The Carolina Panthers have thrown their support behind wide receiver Xavier Legette despite his underwhelming performance over his first two years in the league. That hasn't stopped speculation about the player's future in the media from rising.
Legette hasn't come close to meeting expectations as yet. The Panthers believe there is still untapped potential, but a lot of hard work lies ahead if the former South Carolina standout wants to silence his ever-increasing doubters. Head coach Dave Canales will give him a shot, and if the desired growth doesn't arrive, general manager Dan Morgan won't hesitate to get what he can for the wideout at some stage.
One respected NFL analyst touted a potential win-win trade involving Legette, which sparked fierce debate among fans on social media.
ESPN analyst puts together Carolina Panthers trade package that ships off Xavier Legette
Bill Barnwell of ESPN put together a trade package that would send Legette to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for Michael Pittman Jr. and a fifth-round pick. This would upgrade Carolina's options while also giving the pass-catcher a chance to start fresh elsewhere. Whether it comes off or not is another matter.
"If Indianapolis needs to spend money elsewhere, Legette would make sense slotting in as a third or fourth wide receiver behind Pierce, Josh Downs and potentially Ashton Dulin. Ballard has loved drafting high-end athletes at receiver during his time in Indianapolis, and Legette certainly qualifies. Having just turned 25, Legette still might have some room for growth. And if he fails to get there, it at least wouldn't cost the Colts much."Bill Barnwell
Pittman had a down year by his typically high standards in 2025, but his production still far exceeded Legette's. It's a lot of money to take on. At the same time, Morgan believes the Panthers are ready to win right now. If the required funds can be freed up, a move like this couldn't be ruled out entirely.
Given that both Morgan and Canales have preached patience with Legette, it would be surprising to see them give up on him before his third preparation period in the pros. Even so, the No. 32 pick in 2024 is firmly behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. He was used sparingly down the stretch and into the playoffs. That's not in keeping with a club that trusts him to come through with the goods.
The stakes have been raised for Legette; that's not up for debate. However, the Panthers also invested heavily in him and remain confident he can eventually become more impactful. Morgan won't want to wait much longer, but trading him should be considered only if improvements don't emerge before the 2026 deadline.
And even though Pittman is good, the Panthers don't have the salary-cap space to absorb the money on his deal.