With the Carolina Panthers’ 2025 season officially coming to a close last week, general manager Dan Morgan and the rest of the organization will now focus on the offseason to prepare for the next season.

Yesterday, the first domino of the offseason fell when Morgan announced that the team will be picking up quarterback Bryce Young’s fifth-year option. However, with the quarterback position being handled, the attention now shifts to star wide receiver Jalen Coker.

When asked about a possible extension for Coker on Tuesday, Morgan gave high praise to the young playmaker, claiming that he is “really proud.”

“I’m really proud of Jalen,” Morgan stated. “Just another guy who’s been through a lot of adversity with injuries, and [he’s] overcome it. Credit to him, he put the work in, he got his body right, and reshaped his body. And it shows on the field.”

As an undrafted free agent in the 2024 NFL Draft, Coker quickly managed to gain support from the fanbase after an impressive training camp stint. This led to the talented receiver landing a massive role within the offense as a rookie, tallying 478 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 32 catches. Coker’s strong first season with the franchise put the league on notice, as he finished with 19 fewer receiving yards than first-round pick Xavier Legette.

Unfortunately for the former FCS standout, he would go on to miss the first six games of the 2025 regular season due to suffering a quad strain during the preseason.

Luckily, this did not stop Coker from becoming a key weapon on offense once he returned, since he would finish the year with 42 catches for 473 yards and four touchdowns. This included a massive nine catch, 134-yard performance in the team’s lone playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.

In addition to his strong praise for Coker, Morgan also stated that he and Panthers’ Vice President of Football Operations Brandt Tilis are beginning to talk about an extension.

“In terms of the contract and stuff, that stuff me and Brandt are talking through,” Morgan said. “Timing on when to extend him and give him the deal, that’s all stuff that we are going to talk about.”

Since Coker is an exclusive rights free agent, Carolina could tender him for next season, costing the team roughly $1.1 millon in 2026. However, after two impressive seasons and clearly outperforming the likes of Legette, it’s clear that Morgan must find a way to extend Coker this offseason.