Mike Jackson is back on the practice field, and for the Panthers that means more than just getting another cornerback healthy.
On Wednesday, Carolina opened Jackson’s 21-day practice window after he missed the last five games with a groin injury that required surgery. He still hasn’t been cleared for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, but the return to practice gives him a chance to work his way back onto the active roster and, just as importantly, back into the team’s plans beyond this season.
That’s the real storyline here. Jackson is trying to show the Panthers he can help them right now, but he’s also auditioning for a new contract. He will be a free agent after the season, and these final games may be his best shot to prove he belongs in Carolina long term.
Jackson has been one of the Panthers’ most dependable defensive players over the last two seasons, but the groin injury has cut into his 2025 campaign. He last played in Carolina’s Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns. With Jaycee Horn also out, the Panthers have had to lean on lesser-known corners to get through the season.
That depth was tested again in Sunday’s 26-21 loss to Denver, when Carolina’s secondary had issues with penalties and other mistakes on the back end. Jackson could give the defense a steadier veteran presence as the Panthers prepare for a divisional matchup with New Orleans.
His return also comes with a new challenge. Jackson has not played in Todd Wash’s defense before, and that matters.
Wash replaced Ejiro Evero, so this is a different system than the one Jackson has known in Carolina. Jackson believes he can carry over what he learned under Evero and adapt to Wash’s more aggressive style, and how quickly that happens will be worth watching the rest of the way.
The Panthers traded for Jackson from the Seattle Seahawks before the 2024 season, and he’s produced when healthy. Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he has 36 passes defended and six interceptions. His 19 pass breakups in 2025 led the NFL.
Carolina also has to weigh the business side. Horn got a major contract from the Panthers last year, and that will factor into any decision about another expensive cornerback. Jackson is in the second year of a two-year, $10.5 million deal, and his 2026 salary-cap figure is $7.8 million, according to Over the Cap.
Spotrac previously projected Jackson could land a three-year deal worth about $40 million, which would work out to roughly $13.3 million per season. That’s a steep climb from what Carolina has been paying him, especially for a player who turns 30 in January and has already missed significant time with injury.
There’s no need for the Panthers to rush the call. Jackson still has time to show what he can do, and the team can use these next games to judge how he looks after surgery, how he handles Wash’s system and whether he can get back to the level he showed before getting hurt.
If he does, the Panthers will have a tougher decision to make. They should want him back, but only at the right price.
In Other News...
Panthers Injury Report Suddenly Raises A Bigger Week 10 Concern
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Greg Olsen Sees One Big Reason Panthers Defense Still Feels Unsettled
The Panthers defense has been trying to find its footing all season, and Greg Olsen believes the reasons are pretty clear. In a recent interview, the former Carolina tight end pointed to the combination of injuries to key defensive players and the disruption that comes with coaching changes as major factors behind the uneven play, a familiar kind of turbulence for a unit that has had to keep adjusting on the fly.
Carolina has been navigating absences and limited availability from players such as Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and Jaelan Phillips, even as some have started to work their way back into practice. Entering Week 10, the Panthers sit 22nd in overall defense, which underscores how much work remains before the group can look settled again. [Read more 🡒]