49ers Named Top Trade Partner for Massive 2024 1st-Round WR

The San Francisco 49ers are currently 2-0, but those paying close attention know that the team’s wide receivers room is already hanging by a thread.

Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t suited up yet while he works back from the knee injury that shelved him last year, Jauan Jennings has been hobbling through the injury report and Demarcus Robinson isn’t available thanks to a suspension.

That’s left Kyle Shanahan leaning heavily on second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall while patching together a group that includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has Carolina Panthers WR Xavier Legette as one of his top 10 trade candidates heading into Week 3, and he named the 49ers a top trade partner.

Why WR Xavier Legette Could Be a Good Option for the San Francisco 49ers

Knox believes Legette’s trade value is a conditional third-round pick.

“Legette had his fair share of rookie struggles, but they weren’t particularly alarming. Plenty of first-year receivers have experienced growing pains, and Carolina’s offense wasn’t particularly good for most of the year,” Knox wrote, adding:

With rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan taking over as Bryce Young’s top target, a change of scenery might be best for Legette. It might benefit the 0-2 Panthers too, since it appears their rebuild isn’t close to its end. While Legette’s tape isn’t great, he’s still a physically gifted 6’3″, 227-pound pass-catcher who was highly regarded entering the 2024 draft—he was the 71st-ranked prospect on the B/R Scouting Department’s final draft board. Adding Legette would be a risk-reward move that could make a lot of sense for teams with questionable receiver depth. A third-round pick that could become a second based on statistical production would be a fair asking price for Carolina.

A Closer Look at Legette’s Game

GettyShould the 49ers try to trade for big-bodied WR Xavier Legette?

The second-year WR certainly had intriguing physical traits. At 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds with legit 4.39 speed, Legette looks more like a linebacker than a receiver.

He’s tough as nails after the catch and isn’t afraid to assist with blocking in the run game. The 32nd pick of the 2024 draft, Legette hauled in 49 catches for 497 yards and four scores as a rookie.

So far in 2025, he’s got just four grabs on 15 targets for eight yards. That’ll scare off some teams, but it should it scare off San Francisco?

His contract actually might make it more intriguing for the Niners. Legette’s locked into his rookie deal through 2027, with a fifth-year option in 2028. He’s carrying a 2025 cap hit south of $3 million. That’s pocket change for a player with his size-speed upside, especially for a franchise that’s already paying stars across the roster and has to be careful about layering in new talent.

Carolina’s situation adds another wrinkle. They’re not contending this year, and adding more future assets could take priority.

Would the 49ers Be Interested?

A trio of Pearsall, Legette and Valdes-Scantling, with Bourne mixed in, would give Shanahan enough size, speed and physicality to function offensively while Jennings and particularly Aiyuk get back to 100%. San Francisco wouldn’t need Legette to come in and be a WR1, he’d just need to be a big-bodied option outside.

Carolina spent a first-round pick on Legette just last year, so they’d want more than a throwaway late-rounder in any realistic trade scenario. If the Panthers would be interested in moving him, a third- or fourth-round pick might do it, but it would have to be a performance-based conditional pick in order to also have some benefit for the Niners.