Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette understands where he stands.
The third-year pass catcher appeared Tuesday on Up & Adams and made clear that he knows 2026 could decide what comes next for him in Carolina. The way Legette sees it, that season is likely to be the one that determines whether his future with the Panthers keeps moving forward.
That reality comes after a stretch that has not matched the expectations that followed him into the league. Carolina spent a first-round pick on Legette in 2024, but through 33 games he has produced 86 catches for 924 yards and seven touchdowns.
The competition around him has only intensified. Tetairoa McMillan, the Panthers’ 2025 first-round pick, and Jalen Coker, an undrafted free-agent addition from Carolina’s 2024 rookie class, have moved ahead of Legette in the pecking order. That showed up late in the 2025 regular season, when his snap share kept dropping over the final four games as Carolina made its playoff push.
Legette did give the Panthers something to build on in Sunday’s 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons. After being held without a catch in the opener, he hauled in a 55-yard reception that stood out in a game Carolina controlled from start to finish. Afterward, head coach Dave Canales said that play was the turning point in the win.
For Legette, the hope is that the moment means more than one big play. If he’s going to change the story of his Panthers tenure, 2026 looks like the year to do it.
In Other News...
Panthers Suddenly Have A Kenny Pickett Decision That Could Matter
Quarterback injuries around the league have already started to reshape how teams think about their depth, and that can create a ripple effect for Carolina. Kenny Pickett, who has starting experience and was once a first-round pick, suddenly looks like the kind of quarterback other clubs could circle if they need a steady option behind center early in the season.
Chicago and Washington are among the teams dealing with uncertainty after setbacks to Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, and that kind of scramble often opens a market for available passers. For the Panthers, Pickett is now more than just an extra arm on the roster, because his value could become part of a larger conversation if teams start looking for insurance, even though no transaction has been reported. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Open Against A Browns QB Drama That Could Get Louder
Deshaun Watson is expected to be under center when the Browns open against the Panthers in Cleveland, but the backdrop to that matchup is already doing a lot of the talking. Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot noted that if Watson had lost the previous game against Tampa Bay, Shedeur Sanders would have been named the starter, a detail that adds real intrigue to a game Carolina will be watching closely even before kickoff.
The Browns now have a short week ahead of their next game, which could factor into how they handle the position moving forward. For the Panthers, it means preparing for a Cleveland team with an unsettled quarterback situation hanging over it, and possibly one more headline waiting to surface after this one. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Need Proven Backfield Help Behind Chuba Hubbard
The Panthers backfield depth took another hit this week, prompting the team to bring in veteran free agent Austin Ekeler for a workout. With Chuba Hubbard still the lead option, Carolina is looking for proven help behind him after injuries thinned out the running backs room and forced the team to consider outside answers.
Jonathon Brooks is expected to miss about six weeks after core muscle surgery following a re-aggravated groin injury, and Trevor Etiennes absence only adds to the urgency. Ekeler, who is coming back from a torn Achilles, brings a track record from his time with the Chargers and Commanders, and Carolina is evaluating whether he can be part of the solution as the roster adjusts to the latest setback. [Read more 🡒]