Jimmy Horn Jr. is getting a new shot in Cleveland, not a second run in Carolina.
After the Panthers waived the former sixth-round pick on Tuesday, head coach Dave Canales made it clear he wanted Horn back. But according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Horn is headed to the Browns instead, and The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones reported that he will land on Cleveland’s practice squad.
“Sources: The Browns are expected to sign former Panthers WR Jimmy Horn Jr.,” Schultz reported on Thursday morning.
Schultz also noted that Horn drew interest from three other teams, so Cleveland was not alone in the chase.
For Carolina, the move came after Horn had fallen to the bottom of the receiver group and the team needed a roster spot for linebacker Tyrel Dodson. His case wasn’t helped by a muffed punt in the season-opener, and his limited special teams value beyond return work likely worked against him as well.
Canales had sounded hopeful just a day earlier.
“This is not the end of his story," Canales told reporters.
Now that story continues with the Browns, where Horn reunites with his former college quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland also has the Panthers on the schedule in Week 3, so Horn may not have to wait long to see his old team again.
Horn’s time in Carolina was brief but productive in flashes. The Panthers took him in the sixth round in 2025, and he finished last season with 11 catches for 108 yards. He also handled return duties, posting two punt returns for 17 yards and five kick returns for 101 yards.
At 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds, Horn doesn’t bring much size, but his speed is real. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett put it this way last month:
"Jimmy's speed jumps off the table like, he's a different cat in that sense,"
That speed could give Horn a chance to stick in Cleveland, where the wide receiver room is unsettled. Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston are locked in at the top, but the rest of the group - Tylan Wallce, Malachi Corley and Isaiah Bond - is still very much in flux.
Horn’s best path to playing time is to carve out a role behind the top three, and there’s also an opening in the return game. Running back Dylan Sampson is on injured reserve, which leaves room for Horn to compete for that job as well.
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The other move worth watching came with wide receiver Jimmy Horn, who was waived even as the Panthers hope to bring him back on the practice squad. It is the sort of transaction that can look minor on paper but matters on the margins, especially for a team trying to build depth and keep options open while the opening weeks of the schedule start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
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For a Panthers team still trying to establish a clearer identity on that side of the ball, the public backing matters. Young completed 23 of 37 passes for 361 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and he added a rushing score as well, but the larger takeaway may be the sense of trust between quarterback and coordinator already showing up early. How that partnership develops as defenses adjust will be one of the more interesting storylines around Carolina in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Gave Up On Jimmy Horn Jr After One Costly Mistake
The Panthers moved on from Jimmy Horn Jr. after one costly mistake in their Week 1 loss, and the rookie receiver is now getting a fresh start elsewhere. Horn, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, went unclaimed on waivers before agreeing to sign with the Browns, where his next opportunity comes with a familiar face waiting for him.
For Carolina, its another reminder of how thin the margin can be for young players trying to carve out a role early in the season. Horn appeared in 13 games during his rookie year, but the Panthers decided the miscue in the opener was enough to end his run with the team, even as Cleveland now offers him a chance to reconnect with college quarterback Shedeur Sanders. [Read more 🡒]