What's Up with CJ Henderson?
After struggling to make much of an impact in one season and some change in Jacksonville, the Jaguars traded former top-10 pick CJ Henderson and a fifth-rounder to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for tight end Dan Arnold and a third-round selection.
For Carolina, the move made sense at the time. They were extremely thin at corner and it was a low risk, high reward kind of move. Unfortunately, the trade didn't pan out for either side. Arnold spent two years in Jacksonville, catching just 37 passes and has been a free agent for the entirety of the 2023 season.
Henderson as shown flashes of being a respectable starting corner at times, but has had way too many pass coverage blunders for the Panthers' liking. He hasn't played anywhere near his draft status and because of it, Carolina declined the fifth-year option on Henderson's rookie contract back in the summer.
"That it was a make-or-break year," Henderson said at the start of training camp when asked about his reaction to the declined option. "I got to go out and earn mine and my back is against the wall. I feel like that's when I do my best. There's an edge to me. A different edge."
Over the past two weeks, the Panthers have made Henderson a healthy scratch. For a guy who is in the final year of his contract, that's not a good sign. According to Pro Football Focus, he has allowed 28 receptions of 36 targets, resulting in a grade of 44.7. It seems as if the Panthers already know they are moving on from Henderson and are trying to get a look at others who are on one-year deals.
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