Bills Predicted to Trade for Panthers WR Xavier Legette in Bold Offseason Pitch

The Buffalo Bills went out and got their No. 1 receiver this offseason. They might not be done.

Buffalo acquired DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears in March, sending a 2026 second-round pick to Chicago for the veteran wideout and a fifth-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That move gave Josh Allen a proven target. It didn’t necessarily finish the job.

NFL analyst Justin Carter of FanSided floated a fresh idea in a piece on trades every division favorite still needs to make. His pitch: the Bills send a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver Xavier Legette.

Nothing here is official. This is one analyst’s proposal, not a report of talks between the two front offices, and it should be read that way.

Why Legette Makes Sense on Paper

Legette isn’t a new name in Buffalo. He was linked to the Bills before the 2024 NFL Draft, back when Buffalo held the final pick of the first round. The Bills traded out of that spot instead, moving down with Carolina and landing an extra pick. The Panthers used the selection on Legette. Buffalo later took Keon Coleman in the second round, a pick that hasn’t worked out much better than Legette’s own uneven start.

Carter laid out his reasoning bluntly. “The Buffalo Bills still need help at wide receiver, as they head into 2026 with Joshua Palmer set to play a key role on the roster,” he wrote. “That is … not the best situation to be in, and while the addition of DJ Moore helps, it’s still clear that the team has an issue here.”

He continued: “This proposed trade is actually one of two things I’d do if I were Bills GM Brandon Beane. First is this move: dealing a mid-round pick for Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette, who hasn’t really panned out in Carolina but who has the skill to be a downfield threat with Josh Allen throwing the football.”

Carter’s second idea pairs with the first. “The other part of this? Recoup some draft capital by then turning around and trading Keon Coleman to a rebuilding team,” he said, framing it as a three-team swap that would net Buffalo a younger, higher-upside receiver than the one currently struggling to stick.

Legette’s Production So Far

The numbers explain why Carolina might listen. Legette, a first-round pick in 2024, followed a promising rookie year with a step back in 2025. He caught 49 passes for 497 yards and 4 touchdowns as a rookie, then dropped to 35 receptions for 363 yards and 3 touchdowns last season, per ESPN.

He’s entering his third NFL season at 25 years old. A change of scenery isn’t a radical idea — Legette has shown flashes of the size-speed combination that made him a first-round pick out of South Carolina, but he hasn’t turned that into consistent NFL production yet.

In Buffalo, he wouldn’t need to be a No. 1 option. Behind Moore and Khalil Shakir, he’d likely slot in as the team’s fourth or fifth receiver, with room to develop. And if the Bills do eventually move on from Coleman, as Carter’s broader pitch suggests, Legette could step into a bigger role as a low-cost, buy-low bet.

Buffalo’s Receiver Room Right Now

The Bills have already reshaped this position group once this offseason. Along with the Moore trade, Buffalo claimed receiver Quentin Skinner off waivers from the New York Jets in its most recent move at the position.

Heading into training camp, Buffalo’s receiver room looks like this:

• DJ Moore
• Khalil Shakir
• Joshua Palmer
• Keon Coleman
• Skyler Bell
• Mecole Hardman
• Tyrell Shavers
• Trent Sherfield
• Stephen Gosnell
• Jalen Virgil
• Ja’Mori Maclin
• Mac Dalena
• Quentin Skinner
• Max Tomczak

It’s a group with a proven veteran at the top in Moore, a reliable slot option in Shakir, and a lot of unresolved questions underneath. Whether Buffalo goes after Legette or stands pat, general manager Brandon Beane has shown a willingness to keep tinkering with this room all offseason.

The Bills open the 2026 season on Sept. 13 against the Houston Texans.