Xavier Legette took his fair share of criticism after dropping a potential game-winning touchdown at the Philadelphia Eagles. His attempts to respond positively were thwarted by another cruel stroke of luck.
Legette's got the physical gifts to be a real difference-maker. There is some development needed, but the Panthers saw something in the pass-catcher worth gambling on. Even if his current trajectory is slightly concerning.
The first-year pro was dealt a blow in pursuit of silencing some increasing doubters. Jalen Coker — an undrafted free agent with a blossoming reputation — came back from injury and shone. He also emerged as one of the few bright spots from an immensely disappointing defeat.
Carolina Panthers WR Xavier Legette suffered a groin issue in Week 15
The first-round pick was on the field for just 42 percent of snaps in Week 15. This is the lowest number Legette's been allocated since Week 5 and considerably fewer than the previous five games.
- Week 14: 87%
- Week 13: 96%
- Week 12: 94%
- Week 10: 98%
- Week 9: 83%
Legette got three targets, two of which he brought in for just seven receiving yards. The Panthers also used him on an end-around, which resulted in two rushing yards.
There were mitigating circumstances attached. Canales revealed that Legette is officially week to week with a groin issue. He was listed as questionable to return during the game. But with the Panthers fading fast, they erred on the side of caution.
Fortunately for Canales, he has Coker. Even after missing the last three contests through injury, the former Holy Cross star didn't skip a beat, bringing in four catches from six targets for 110 receiving yards and a touchdown. He's firmly established while the wideout taken No. 32 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft remains a work in progress.
It'll be interesting to see if Legette can feature over Carolina's remaining two games given he's expected to miss this weekend's clash against the Arizona Cardinals. The Panthers aren't playing for anything other than pride at 3-11 with a potential top-three draft pick in their immediate future. At the same time, those in power are acutely aware of what more mistakes could do to Legette's confidence long term. — especially if he isn't at 100 percent.
Writing Legette off at this early stage would be foolish. There was always going to be a development phase considering he had one year of legitimate production in college. His 59.4 receiving grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 88th out of 98 qualifying wide receivers. That's a testament to how things of gone and how much hard work remains.
Legette's had a baptism of fire throughout his rookie campaign. He's a hard guy to root against, so shaking off this issue and getting surgery to repair a lingering wrist issue during the offseason will do the trick.
The Panthers are counting on it.