CHARLOTTE — The Panthers know they're not going to have cornerback Jaycee Horn this week.
After that? We'll see.
Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks said Wednesday that Horn's wrist surgery went well on Tuesday, and they would re-evaluate his condition in 10 to 12 days.
"And at that point, we'll determine and figure out whether or not there's a possibility that he would have a chance to even continue to finish and play the rest of the year," Wilks said.
That's a remarkable statement on its face since it leaves open the chance of Horn playing in two weeks against the Saints, which would be a remarkable recovery. It brings back memories of Thomas Davis returning two weeks after breaking his arm in the 2015 NFC Championship Game to play in the Super Bowl. Davis was known for his remarkable pain tolerance and ability to heal (as one has to have to come back from three torn ACLs).
Horn wasn't around the practice field Wednesday, but Wilks said that after getting good reports from the medical team, he was encouraged to hear that news from Horn as well.
"It was a success from what the training staff told me, and what he told me this morning as well," Wilks said.
— While there was plenty of focus on new practice squad cornerback Josh Norman, Wilks said they'd have realistic expectations of what a 35-year-old who hasn't been on a roster this year can do.
"I felt like he picked the defense up well, the things that he was doing today, he had good movement," Wilks said. "So I'm excited about him moving forward. So we will see at the end of the week.
"He's definitely not in game shape. I can promise you that. But he's definitely in shape in the way he can move, plant, drive and change direction. So when you start talking about game shape, you got to put a cap on the number of plays that he can possibly play."
Wilks said he had confidence in starting cornerbacks CJ Henderson and Keith Taylor Jr., and that would allow them to spot Norman in if he's activated.
— After watching Tom Brady and the Buccaneers come back for an overtime win against the Cardinals Sunday night, Wilks said they have to be ready to play more than regulation if need be. But he's also tried to keep the attention on his own team this week.
For the Panthers to make the playoffs, a win this week is necessary, so there's every incentive to keep the focus narrow.
"The last part of our DNA is, the last element is finish. We've got to learn how to finish," Wilks said. "We talked about that with the Seattle game. Even last week, with some of the things you saw happening late in the game on the defensive side of the ball, when you have the best to ever do it at that position, they're never out of the game. And he's shown that several times, even against the Saints earlier in the year.
"So we really have to have that finish mentality and understand that this is going to be for 60 minutes, maybe 60-plus, as we saw what they had to do last week. So going against Brady is always going to be a tough task. And again, he's one of the best to do it at that position."
— Return man Andre Roberts wasn't on the field Wednesday, and Wilks said he was indoors with an "illness" and remained a possibility to be activated this week.
The 34-year-old return man is one of the best of his generation on special teams, and they'd love to get him back after he was lost to a knee injury in the opener.
If not, Shi Smith would likely continue to return punts. While Smith was on the injury report, Wilks said he didn't anticipate his status was much of a question.
"Shi is fine," Wilks said. "He looked good in practice. Right now. I don't see any indication that he would not play on Sunday."
View photos from Wednesday's practice as the Panthers get ready to travel to Tampa Bay this weekend.



S - 21 - Jeremy Chinn

S - 21 - Jeremy Chinn

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

WR - 2 - D.J. Moore

WR - 2 - D.J. Moore

WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

T - 74 - Larnel Coleman

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.


WR - 2 - D.J. Moore

LB - 57 - Damien Wilson

RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear

RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear



TE - 80 - Ian Thomas

TE - 80 - Ian Thomas

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson

LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu

CB - 24 - C.J. Henderson

DB - 38 - Myles Hartsfield

LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson

S - 25 - Xavier Woods

LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson

LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu

S - 25 - Xavier Woods

CB - 24 - C.J. Anderson

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR - 12 - Shi Smith

WR - 15 - Shenault Laviska Jr.

QB - 14 - Sam Darnold

QB - 11 - P.J. Walker

WR - 2 - D.J. Moore

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

QB - 11 - P.J. Walker


WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR - 15 - Shenault Laviska Jr.

WR - 15 - Shenault Laviska Jr.

T - 79 - Ikem Ekwonu

QB - 14 - Sam Darnold

LB - 57 - Damien Wilson

DE - 98 - Marquis Haynes Sr.

TE - 80 - Ian Thomas


TE - 80 - Ian Thomas

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu

LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

TE - 80 - Ian Thomas


S - 21 - Jeremy Chinn


QB - 11 - P.J. Walker

CB - 24 - C.J. Henderson

S - 25 - Xavier Woods

DB - 38 - Myles Hartsfield

CB - 24 - C.J. Henderson

WR - 15 - Shenault Laviska Jr.

QB - 14 - Sam Darnold

QB - 14 - Sam Darnold

QB - 14 - Sam Darnold




WR - 2 - D.J. Moore



T - 72 - Taylor Moton

T - 72 - Taylor Moton

T - 72 - Taylor Moton

RB - 30 - Chuba Hubbard

CB - 36 - Madre Harper

RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear

LB - 57 - Damien Wilson


T - 74 - Larnel Coleman

WR - 12 - Shi Smith

QB - 14 - Sam Darnold

DE - 91 - Kobe Jones

CB - 35 - Gavin Heslop

CB - 35 - Gavin Heslop



LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson

WR - 12 - Shi Smith

DE - 94 - Henry Anderson

WR - 12 - Shi Smith





DT - 78 - Marquan McCall

DE - 94 - Henry Anderson




WR - 15 - Shenault Laviska Jr.

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

DB - 38 - Myles Hartsfield
CB - 27 - T.J. Carrie

WR - 2 - D.J. Moore


DT - 71 - Phil Hoskins

LS - 44 - J.J. Jansen

WR - 2 - D.J. Moore

CB - 27 - T.J. Carrie

WR - 12 - Shi Smith


CB - 6 - Josh Norman
WR - 17 - Rashard Higgins

WR - 17 - Rashard Higgins

S - 21 - Jeremy Chinn

S - 21 - Jeremy Chinn
CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman

CB - 6 - Josh Norman