![\"Jalen](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769459714_963_Jalen-Coker.jpg\")
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Carolina Panthers wide receiver streaks away from Los Angeles Rams defenders. <\/p>\n
Many would agree that the Carolina Panthers<\/a> took a step forward in 2025.<\/p>\n The franchise went 8-9 during the 2025 season while adding good talent in back-to-back seasons. The team did finish below .500 in 2025 for the eighth consecutive year, but the club won the NFC South for the first time since 2015.<\/p>\n The team seems to be trending in the right direction after going a combined 7-27 from 2023-2024.<\/p>\n \u201cNow it\u2019s back to business for the club.\u00a0Via\u00a0Spotrac<\/a>, Morgan has numerous decisions to make on the team\u2019s current personnel in terms of pending unrestricted (20), restricted (4), and exclusive rights (2) free agents,\u201d Russell Baxter wrote in a Sports Illustrated article<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jalen Coker Is Carolina\u2019s Highest-Graded Potential Free Agent<\/p>\n Pro Football Focus released every NFL team\u2019s highest-graded pending free agent from 2025<\/a>. For Carolina, Wide Recevier Jalen Coker<\/a> has the highest grade.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Panthers\u2019 passing game didn\u2019t excel as many anticipated this year, placing 26th in EPA per play.\u201d Bradley Locker wrote in the PFF article<\/a>. \u201cIn large part, Coker\u2019s availability influenced those results. The second-year wideout played just 498 snaps \u2014 all in Week 7 or later \u2014 but was efficient when on the field, yielding a 75.3 PFF receiving grade with a 116.7 passer rating when targeted. The good news for Carolina is that Coker should be retained as an exclusive rights free agent, presumably giving Bryce Young<\/a> another young weapon back in the saddle.\u201d<\/p>\n Jalen Coker was a 2024 undrafted free agent. The 6\u20193, 208-pound wideout had himself a breakout playoff performance against the Los Angeles Rams<\/a>.<\/p>\n Coker caught 9 passes on 12 targets for 134 yards and one touchdown. Despite Coker\u2019s efforts, the Panthers fell short 34-31 in a thriller.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the team\u2019s final 11 games, the former undrafted free agent totaled 33 catches for 394 yards and three scores,\u201d Baxter wrote in the SI article<\/a>. \u201cCoker has no negotiation power being an ERFA, however the underrated performer has perhaps earned more than just a one-year deal after his second solid campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n In two seasons with Carolina, Coker has 65 receptions for 871 yards. He has caught five touchdowns including a career long 83-yard touchdown catch.<\/p>\n Coker Could Be a Crucial Piece in Panthers Young Core<\/p>\n Jalen Coker\u2019s last playoff performance might have earned him a contract.<\/p>\n \u201cThe playoff performance was proof that Coker can be an elite wide receiver when the ball goes his way.\u201d Jeremy Brener wrote in a January 23rd SI article<\/a>. \u201cIt remains to be seen if Coker should be given a massive deal for his next contract, but it\u2019s clear that he needs some kind of raise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps the Panthers could sign him to a two-year contract that would get him to the end of his fourth season\u2026 Coker was undrafted, so he has been going year to year, but a multi-year deal would give him the financial security that could allow him to play a little more freely.\u201d<\/p>\n The Panthers scored big on potential offensive rookie of the year Tetairoa McMillan<\/a>. Xavier Legette<\/a> has yet to make his stride but has shown flashes of being a solid receiver.<\/p>\n If Carolina resigns Coker, he could be a key piece in this talented core of wide receivers for the Panthers.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tDeonTay Smith<\/a> is a journalist who covers the NFL for Heavy.com with a focus on the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and the Baltimore Ravens. A graduate from Methodist University, Smith also covers local news for the Panama City News Herald and hosts his own YouTube podcast. More about DeonTay Smith<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Panthers\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Carolina Panthers wide receiver streaks away from Los Angeles Rams defenders. Many would agree that the Carolina…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":707184,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2075],"tags":[235,260,2567,7,6,236],"class_list":{"0":"post-707183","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-carolina-panthers","8":"tag-carolina","9":"tag-carolina-panthers","10":"tag-carolinapanthers","11":"tag-football","12":"tag-nfl","13":"tag-panthers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115963319113513327","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=707183"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707183\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/707184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=707183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=707183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=707183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}