The Carolina Panthers' wide receiver corps is turning heads, with Jalen Coker earning a nod on a preseason All-NFL team as the 2026 season looms. As the Panthers gear up for the new campaign, the spotlight is on their offensive lineup, which is crucial for their success. While the defense showed its mettle last season and has been bolstered by offseason tweaks, the offense is where the Panthers need some key players to step up.
Among the names to watch are Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, and Jonathon Brooks. But it's Jalen Coker who's catching some early accolades.
Coming off a solid season, Coker snagged 33 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns. Not exactly top-tier stats, but impressive for an undrafted free agent, earning him well-deserved recognition.
Coker has been named to the All-NFL undrafted team by Daire Carragher of Pro Football Focus. This accolade highlights his growth over two seasons, with his sophomore year showing a boost in performance. Coker's receiving grade climbed from 73.8 to 75.3, and his 6-foot-3 stature served him well, especially in contested catches-hauling in nine out of eleven attempts.
Joining Coker on the list are Jakobi Meyers and Rashid Shaheed, but Coker stands out as the youngest, having only two seasons under his belt since leaving Holy Cross. His fit within the Panthers' offense is seamless, allowing him to thrive without the pressure of being the primary target, a role held by McMillan.
Looking ahead, Coker could see an expanded role, particularly if other players like Xavier Legette don't hit their stride. Regardless of how the depth chart shakes out, the Panthers can feel confident in Coker's contributions and potential as they aim for a successful season.
In Other News...
Panthers Camp Has Turned Bryce Youngs Backup Job Into A Real Fight
Training camp has turned the backup quarterback job behind Bryce Young into one of the more interesting spots on the Panthers roster, with three names in the mix and very different paths to this point. Kenny Pickett arrives as the former first-round pick and the most established of the group, while Haynes King is trying to turn camp reps into a real foothold after entering the league undrafted. Will Grier is back in the conversation too, giving Carolina a familiar face in a competition that now has at least a little intrigue.
Pickett still looks like the safest bet to handle the No. 2 role, but the Panthers have more going on than just that pecking order. Kings development gives the team a useful wild card, and Grier is hanging around as the long-shot option in a room that could get squeezed once roster decisions start tightening elsewhere. Even if the backup spot seems to have a clear front-runner, there is still enough movement here to keep the quarterback picture worth watching through the rest of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fans Wont Love What This Says About Monroe Freeling
Monroe Freeling arrived in Carolina with first-round expectations, but the early picture around the rookie tackle is more about patience than immediate impact. The Panthers have had him working at both tackle spots, giving him a chance to learn the full scope of the position as he settles in and adjusts to the speed of the pro game.
For now, the bigger takeaway is that Freeling looks like a long-term investment rather than a quick fix. Carolina sees him as a developmental piece who could grow into either tackle job down the line, especially with the current starters moving toward future contract decisions, but that also means fans hoping for an instant fix may need to wait. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Have A Tough QB Decision Before The Deadline
The quarterback picture in San Francisco is crowded enough that a move before the deadline is easy to imagine, even with Brock Purdy entrenched and Mac Jones sitting in a murkier spot. Jones is entering the final year of his contract, and that alone makes him one of the more watchable names on the roster if the 49ers decide to listen and a team sees a chance to get him out of the building sooner rather than later.
For Carolina, the interest is obvious enough to keep in mind whenever the Panthers' quarterback conversation comes up. If they decide Bryce Young is not the long-term answer, Jones profiles as the kind of passer a club could try to build around instead of simply patching the position for a season, which is why this is the sort of situation worth tracking as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]