Xavier Legette recognizes what’s at stake with the Carolina Panthers this season and proving himself goes beyond Sundays
Carolina Panthers former first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette needs to prove himself if he wants to stick around with the team thar drafted him long-term.
Carolina Panthers former first round wide receiver Xavier Legette is well aware of the uncertainty that surrounds his future in Carolina this season and well aware of all the noise surrounding his name.
That being said, it’s on Legette to prove himself to the team that drafted him and prove the doubters wrong by being a reliable weapon for this offense. The clock is ticking and all eyes will be on XL every single game this year.
“This season is do-or-die for me,” Legette told Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show. “I hope to be in Carolina my whole career, if I’m blessed and able to do that. I love this game and love the places that it can take me.”
Carolina Panthers are getting glimpses of Xavier Legette turning the corner
Legette had a much improved training camp with the Panthers and had more attention toward improving some of the areas he fell short at last season, such as his sideline awareness. In Week 1, fans immediately grew concerned again after Legette posted zero receptions on his two targets.
Inside the building, the Panthers weren’t disappointed with Legette’s performance, especially with some of the other pressing issues the team had going on at the time. It was on Legette to find motivation himself to improve and he turned in one of his best weeks of practice, according to head coach Dave Canales.
That immediately showed up on the field when Legette hauled in a 55-yard completion from quarterback Bryce Young down the middle of the field to help the team put points on the board just before halftime.
“X’s doing a great job of winning on a route like that,” Young explained after the game. “Just trusting him to put it up there, him running underneath it, making a contested catch, but that’s him. That’s the stuff that he brings. There’s no surprise that he was able to get open or make a catch like that.”
That all started from the work Legette has put in during practice, building that connection with his quarterback, and applying it on the field on Sunday. And that big play is hopefully a sign of more to come.
“I mean, I think he hit three different balls down the field Bryce threw to him that were 40-plus yards (on Wednesday), him running underneath at full speed, and it looked just like that,” Canales explained. “So something really cool for X to be able to build off of.”
Through two games, Carolina’s passing offense has relied heavily on Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan as the top threats. Once teams start game planning for those two more heavily, it’ll be Legette’s opportunity to show what he can really do for this team.
“For XL, it’s coming. I truly believe it,” Canales said last week. “And I think I’ve said this a lot of times up here, but hard work works. And that’s what I’ve seen out of him. He just grinds. We’re counting on XL. I can’t wait to see him continue to take those strides.”
