The Carolina Panthers have some difficult decisions to make this offseason. Keeping wide receiver Jalen Coker around in some capacity is not one of them.
It's been a rapid rise to prominence for the undrafted free agent. Coker caught the eye in 2024 when finally given chances to shine on the offensive rotation. Even though his early-season ambitions in 2025 were dented by injury, he came on strong down the stretch to bolster his chances of an extended stay.
Coker surged into the No. 2 wideout role alongside Tetairoa McMillan as Xavier Legette's struggles continued. His ability to come through in the playoff pressure cooker, emerging as a dependable target for quarterback Bryce Young as the Panthers pushed the Los Angeles Rams right to the wire before falling, did nothing to diminish enthusiasm around his future.
Carolina Panthers must find a way to keep Jalen Coker around long term
Attention now turns to what comes next for Coker. He's an exclusive-rights free agent, meaning the Panthers can tender him an offer that prevents him from speaking with other teams. That's the first step, but all signs are pointing to a long-term commitment with more money attached.
The Panthers don't have much cash to throw around right now. That will change once sacrifices are made to the playing personnel, which could involve early releases or contract restructures to provide more financial flexibility. Those are to be determined, but Carolina has to find a way to retain Coker's services for the foreseeable future.
Dylan Feltovich from Panthers Roundtable took a swing at what Coker may command during negotiations. The writer thought somewhere in the $8 million to $10 million range might be enough to seal the deal, but there is just no telling for sure right now.
"If Carolina were to complete a deal with Coker this offseason, the contract would likely include two or more seasons, instead of a one-year deal. As for the money, the 24-year-old playmaker may not command as much as Khalil Shakir and Rashad Bateman, but can still manage to land around $8-$10 million per year."Dylan Feltovich
This seems feasible. The Panthers could backload the money to give them immediate extra freedom. They could also just hold off and tender him an exclusive rights deal, which would be a minimal commitment.
General manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales challenged Coker to get in better physical shape this season, and he answered the call. The upturn in production spoke for itself, and this is the sort of commitment Carolina's front-office leader has been eager to reward throughout his time in the job.
Coker's earned everything coming his way. And the Panthers would be wise to get something worked out now, because it might cost them more in the long run.