The Carolina Panthers floundered in wide receiver purgatory following the departure of Steve Smith Sr. after the 2013 season until the selection of D.J. Moore. Yet in between these two players, there were plenty of failed experiments and disappointing early draft picks.
Then came the trade of Moore to the Chicago Bears for the ability to select Bryce Young at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Many saw this as a terrible decision at the time. Any rookie quarterback, no matter how skilled they may be, needs a solid wide receiver core to elevate their abilites and allow them some room for error.
This was not the case. The Panthers had no true No. 1 wideout, and it was painfully evident.
The team did attempt to rectify this through trades, free agency, and the draft. However, this was a mixed bag. Adam Thielen was the only one that truly panned out over this time period.
Jonathan Mingo was shipped off to the Dallas Cowboys, Terrace Marshall Jr. was a nonfactor, and the less said about Diontae Johnson the better. All players had some measure of hype attached to their names yet failed to even remotely live up to it. Carolina's top selection of last year's draft was no different.
Xavier Legette was supposed to be that big-bodied target fans had been praying for to help elevate the red zone offense and stretch the field. This was not the case.
Carolina Panthers should strongly consider getting Jalen Coker more involved
There was a name that kept coming around and refused to be ignored. A name that was never supposed to be anything for this team. Jalen Coker.
Coker went undrafted out of Holy Cross and slowly, yet steadily, rose through the ranks. He took every opportunity given to him, whether it be through injury or poor performance. None of that mattered to the rookie — a chance was a chance, and he ran with them.
The wideout was a revelation at times, showing measurable improvement with each passing game. Coker outpaced Legette in yards per reception, yards per game, yards per target, and catch rate. All while coming within 20 total receiving yards of the first-round pick.
These feats are impressive in their own right. Coker did this with five fewer games played and only four starts to Legette's 13. Even so, the addition of Tetairoa McMillan further muddles the waters near the top of the depth chart.
Most rightfully see McMillan as the new top dog in the receiver corps. Thielen is the entrenched starter in the slot. That leaves is a gap on the other side of the field. One expected to be filled by Legette.
However, with how poorly the rookie performed last season mixed with how quickly Coker came on, it is not that simple.
Inserting Coker into that second wideout role would give the Panthers an extra little wrinkle to their game. Something that two bigger-bodied receivers would not if Legette were placed there instead.
While it is incredibly difficult, not to mention embarrassing, to move on from a top pick this quickly, there is something to be said for going with the hot hand at the position. This is a lesson that the Panthers as an organization need to learn. There is no reason to keep trying to gain something from an empty mine.
This is not to say that Legette does not have the potential to be a good receiver in the NFL. The skills are evident, and there is a reason he was picked in the first round. But those skills have not translated into the pro game yet. Until that happens, you have to make the decision that is best for the team. Starting Coker as the WR2 comes with significant merit.
The Panthers have the ability and scheme to use both wideouts in different situations and packages. At the moment, Coker has the most upside. This is something that should not be squandered because of image or relative investment.
Give Coker a chance to prove what he can do with a larger role this season. If it doesn't work out, at least the Panthers gave it a look, and Legette has some more time to develop.
Both of these elements would set up the Panthers well in the coming years.