Panthers' Xavier Legette trade plans revealed by ESPN with Keon Coleman comparison

At this point in time, it's probably not ideal for a wide receiver to be compared to the Bills' Keon Coleman.

But that's exactly what ESPN's Bill Barnwell did in a new article on Thursday with Carolina Panthers WR Xavier Legette.

"The Bills traded down twice when they drafted Coleman," Barnwell writes of the 2024 draft. "The second time was with the Panthers, who selected Legette after moving up to No. 32. Like Coleman, Legette was a one-year college wonder whose size and athleticism appealed to NFL teams, but he hasn't lived up to expectations."

MORE: Bills have no choice but to trade Keon Coleman now

Barnwell goes on to write that Legette is a logical trade candidate this offseason.

"Legette hasn't fallen afoul of the organization, which is a plus relative to Coleman, but he also hasn't been as productive," Barnwell writes. "Coleman has averaged 1.7 yards per route run, suggesting that he could be a useful contributor with steadier playing time. Admittedly while playing with a less imposing quarterback, Legette has averaged just 1.1 yards per route run over that same period. He has had issues with drops, including a potential winning touchdown against the eventual champion Eagles last season in the final minute."

The Panthers have two clear wideouts ahead of Legette in Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.

They don't have a ton of incentive to keep giving Legette chances at this point.

"Legette is owed $4.4 million over the next two years, all of which is guaranteed, and he has a potential fifth-year option in 2028 that would come up for a decision after the 2026 season," Barnwell writes. "Carolina was willing to give up on (Jonathan) Mingo, a top-40 pick, after only 24 games when the right trade offer emerged. I suspect it would be similar for Legette this offseason."

MORE: Could the Raiders trade the No. 1 pick and Fernando Mendoza?

It's certainly not ideal that the Panthers have whiffed on a couple wideouts like Mingo and Legette.

But they appear to have gotten McMillan right, and they unearthed Coker as a diamond in the rough.

The best they can do now is maximize whatever value Legette has left before it's too late.

More NFL news:

• Browns can draft the brother of a Cavs' NBA star
• The 2027 Super Bowl is on Valentine's Day
• A.J. Brown trade decision could prove crucial for Eagles
• $36 million reason for the Dolphins to part with Tyreek Hill
• John Harbaugh should already have a $100 million regret
• Would the Texans consider trading C.J. Stroud?