Talented NFC South Cornerback Featured in Major Trade Proposal.
When the Washington Commanders selected Emmanuel Forbes Jr. in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, they believed they had a cornerback on whom to base their secondary.
Forbes, who teams might not even be prepared to give up a sixth or seventh round draft selection for in a trade, has been among the NFL’s worst cornerbacks by nearly every metric every time he has onto the field in the nearly two years since.
Cornerback has remained a problem even in a season where the Commanders have emerged as one of the NFL’s biggest storylines and are 5-2 and leading the NFC East Division going into Week 8. Matt Holder of Bleacher Report named the position the Commanders’ biggest weakness halfway through the season.
Holder stated, “Washington needs cornerback help right now, and the situation will only worsen in the offseason when Michael Davis, Noah Igbinonghene, and Benjamin St-Juste hit free agency.”
The Commanders might think about trying to acquire Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn, the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, if they need assistance right away. Horn has spent the initial half of his career on the NFL’s weakest squad.
James Dator and Mark Scholfield of SB Nation named Horn as one of the NFL players to keep an eye on before the trade deadline on November 5.
On October 23, Scholfield and Dator suggested, “The team should at least consider offers for star cornerback Jaycee Horn. We’ll have to see how much the Panthers dismantle their roster at the deadline.” They noted that Horn, one of the top man-coverage cornerbacks this season, is exceptional at stopping explosive plays, which are key to the NFL’s passing game right now.
What a Trade Offer for Horn Might Look Like
A recent NFL trade could provide a blueprint for what the Panthers might receive in return for Horn.
When the Jacksonville Jaguars traded Jalen Ramsey, considered the best young cornerback at the time and midway through his fourth season, they received two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams.
Jaycee Horn, at this point in his career, hasn’t reached Ramsey’s level. While Horn played in more than half of his team’s games in 2022, he has missed more games (31) than he has played (29), with injuries overshadowing his talent. During that season, he recorded three interceptions and seven pass deflections.
At this point, a second or third-round pick would likely be a fair offer for Jaycee Horn. For the Commanders, offering more than that may not be worth it.
NFL fans may remember Horn’s father, Joe Horn, a four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. Joe played 12 seasons in the league, including four with the New Orleans Saints, where he surpassed 1,200 receiving yards. He was one of the top receivers in the early 2000s.
When Joe Horn scored a touchdown against the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football, he took out a flip phone, which he had hidden beneath one of the goal posts. This is one of the most well-known touchdown celebrations in history.
After being arrested for allegedly assaulting two Commanders supporters, John Callis was denied bail.
Every public behavior can have major repercussions in the era of smartphones and social media. This was undoubtedly the case for John Callis, a Baltimore Ravens supporter who intentionally searched for Commanders supporters to attack while wandering the streets during a game between the two teams in Maryland.
Shortly after the incident, a video of Callis doing so and famously saying, “I never lose,” while berating Washington supporters became viral on social media. The recordings made it very easy to identify Callis, who later surrendered himself in, responding to the widespread calls for “internet justice” on social media.
Since his arrest by the Baltimore Police Department, Callis has been denied bail and faces a sentence of 55 years in jail. Due to the “unprovoked” nature of Callis’ actions, the judge assigned to the case, LaTina Burse Greene, decided that the defendant should be detained pending trial. Callis is facing three charges of second degree assault and one charge of first degree aggravated assault.
According to the video, Callis appears to have rendered one of his victims unconscious, which is a very risky move that also contributed to the decision to temporarily detain him in jail. Callis’s attorney was disappointed by the ruling, saying that his client “needs help,” but that he is unable to get it while inside.
In a related vein, the Greene has stated that she would be amenable to Callis spending his time in an inpatient program, where he might get assistance and strive toward recovery under close supervision. Callis has a history of alcohol-related mishaps and has allegedly used cocaine almost daily for the past four years.
Additionally, there have been rumors that Callis has targeted Commanders fans at least once before, suggesting that this is not the first time he has done so. The fact that he was caught on camera and that the footage went viral probably contributed to the fact that he was prosecuted this time after having previously escaped punishment.
For both teams, the match was among the greatest of the early season. The Ravens held on for a 30-23 victory, giving Washington just their second loss of the season, despite another strong performance from Commanders rookie prodigy Jayden Daniels, who threw two touchdowns and no picks.The fact that Callis’s actions were celebratory rather than retaliatory may make them seem even more strange, but from a legal perspective, they are treated similarly.
