The building blocks for the Carolina Panthers are beginning to stack up.
President of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan returned to the microphone on Monday for his post-regular season press conference. He addressed the future of cornerback Jaycee Horn, who will be entering the 2025 campaign on his fifth-year option.
“Jaycee is obviously the focal point of the defense, somebody that we’re gonna want here long term and we’re gonna work on getting him a long-term deal,” Morgan stated.
Horn, who missed 29 of a possible 51 outings over his first three NFL seasons, bucked the unfortunate trend in his fourth to become a first-time Pro Bowl selection. The 2021 eighth overall pick, even in his limited appearances prior to 2024, has proven that he’s one of the game’s very top corners.
Morgan was also asked about Carolina’s first-round pick in the following draft, left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.
“Yeah, I think Ickey fits right in there,” he replied. “We think a lot of Ickey. I think he’s got better every single year. I think he made strides this season. I think [offensive line coach] Joe Gilbert and his staff have done a really good job with the O-line in general. So, yeah, I see Ickey as a piece that we want around here for a long time.”
Ekwonu improved from a disappointing sophomore campaign the year prior. The Charlotte, N.C. native was given a 66.2 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, besting his 62.3 from 2023, as well as a career-high 80.5 run-blocking mark.
The Panthers will have to decide if they want to exercise Ekwonu’s fifth-year option in the spring. (Spoiler: They will.)