It's becoming apparent that Xavier Legette finds himself at a career crossroads. If the wide receiver's struggles continue, the Carolina Panthers have a big problem on their hands with the athletically gifted but inconsistent pass-catcher.
One NFL analyst went one step further, outlining the possibility of Legette being traded before the 2025 deadline if he cannot get out of his current slump.
Nobody within the Panthers is giving up on Legette just yet. The No. 32 pick in 2024 is dealing with a lack of confidence. He's getting heavily criticized around the media, but the belief hasn't wavered in the locker room. How much longer this goes on is dependent on whether the wideout can turn things around or not.
Carolina Panthers should consider trading Xavier Legette if early slump continues
Kristopher Knox from The Bleacher Report thought the arrival of Tetairoa McMillan means Legette could benefit from a change of scenery. And if he cannot become a more influential figure in Carolina's passing attack, a conditional third-round pick might just be enough to get this hypothetical transaction over the line.
"With rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan taking over as Bryce Young's top target, a change of scenery might be best for [Xavier] Legette. While Legette's tape isn't great, he's still a physically gifted 6'3", 227-pound pass-catcher who was highly regarded entering the 2024 draft—he was the 71st-ranked prospect on the B/R Scouting Department's final draft board. Adding Legette would be a risk-reward move that could make a lot of sense for teams with questionable receiver depth. A third-round pick that could become a second based on statistical production would be a fair asking price for Carolina."Kristopher Knox
Knox thought that the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers would be decent landing spots for Legette if the Panthers made him available. However, that seems highly unlikely.
The Panthers are running a developmental staff under head coach Dave Canales. They thought a lot of Legette during their pre-draft assessments, so throwing in the towel this early into his time with the team doesn't seem feasible. Besides, this squad isn't exactly loaded with dependable receivers after trading Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings.
If Legette wants to remove speculation like this from the equation, producing the goods in a competitive regular-season setting is the best way to go about it. Dealing with a hamstring problem isn't ideal, so rolling up his sleeves, ignoring the outside noise, and taking advantage of opportunities when they arise will increase his chances of silencing the doubters.
However, if Legette's early slump turns into something more, the Panthers could end this experiment way ahead of time.