NFL scout implores Panthers to give more targets to unheralded rookie

Carolina may have a genuine diamond in the rough at the wide receiver position in this undrafted rookie.

Tim Weaver | Nov 13, 2024

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 29: Carolina Panthers wide reciever Jalen Coker (18) during an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers on September 29, 2024 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte N.C. / (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

While they are on a two-game win streak, the Carolina Panthers should still be focusing the rest of the regular season on developing their young playmakers. First and foremost that means naming Bryce Young the starting quarterback for the rest of 2024.

Carolina also has to figure out the new pecking order at the wide receiver position, which features two young up-and-coming rookies and veteran Adam Thielen, who's expected to return after the bye week after sitting out nine weeks with a hamstring injury. However else they divy up the targets, they need to make sure that undrafted rookie Jalen Coker gets a fair slice of the pie. Here's what Bleacher Report's Scouting Department had to say about Coker's target share going into the bye.

B/R on Jalen Coker targets

"In fairness to the Panthers, this is likely already in the works after the Jonathan Mingo trade. But Coker didn't start getting significant playing time until Week 5 and he's been pretty productive since then, logging 14 catches for 222 yards and a touchdown heading into this weekend. The undrafted rookie could be the offense's long-term solution at slot receiver, so the team's goal should be to get him as many opportunities as possible to asses how big of a need wide receiver will be in the offseason."

Given the small sample size and his inexperience, we're still taking Thielen as the best wide receiver remaining on the roster now that Jonathan Mingo and Diontae Johnson are out of the picture. However, there are some who believe that Coker is already the best pass-catcher on the team. and should be elevated to WR1 status immediately.

That's probably not going to happen, but if nothing else, Coker has everyone but Thielen beat in the route-running department, which is a skillset that franchise legend Steve Smith identified in Coker even before he went undrafted. Here's what the target breakdown looks like for all the receivers who are still on the team:

Panthers 2024 targets

-̶ W̶R̶ D̶i̶o̶n̶t̶a̶e̶ J̶o̶h̶n̶s̶o̶n̶:̶ 5̶8̶

- WR Xavier Legette: 45

- RB Chuba Hubbard: 35

- TE Ja'Tavion Sanders: 32

- WR Jalen Coker: 26

-̶ W̶R̶ J̶o̶n̶a̶t̶h̶a̶n̶ M̶i̶n̶g̶o̶:̶ 2̶6̶

- RB Miles Sanders: 26

- WR David Moore: 22

- WR Adam Thielen: 12

- TE Ian Thomas: 6

At a bare minimum, going forward Coker should be getting any targets that might have gone to David Moore, Miles Sanders and Ian Thomas, all of whom are well past their prime and unlikely to rise higher than a WR4 on any real NFL roster. Coker should also soon surpass Hubbard, if head coach Dave Canales can find a way to really integrate him into the passing attack.