When the Carolina Panthers traded Adam Thielen and released Hunter Renfrow, fans assumed it would open up a significant opportunity for second-year receiver Jalen Coker. General manager Dan Morgan essentially confirmed as much one week ahead of the 2025 NFL season opener.

With Thielen out of the picture, Morgan acknowledged that Coker would begin the season as the Panthers' starting slot receiver . He noted that having a young player like Coker, in addition to a pair of first-round picks in Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan, made him feel “more comfortable” trading Thielen.

“Any time you lose a receiver like Adam, it's a big loss,” Morgan said, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “But at the same time, we're really excited about our young core of receivers. Jalen Coker's gonn

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