After a disappointing release in Carolina, Jimmy Horn Jr. lands in Cleveland, sparking a strategic reunion with former Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders on the Browns' roster.
Former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. was released by the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday. This news came after posting no yards on offense with one target and a fumbled punt return in Sunday's 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears. While starting receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker combined for over 200 yards receiving, Horn was an afterthought.
Deion Sanders reacted to the Panthers' decision on Wednesday during his weekly coaches show. The Buffs head coach revealed that he made calls to NFL teams upon hearing of Horn’s release. “I made some calls too,” Sanders told CU announcer Mark Johnson. “Immediately... I love Jimmy. Jimmy’s a great guy. If you wanted to get rid of him, it ain’t about character.”
Coach Prime's effort didn't go unwasted. On Thursday morning, Horn signed with a new team with a familiar face. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Cleveland Browns added former Horn to the practice squad. On the surface, this is a move that makes sense for the player and the new team. Beyond surface level, it will raise some interesting questions.
Colorado teammates reunite in an unexpected place
Following the 2024 season and before the 2025 NFL Draft, few spectators saw a reality where Shedeur Sanders and Horn would end up on Ohio’s north shore. By draft day, the most likely Cleveland and Colorado pairing would’ve been Travis Hunter.
After a significant draft day trade, Cleveland dropped back to select Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham. All but ending any pursuits of Buffaloes players. Then Sanders experienced a draft slide that was only stopped by the Browns in the fifth round. Sanders would be one of three Buffs drafted within the next two rounds worth of picks.
Coming into the 2026 season, there was optimism for both Sanders and Horn in their respective positions. Sanders entered a quarterback competition under new Browns coach Todd Monken, who seemed excited to work with him. Horn was entering training camp, which could have created a path for significant snaps in the regular season. Rookie Chris Brazzell II is out with a season-ending injury and Xavier Legette was coming off a less-than-productive season in 2025.
In both cases, that optimism became a disappointment for both former Colorado football players. Monken chose to start Deshaun Watson, despite a putrid tenure in Cleveland. Also, most of the fanbase wanted Sanders or at least did not want Watson. The emergence of Jalen Coker (8 receptions, 138 yards, 2 touchdowns in Week 1 vs Chicago) and starting Legette minimized Horn’s opportunities.
What does this mean for Cleveland in the short term?
This news is bound to excite the Buffaloes fanbase on some level. That excitement comes with hesitation. The Browns have not had a good starting quarterback situation for a very long time. Part of that includes the worst trade and contract in professional sports history. They have also been objectively bad for all but three seasons in the last 25 years.
Before the 2025 NFL Draft, the Browns traveled to Boulder to attend the Black and Gold NFL Showcase. The organization did not just send the general manager, Andrew Berry, and some scouts. They sent the entire brain trust of the team. Everyone from head coach to team owners made the trip to Boulder. While that certainly put Sanders in play, he also put in play virtually anyone he threw to.
Horn could potentially provide something the current receiver room does not have. A willing operator in shallow space with both speed and strength to be productive in short areas. KC Concepcion and Isaiah Bond are both fast, but have a tendency to go down quickly, especially in traffic. At Colorado, Horn specialized in being beyond productive in traffic. He has short area quickness and the strength to fight for yards and first downs.
Fan narratives and an impeding change
The reunion with a receiver that Sanders has chemistry with was always going to be a positive. However, there is a $230M elephant in the room. The decision to start Watson has been rejected by most of the football watching world. In the waning moments of the 3rd quarter against Jacksonville, Watson had 29 yards passing, a 3.6 yards per pass average, one interception and no touchdowns and a 19.3 rating.
This comes almost a year and a half after owner Jimmy Haslem called Watson’s time in Cleveland “a swing and a miss.” The Cleveland fan unrest happening now is only second to their response to losing their team in 1995. Seemingly no one outside the walls of Browns team meetings wants to see Watson play. Leading to a growing belief that Watson must perform well vs Tampa Bay this week to keep his starting spot.
Early social media chatter has many believing the Horn signing signifies a quarterback change is coming. Zak Jackson, who covers the Browns for The Athletic, is less quick to jump to that conclusion.
“They’re always going to be connected because that’s how the Browns scouted him,” Jackson said. “He got cut because he didn’t catch a punt last week. I think the Browns know Concepcion can’t be the full-time punt returner, they’re just exploring their options and this was a player they liked. The Browns are just trying to add speed and depth and give a look to young guys. This also could be about Jerry Jeudy not being on this team if five or six weeks.”
Horn is expected to start his Browns career on the practice squad. While Sanders will serve as QB2 for the Buccaneers game in Week 2.
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