CHARLOTTE — Before practice began on Monday, Panthers wide receivers coach Rob Moore was preparing drills to strengthen his unit's ability to hold onto a ball during play. It's an underrated but crucial part of a receiver's game, and one Moore wants to hone in on ahead of the season.
Turns out, his instincts were right.
During the team pass drill, quarterback Bryce Young took a quick dump-down pass to Jalen Coker, meant to get the receiver in space for yards after the catch. In theory, it worked. Young and Coker connected, the third-year pass-catcher turned upfield with room to run, and the play seemed over for the most part.
But the whistle hadn't blown, and Devin Lloyd was still searching for the ball. The middle linebacker came in with a perfectly executed peanut punch that put the ball on the ground, and four defenders in the area dove on it for the recovery.
"That's been a part of his game, whether it's intercepting it or causing fumbles," bragged coach Dave Canales after Monday's practice of Lloyd's play. "It's a reason why he's here, ball production, and really affecting the runners and the receivers."
Lloyd was tied for second in the entire league with five interceptions last season, and also added a fumble recovery. He has one forced fumble and five recoveries in his five-year career thus far. Monday's play of the day proved why.
It wasn't luck. It wasn't even the result of a good tackle. It was a targeted approach to go after the ball.
It's the kind of attitude that can raise the tides of an entire defense.
"It influences the rest of the group," continued Canales. "That's exactly what we talk about, what we preach about. And so who better than the MIKE linebacker, the guy that's in front of the huddle chasing everything down, punching at it."
Added defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, "It's tremendous. I mean, that's the name of the game. And one, it's infectious. He sets the standard for the rest of our defense. Two, he makes our offense better by the way he practices and forces their ball security. It's value added in so many ways what he brings to our team."
It's the second point that stood out for the latter half of what we'll call the series of the day today. Because several plays after Lloyd punched the ball out of Coker's arms, the offense ran essentially the same play.
Coker cut across the middle on a shallow crosser. Young found him there. The receiver turned upfield. And the defense, hoping for a repeat, sent safety Tre'von Moehrig in for the punch. Moehrig moves at 100 miles per hour, and his attempt to force a fumble is no different. He even executed it well, punching from the top down on the broad side of the ball.
"It goes both ways," Canales concurred with Evero. "It affects the defense. It teaches the offense how to secure the ball and not relax after the catch. They have to transition and get their mindset, 'People are coming for me. I need to secure the ball.'"
But this time, Coker was ready.
He squeezed it into his body and stayed on his feet, gaining extra yards in a fitting way to close out the drill.
View some of Monday's best snaps from training camp practice.
Lathan Ransom and Bam Martin-Scott are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jalen Coker is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
C Luke Fortner and C Sam Hecht are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Jaelan Phillips and AC Carter are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Jaycee Horn and CB Will Lee III are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Mike Jackson is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR John Metchie III is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR Tetairoa McMillan is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Kenny Pickett, QB Bryce Young and Kyle Trask are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
TE Feleipe Franks is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Jaelan Phillips, RB Jonathon Brooks and RB Trevor Etienne are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
AJ Dillon is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Jaycee Horn is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
T Rasheed Walker, Monroe Freeling, QB Bryce Young and RB Chuba Hubbard are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
S Nick Scott is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR John Metchie III is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
LB Devin Lloyd and Mayur Chaudhari are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
LB Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
OLB Jaelan Phillips is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Bercovici, Kenny Pickett, Will Harriger and Bryce Young are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR Jalen Coker and WR David Moore are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Kyle Trask and RB Miles Davis are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
CB Cam Miller is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
WR David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
RB Jonathon Brooks is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
S Tre'von Moehrig is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
LB Mapalo Mwansa, LB Bam Martin-Scott, LB Claudin Cherelus, OLB Trevis Gipson, G Robert Hunt, QB Bryce Young and RB AJ Dillon are seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jalen Coker is seen during Carolina Panthers Training camp on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
