The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed free-agent cornerback C.J. Henderson to their practice squad, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Henderson is a former first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 and has also played for the Carolina Panthers and was most recently on the Houston Texans' practice squad. The University of Florida product will get a chance to catch on with the Steelers defense, which currently leads the NFL in points allowed at 8.7 per game.
Free-agent cornerback C.J. Henderson signed an undisclosed one-year deal with the Houston Texans on Thursday, according to a league source. The former ninth overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 out of Florida spent just one year with the Jags before playing for the Carolina Panthers since 2021. The 25-year-old hasn't lived up to his draft status at all, recording 172 total tackles (139 solo), one sack, six tackles for loss, three interceptions, 16 passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 49 games played (32 starts) in his four NFL seasons. Henderson is obviously nowhere near the fantasy radar in IDP leagues and should fill a reserve role in Houston's secondary in 2024.
Carolina Panthers cornerback CJ Henderson (head) won't return to Sunday's matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. The 2020 No. 9 overall pick was initially considered questionable because of a concussion. However, his day is over. With Carolina playing again on Thursday versus the Chicago Bears, the short turnaround may not give Henderson enough time to get healthy, which wouldn't be an ideal scenario. The 25-year-old entered Week 9 with a team-high 29 tackles, so IDP managers should remain optimistic while awaiting more information.
Carolina Panthers cornerback C.J. Henderson injured his groin at practice on Monday, July 31, adding to the hurt the team is feeling on defense. Starting left cornerback Donte Jackson is questionable while he continues to recover from torn Achilles he suffered in November. If Henderson's injury is serious, that would limit the Panthers' depth. The 25-year-old joined the Panthers midway through the 2021 season after being drafted No. 9 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020. He has not yet played at the level of a first-round draft pick. He allowed a 69.0% completion percentage in coverage last season and gave up five touchdowns. But he has filled a need for the Panthers at cornerback and nickelback. He was on the field for 66% of the team's snaps last season, mostly lined up wide.
Carolina Panthers cornerback CJ Henderson (ankle) was ruled out of Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fortunately, he was observed walking around on the sidelines during the game, although he never received the green light to return. Henderson has two interceptions this season while amassing 43 solo tackles, good for third best on the team. With the Panthers pushing for a postseason berth, Carolina is surely hoping he'll be out there in Week 16 versus the Lions, a game with NFC playoff implications.
Jacksonville Jaguars second-year cornerback and former first-round pick C.J. Henderson is reportedly being discussed in trades, according to other general managers. This news is nothing short of shocking, considering that Henderson is in just his second season. Henderson has plenty of pedigree as a former first-rounder, and his elite physical traits (6-foot-1, 201 pounds, 4.39-second 40-yard dash) hint at shutdown corner potential. Henderson did miss significant time last year with injuries, though, and he's dealt with injuries and personal absences early in training camp. This is an odd situation, and it seems like there could be problems between Henderson and the new regime in Jacksonville. If Henderson were traded, the Jaguars defense would be less imposing on paper.
Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback C.J. Henderson (groin) was placed on Injured Reserve on Thursday, a significant loss to the team's secondary. After not practicing Thursday, Jacksonville quickly made the move to shift Henderson to the IR. In his place, expect D.J. Hayden, who is coming off of the IR in his own right, to see a larger role, but Henderson's loss all but makes rostering the Jaguars Defense uesless. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft has been a stalwart of the secondary, racking up 36 tackles, six passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble. With the Steelers traveling to Jacksonville on Sunday without Henderson available, there's little reason to roster the Jaguars defense.
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed first-round cornerback C.J. Henderson to a $20.5 million fully guaranteed four-year rookie deal on Thursday, according to a source. The product of the University of Florida was selected with the ninth overall pick in the first round in April. Henderson was the second cornerback taken in the draft after he stood out at the scouting combine in February. The 6-footer has exceptional ball skills and excels in press coverage on the outside against top receivers. Jacksonville is hoping that Henderson can improve the team's secondary after they traded Jalen Ramsey in 2019 and A.J. Bouye earlier this year. The rookie should start immediately.
C.J. Henderson Heads To Jaguars With Ninth Overall Pick
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday. Henderson was first-team All-SEC last year despite dealing with an ankle injury early on. He's going to be asked to shut down top receivers at the next level, but he'll need to improve his tackling to become one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL. His forte is coverage ability. The Jaguars traded away both Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye, so this pick makes perfect sense for a secondary that needs help. Henderson needs to be more consistent at the catch-point, but he can play in man or zone coverage for Jacksonville as their new No. 1 corner.
