Jalen Coker earned plenty of fans during his rags-to-riches rookie season with the Carolina Panthers. Bryce Young is one of them.
Questions about his top-end speed and subpar competition in college led Coker to go undrafted. The Panthers moved swiftly to acquire him following the draft, giving him a decent overall guarantee to secure his services. This was money well spent.
Coker made it onto the 53-man roster but was released to make room for waiver acquisitions. He got a place on the practice squad to continue his development. When the time came to step up, he answered the call.
The former Holy Cross standout quickly emerged as an accomplished route runner with assured hands. Perhaps more surprising was Coker's ability to stretch the field and become a threat on deeper gains. Injuries derailed his progress slightly, but that doesn't detract from the outstanding future awaiting the wideout if further progress arrives.
Bryce Young outlines confidence in Jalen Coker's future with Carolina Panthers
Young was glowing in his praise of Coker during a conversation with former NFL head coach Jon Gruden for Barstool Sports. The quarterback lauded his football IQ and relentless commitment. He was also extremely bullish about the pass-catcher's future with the franchise.
"Great mind for the game. Great attitude. Came in undrafted. You have a lot of guys in training camp and you want to see what everyone is capable of. Immediately we were like, 'This guy's got something to him'. We didn't know what that meant, but he kept putting wins on tape. He kept his head down, kept working, and when we had some injuries, an opportunity came. It quickly went from let's bring him up to let's get him on that one play. He kept making those plays, and now he's a big part of our future. Great dude. Great work ethic and plays with intelligence. Big body, great catch radius. I'm super excited to keep working with him as well."Bryce Young
This is a significant confidence boost for Coker. He might not ever be a game-changing No. 1 option. Even so, he's got the potential to be a complimentary piece capable of making big plays when his number is called.
Every good team needs guys like that.
It was an impressive start from Coker. But make no mistake, what comes next is more important.
Coker cannot get complacent. He must continue with the same mindset and hit the ground running when organized team activities resume. Worrying about potential incomings or increased competition in the wideout room is not an option.
The Panthers have Coker for one more year on his current deal, which counts $960,000 against the salary cap. He's already outperformed that pay grade, so working out an extension ahead of time could save some money in the long run. Regardless of whether he gets extended this offseason or not, the receiver has Young's complete confidence heading into his sophomore NFL season.
Considering how the upcoming season is just as if not more pivotal for Young, having trust in his pass-catchers is everything. Coker was more reliable than most. Having another year to study and learn from Pro Bowl veteran Adam Thielen is only going to help his cause.
Hopes are high for the Panthers in 2025. Young's blossoming chemistry with Coker will be a driving force behind any success that comes their way.