The Carolina Panthers kicked off OTAs this week and currently have one more day of practice on Friday. One position to keep an eye on during the spring is wide receiver and whether they are building chemistry with their young quarterback. The Panthers have made it a mission to improve their receiving corps over the past two years, hoping to assist with Bryce Young’s development as he faces a pivotal third season.
Highlighting one of their top receivers, the one the team is counting on for growth and improvement, is their first-round pick from last year.
The Carolina Panthers’ young WR had an up-and-down rookie year
Xavier Legette had an up-and-down rookie season, finishing as their second-leading receiver, but struggled with catching the football. He hauled in 49 receptions on 84 targets, posting a 58.3% catching percentage for 497 yards and four touchdowns over 16 games and 13 starts. Pro Football Reference dinged Legette with seven drops and an 8.3% drop percentage, both ranking in the top 20.
Carolina Panthers receiver aims to fix 1 thing
During Tuesday’s press conference, via Kassidy Hill of the team’s website, Xavier Legette told the media the one thing that he’s focused on fixing heading into his second season. He wants to improve at catching the football and eliminating drops. Legette is working on catching the football with his hands rather than his body, which he believes will prevent it.
“I wouldn’t say it was harder than I needed to be,” Legette said of taking accoutability for those drops, via Hill. “I mean, I cost us those games.
“Me getting open, that wasn’t a problem. It was just honing into to really catching the ball on the drops. Mainly just trying to catch it more with my hands and letting it get into my body or crossing my eyes.”
Dave Canales praised their first-round pick for being in shape
“What I see is a year into the system,” Canales said about Legette, via Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire. “Just the speed that he’s playing with now, with the level of comfort he has with what we’re doing. When I see him smiling, I know he’s in a good space. And he really has just been enjoying this offseason. Working hard. He looks big and fast.”
