Latest news with #CarolinaPanthers
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jimmy Horn Jr. Delivers Clear Statement on Deion Sanders Development
Jimmy Horn Jr. Delivers Clear Statement on Deion Sanders Development originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Colorado wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. is electrifying when it comes to running routes. His range and deep pass-catching ability should be a benefit to Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers' offense this season. Advertisement When you have former players like Steve Smith Sr. critiquing your game after being compared to the future Hall-of-Famer, the skies are the limit. Once Horn gets fully acclimated playing at the next level, he'll be able to be a consistent contributor. This comes from being under Deion Sanders and developing into a pro. 'Playing with Coach Prime, he running the program more like a boys to man type of deal,' Horn said. 'You coming in a certain way, and you coming out a certain way.' The Panthers may have drafted Horn in the sixth round, but he was a steal. They understood his potential and saw the explosiveness he has by getting separation from defenders on tape. Many teams didn't get a true read on the former Buffs wide receiver. Smith did before the draft when he saw Horns' route running ability and footwork firsthand. The one thing that stood out to Smith during Horn participation in CU's Pro Day was how quiet his feet were. Many of the receivers in today's game give defenders a bit of a cheat code, alerting them when they are getting ready to break on their routes and expecting a pass from the quarterback. This is something that Horn will be using to his advantage this season, like Lad McConkey does for the Los Angeles Chargers. Advertisement Related: Shedeur Sanders Labeled 'Loser' Following Browns Minicamp The former Buffs receiver brings speed, agility, athleticism, and versatility on special teams. What would be great to see in the Panthers offense is end arounds and double reverses. Horn's ability to stretch the field is a big positive for Carolina's receiving core to keep opposing defenses guessing. Also, he could be used in the return game, which is something he has experience doing as well. Related: Jaxson Dart's Terrible OTAs Left Fans in Disbelief About Skipping Shedeur Sanders Horn has definitely left an everlasting impression on the Panthers coaching staff and the Carolina fanbase after minicamp. Because of his work ethic and attention to detail, he should get significant playing time this upcoming NFL season. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
17 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
We hit 80 in our Raiders countdown to kickoff. Who wore it best and who's wearing it now
We hit 80 in our Raiders countdown to kickoff. Who wore it best and who's wearing it now We've reached 80 days until the Raiders season opener at Foxboro against the Patriots, With our countdown at 80 days we take a look at who currently dons the number in Silver & Black and who has brought it the most distinction. No. 80 Who's wearing it now: TE Ian Thomas This eighth year veteran has spent his entire career up to this point with the Carolina Panthers. He joins the Raiders as a solid number three tight end option behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. He's a solid 6-4, 260 pounds with some decent hands but even better blocking and special teams abilities. Who wore it best: WR Jerry Rice The GOAT joined the Raiders in 2001 at the age of 39. In his second season with the team, at the age of 40, he put up over 1200 yards receiving (1211), made his 13th career Pro Bowl and the Raiders were in the Super Bowl. In 54 games over four seasons in Oakland, Rice put up 243 catches for 3286 yards and 18 touchdowns. Honorable Mention: TE Zach Miller Miller was a second round pick by the Raiders in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played four seasons for the Raiders, making one Pro Bowl. He may have had more success except he joined the Raiders during some very bad years. This included two years of JaMarcus Russell and three years in which they couldn't get more than five wins in a season.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bryce Young Named Breakout QB by ESPN Analyst
Bryce Young Named Breakout QB by ESPN Analyst originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After a rocky rookie season, and an up and down second season that left many questioning if the Carolina Panthers had made the right call with the No. 1 overall pick, ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky is throwing his full support behind Bryce Young, and he's not doing it quietly. Advertisement 'If I had to bet on one, it would be Bryce,' Orlovsky said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show earlier this week. 'I just think what he went through last year and not breaking… and then the success he had at the end of the season, it says a lot.' That statement should jolt Panthers fans wide awake. Orlovsky, a former NFL quarterback himself, is known for his detailed film breakdowns and thoughtful analysis. And his praise for Young goes well beyond platitudes, it's rooted in what he sees as real growth and, more importantly, a far better environment in Year 3. A Stronger Foundation Around Young Much of Orlovsky's confidence comes from the changes Carolina has made this offseason. He specifically pointed to the arrival of first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, a 6-foot-4 wideout from Arizona known for his physicality and catch radius. Advertisement 'You're talking 6'4' and 6'4' on the perimeter, they're just physically a problem,' Orlovsky said, referencing McMillan and former first round pick Xavier Legette. 'I love the Tet McMillan addition.' That duo, paired with an improved offensive line and a more stable offensive scheme under head coach Dave Canales, has Orlovsky drawing comparisons to the Arthur Smith led 2019 Titans offense that featured A.J. Brown and Corey Davis, both big-bodied targets that elevated quarterback play through sheer physical dominance. Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is selected by the Carolina Panthers as the number eight pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field.© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Canales: The Underrated Catalyst While Young's raw talent is no secret, the former Heisman Trophy winner was taken No. 1 overall for a reason. Orlovsky believes the Panthers' biggest X-factor might be their new head coach. Advertisement 'Canales is a really good coach,' Orlovsky said. 'We've got three different places where he's gone and been their coach, and he's had success.' Canales helped revive the careers of both Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay. Now, he's tasked with unlocking Young's full potential, and Orlovsky believes he's just the man to do it. Time to Believe? Young's rookie numbers, 2,877 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions weren't eye-popping. But Orlovsky argues context matters. The offensive line struggled, and Young was frequently left running for his life. During his sophomore campaign Young improved tremendously over the second half of the season. He showed flashes late in the season that suggested he hadn't lost confidence or command. Advertisement 'Bryce was the number one pick not because he wasn't talented,' Orlovsky said. 'He just went through some tough times his rookie year. I think Bryce is on the board to take a really big jump.' For Panthers fans, that might be the most encouraging breakdown yet. This is not just hype, but hope grounded in real, observable progress. Related: Ja'Tavion Sanders Primed for Breakout Season as Panthers' TE1 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Xavier Legette On His Goal With Carolina Panthers This Season: ‘Get To The Playoffs'
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette is making quite the rounds these days. The 24-year-old wide receiver is notable for his thick Southern accent — he has ties to Mullins, South Carolina — and his name has grown in popularity in recent weeks due to his appearances at The Kentucky Derby and a recent Carolina Hurricanes hockey playoff game. His love for Southern culture and foods combined with his fun-natured personality has made him a popular fan favorite. However, he's also a great football player, having been a first-round pick in last year's draft. The 6-foot-3 Legette was Second-Team All-SEC selection during the 2023 season after posting 71 receptions for 1,255 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during his senior season. However, he disappointed during his rookie season, posting just 49 receptions for 497 receiving yards. Legette struggled with drops during his first year, posting seven drops, ranking among the top 22 in the NFL. "No problem's getting open," says Legette in a one-on-one interview. "I just had a couple drops. If I can just turn old negative plays into positive plays, it's going to go the way how I needed to go." Legette only caught 58.3% of the passes thrown his way, with 84 targets thrown his way. Those number of targets led the team by 22 targets — Adam Thielen was the next closest at 62 targets — as it was clear that young quarterback Bryce Young honed in on him as his favorite target. While Legette led the team with 49 receptions, he only had one more than Thielen, who finished the season with 48 catches for 615 receiving yards and five touchdowns, with the last two categories leading the team. "Hone into that ball," Legette says when asked how he can lessen his drops. Legette is 11 years younger than Thielen, who will turn 35 years old before the start of the season. The two-time Pro Bowl receiver is the oldest wideout in the league. Although he's only played a year with the veteran receiver, Legette has already learned a ton from Thielen. "It's a whole lot," says Legette of Thielen's influence. "Ways of how I'm going to read the defense, because the way I was taught, it's a different way of how he was taught. The way he talks about that, the way how he goes about taking care of his body, he's on a different level, he's doing everything. It's a lot that I learned from him." He says he's already using some of Thielen's techniques at the age of 24. "It's a lot of machines that he uses that I've never heard of," says Legette. "He does a good amount of stuff to keep his body right. If I can go ahead and get a head start on it, I'm going to jump on it now." One of the objectives for Legette this season is to make it to the playoffs. It's a sentiment that has also been echoed by his teammate, Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard recently said the Panthers are "sick and tired" of losing. Hubbard's been a member of Carolina since 2021 and they haven't made it to the playoffs or posted a winning season since 2017. "That's only thing I want to do for the team, we're just trying to work to get to the playoffs and potentially make it to the Super Bowl," says Legette when asked what his season objectives are. As Legette prepares for his second season, he's partnering up with Lidl US, a premium private-label meat line. Lidl US has 20 new items as part of their Butcher's Specialty meat line – which features beef, chicken and pork. The partnership makes sense considering Legette's Southern background and his affinity for good protein meats. 'The meat, high protein for the body, high quality meat,' says Legette of why he's partnering with Lidl US. 'Oh, I need it. I feel like it helps me. You can never go wrong with the steaks.' Legette names "tomahawk" steak as his favorite protein meat and says he's "frying" out the grill with the Butcher's Specialty. 'We're frying out the grill every cookout.,' says Legette. "They're helping me push that out to my people, so it's good vies and good times."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Panthers reportedly had interest in new Ravens CB Jaire Alexander
The Carolina Panthers might have cast out a reel for one of the biggest fishes in the open market. Unfortunately, however, that fish has now been caught . . . by someone else. On Wednesday afternoon, the Baltimore Ravens announced their signing of free-agent cornerback Jaire Alexander. Alexander, who was released by the Green Bay Packers on June 9, is now headed to the AFC on a one-year deal worth up to $6 million. Advertisement And that may be some tough news for the Panthers—who, according to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, had interest in the two-time Pro Bowl defender. Here's what Schefter said about that interest on today's episode of The Pat McAfee Show, just moments before Alexander's jump to Baltimore was made official: Panthers head coach Dave Canales was asked about the possibility of signing Alexander during mandatory minicamp last week. "I don't know that for sure, but we're always open to the chance of just bringing great players in here to create that competition," Canales told reporters back on June 10. "I wouldn't say no. But right now, we have to take all the information in. I'm sure those conversations will happen, just to kinda see like, 'What are they looking for?' It's gotta be the right fit for both sides. And so, those are all things we'd be open to." Advertisement Well, it must not have been a right fit, at least for one side. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content. This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers reportedly had interest in new Ravens CB Jaire Alexander
