Former Carolina Panthers WR Reunites With College Teammate

After the Carolina Panthers opened up the 2026 regular season with a 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears, they needed to quickly turn the page and shift the focus to Week 2. 

This week, they head to Georgia to face off against the Atlanta Falcons in the first NFC South game of the year for both teams. But before they did that, the Panthers had to cut ties with a player who made a crucial mistake. 

During that Week 1 loss, wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. made a key mistake on special teams as he muffed a punt from Tory Taylor. The Bears took over and got a field goal to take the lead. It cost the Panthers a possession on offense and may have changed the game.

The damage was done and on Monday, the Panthers opted to waive Horn Jr. After he went unclaimed, he has now found a new home. 

Per multiple reports, Horn Jr. is signing with the Cleveland Browns after going unclaimed and will reunite with his college quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. The two played together at Colorado. 

The former sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft struggled to find the field in his rookie season. He finished that year with 11 catches for 108 yards, appearing in 13 games. That included the playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams' where he had two targets but zero catches. He made the 53-man roster, and the thought was he was going to have an impact on special teams as well.

Horn now joins a Browns team that really struggled in Week 1, but has an opportunity for a young player to earn some playing time. The Browns' offense is a mess and Sanders is the backup to Deshaun Watson right now. This might be a good spot for Horn, especially if Sanders can work his way into being the starter, as they have chemistry together. 

The 24-year-old is now getting a fresh start and the potential to earn a role in Cleveland, potentially in the offense as well as on special teams. 

For the Panthers, they are still seeking someone to fill that role as a return specialist.