Panthers WR Xavier Legette named post-draft trade candidate

Taking wide receivers early on in the NFL draft is far from an exact science. For every Tetairoa McMillan, there's a Xavier Legette—and thanks to that fact, the Carolina Panthers may once again have to allot capital to this position.

While the latest reporting suggests the Panthers may be targeting a safety in Round 1, wide receiver will definitely be on the menu at some point—likely before Day 3. That could mean Legette might end up as the odd man out in Carolina's new-look receiver corps.

According to Bleacher Report, he's one of 10 players around the NFL who may end up getting moved after the draft. Analyst Moe Moton wrote the following of the former 32nd overall pick:

Given his first-round draft pedigree, Xavier Legette's development has been underwhelming... Legette isn't going to draw strong interest following two modest years of production, but the Panthers may look to move on from him if they draft another receiver who can present more upside in a flashier career start.

The trouble is that Legette probably doesn't have the greatest of trade value. He's struggled to find his footing, sometimes literally—amassing just 860 receiving yards and seven scores over his first two seasons.

Carolina's best solution may be to diminish Legette's role and hope that he sticks on eventually, perhaps as an occasional gadget weapon or a contributor on special teams. The Panthers would be silly to pick up his fifth-year option given what they've seen so far, so Legette will have to prove himself in some way in order to justify any kind of a second contract.

As for his replacement, Jalen Coker is the most promising option already on the roster. However, Coker's pair of soft tissue injuries raise a red flag for the future.

The truth is that the Panthers may need to double up at wide receiver in order to meet their long-term needs at this position.