Jalen Coker makes it clear how he feels about Bryce Young's future with Panthers

For just a moment, it looked like the Carolina Panthers had found their quarterback. But as we sit here today, more questions loom. The team has seen a 200-yard passing day from Bryce Young just once (although he was dominant with a three-TD day that needed only 199 yards, to be totally fair), and that game was a furious comeback attempt by Carolina.

It's fair to wonder what the future holds under center in Carolina. Young has shown flashes, and if the Panthers do move on, he's poised to emulate Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, Daniel Jones, Baker Mayfield, and others and flourish elsewhere. But for now, his teammates believe in him.

Jalen Coker, Austin Corbett go to bat for Bryce Young

Bryce Young had a really bad game last week. And when the quarterback has such a bad game in an embarrassing loss, the blame, perhaps unfairly, lands squarely on him. And when the QB hasn't exactly been lights out otherwise, doubts begin to creep in.

Second-year wide receiver Jalen Coker doesn't want to hear that, though. Coker enjoyed a huge breakout as a rookie in 2024 when Young also broke out, so he's not prepared to give up on his teammate.

“I have no comment on that. I don’t want to talk about that anymore,” Coker said via Joe Person of The Athletic. “He’s our guy. I’m always gonna ride with him and that’s the end of the story.”

“That’s the quarterback. He’s QB1. He’s the guy,” Austin Corbett echoed. The players believe in Young, but that belief can only get one so far. Young is clearly well-liked, and he's a terrific leader in the locker room, but that's a tiny fraction of what a quarterback needs to be in the NFL.

Young can and must be better, and his teammates must also help him out. Xavier Legette can't watch a pass go right over his head for a touchdown without even really trying to catch it. The coaches can't call the same bland plays that don't threaten a defense.

The banged-up offensive line can't let pressure get to Young immediately. It's a team effort, and right now, the team still believes in Young. It just needs to translate to on-field performance.

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