The injury bug continues to bite the Carolina Panthers, even off their bye week. On Tuesday, the team confirmed that second-year defensive tackle Cam Jackson will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery—taking another small chunk off their depth chart.
While no position group has been untouched by the ongoing bad juju, the biggest problem remains at cornerback—where the defense is missing both its boundary starters. Mike Jackson will be out for at least another month with a groin issue and Jaycee Horn may be done for the season with a significant quad injury.
Seeking outside help is probably not a bad idea, and Bleacher Report has one. They have linked the Panthers with former starter Donte Jackson, who's now with the 0-5 Los Angeles Chargers.
Kristopher Knox writes:
The Los Angeles Chargers appear to be going nowhere this season after a 0-5 start and numerous injuries across the roster. Jackson, meanwhile, plays an in-demand position and is set to be a free agent in 2027—trading him would save L.A. $6 million in 2026 cap space.
Jackson was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He'd go on to spend six seasons in Carolina, but tailed off a bit at the end of his tenure before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.
That being said, it would be hard for Jackson to perform any worse than Akayleb Evans did against Detroit—and he still has ball skills, totaling nine interceptions and 20 pass breakups from 2024 to 2025. So far this season, Jackson hasn't given up a touchdown and is only allowing an 89.6 passer rating.
Beggars can't be choosers—and there aren't many, if any, quality free agent cornerbacks still on the market.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers listed as possible trade suitor for familiar face at CB
