Just under a week before the start of the regular season, the Carolina Panthers have been hit with a significant blow to start the season.
According to Adam Schefter, wide receiver Jalen Coker is being placed on the IR to start the season with a quad injury. In a corresponding move, veteran wide receiver Hunter Renfrow has been re-signed to the Panthers’ active roster.
Coker’s injury and absence are heightened due to the Panthers losing depth at the receiver position following the trade of Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings earlier this week. Coker, himself, was having a standout Summer in training camp.
Rising Star
Over the course of training camp, Coker developed an increasingly growing connection with quarterback Bryce Young. The two were developing their chemistry towards the end of last season, highlighted by a 100-yard performance from Coker against the Dallas Cowboys.
Earlier this month, in training camp, Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com wrote about in her August 6 article how impressed Panthers head coach Dave Canales had been with Coker’s preparation coming into the season.
“I think Jalen has taken full advantage of the five weeks that we had off since the spring,” Canales said.
“In OTAs, he kind of just was ramping up, kind of getting a plan for his readiness, and he came back a different athlete. I have to say, of all the guys, Jalen really did a great job of just working on his transition, his speed, his body comp, his readiness for practice, and all that, and I think he’s just taking steps.”
Coker also connected with Young on touchdown receptions in the Panthers’ first preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Now, the Panthers will have to wait and see if Coker can take the next leap in his career this season.
Return of Renfrow
With Jalen Coker being placed on IR, it opened the door for the return of Hunter Renfrow. Renfrow is making a comeback to the NFL after being out of the league all of 2024.
The veteran receiver impressed early in training camp, but faded a little as camp went on. Still, following his release, the door was left open for his return to the team.
Darin Gantt of Panthers.com detailed in an August 27 article how Dave Canales was open to Renfrow returning and how he enjoyed working with him.
“We’re just talking about everything right now,” Canales said. “I just want to be a part of his future, of what he wants to do. I just told him that, like in whatever capacity that is, whether it’s the 53 or practice squad, that was just kind of the conversations.”
“I‘m just talking about wanting to be a part of him, like the guy that I remember,” Canales continued. “And I think that he’s on his way back there, and I truly believe that, and I believe in him as a guy. I had such a blast working with him in this short amount of time, but I’d love to see him back out there at some point, and so it’s just a matter of us continuing to stay in touch and see where we’re at.”
Renfrow’s return now makes him the most experienced receiver on the Panthers, and his presence will be needed for a young receiver group following Adam Thielen’s trade and Coker’s IR stint.
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