PANTHERS COACH UPDATES INJURED STARS AFTER THIRD STRAIGHT TOUGH LOSS: LEGETTE AND COKER ON THE MEND, OFFERING OFFENSIVE HOPE

CAROLINA, NC — The Carolina Panthers are looking for silver linings after a tough start to the season—and this week, it might come in the form of encouraging injury news on a pair of young wideouts. Head coach Dave Canales shared positive updates on Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, two second-year receivers who have been sidelined but are making progress in their respective recoveries.

Let’s start with Legette. While he’s missed the past two games due to a hamstring issue, the former first-round pick is trending in the right direction.

Canales said Legette is now considered “day to day,” which is a step forward and potentially puts him closer to returning to game action than Coker. It’s a small but important distinction, especially for a Panthers offense that desperately needs a spark.

“Xavier had a good day today,” Canales noted. "But again, we’re going to have to take that day to day.”

Canales also emphasized the two-step process of bringing a player back—first getting them healthy, then making sure they have the endurance and game-readiness to withstand a full workload. For a receiver like Legette, whose speed and explosiveness are core to his game, hamstring recovery demands patience.

As for Coker, he’s still considered “week to week” after a quad injury in the preseason landed him on injured reserve. He hasn’t been designated to return yet, but with four games now in the books, that possibility is at least on the table. The Panthers will continue to evaluate how his body responds as they increase his workload to simulate game conditions.

Legette’s numbers this year before the injury were modest—four catches for eight yards—but don’t let that fool you. Last season, he was second only to Adam Thielen in receiving yards, finishing with 49 catches for 497 yards and four touchdowns. His ability to stretch the field and make tough catches in traffic was a key element of the Panthers’ passing game.

Coker, meanwhile, posted 478 yards on 32 receptions with a pair of touchdowns last season, carving out a reliable role as the third option in the receiving corps. While he’s not the flashiest name on the roster, Coker offers strong hands and precise route running—traits that could help stabilize an offense still finding its rhythm under center.

Neither player is a lock to suit up for Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, but this is the kind of progress the Panthers need to see. They’ve struggled to find consistency at receiver early in the season, with injuries disrupting chemistry and limiting options for the quarterback.

Getting Legette and Coker back in the fold won’t fix everything overnight, but it might be the first step toward building some momentum. The Panthers are searching for answers—and it turns out, a pair of second-year wideouts could soon be part of the solution.