The Panthers head into Week 2 with a mostly clean injury picture, but the defensive side of the ball still has a couple of names worth watching as Carolina prepares to visit the Atlanta Falcons.
Jalen Coker is trending in the right direction. The second-year wideout was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, then finished the week as a full participant on Friday. The Panthers are counting on him to threaten Atlanta’s secondary, and the expectation is that he could hit on a big play.
There’s more uncertainty on defense. Outside linebacker Patrick Jones II was limited all week and is questionable for Sunday, while veteran defensive tackle Bobby Brown III will miss the game because of a back injury.
Carolina also made a series of roster moves that could shape what the Panthers look like against Atlanta. The biggest one was the promotion of linebacker Tyrel Dodson to the active roster.
Dodson, 28, has logged 310 tackles and 9.5 sacks over the last three seasons, and the Panthers brought him up from the practice squad without any injury issue or off-field concern attached. Given the way Carolina has viewed him, there’s a real chance he gets a meaningful defensive role right away.
To make room, the Panthers waived Jimmy Horn Jr. Horn, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft, was let go after muffing a punt last week against the Bears.
He had been used in the return game, and the mistake appears to have been the breaking point for the coaching staff. After clearing waivers earlier this week, Horn signed with the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad.
As a rookie last year, he caught 11 passes for 108 yards and also returned five kickoffs and two punts.
Carolina’s other addition was wide receiver EJ Williams, who joined the practice squad after Dodson’s elevation. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver spent three seasons at Clemson from 2020-2022 before transferring to Indiana, where he played the last three seasons.
During Indiana’s national championship season last year, he posted 36 catches for 438 yards and six touchdowns. His overall college production was modest - 1,210 receiving yards over 60 games - but the Panthers will take a longer look at a player with NFL size and a chance to stick.
In Other News...
Cam Newton Just Got Pulled Into Atlanta's QB Drama
The Falcons quarterback situation has become the kind of soap opera that keeps spilling into the rest of the NFC South, and it has a familiar name attached to it. Atlanta has cycled through six different starters since Matt Ryans final season in 2021, with Cooper Rush getting the nod recently despite a rough outing, and the injuries and uncertainty around the position have only widened the conversation.
Into that mix, some fans have floated the idea of a Cam Newton comeback, even though he has not played since 2021 and has not officially retired. Newton has already fueled the chatter a bit with a cryptic response on social media, but he has not said he plans to return, leaving the whole thing in the category of speculation for now. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jr Puts Falcons Quarterback Decision Back In Play
Todd Bowles message about Baker Mayfields ball security and turnover problem adds another layer to a division race that already has no shortage of quarterback intrigue, and it comes as Michael Penix Jr. keeps moving forward in his recovery. The Falcons quarterback was a full participant in practice and split reps with Cooper Rush, a sign that Atlanta is at least keeping its options active as it sorts through the position.
For Carolina, the roster churn continued with the Panthers waiving cornerback Jimmy Horn to make room for linebacker Tyrel Dodson. Dave Canales framed the move as a roster-driven decision and made clear the team still values Horns progress, but in a division where quarterback uncertainty can shift the balance quickly, the Panthers know how much every personnel choice gets filtered through the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
David Teppers Place Among Americas Richest Says Plenty About Panthers Power
Forbes annual Forbes 400 list offered another reminder of just how much financial muscle sits behind the Panthers these days. Owner David Tepper came in at No. 39 among the richest Americans, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $28.5 billion. It is a number that helps explain why Teppers presence around the franchise has carried such weight since he bought the team in 2018.
Teppers fortune has more than doubled over that span, keeping him in a rare class of NFL owners even as the broader list is topped by Elon Musk and followed by Jeff Bezos and other familiar names. For Carolina, the more interesting takeaway is less about the ranking itself than what it says about the level of resources and expectations attached to the organization under Teppers ownership. [Read more 🡒]