Why Carolina Panthers made Jalen Coker a punt returner — not just a fair catcher
The emergence of Jalen Coker as a wide receiver has not surprised anyone associated with the Carolina Panthers.
Read more Ex-NC State trainer arrested on 32 charges after athletes accused him of sex abuse
But an emergence of Coker as a punt returner?
That caught some people off-guard.
“Jalen Coker with an amazing first punt return,” head coach Dave Canales said in his opening statement Sunday, after his team’s 34-3 throttling of the Atlanta Falcons. The coach shrugged and smiled. “I thought he was going to fair-catch it.”
Coker ended up taking two punts for 49 yards that day, the first of which was a 36-yard return that set up a short field for the offense. It was another notch in the belt of the third-year receiver who previously went undrafted out of Holy Cross — a playmaker who keeps on shocking people with what he can do.
On Thursday, special teams coordinator Tracy Smith explained how Coker got the call to be the team’s starting punt returner — after not even being on the punt-return depth chart heading into the week — and why he was out there to be a playmaker, not just a sure set of hands.
“He’s been practicing with the other guys, and we thought he was the best option for that particular weekend,” Smith said of the 6-foot-3, 215-pound versatile wideout. “And he did a really nice job. Had a couple at Holy Cross. He caught one against the Eagles two years ago. He’s been available. He’s always ‘on the list,’ and this week he found himself on the top of the list.”
The coordinator added: “You want to finish the play with the ball for sure. That’s the No. 1 intent. But also, if you give those guys too many stipulations, you make the job harder. If you let good players make their own decisions, make their own plays, it comes out better. There’s more pressure on a guy who’s explicitly out there to fair-catch the ball. It’s a different kind of feeling.”
There are six people “on the list” as potential returners, Smith said, though he didn’t spell out who those six are. They certainly include receivers John Metchie and Xavier Legette, who still are listed as the team’s first two kick/punt returners on the unofficial depth chart.
Smith also said that getting called up to audition as a returner is all up to the player — though Smith added with a smile, “I can encourage volunteering sometimes.”
The Panthers have had some movement along the special teams depth chart the past few days. That started with Jonathon Brooks getting placed on injured reserve, which will prompt practice squad running back Anthony Tyus to the game-day roster Sunday, Canales confirmed this week. Tyus, in addition to being an extra running back, has return experience.
The team also signed receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette to the practice squad. The receiver known as ISM was a contributor for the Panthers in 2023 and is a confident returner with achievement that precedes him.
Read more Tenacious officer suffers head injury tackling robbery suspect, NC police say
Smith-Marsette recorded a punt return touchdown in 2023 with the Panthers. The last time he played in an NFL game was in 2024. He played 15 games with the Giants that season and notched 29 punt returns for 228 yards and 11 kick returns for 381 yards and a touchdown.
“Ihmir has been a dynamic returner his whole life, really, back to Iowa,” Smith said. “He’s a secure catcher, explosive athlete, brings something to the receiving room. Also has an outstanding personality, got some life to him, he helps your team’s energy as well. So I’m excited to have him back.
“We have a lot of friends of the program kind of out there, and every time you have a chance to bring somebody back who was a positive contributor, I’m all for that.”
It’s possible that Smith-Marsette’s addition could clear a way for him being a punt returner against the Cleveland Browns; the Week 3 game will take place at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland at 1 p.m. Sunday. But given Coker’s very recent and good dividends in the return game, it’s tough to count him out in that facet of the game.
That’s true even if Coker is working through an ankle injury — an ailment he’s been playing with since the first quarter of their Week 1 game.
“Those decisions I’m not really driving. I’m involved in them as far as usefulness, who’s available, who’s not. I kind of go with the flow on that,” Smith said of Coker and his snap management, specifically. “In general, punt returners have the option to protect themselves. So there are teams throughout the NFL who are using their starting receivers or running backs on punt returns. We’ll see one this weekend for the Browns; their starting receiver (rookie KC Concepcion) is returning the punts, their first pick.
“That’s not uncommon. But the risk can be mitigated with that guy’s decision-making ability.”
So Coker’s decision-making ability as a punt returner will almost certainly be put to the test again.
Read more CMS board member: Why I voted to fire Superintendent Crystal Hill | Opinion
The Panthers this time, though, won’t be surprised if they’re rewarded for it.
This story was originally published September 24, 2026 at 12:42 PM.
