Why Carolina Panthers placed standout WR Jalen Coker on IR to start season

The Carolina Panthers were dealt a tough blow to their offense to start the season after the team placed wide receiver Jalen Coker on injured reserve.

The Panthers announced the move on Saturday, along with the re-signing of veteran wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who takes Coker's spot on the roster.

Joe Person of The Athletic reports that Coker suffered a quad injury at Thursday's practice.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz offered a positive outlook for Coker, though, as he noted the 23-year-old "will be back" this season.

Earlier this week, general manager Dan Morgan revealed that Coker was slated to be Carolina's primary slot receiver. Now, Renfrow is likely to take that job with Coker on the shelf.

"Any time you lose a receiver like Adam [Thielen], it's a big loss," Morgan said. "But at the same time, we're really excited about our young core of receivers. Jalen Coker's going to step into the slot, we're going to utilize a lot of resources with [Xavier Legette] and [Tetairoa McMillan]."

An undrafted free-agent signing of the Panthers in 2024, Coker was a pleasant surprise for Carolina in his first season after catching 32 balls for 478 yards and two touchdowns.

Renfrow put together a strong offseason with the Panthers, so his being released was no doubt a surprise. But Morgan made it quite clear the team was interested in bringing him back.

"I told him I want him back here. I talked to his agent, I talked to him," Morgan said. "We're in constant communication. Nothing's imminent, but we're going to stay in contact with him, and we'll try to figure something out to bring him back here. I think we're still trying to decide that. Hunter, I think, is thinking through things, looking at different options, so I think right now it's really up to him with what he wants to do, but we would definitely like to have him back here at some point."

Renfrow isn't just a viable option in the slot for Carolina. He also brings some much-needed experience to a Panthers wide receivers room that is very young.

We'll see exactly how much Renfrow has left in the tank when he takes the field in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 7.