The Carolina Panthers got a mixed bag out of Friday’s final injury report before their Week 2 meeting with the Atlanta Falcons.
The clearest good news belongs to Jalen Coker. After opening the week with two limited practices, the wideout was back for a full session Friday and has been taken off the injury report entirely.
Coker had rolled his ankle in Carolina’s 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 1, but there was never much alarm around the injury. Head coach Dave Canales had already indicated the plan was for Coker to build up through the week and be ready to go, and that’s how it played out.
That’s welcome timing for Coker after the best game of his young career. Against Chicago, he put up eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. For fantasy managers, the message is simple: don’t get carried away just yet, but he’s a safe option to use in Week 2.
On the other end of the report, defensive lineman Bobby Brown has been ruled out with a back issue. Brown did not practice at all this week, and he’ll sit out Sunday’s NFC South matchup. Canales said the Panthers plan to activate Cam Jackson to help absorb that absence.
"He's gi-normous. He's a pocket pusher. ... He is our biggest human on the team," Canales said of Jackson.
There’s also a question mark around Jones, who is listed as questionable because of a back injury. Jones missed Week 1 against the Bears, and since he never managed a full practice this week, the odds would seem to be stacked against him.
The final answer will come when Carolina releases its inactives list an hour and a half before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday.
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 🡒]