Xavier Legette’s spot in Carolina is looking shakier by the day.
The Panthers’ 2024 first-round receiver is back in trade chatter ahead of the 2026 season, with his path to playing time getting tighter after the team added Chris Brazzell II and continued to reshape the depth chart around its newer weapons.
In a recent piece on possible offseason trade candidates, NFL writer Logan Ulrich named Legette as someone Carolina could still move on from - or cut - if he doesn’t separate himself this preseason.
“Legette has slipped down the depth chart and now faces competition from an even freakier athlete, third-round WR Chris Brazzell II,” Ulrich wrote. “Carolina moved on from underperforming WR Jonathan Mingo a couple of years ago and could try to run that play again this preseason if Legette doesn’t step up.”
That kind of language fits where things stand after two seasons that haven’t matched the billing.
Legette entered the league with first-round expectations after Carolina took him in the 2024 NFL Draft, and there was real hope he could grow into a Deebo Samuel-esque role in Dave Canales’ offense thanks to the yards-after-the-catch ability he showed at South Carolina. Instead, his rookie year produced 497 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 49 catches, a line that was enough to push general manager Dan Morgan back into the first round for Tetairoa McMillan in 2025.
McMillan wasted little time becoming Bryce Young’s go-to target last season, and that development squeezed Legette’s role even further. Jalen Coker’s return midway through the year added another body to the mix, and Legette finished his second season with 363 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 35 receptions.
Now Brazzell II has entered the picture, and the margin for error has gotten even thinner.
Legette, 25, could still serve as depth for Carolina in 2026 if injuries hit, but the door is clearly open for a move if the Panthers get the right offer. For a player drafted in the first round not long ago, that’s a pretty stark turn.
In Other News...
Panthers May Finally Have A Real Tight End Answer For Bryce Young
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A few names already sit in the mix as Carolina weighs whether to trade, shop in free agency or simply keep looking for the right fit. Michael Mayer has been floated as a more sensible trade avenue than some other options, while Darren Waller still has enough juice to make the idea interesting after flashing in Miami, including a strong showing against the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium last season. Jonnu Smith, though, has emerged as the most practical target of the group, and if Carolina is serious about stabilizing this part of the offense, the choice may come down to whether it wants upside, familiarity or the cleanest path to making the position matter again. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Linked To A Tight End Upgrade Bryce Young Needs
The Panthers have spent the offseason trying to make the roster sturdier around Bryce Young, adding help on defense with Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd and giving the future a little more upside with rookies like Monroe Freeling and Chris Brazzell II. The next obvious step is finding more reliable production at tight end, a spot that can make life easier for a young quarterback by cleaning up the middle of the field and giving him another dependable outlet when plays break down.
That is why the idea floating around ESPN caught some attention, even if it is still just that, an idea. Carolina has been linked to a potential move for a high-end tight end who has the kind of track record that would fit what the Panthers need, and Detroit's financial picture only adds to the speculation. Any deal would not be simple, though, because a trade would almost certainly have to come with real draft value and the kind of long-term commitment that turns a rumor into a major roster decision. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Sounds Off After Troubling News About Former NFL Star
Chris Johnsons health news has landed with a jolt across the football world, and it has a lot of former players thinking beyond the diagnosis itself. The former running back carved out a remarkable NFL career from 2008 to 2017, highlighted by six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons and a reputation as one of the fastest backs of his era, so hearing his name attached to a serious long-term illness naturally carries extra weight in league circles.
On his podcast, Cam Newton focused less on nostalgia and more on what comes next for the NFL and the people who played in it. Newton said he is very intrigued to see how the league responds and what its plan is to make the game safer while better protecting former players, a question that has only grown louder as more ex-NFL players have dealt with ALS. For Carolina fans, it was a reminder that the conversation around footballs toll does not end when a players career does. [Read more 🡒]