Xavier Legette is going through some rookie growing pains. The Carolina Panthers made a big investment in the wide receiver at No. 32 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. His physical tools are not in question, but the drops are becoming an ongoing frustration.
This came to the fore once again in Week 14 at the Philadelphia Eagles. The Panthers went toe-to-toe with another Super Bowl contender before coming up short. Legette was at fault, failing to bring in a sure-fire touchdown pass from quarterback Bryce Young that would have tipped the scales in Carolina's favor.
Legette was credited with three drops during the game. Two came on the final drive. It's a harsh business, so the former South Carolina standout needs to show his mettle and work hard to rectify these issues as a matter of urgency.
Everyone makes mistakes. How Legette responds will tell us plenty about his confidence and ability to fight through adversity. The athletic attributes are not in question. Putting them to good use in high-pressure situations is the biggest remaining obstacle.
The first-year pro got a much-needed confidence boost from teammates after his costly blunder. The biggest came from Young, who reaffirmed his faith in the pass-catcher and plans to do everything possible to help him out of this slump.
"I always know he's going to make the next one. I'm always going to have faith in that. Again, I see how hard he works and the type of guy he is. He's great for us, great in the locker room. Again, it's tough. We all miss things…(but) just make sure that I know not to—reinforce it with telling him and also with showing him and demonstrate, I'm going to keep throwing him the ball again. I trust him in every situation. That's not going to change. I'm going to, obviously, there's the words of it, I believe in you, but there's going to be action behind it."
- Bryce Young via Panthers.com
Young knows more about being down and out than most. He's risen from a dismal situation and looks capable of being Carolina's long-term option under center. Legette needs help and support to get out of his turbulent form. Having the quarterback's trust despite the errors will make a massive difference.
Adam Thielen was another to rally around Legette. The veteran wide receiver has been extremely influential on Carolina's young pass-catchers through their important transition. He doesn't want this to define the wideout — it's how you bounce back that separates the good players from the also-rans.
"We've all been there. I've played a long time, had some critical drops in my career, tough plays I didn't make. We all have it. He's a hard worker, he does all things, all the right way. And so we're proud of him and he had a great game. So, just keep working and definitely we're there for him."
- Adam Thielen via Panthers.com
Legette's had a lot on his plate this season. The Panthers lost Thielen to injury. They traded Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo before the deadline. This thrust him into a prominent role. It's been a crash course in what it takes to succeed in the pros.
The criticism of Legette was scathing after his error. Keeping the bigger picture in mind is crucial from Carolina's perspective. It's been up and down, but the route-running improvements hold out hope he can reach lofty expectations with a little extra refinement.
Giving up on Legette at this early stage would be extremely foolish. There'll be a bigger microscope on his performance levels over Carolina's remaining four games after this latest critical mistake. The physically imposing receiver must respond accordingly.
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