In the Panthers’ showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette secured his first NFL touchdown. Legette hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton to even the score at 14-14.

The catch was Legette’s fifth of the game. As of this report, Legette boasts five catches for 49 yards. It’s a career day for the former South Carolina standout. He entered the game on Sunday with only six catches this season.

The Panthers will welcome Legette’s improved production. The team placed standout wide receiver Adam Thielen on the injured reserve earlier this week due to a hamstring injury he suffered against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Xavier Legette stepping up with Adam Thielen unavailable

The earliest Thielen can return is in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos. Through three games this season, Thielen tallied eight receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown on the season amid his 12th year in the NFL.

Earlier this week, Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik explained the importance of other receivers stepping up in Thielen’s absence.

“Sometimes you’ve got to give guys vet days when they’re in their 30s,” Idzik said. “So, there’s been plenty of guys getting Adam’s reps as well. So there’s a cycle of guys from top to bottom in that room; they’re all getting their chance to execute the game plan and stay engaged.

“So, really excited about just the full group and their attention to detail, their ability to play multiple positions and just kind of plug and play and us not missing a beat.”

Thielen was the Panthers’ leading wide receiver last season during Bryce Young’s rookie year, catching 103 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in a disappointing 2-15 season for Carolina.

It was the first time he’d notched back-to-back seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards since he did so in 2017 and 2018 as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

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