Xavier Legette calls 2026 a pivotal season for his Panthers tenure
The short version
- Xavier Legette appeared on 'Up & Adams' and said 2026 is likely a make-or-break year for his future in Carolina.
- Legette, a 2024 first-round pick, has 86 receptions, 924 yards and seven touchdowns across 33 games.
- He has been passed on the depth chart by Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.
- Legette caught a 55-yard pass in the Panthers' 34-3 win over Atlanta; Dave Canales called it a turning point.
The third-year Carolina wide receiver said on 'Up & Adams' that he hopes to remain with the Panthers for his entire career.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette said Tuesday on the 'Up & Adams' show that he understands how much the 2026 season means to his standing with the organization. Speaking with host Kay Adams, the third-year player described the coming campaign as likely pivotal, while adding that his wish is to spend his entire career with the franchise.
Legette was selected by Carolina in the first round of the 2024 draft but has yet to produce at the level that pick implied. Over 33 appearances, he has totaled 86 catches for 924 yards and seven touchdowns. He has also slid behind Tetairoa McMillan, a 2025 first-round choice, and Jalen Coker, an undrafted addition from the same 2024 rookie class, on the depth chart. His snap count declined in each of the final four regular-season games during Carolina's 2025 playoff run.
The new season has opened with mixed results. Legette was held without a reception in the opener, but he caught a 55-yard pass in Sunday's 34-3 victory against the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Dave Canales told reporters afterward that the play swung the game in his team's favor.
