Big day for Xavier Legette showed the growing confidence in the Panthers’ young WR and it’s something that should continue
The arrow is trending up for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette.
It was a slow and frustrating start to the 2025 regular season for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette, but the arrow is starting to trend in a positive direction for the team’s young play-maker the offense continues to count on.
Early in the season, Legette dealt with some disappointing mistakes that ruffled a lot of feathers outside the building. Inside the building the confidence from head coach Dave Canales and his teammates remained the same because they saw a player committed to improving every day.
Then came a hamstring injury that sidelined Legette for two weeks, but that time off proved to be a beneficial reset for Legette to get his confidence back.
Since returning to the lineup in Week 5, Legette has totaled 134 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His performance in Week 7 against the New York Jets turned out to be easily his best showing since being drafted by the team in 2024 and it should continue moving forward.
Xavier Legette starting to turn the corner for the Panthers
On Sunday, the Panthers’ second-year wide receiver hauled in nine of his 11 targets for 92 yards and one touchdown, while catching passes from two different quarterbacks. Legette’s final catch turned out to be the difference maker that sealed the win.
With veteran backup Andy Dalton playing in place of an injured Bryce Young, the Panthers went Legette’s way on a 3rd-and-8 to ice the game for Carolina.
“They brought a pressure and we had him one-on-one,” Dalton said. “I told him right before that last drive, ‘You’re gonna make a play that’s gonna help us win this game.’ In that moment, I gave him an opportunity and he made a great play and we were able to seal it at the end.”
That kind of play is a confidence builder for Legette, even more than his two touchdowns he scored over the last three weeks. When the Panthers needed to make a play, Dalton had confidence going to Legette to make that play, and he delivered.
Even on the touchdown from Young, Legette did a fantastic job creating space on a broken play to get open and allow Young to find him for the only touchdown of the game.
Looking ahead to Week 8, Legette’s production could see another up-tick if Dalton is forced to start in place of Young due to the starting quarterback’s ankle injury. After Young went down, Dalton targeted Legette five times on seven pass attempts.
That’s not something new. In five games with Dalton at QB in 2024, Legette was targeted 21 times recording 142 yards and two touchdowns. He’s a player Dalton trusts in this offense and with Legette’s internal confidence growing, it could lead to another big game against the Buffalo Bills.
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