Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette admits to feeling NFL offseason pressure.
The 2024 first-round draft pick, general manager Dan Morgan's first selection after trading up to snare the former South Carolina standout, suffered from a series of drops and mental lapses during his first two seasons.
He's focused on correcting the physical and mental errors.
"My main thing is just to have a better year than my first two years," Legette said during Thursday's teleconference. "I can't have another year like I had last year. I can't do that...just the mishaps that was happening last year, I can't let that happen again."
Legette appeared to repeat what many NFL insiders have relayed recently. Can he begin playing up to his potential?
Panthers' Xavier Legette starting redemption tour in 2026
With eventual NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan taking over the wide receiver room and former undrafted free agent Jalen Coker breaking out in the second half, Legette started losing snaps. He wants them back.
As a rookie, he collected 84 targets. Last year, he experienced 64. His receptions dipped from 49 to 35, his yardage from 497 to 363. He also scored three touchdowns, one fewer than in his first season.
"Just doing the little things that I've gotta clean up," said Legette, who entered a training regimen this offseason to "bulletproof" his hamstrings, hoping to add extra power and balance to his game. A leaner Legette said he intends to play this season around 221 pounds, down from 228.
"So I'm just trying to bulletproof my hamstrings," he said. "That played a big part in everything that I've been doing in my first two years, limiting me. Keep my hamstrings intact and keep my body up and under me."
Canales, who canceled Thursday's final mandatory minicamp practice, said Tuesday he had seen a different offseason performer. Can it carry over to the regular season?
"I feel fast," Legette said. "That's where they wanted me to get and I don't have no problem with it. I'm willing to do anything."
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