Carolina Panthers
· 2026-07-15
The Carolina Panthers could soon watch wide receiver Xavier Legette leave town after his role shrank last season.
The Miami Dolphins need more playmakers in the passing game heading into 2026. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton argued the Dolphins should trade for Legette to fix their worst WR corps in the NFL. Miami’s top trio—Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Tutu Atwell—combined for just 268 career catches. Legette has 84 career grabs but offers size and third-down reliability the Dolphins lack.
Legette, 25, went 32nd overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was pegged as Carolina’s future No. 1 receiver. Yet his targets and production fell last season after the Panthers drafted Tetairoa McMillan, who won 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Legette started 49 catches for 497 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. Last year he managed 35 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns on 64 targets. His playing time dropped after Jalen Coker returned from injury. Now the Panthers have added John Metchie III in free agency and drafted Chris Brazzell II, leaving Legette fighting for targets.
Carolina must decide by next May whether to pick up Legette’s fifth-year option. A trade to Miami could benefit both sides. The Panthers clear roster space while the Dolphins get a big-bodied WR for Malik Willis.
The Panthers sit 4th in the National Football Conference with an 8-9 record and a two-game losing streak. Their next game is against the Chicago Bears on September 13, 2026. With McMillan and Brazzell II rising, Legette’s future in Carolina looks cloudy unless he turns things around this summer.
For the Dolphins, adding Legette would be a low-risk move. Willis needs reliable targets outside De’Von Achane. Legette’s physical profile fits Miami’s need for a possession receiver on third downs.