When the Carolina Panthers snagged wide receiver Xavier Legette in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it seemed like the path was clear for him to become the team's leading pass-catcher, especially with only the veteran Adam Thielen standing in his way. Fast-forward to today, and the landscape has shifted significantly. Legette has been overtaken by the 2025 first-round pick, Tetairoa McMillan, and now faces the real possibility of slipping out of the rotation altogether.
Legette's journey to secure his spot is now at a critical juncture. As training camp looms, he needs to show up in peak condition and make a substantial impact.
Otherwise, whispers of him being trade material might just become a reality. NFLTradeRumors.co has already flagged him as a potential trade candidate.
Logan Ulrich notes that Legette has slid down the depth chart, now contending with the athletic prowess of third-rounder Chris Brazzell II. The Panthers have shown they're not afraid to make bold moves, as seen when they parted ways with an underperforming Jonathan Mingo a couple of years back. If Legette doesn't rise to the occasion, history could repeat itself.
Legette isn't the only Panther feeling the heat. The team's defensive line investments in free agency last year didn't pan out as hoped.
Both Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III fell short of expectations in 2025. Brown, in particular, was graded as the 80th-best defensive lineman by Pro Football Focus, which isn't quite the impact the Panthers were banking on.
Brown finds himself in a precarious situation, similar to Legette. With new additions to the Panthers' interior defensive line this offseason, his spot is under scrutiny. If the Panthers can find a team willing to take on his contract, a trade could be on the horizon.
However, moving Brown's contract is no small feat. He inked a three-year, $21 million deal last spring, with $4 million guaranteed.
There's still about $18 million in cap hits left on that deal. Should the Panthers manage to find a trade partner, they stand to save $6.2 million this year and another $8 million in 2027, according to Over the Cap.
As the Panthers navigate these roster challenges, both Legette and Brown are under the microscope. Their performances in the upcoming season could determine whether they remain in Carolina or find themselves donning new jerseys.
In Other News...
Panthers Camp Has Turned Bryce Youngs Backup Job Into A Real Fight
Training camp has turned the backup quarterback job behind Bryce Young into one of the more interesting spots on the Panthers roster, with three names in the mix and very different paths to this point. Kenny Pickett arrives as the former first-round pick and the most established of the group, while Haynes King is trying to turn camp reps into a real foothold after entering the league undrafted. Will Grier is back in the conversation too, giving Carolina a familiar face in a competition that now has at least a little intrigue.
Pickett still looks like the safest bet to handle the No. 2 role, but the Panthers have more going on than just that pecking order. Kings development gives the team a useful wild card, and Grier is hanging around as the long-shot option in a room that could get squeezed once roster decisions start tightening elsewhere. Even if the backup spot seems to have a clear front-runner, there is still enough movement here to keep the quarterback picture worth watching through the rest of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fans Wont Love What This Says About Monroe Freeling
Monroe Freeling arrived in Carolina with first-round expectations, but the early picture around the rookie tackle is more about patience than immediate impact. The Panthers have had him working at both tackle spots, giving him a chance to learn the full scope of the position as he settles in and adjusts to the speed of the pro game.
For now, the bigger takeaway is that Freeling looks like a long-term investment rather than a quick fix. Carolina sees him as a developmental piece who could grow into either tackle job down the line, especially with the current starters moving toward future contract decisions, but that also means fans hoping for an instant fix may need to wait. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Have A Tough QB Decision Before The Deadline
The quarterback picture in San Francisco is crowded enough that a move before the deadline is easy to imagine, even with Brock Purdy entrenched and Mac Jones sitting in a murkier spot. Jones is entering the final year of his contract, and that alone makes him one of the more watchable names on the roster if the 49ers decide to listen and a team sees a chance to get him out of the building sooner rather than later.
For Carolina, the interest is obvious enough to keep in mind whenever the Panthers' quarterback conversation comes up. If they decide Bryce Young is not the long-term answer, Jones profiles as the kind of passer a club could try to build around instead of simply patching the position for a season, which is why this is the sort of situation worth tracking as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]