The final chapter between wideout Xavier Legette and the Carolina Panthers could be near.
Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer rolled out the latest edition of his mailbag on Wednesday. When asked about the biggest question marks facing the depth chart ahead of training camp, Kaye pointed to Legette—opining that the 2024 first-round pick may be in danger of losing his spot on the roster entirely:
With [Jalen] Coker signing a long-term contract extension, Legette’s summer performance will be put under a significant microscope. The 2024 first-round pick has admitted that last year was a forgettable output on his part, and he is motivated to change the narrative this summer. The former South Carolina standout was a late bloomer in college, so the Panthers are hoping history repeats itself and Legette becomes a threat in his third season. If he fails to launch in training camp, he could go the way of Jonathan Mingo.
As Kaye notes, Legette has acknowledged that his 2026 can't end up like his 2025—where he experienced dips in targets (64), receptions (35), receiving yards (363) and touchdowns (three) from what was already a disappointing rookie campaign. Legette also saw his playing time decrease down the stretch of the team's run to the playoffs, having registered a career-low 31.4-percent offensive snap share in the regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If his struggles continue, he could—as also referenced by Kaye—end up meeting a similar fate to that of Jonathan Mingo, a second-round pick from 2023. Carolina's front office did not wait long to cut bait with the once-promising Ole Miss product, trading Mingo and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2025 fourth rounder just a year and a half after drafting him.
Despite hopes of Legette becoming the No. 1 option in the passing game when he was selected, the 25-year-old is now clearly behind in the pecking order to Coker—who signed a three-year extension last week—and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan. And as we inch closer to camp, there's not much more room left for him to fall.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers WR Xavier Legette could meet same fate as Jonathan Mingo