The Carolina Panthers' organized team activities are underway. While everyone is salivating for insight on No. 8 overall pick Tetairoa McMillan, fans may be overlooking a wide receiver battle that could shape the team's future.
The world expects McMillan to be slotted in as the primary target and engine of the passing offense. I have also learned to stop betting against veteran Adam Thielen. He has built amazing chemistry with Bryce Young and was Carolina's most dependable wideout once again in 2024.
There is still an undecided third or maybe a second option that is not being discussed. Most have already handed the job to the former first rounder Xavier Legette. However, Jalen Coker has a chance to steal that spot.
With Thielen entering the last year of his deal and admitting he was very close to retirement this offseason, I expect the ageless wonder to unlace the cleats for good in 2026, regardless of how the campaign ends. With that being said, someone will have to step up to replace the Pro Bowler, who has led the team in receiving for the past two seasons.
Both Legette and Coker have factors working in their favor, so it'll be a fascinating dynamic to watch over the summer.
Carolina Panthers are expecting big improvements from Xavier Legette in 2025
The Panthers moved up into the first round to secure Legette at pick No. 32 last year. That draft pedigree alone gives him the upper hand. It would be seen as a draft blunder if Carolina moved up into the first round for a guy only to draft his replacement the next year or have an undrafted free agent pass him up for the third option in the receiver room.
Outside of investment and politics, Legette does have things on the field that provide hope that he will win the job. He is still the most physically gifted receiver in the unit. The 6-foot-1, 227-pound wideout ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He is a handful to defend and does a great job using his physicality to win at the top of routes.
Legette also showed the ability to win at the catch point through contact and outside his frame early in the season. He has the speed to burn deep and create explosive plays, something that the Panthers offense has been looking for since Ted Ginn Jr. departed. That will be a valuable trait next to McMillan, who did have questions about his speed coming out of college.
The two main things working against Legette are interesting to think about. Concentration issues were a major problem. Catching way too many passes with his body and losing confidence in his hands came as a result. Also, it seemed that Young and the South Carolina graduate did not have the chemistry to connect on passes downfield.
Whether it was a designed shot or scramble drills, the pair simply could not connect. Legette was targeted nine times on throws of more than 20 air yards, securing one reception. To be the running mate for McMillan and the deep threat Carolina needs, he must regain confidence in his hands and develop a better chemistry with the franchise quarterback.
Jalen Coker has the potential to be Adam Thielen's long-term replacement
Coker is a curious case for me. From an athletic standpoint, he's parallel to the rest, but his technical skills might be unmatched in the room (excluding Theilen).
The former Holy Cross star runs his routes like a veteran, and he has the most reliable hands of all receivers from last year (once again, excluding Thielen). According to ESPN Analytics, Coker was given a 56-catch score, tied for 10th league-wide with Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin.
A reliable set of hands with a big body that can haul in tough catches and run great routes sounds like a carbon copy of Thielen. Yet Coker has a facet of his game that the Pro Bowler doesn't. That's the ability to attain yards after the catch.
Once again referencing ESPN Analytics, Coker was given the highest grade of their YAC score with a 63 — finishing top 10 again and one point higher than the likes of Ja'Marr Chase and Zay Flowers.
Coker lines up as the perfect replacement for Theilen in terms of play style, analytics, and tape. He finished on par or right behind Theilen in every advanced metric. The stars could align for him to step in and take over the exact same role once the savvy vet calls it a day.
The only thing I believe holding Coker back will be his draft pedigree and his skillset being redundant to Carolina's No. 1 guy. The Panthers' commitment to Legette will make it extremely difficult for the front office to pass on him for an undrafted guy, and the elements of Legette's game differ so much that it would be a match made in heaven if he can reach his potential.
Can he do enough to hold off the undrafted phenom, or will Coker's already proven skillset lead him to be Young’s new dependable presence once Thielen retires?