The Carolina Panthers are expecting a breakout campaign from Xavier Legette in 2025. That's why a concerning development on Day 1 of the team's mandatory minicamp left every fan holding their breath.
Legette was spotted leaving the practice field with Carolina's training staff. It wasn't clear what happened, but the Panthers have the luxury of being ultra-cautious at this stage of preparations.
Xavier Legette comes back to Carolina Panthers practice after brief injury scare
Thankfully for the Panthers, the former first-round pick out of South Carolina came back into the mix after being assessed by Carolina's medical staff. There was a collective sigh of relief from supporters following developments on social media. It's still something to monitor, but the fact he was able to return so soon after the issue cannot be anything other than positive.
He’s back. https://t.co/FdxNZgy6Gt
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) June 10, 2025
Just saw Xavier Legette hobble a bit after this route. Took his right shoe off and is getting looked at by a member of the training staff. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/5ohjpR5g4q
— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) June 10, 2025
Legette dealt with wrist and foot issues throughout his rollercoaster rookie campaign. He wasn't using it as an excuse for inconsistent performances, but he's fit and firing on all cylinders in pursuit of silencing his doubters this time around.
The margin for error has decreased for Legette. Having another prolific performer opposite him should help after the Panthers spent the No. 8 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft on Tetairoa McMillan. He's also been working extremely hard on improving his craft this offseason, so hopes are high that the kinks can be worked out en route to a bigger contribution.
Everyone is rooting for Legette, which is why this came with gasps of disbelief. Thankfully, everything worked out, and whatever discomfort he received was pretty minor. That's a major positive because the pass-catcher cannot afford to miss any time on his quest to silence some increasing doubters.
There will be more scares and injuries as the summer progresses. But thankfully for fans, Legette's was nothing more than a false alarm.
What this did prove was how precarious Legette's situation is and how much fans want him to succeed. And with any luck, that will be the last of his potential complications heading into Year 2 of his professional career.