South Charlotte Today

A level of trust is crucial for the success of a quarterback and wide receiver duo. The Carolina Panthers' rookie receiving pair, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, alongside quarterback Bryce Young, took steps towards building that trust on Sunday. Despite the Panthers' 28-14 loss to the Denver Broncos, Young managed to achieve 224 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his first start since Week 2.

Most of Carolina's offensive performance occurred during the first and last drives. This period allowed Young to form a connection with Legette and Coker, establishing a sense of trust that was previously absent in his initial starts.

"He was giving me and Jalen more opportunities. He was throwing it up and letting us; I told him it was trust throws," said Legette on Wednesday.

During the opening drive, Young connected with Coker and Legette, culminating in a 6-yard touchdown pass to Legette. The final drive featured passes to five different players, including a significant catch by Legette and Coker’s first NFL touchdown.

The day's longest passes were directed at Coker and Legette: a 29-yarder and 26-yarder to Coker, plus a 23-yarder to Legette during the final scoring drive. Legette's performance against the Broncos mirrored his Week 1 stats with four receptions for 35 yards but without a touchdown. The key difference lay in Young's approach to passing.

"I definitely trust (Xavier); I trust all of our receivers. In this league, it's a lot of bang-bang plays, a lot of tight windows, and tough throws," Young stated on Wednesday.

In Week 1 against the Saints, Legette’s longest catch was an 18-yard slant. On Sunday versus the Broncos, he made a deep corner catch in double coverage with only a 20.2 percent completion probability according to Next Gen Stats.

Legette highlighted his touchdown reception as an example of their growing chemistry: "Like the throw that he threw me for the touchdown, he kind of fit that into a window," said Legette about both this play and others from Sunday’s game.

Young will continue as starting quarterback on Sunday while Andy Dalton recovers from an injury. They will face off again against New Orleans Saints—a team that intercepted Young twice in Week 1 without allowing any passing touchdowns. Both teams have evolved since September.

Young expressed gratitude for his teammates’ efforts: "For me, I'm grateful for those guys... So you know for me it feels great just having those guys to trust."