Dave Canales is not backing off expectations for Xavier Legette entering a pivotal year, and didn’t rule out another WR addition
The Carolina Panthers are expecting a big season out of former first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette going into his third season with the team.
While the Carolina Panthers had a much improved season last year, the play of former first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette left a lot to be desired on the field.
Head coach Dave Canales continues to be Legette’s biggest advocate going into his third season with the Panthers, but the team is expecting much more out of the physical wide receiver coming off a 363-yard season in 2025.
The pressure is heating up on Legette heading into 2026 after the team used their 2025 first-round selection on Tetairoa McMillan and watched him blossom into an immediate star worthy of Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Legette feels that pressure and is eager to prove himself to the team.
“Just working his butt off. He’s around the facility. While we can’t talk about football stuff and do meetings, he’s there. He’s grinding, he’s working,” Canales said of Legette, via Joe Person of The Athletic. “He understands what an opportunity he has. And he understands why we brought him here, to be that big, dynamic, play-maker that we know he can be.
Xavier Legette still has a role to play for the Panthers and trust still remains from the coaching staff
While fans are ready to write off the former 32nd overall pick, the trust remains in Legette from the coaching staff. Given his size and physical traits, Legette still has a role to play for this offense and the Panthers saw the flashes in the pan last season.
Canales specifically mentioned two moments that impressed him the most from what was largely a disappointing sophomore season. The first moment came in Week 5 during the team’s 17-point comeback against the Miami Dolphins, a rally that Canales said was “sparked” by Legette’s big touchdown catch late in the first-half.
The second moment came two weeks later against the New York Jets, a game in which Legette had a season-high 11 targets for 92 yards and one touchdown. It wasn’t the volume or the touchdown that impressed Canales. What impressed the Panthers head coach from that game was the 33-yard catch Legette made on third-and-eight to pick up the game-sealing first down.
“He’s a come-through guy that we love and we trust,” Canales added. “I just want him to do it all the time so he can realize the highest of his potential. He wants that. We want that for him, too, and I’m excited to see what he does this year.”
Could the Panthers look to dial up the pressure even more on Legette in the 2026 NFL Draft?
As much praise and support that Canales has given to Legette the last few months, the team’s head coach still listed WR as a potential target position with the 19th overall pick.
If the Panthers indeed go that route, it would mark the third consecutive draft that Carolina used their first selection on a wide receiver. Right now, the Panthers have a solid trio in McMillan, Jalen Coker, and Legette along with a solid group of depth receivers in John Metchie III, Jimmy Horn Jr., and Brycen Tremayne.
Adding a first-round talent such as Jordyn Tyson or KC Concepcion would certainly dial up the pressure on Legette to step up and prove himself as a consistent play-maker. Even if the Panthers don’t, that’s still a requirement they’ll be looking to see out of #17 in Year 3.
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