The Panthers may be getting a useful piece back for their Week 6 matchup with the Eagles, and Jalen Coker sounds optimistic about where he stands.
Coker was back on the field for Carolina’s unofficial practice session on Tuesday after sitting out the team’s Week 4 game against the Detroit Lions. In the locker room, the second-year receiver gave a simple read on his recovery.
“Feeling good, just gonna keep practicing every day and we'll see what happens,” Coker said.
Coker’s setback came in the Panthers’ 21-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns, when he suffered a quadriceps injury. After that game, he said he didn’t view it as a “bad” injury, and the early read pointed to something relatively minor. Even so, Carolina held him out of the Week 4 win over Detroit to give him extra time to heal.
Head coach Dave Canales also sounded positive after the Panthers’ Week 5 bye, saying Coker was trending toward a return. That extra week off appears to have helped as Coker works his way back into the mix.
Carolina will release its first official injury report for Week 6 on Wednesday, which should give a much clearer picture of where Coker stands. His practice participation and eventual game status will be the key indicators ahead of the Eagles game.
The Panthers enter the matchup with a 2-2 record and first place in the NFC South. If Coker is available, Bryce Young would have one more option in the passing game as Carolina tries to hold onto that spot in the division.
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