The Carolina Panthers ended up getting convincingly beaten by the Cleveland Browns to begin their preseason engagements. It's also given head coach Dave Canales plenty of food for thought with final cuts on the not-too-distant horizon.
And there is one intriguing decision that could provoke some heated discussions between those in power when it's all said and done.
Carolina didn't have wide receiver Xavier Legette for long at Bank of America Stadium. The 2024 first-round pick was ejected after exchanging punches with Browns cornerback Rayshawn Mitchell. Canales was frustrated by the lack of discipline, issuing a stern warning to his players that this would not be tolerated moving forward.
Carolina Panthers could tweak WR dynamic between Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette
Legette's absence gave Jalen Coker another chance to shine opposite Tetairoa McMillan on the boundary. And not for the first time in his brief career, he seized the moment.
Coker is a polished route runner with assured hands. There are no wasted movements, and he's earned the trust of both Canales and quarterback Bryce Young. This latest turn of events saw fans call for the former Holy Cross standout's role to increase as momentum shifted in his favor.
McMillan, Coker. Thielen is your main 3 with Legette and Horn as your playmakers
— The 4 Man Rush (@4ourmanrush) August 9, 2025
That wouldn't mean Canales would send Legette to the fringes entirely. The head coach could use him as a versatile weapon capable of exploiting mismatches across the line of scrimmage. But Coker is further along right now. That much is abundantly clear.
Whether Canales implements this strategy is debatable. The Panthers remain extremely high on Legette despite his rollercoaster rookie campaign and recent ejection. They were talking him up as a WR1 before drafting McMillan, and he's been working immensely hard to improve his craft throughout the offseason. At the same time, reliability is everything in the regular season.
Coker's proved more capable of that than Legette. The undrafted rookie outperformed the No. 32 pick last season, and he could easily do the same again this time around. What Canales needs to figure out is whether switching roles for the second-year duo could ignite more in terms of consistent production in a competitive setting.
Both Coker and Legette are huge parts of Carolina's plans in 2025 and beyond. But don't be surprised if their responsibilities tweak somewhat if things continue in the same manner over the next fortnight.