The Big Lead

Panthers WR’s nightmare game lands him in record books for the wrong reason

Panthers receiver Xavier Legette endured a rough outing against Arizona, one that placed him in rare — and unwanted — NFL company.

By Yagya Bhargava

warms up prior to a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.
warms up prior to a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. / Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
facebooktwitter

The Carolina Panthers still haven't found their first win of 2025, but their comeback effort against the Arizona Cardinals at least showed some fight. Bryce Young looked solid leading that rally, which makes what happened with Xavier Legette even more frustrating to watch.

The team's 2024 first-round pick had another rough Sunday, and the numbers tell a story no receiver wants to be part of. After managing just 10 yards on three catches in Week 1, Legette's Week 2 performance somehow managed to get worse.

MORE: Tom Brady returning under center for a one-off football showcase overseas

Here's where things get historically bad for the former South Carolina standout. Legette caught one pass on eight targets against Arizona, finishing with negative-two yards for the game.

That made him the first wide receiver in NFL history to record negative yardage on at least eight targets in a single game.

He joins running back Jamaal Charles as only the second player ever to hit that milestone. Charles had minus-six yards, but he was taking handoffs in the backfield where negative plays happen more often.

Through two games, Legette has managed four receptions on 19 total targets. Many of those targets came on backfield plays like screens and jet sweeps, which explains some of the negative yardage. Still, the fact that he couldn't gain positive yards outside one screen pass is concerning for a first-round investment.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette walks off the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Bank of America Stadium. / Allison Lawhon-Imagn Images

Coach Dave Canales clearly wants to get Legette involved, running him on consecutive plays Sunday that netted zero and minus-two yards respectively. The problem is nearly every other receiver on the Panthers roster looks more reliable right now.

The team passed on pursuing DK Metcalf because they believed Legette could fill that role. Trading Adam Thielen reinforced that confidence.

Early returns suggest he's tracking more toward Jonathan Mingo territory than Metcalf-level production.

Players like Tetairoa McMillan, Hunter Renfrow, and Ja'Tavion Sanders might deserve looks ahead of him at this point. Sometimes effort matters as much as results, and Legette didn't show much of either Sunday.

GET MORE TOP STORIES from The Big Lead by subscribing to TBL YouTube channel

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Eagles take rematch, Joe Burrow's brutal injury, and more

NFL: NFL insider drops major update on Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow’s turf toe situation

RANKINGS: College football top 25 rankings 2025: AP Top 25 Poll released for Week 4

COMBAT: Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford full fight video highlights

NCAAF: UCLA has fired head coach DeShaun Foster amid winless streak

VIRAL: Eagles’ tush push sparks fresh outrage after Chiefs game footage surfaces

Home/NFL