Carolina Panthers Cornerback to Undergo Wrist Surgery

The Carolina Panthers will have a major question mark at cornerback for their all-important Week 17 showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Interim head coach Steve Wilks informed reporters Monday that defensive back Jaycee Horn will undergo surgery for a wrist injury, casting doubt over his availability for Sunday's matchup.

#Panthers coach Steve Wilks announces that Jaycee Horn will have wrist surgery tomorrow, but his status is to be determined at a later date.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 26, 2022

Horn suffered the wrist injury in the Panthers' 37-23 win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday. He played about 65% of the Panthers' defensive snaps, down from his typical 90-100%. He logged six total tackles.

The eighth-overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, Horn is a budding superstar at cornerback when available. He has allowed an excellent 55.0 passer rating on throws in his direction across his 13 starts this year while nabbing three interceptions and breaking up seven passes.

Wilks' unwillingness to commit to a timeline suggests that the team is holding out hope Horn will play this week. The stakes couldn't be much higher: the Panthers will win the NFC South if they can win their final two games against the Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints. Anything less will likely mean missing the playoffs for a fifth straight season.