Panthers HC Dave Canales: We have 'big plans' for Xavier Legette
· Yahoo Sports
A big season is starting to breed a big opportunity for Carolina Panthers receiver Xavier Legette.
The third-year wideout continued his strong start to training camp on Friday night, during the team's annual Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium. And with standout rookie Chris Brazzell II now on injured reserve and out for the entirety of the upcoming campaign, head coach Dave Canales was asked how Legette will factor in moving forward.
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"It's business as usual for X," Canales replied. "We have big plans for him, he's got big plans for himself and he's been working hard at it. And again, had a great offseason and carried it right into training camp.
"You saw—he made a couple plays. The timing is there. Bryce [Young] knows him. He understands what we're trying to get done and he's working his butt off. And so, I'm really proud of where he's at and can't wait to see where we go from here."
Legette was expected to compete with Brazzell for the third spot in the passing game's pecking order behind 2025 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and the newly-extended Jalen Coker. But Brazzell—following an eye-opening spring—went down at Wednesday's practice, and is set to undergo season-ending surgery on the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee.
Brazzell's setback has, by default, handed the competition over to Legette—who struggled with many of the basics over his first two NFL seasons. He even saw his on-field presence decrease down the stretch in 2025, ending with a career-low 31.2-percent snap share in Carolina's huge Week 18 battle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Given the expectations from Legette's heralded offseason work and the opening left behind by Brazzell's injury, the 2024 first-round pick is very likely looking at a make-or-break moment here in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers HC Dave Canales: We have 'big plans' for Xavier Legette