Questions about the Las Vegas Raiders‘ wideout group remain valid, as the leading receiver in the Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins was running back Ashton Jeanty, with tight end Michael Mayer behind him.
Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker led the wideout group, each recording 27 receiving yards. It might be a one-off game, but there were concerns about the Raiders’ receiving group, and with Brock Bowers out, the team did lack a go-to receiver.
The Raiders won’t find a No. 1 receiver now, but given their rebuilding status, they could take a flyer on a player who could potentially benefit from a change of scenery and be a go-to guy for Kirk Cousins.
Although the trade deadline is still weeks away, Zachary Rotman of FanSided believes that the Silver and Black makes sense for Carolina Panthers wideout Xavier Legette. In Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, the former first-round pick saw two targets but caught none.
“The Carolina Panthers put up 37 points in Week 1, yet Xavier Legette put up a goose egg in the contest,” Rotman wrote in a Sept. 16 article. “He was targeted twice and ended the day with zero receptions or yards.
“He returned a couple of kicks, but even then, Jimmy Horn Jr. got the bulk of the work there. Legette is very clearly an afterthought in a Panthers offense that consists of the likes of Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Chuba Hubbard, Jonathon Brooks, and others.”
Xavier Legette Is an Outcast With the Panthers After Week 1
It’s been a challenging first two seasons for the third-year wideout, as he hasn’t even recorded over 500 receiving yards in a season. Furthermore, if the game against the Bears is any indication, Legette is an afterthought in the Panthers’ offense. As a result, change might be needed.
“Too much depth is never a bad thing, but the Panthers don’t have much of a need for Legette, if Week 1 is any indication,” Rotman added. “Something the Panthers do need, though, is defense, especially after allowing 59 points in Week 1. Using Legette, a former first-round selection, in a deal that’d bring back a defensive player could make sense for Carolina.”
Why Xavier Legette Would Be a Fit for the Raiders
Legette is only 25 years old and a former first-round pick, so a team like the Raiders can take a flyer on a player as the team continues building up its culture under head coach Klint Kubiak.
“The Las Vegas Raiders make sense as a potential landing spot,” Rotman wrote. “The Raiders’ receiver room is lacking, so they’d have an opportunity for Legette, who is still just 25 years old and is under contract through 2027, to shine.”
Perhaps someone like Kubiak can tap into the potential that made Legette a first-round pick, and the Raiders could use a big receiver, with the Panthers wideout being 6-foot-1.
Maybe it isn’t Legette, but it will be interesting to see if the Silver and Black decide to take a flyer on a player needing a change of scenery and who, with the culture they are building, can tap into their potential.
Raiders Named Potential Trade Destination for Panthers Outcast