Panthers' Bryce Young and Jalen Coker Are a Historically Good QB-WR Duo

Over the last two years, it's been very easy to see the impact that Jalen Coker has on the Carolina Panthers. The offense is much better when he's on the field, and Bryce Young's numbers jump way up.

He and Young obviously have chemistry with one another, and that really showed up in the Wild Card Round against the Los Angeles Rams. Young and Coker were on fire.

What you may not realize, though, is that the Young-Coker connection is easily one of the best QB-WR connections in the entire NFL. In fact, it's one of the best in the history of the NFL.

Bryce Young-Jalen Coker is one of the best QB-WR connections in NFL history

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) makes a catch against the Los Angeles Rams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Good things happen when Jalen Coker is on the field for the Panthers, and great things happen when Bryce Young throws him the ball. That hasn't happened as often as anyone would like over the last two years, but when it does, the Panthers are at their best.

In 2025, the Young-Coker connection was the third-most effective of all QB-WR connections with at least 40 targets. They recorded 0.72 EPA/Play and a ridiculous 38% positive play percentage.

In terms of EPA per play, that duo ranked only behind Dak Prescott to Ryan Flournoy and Jordan Love to Matthew Golden. Young targeted Coker 50 times, and they linked up for 39 catches, 493 yards, and four touchdowns with that sparkling EPA/play.

PFF analyst Mark Chichester wrote, "Young posted a 14.0% big-time throw rate on passes to Coker, the highest of any qualifying wide receiver duo in 2025, against a single turnover-worthy play. The pair generated a 126.1 passer rating, and their two-year career mark of 0.672 EPA per play already ranks 15th among all duos in the PFF era with 75-plus targets."

When Young targeted Coker, big plays happened, and turnovers or bad plays simply didn't. It was the Panthers' best offensive weapon to dial up a target for Coker. All the numbers are incredible.

If we expand the scope to all of Coker's career, 88 targets has turned into 894 yards and six touchdowns with an excellent 0.672 EPA/play. That ranks 15th all-time in the PFF era, which dates back to 2006.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts in the fourth quarter | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just to provide some context, here are some of the duos ranked ahead of Young-Coker historically:

Brett Favre-Sidney Rice
Dak Prescott-George Pickens
Peyton Manning-Austin Collie
Brock Purdy-George Kittle
Drew Brees-Kenny Stills

These are some good combinations, and Young-Coker is right there with them. The Panthers are probably foaming at the mouth for a full season of these two. We certainly are.

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