Carolina Panthers give major injury update on Jalen Coker ahead of Week 6 game

It looks like the Carolina Panthers will be getting a reinforcement in the wide receivers room soon.

Prior to Week 1, wide receiver Jalen Coker was placed on injured reserve due to a quadriceps injury he suffered at practice.

But Coker's four-game stay on injured reserve was up last week, which made him eligible to return at any time. However, he wasn't designated to return to practice before the Week 5 game against the Miami Dolphins.

There is good news to report on Coker this week, though, as the Panthers announced they are designating him to return from IR ahead of the Week 6 game versus the Dallas Cowboys.

The move allows Coker to return to practice.

The #Panthers will open the window for WR Jalen Coker to return from IR.
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) October 6, 2025

Now, to be clear, this does not mean that Coker is going to play against the Cowboys, but this does at least put him on track to return to the field soon.

The Panthers will have 21 days to activate Coker to the active roster or else he'll be forced to miss the rest of the season.

Given how much time Coker has missed, it wouldn't be shocking to see him not play for another week or two, but that remains to be seen.

That said, his return is huge. Coker was slated to play a significant role in the passing game this season after the Panthers traded Adam Thielen, their top slot receiver, to the Minnesota Vikings.

"Jalen Coker’s gonna step into the slot. We utilized a lot of resources with [Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan]. So we have guys that we’re really excited about, and I think that definitely made me feel more comfortable pulling the trigger and trading him,” Panthers Gm Dan Morgan said after the Thielen trade.

The 2024 undrafted free-agent signing was a pleasant surprise for the Panthers last season. He tallied 32 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games (four starts).

Assuming he can build upon what he did now that he has more experience, Coker could make a significant impact in Carolina once he's fully cleared to return to action.

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI -

Studs & duds from Panthers’ thrilling comeback win over the Dolphins

NFL fines struggling Panthers safety Nick Scott for an obvious penalty

Dave Canales shares positive update on underrated weapon Jalen Coker

Turnovers have insiders asking if Bryce Young should get benched again