Overview
- The Panthers held Jalen Coker out of Thursday practice and had him biking on the sideline as the team managed a recurring left-ankle issue.
- Coker had been a limited participant on Wednesday after playing through the sprain in Week 2 when he caught eight passes for 66 yards.
- The team removed punt-return duties from Coker and expects Ihmir Smith-Marsette to take over those snaps to protect Coker for offensive work.
- If Coker and fellow receiver Xavier Legette are unavailable, Carolina’s receiving depth would be tested with John Metchie and Brycen Tremayne next in line and David Moore a possible late addition.
- Coker’s quick rise from undrafted rookie to primary target makes the Panthers’ cautious approach important for both game planning and fantasy rosters as the team awaits official game-day designations on Friday.