Panthers place CBs Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Jr. on IR

The Panthers have placed cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Jr. on injured reserve, sidelining arguably the NFL's top cornerback duo for at least four games.

Horn is coming off a torn quad suffered in Sunday's loss to the Browns, an injury that was already expected to keep him out for an extended stretch, with sources bracing for six-to-12 weeks. Jackson goes on IR with a groin injury.

The move formalizes what was already expected: Carolina will be without its two starting corners for the foreseeable future. Horn is the anchor of the secondary and one of the premier cover corners in the league, so his absence is a significant blow.

The Panthers will lean on their secondary depth while both players work through their recoveries. It's a tough spot for a team that relied heavily on its top cornerback tandem.