The Carolina Panthers made a strategic move in the third round of the NFL draft, selecting Tennessee standout Chris Brazzell II with the 83rd overall pick. While the team didn't necessarily need another wide receiver after taking Tetairoa McMillan in the first round last year, this latest addition has stirred up an already crowded receiving corps—and one player in particular should be feeling the heat.

Xavier Legette, the Panthers' first-round pick from 2024, has been named a potential trade candidate following this year's draft. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, Legette lands in the "losers" category for the second consecutive year. With Brazzell now in the mix, Legette's struggles with drops, field awareness, and overall consistency have become impossible to ignore. As Person notes, "If he can clean up some of the things that have slowed his development, he'll be in the WR rotation. If not, he won't—and becomes a potential trade candidate."

Legette's performance over his first two seasons has been underwhelming, to say the least. In 84 receptions, he's managed just 860 yards and seven touchdowns—numbers that fall well short of what you'd expect from a former first-round pick. More often than not, he's either failed to make an impact or been a net negative on the field. Heading into the 2026 season, Legette projects as the team's fourth wide receiver on the depth chart, sitting behind McMillan (the 2025 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year), Jalen Coker, and Brazzell.

That's a tough spot for any player, especially one with Legette's size and athletic potential. But here's the silver lining: a trade might not be as imminent as it seems. Given his lackluster production, the Panthers would be hard-pressed to get any worthwhile compensation in return. The smarter play might be to keep Legette on the roster and hope he can turn things around—or at least boost his trade value by showing a few flashes of the talent that made him a first-round pick in the first place.