The Carolina Panthers are coming off their first win of the season — a dominant performance against divisional rival the Atlanta Falcons. It wasn’t just a win; it was an outright onslaught. Now, the Panthers are gearing up for a matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday, but they’ll be without former first-round pick Xavier Legette.
“Patrick Jones II (hamstring) and D.J. Wonnum (hip) have been ruled out, along with tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle) and wide receiver Xavier Legette (hamstring). All four were held out of Friday's practice,” Panthers’ Darin Gantt wrote.
Legette hasn’t found his footing so far this season, which has been disappointing. In fact, his only two appearances to date have been so underwhelming that he's already being labeled as experiencing a sophomore slump.
“When Legette last saw the field, he suffered through a forgettable outing at Arizona. He was targeted eight times and finished with one reception for minus-2 yards. A week earlier in the loss at Jacksonville, he finished with three grabs for 10 yards after being targeted seven times. Do the math and that’s four catches for eight yards in two contests,” SI’s Russel Baxter wrote.
A recent trade proposal has Legette potentially heading to the Dallas Cowboys or the Cleveland Browns.
“Legette has also experienced a sophomore slump, which is significant because he wasn't particularly impressive as a rookie. The Panthers used a first-round pick on the South Carolina product, but they might be talked into moving him. It may not be a coincidence that Carolina had its best game of the season, a 30-0 romp over the Atlanta Falcons, with Legette out of the lineup,” Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox wrote.
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A trade could offer Legette a much-needed fresh start. The Cowboys could use another wide receiver, especially with CeeDee Lamb dealing with a recent injury. Meanwhile, the Browns are in desperate need of offensive playmakers. Cleveland might be the more beneficial landing spot, as Legette could have a chance to grow into a key contributor there.
This season has fallen short of expectations for Legette, but there’s still a chance for him to turn things around after he returns from injury. However, his time in Carolina may already be nearing its end.