crucial NFC South road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Norman, 35, played the 2021 season with the San Francisco 49ers. He started 14 games and forced a career-high seven fumbles.
Carolina selected Norman in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft and he spent four seasons with the Panthers, being named All-Pro in 2015. He signed a free agent deal with the Washington franchise in 2016, and followed his four seasons there with one season with the Buffalo Bills in 2020.
In 135 career games (109 starts), Norman has 489 tackles (13 for loss), 16 interceptions, 88 pass breakups, 20 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.
Horn, a first-round draft pick in 2021, missed all but three games of his rookie season due to injury. In 13 games (all starts) this season, Horn has recorded 53 tackles with three interceptions and seven passes defensed.
The Panthers (6-9) trail the Buccaneers (7-8) for the NFC South title, but a win Sunday would put them in the driver’s seat. The Panthers beat the Buccaneers 21-3 on Oct. 23 and would move into first place in the division, having won the season series.
Carolina ends the season on Jan. 8 on the road against the New Orleans Saints, while the Bucs visit the Atlanta Falcons.
–Field Level Media