The Colts and Panthers were two of the more pleasant surprises during the 2025 NFL season-teams that outperformed expectations thanks in large part to the growth of their young quarterbacks. Daniel Jones found his footing in Indianapolis, while Bryce Young took a clear step forward in Carolina. But if either team wants to keep that momentum rolling into 2026, they’ll need to keep building around their signal-callers-particularly at wide receiver.
That’s where an intriguing trade proposal comes into play.
A recent suggestion making the rounds involves a potential wide receiver swap: Michael Pittman Jr. and a seventh-round pick heading to the Panthers, with Xavier Legette and a fifth-rounder going back to the Colts. At first glance, it’s a curious deal-one that raises eyebrows not because of the names involved, but because of what it says about each franchise’s priorities heading into the offseason.
Let’s start with Pittman. He’s been a steady presence in Indy since entering the league, and while he may not be a top-tier WR1, he’s been a reliable target-especially in the short and intermediate game.
But the numbers tell a story of a player whose production has plateaued. After posting 1,152 yards in his contract year, Pittman followed that up with 808 yards in 2024 and 784 this past season.
Those aren’t bad numbers, but when you’re paying a wideout $22 million in the final year of a three-year extension, you’re expecting more than WR2-level output.
Dig a little deeper, and you see the efficiency drop as well. Pittman ranked 24th among wide receivers in yards per route run in 2023, but slid to 43rd in 2024 and 44th in 2025. That’s a trend the Colts can’t ignore-especially with Alec Pierce, a younger and potentially cheaper option, hitting free agency.
From Indy’s perspective, moving Pittman now could be a cap-savvy decision. His 2026 salary is entirely non-guaranteed, meaning the Colts could release him without penalty. But if they can flip him for a younger player and a better draft pick, all while freeing up space to potentially re-sign Pierce, that’s a win in the long-term roster-building game.
Enter Xavier Legette.
Legette hasn’t had the same kind of production as Pittman-far from it, in fact. He’s flashed at times, but inconsistency and drops have held him back.
Still, he just turned 25, and there’s a sense that he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet. For a Colts team looking to retool its receiving corps without committing major dollars, Legette represents a low-risk, developmental swing.
If he clicks in a new environment, great. If not, the Colts still come out ahead from a financial standpoint.
As for Carolina, this trade would be all about giving Bryce Young more help-and more stability. The Panthers are still in the early stages of building around their young quarterback, and adding a proven veteran like Pittman could go a long way.
With Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan still on rookie deals, Carolina has the flexibility to absorb Pittman’s salary for a year. And with his size (6-foot-4) and experience, Pittman would slot in nicely as a possession receiver who can work underneath and move the chains-creating more space for McMillan to operate out of the slot and stretch the field.
It’s a classic case of two teams with different timelines and different needs. The Colts are looking to stay young and flexible while continuing to build around Daniel Jones. The Panthers, meanwhile, are trying to accelerate Bryce Young’s development by surrounding him with dependable weapons.
This isn’t a blockbuster trade. But it’s the kind of under-the-radar move that makes sense for both sides if they’re honest about where they are and where they’re going. And in today’s NFL, that kind of clarity can be just as valuable as the trade itself.