Why Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales isn’t giving up on these 2 receivers
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales made it clear on Wednesday that he is far from giving up on two wide receivers.
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The first is Jimmy Horn Jr.
The second? Xavier Legette.
Canales was prompted by questions about each player on Wednesday, the first day of practice ahead of the Panthers’ Week 2 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 1 p.m. Sunday. There was reason to ask about each player, too.
Let’s start with Horn:
The second-year receiver and former sixth-round pick was waived by the team on Tuesday. He had a limited role on offense in Week 1 and also muffed a punt during a critical part of the game. The Sanford, Fla., native, who put together a nice training camp and preseason with flashes of his speed, was ultimately pushed out of the 53-man roster because the team wanted to promote inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson — who was previously on the practice squad.
Canales made it clear Wednesday that he hoped this wasn’t the end of Horn’s story in Carolina. (Important to note: Horn cleared waivers later Wednesday afternoon, after Canales addressed media. That means he is now a free agent, and the Panthers can bring him back to their practice squad — which has one open slot after Dodson’s promotion.)
“The roster spot (with Dodson) drove it,” Canales said. “But for Jimmy, we had a great conversation. He and I and (general manager) Dan (Morgan) talked about it. And we wanted to make that he understood that we see the progress that he’s making. We see the strides. And right now, with what the roster is doing, I didn’t want him to go to the tank and be discouraged. We wanted him to come back.
“We wanted him to come back. We want him to be on our practice squad. Because this isn’t the end of that story. He brings a lot to what we can do, and this isn’t the end to that story. This is just a part of it.”
The head coach was also asked about Legette. The third-year player out of South Carolina didn’t have a great Week 1. He was targeted twice and finished with one drop and no catches. He also was listed as the team’s second-string punt and kick returner behind Horn; now that Horn is gone, he got leap-frogged on the depth chart by John Metchie, who was inactive Week 1.
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“For X, for Jalen (Coker), For TMac (Tetairoa McMillan), for all these guys — when the quarterback gives you an opportunity make the play, and he’ll come back to you again,” Canales said. “It’s that confidence. It’s that chemistry with the quarterback that needs to continue to build.
“And for XL, it’s coming. I truly believe it. And I think I’ve said it a lot of times up here, but hard work works. And that’s what I’ve seen from him. He had a fantastic practice today. He’s a part of our gameplan. We’re counting on XL. I can’t wait to see him continue to take those strides.”
Metchie told reporters that he is “excited” for the opportunity to be the starting returner for the team on Sunday. The receiver who helped make Bryce Young a household name at Alabama has only notched seven kick returns in his NFL career; he hasn’t notched a single punt return. And while his primary reason for being active Week 2 will be to provide depth to the WR room, he will most likely make the most impact on special teams.
Metchie said that he’s been practicing this week with intention — just as the rest of this receiver room has.
“We’re all learning off each other,” Metchie said of his receiver teammates. “Off each other’s reps. Having a dialogue going, which is always a good thing when we’re out there in practice. Watching each other’s reps.
“It could be simple, but when you have an intention to it, you’re able to build off each other. And it kind of builds. That’s kind of what chemistry is. Chemistry isn’t just let’s go to lunch. We work together. That just builds an unspoken chemistry.”
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