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Riq Woolen Fits Ejiro Evero's Scheme, and the Panthers Can't Wait Around for Jaycee Horn
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- Riq Woolen Fits Ejiro Evero's Scheme, and the Panthers Can't Wait Around for Jaycee Horn
Charlotte has been waiting on Jaycee Horn since late September, and ESPN's Bill Barnwell thinks the Carolina Panthers should stop waiting. In his latest trade deadline pitches, Bill Barnwell proposed a deal that sends Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen and a 2028 sixth-round pick to Carolina for tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders and a 2028 fifth. We named Woolen a fit earlier this week, and Barnwell's version makes the money work.
Sanders has been a healthy scratch all season, per Barnwell. Woolen is on a one-year, $12 million deal with Philadelphia, and Barnwell estimated he is owed about $840,000 for the rest of the season.
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Why waiting on Jaycee Horn is risky
Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson (2) and cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) react in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Horn hurt his quad in the Week 3 loss in Cleveland, and the Panthers placed him on injured reserve along with Mike Jackson (groin). Dave Canales said both were expected to miss about eight weeks . That points to a return around the Nov. 22 game against Baltimore, nearly two weeks after the Nov. 10 trade deadline. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the Panthers remain hopeful both come back in the second half.
Carolina is 3-2 and leads the NFC South, and the defense has been good enough to carry it there. The front is thinner this week, with Jaelan Phillips (hamstring) set to miss Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.
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Rookie Will Lee III has held up. He has a 63.6 PFF coverage grade with five pass breakups and an 88.5 passer rating allowed across 263 snaps.
"Will had a great game," Canales said after the win over the Eagles . "He's getting penalties because he's challenging people. I'm fine with that."
Akayleb Evans is the bigger concern. PFF credits him with a 42.3 overall grade and a 135.4 passer rating allowed on 117 snaps. The Lions targeted him 15 times in Week 4, when he played all 71 defensive snaps . Chau Smith-Wade handles the nickel.
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How Riq Woolen fits Ejiro Evero's coverage
Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) celebrates following an NFC Divisional Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Barnwell noted that defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero runs a system similar to Vic Fangio's in Philadelphia, so Woolen wouldn't need to learn a new scheme midseason. He is at his best in zone, where his 6-foot-4 frame lets him sit in deep thirds and close on throws in front of him. That was the Woolen who made the Pro Bowl as a Seattle rookie in 2022, and corner is the first area Carolina could upgrade .
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His 2026 numbers are mixed. Woolen has a 70.7 PFF coverage grade , ahead of Lee and Evans, while leading all corners with 425 snaps. His 95.0 passer rating allowed is well above the 70.6 mark Barnwell cited from Seattle. Barnwell also noted Woolen is tied with L'Jarius Sneed for the most penalties by a defender since 2022.
Flags are a sore spot after Carolina committed a franchise-record 149 penalty yards in Philadelphia. Canales has said he can live with flags from corners who challenge receivers, and Woolen would let Evero use Lee and Evans in smaller roles.
If the Panthers wait, they are betting a division lead on a rookie and a backup until late November. The Chargers' Donte Jackson is another option , but a Woolen deal for an inactive tight end costs less than $1 million and adds a starter who already knows Evero's coverage rules.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
