There was tremendous hype surrounding former Florida Gators star C.J. Henderson when he was drafted No. 9 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2020 NFL Draft.
But the player fans hoped could replace Jalen Ramsey failed to live up to expectations as a rookie, playing in eight mostly uninspiring games before ending the season on injured reserve. The Jaguars cut bait early in the 2021 season, shipping Henderson and a 2022 fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for tight end Dan Arnold and a 2022 third-rounder.
Henderson played out his rookie contract with the Panthers, who declined his fifth-year option in 2023, and he’s been an NFL journeyman ever since. He spent training camp this summer with the Houston Texans but was released on cut-down day. Henderson resurfaced with a new team on Wednesday, signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad.
The Jaguars (0-3) are currently riddled with injuries and inexperience on defense entering Week 4. They could use some help in the secondary with Tyson Campbell (hamstring), rookie Jarrian Jones (shoulder) and safety Darnell Savage (quad) banged up.
Clearly, they remain all set on Henderson. That's a scab better left unopened.
Why did the Jaguars trade C.J. Henderson to Carolina?
Henderson was traded during Urban Meyer’s short tenure as Jaguars head coach. While shipping out a top-10 draft pick in Year 2 is painful, this move felt like addition by subtraction at the time.
Henderson was reportedly checked out during training camp, with rumors swirling that he was on the trade block and nearly dealt that August to the New Orleans Saints . He did enter the 2021 season as a starter for the Jaguars, but the writing was on the wall. Jacksonville had just drafted Campbell No. 33 overall and already viewed him as the better player.
Fast forward to 2024, with Campbell struggling to stay on the field with constant injuries, the current state of Jacksonville’s roster can be traced back to failed draft picks . The Henderson pick was a disaster, when you consider the team could have taken All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs or current Dallas Cowboys superstar CeeDee Lamb in that spot.
Perhaps Henderson will eventually get an opportunity and finally catch on in Pittsburgh, which boasts one of the best defenses in the NFL. For Jacksonville, the clock is ticking on this 2024 season entering a must-win Week 4 game in Houston.
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