https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/panthers-wr-jalen-coker-to-miss-4-6-weeks-with-quad-injury-hunter-renfrow-is-re-signed-164210004.html
The Carolina Panthers‘ depth chart at receiver is undergoing a shuffle.
Jalen Coker will miss four to six weeks after suffering a quad injury while running 1-on-1 drills in practice, according to The Athletic’s Joe Person. Carolina plans to place the second-year pass-catcher on injured reserve.
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Coker will be replaced on the roster by Hunter Renfrow, who was re-signed by Carolina after he was part of the team’s final cuts earlier in the week. The team announced the corresponding moves on Saturday.
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The Panthers’ receiving corps was already looking different after Adam Thielen was traded to the Minnesota Vikings earlier in the week. Thielen led Carolina with 615 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season on 48 receptions.
The offense is looking for a major impact from first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan. McMillan, picked No. 8 overall out of Arizona, only caught two passes (on seven targets) for 43 yards in preseason while struggling with a hamstring injury sustained during training camp. He’s expected to be ready for Carolina’s Week 1 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Elsewhere on the depth chart, Xavier Legette returns to the Panthers after a team-leading 49 catches (for 497 yards and 4 TDs) last season. David Moore also brings back 32 receptions for 351 yards and three scores.
Renfrow, a popular local favorite who played his college football at Clemson, could make a significant contribution. In five NFL seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, he registered 269 catches for 2,884 yards and 17 TDs in 73 games (23 starts).
However, Renfrow sat out the 2024 NFL season while dealing with ulcerative colitis that caused him to lose 35 pounds, in addition to suffering fatigue and high fevers.
“It kicked my butt pretty good,” Renfrow, 29, told the Panthers’ official site. “Last year, I fluctuated in weight; I went down to 150 pounds. I had like seven straight days of 103-degree fevers. It’s tough to play when you’re not feeling great.”
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Renfrow signed a one-year deal with $2 million in guaranteed money that could be worth as much as $3 million with incentives, Person reported.
In his first NFL season, Coker caught 32 passes for 478 yards and 2 TDs. He signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross.
Building on that performance, there were expectations that he might emerge as Carolina’s No. 2 receiver this season. Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said the plan was for Coker to replace Thielen as the offense’s primary slot receiver.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/panthers-wr-jalen-coker-to-miss-4-6-weeks-with-quad-injury-hunter-renfrow-is-re-signed-164210004.html
