Former Jaguars draft bust running out of chances after getting cut by the Texans

Teams are always looking for reclamation projects, players that didn't previously pan out but have the talent to potentially contribute. The Houston Texans thought that they had one in cornerback C.J. Henderson. However, it looks like they found out what the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers already knew; that he was that good, which is why they reportedly released him ahead of the cutdown deadline.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports that Houston has released Henderson. They signed him to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million in free agency.

At the time, this looked like a good deal. The Texas were getting depth at cornerback and Henderson would get a fresh start. On top of that, he would get face the team that drafted him twice in 2024 and have a shot at exact revenge. However, things didn't play that way. He wasn't necessarily bad but the former Florida Gator wasn't particularly impressive in training camp. The fact that he didn't suit up for two preseason games didn't help his case.

Add the fact that Houston drafted Kamari Lassiter earlier this year and there simply was no room for Henderson in their cornerback group.

A first-round pick in 2020, Henderson had the daunting task of replacing Jalen Ramsey, who was traded in 2019. He got off to a solid start to his rookie season but a groin injury ultimately cut short his first NFL campaign. The Florida native then spent most of the 2022 offseason recovering from labrum surgery and later missed a portion of training camp.

Having already seen enough of him, the Jaguars traded Henderson to Carolina three games into the regular season. In the end, the ninth overall pick in 2020 suited up for just 10 games in Jacksonville, making him one of their worst draft mistakes in recent years.

Henderson didn't fare much better with the Panthers. Injuries and inconsistency prevented him from hitting the stride. To nobody's surprise, they declined the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, so he became a free agent in 2024. In total, the fifth-year corner has appeared in 49 games with 23 starts for his NFL career, registering three interceptions and 16 passes defensed.

What's next for former Jaguars CB CJ Henderson?

All things considered, the Jacksonville Jaguars deserve credit for cutting ties with C.J. Henderson when they did. Realizing it didn't make sense to keep him around, they traded him when his value was still high. The third-round pick they got in exchange for him became linebacker Chad Muma, who's flashed potential and had a strong offseason. It's fair to say that it turned out to be a solid deal.

Heading into the 2024 regular season, the Jaguars have a well-rounded cornerback group. Tyson Campbell, the man who replaced Henderson when he was traded, just got a top-market extension that makes him one of the highest-paid players at the position. Veteran Ronald Darby and rookie Jarrian Jones are also in the mix.

Meanwhile, Henderson will be looking to latch onto yet another team. There's a strong chance he'll get a chance by virtue of being a former first-round pick. After all, head coaches aren't lacking ego. There will be one who thinks that he will be the one who finally untaps his potential.

That said, a time will come when the NFL realizes that C.J. Henderson simply isn't that good and will run out of opportunities. For the time being, the Jaguars should be glad that he's no longer their problem.

More Jaguars analysis here: