CHARLOTTE — Tuesday's practice was winding down, the offense in its penultimate period, when Bryce Young and Jalen Coker finally connected for what has become their daily highlight play.

Running with the ones, Coker broke free deep down the left sideline, where Young had a ball waiting for the touchdown.

"I was running an out, the nickel buzzed out, the corner went over the top, so I was able to kind of take advantage of that free access space back there," Coker explained after practice, "and Bryce put it on the money."

The two have been turning in plays like this most of camp—including a scramble drill touchdown in the preseason opener—reviving their connection from the second half of last season after it'd gone by the wayside as Coker dealt with nagging injuries through the offseason and found himself swimming in a suddenly deep unit at the beginning of July.

It didn't take long, though, for Coker—the UDFA gem who worked his way into 11 games last season, pulling in 32 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns—to work his way back into a vital part of the unit. The key? Realizing and respecting the fact that last year meant something, but far from everything.

"I think it's easy to kind of fall into that and be like I've kind of proven myself," admitted Coker. "But I try not to think about that because it's a new year every year, and they're, you know, everyone in the league will say it, they're trying to replace you every single year.

"So if I can't, if I don't get any better, then I'm getting worse, so I'm going to continue to work hard and improve myself again and again and again and again and however many times it takes."

Much has been made already about Coker's shift when it came to special teams as well this year, pouring himself into that facet of the game that he had previously not been a part of. It paid off, helping him stand out in the deep group and keeping him on the field for five special teams snaps and 29 offensive snaps in the preseason opener. And with each passing week in camp, the second-year receiver has committed himself more and more to the area that Canales harps will be the difference in who makes the roster and who doesn't.

"Coming out of college, you want to be a receiver, you want to be a starter and all that stuff, so I think I didn't take it as seriously," shared Coker. "So then to come into this year, you know, bigger room, I got to make an impact in a different way, so really buying into special teams, become a better blocker, all around just a better athlete, so that's kind of how I've taken it.

"I think if you want to be great, you're going to find a way to balance both (teams and receiver), and that's what I'm trying to do."

Coker will play tonight versus the Steelers. The starters are sitting, which, in some weeks last season, would've included Coker (he started four games), and he has practiced with the ones at different times. More than anything, though, Canales wants his receiver to get one more game under his belt after Coker missed the Texans game due to a high fever earlier in the week.

"This is just so valuable for him just to kind of make sure that he's still capitalizing on the conditioning level, you know, getting ready for week one," Canales explained Tuesday.

And for Coker, it's a chance to remind coaches and himself that he can be a pillar of this offense.

"I can just control what I can, and what I can control is coming out to practice every day, work, and put good things on film, so that's how I look at it. I try not to overthink too many things because that'll just clutter up my mind and I just have to keep the right path," said Coker.

"It's just another opportunity just to get better, work my craft, just kind of put everything together that I've been working on this camp and just go out on a strong note."