Cowboys named potential trade suitor for former first-round WR

The Dallas Cowboys are going to try riding out the CeeDee Lamb injury, with a timeline for his return from a high-ankle sprain uncertain. There are a handful of options for the Cowboys to consider for a potential Lamb replacement, whether looking internally or via trade.

Following the NFL Draft, the Cowboys made a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for star receiver George Pickens, so the WR1 position is settled in Lamb's absence.

Stepping into the WR2 role could be Jalen Tolbert, who was the team's second-leading receiver a season ago. Outside of Pickens and Tolbert, Dallas has KaVontae Turpin and several unproven players, so could they look to the outside for a solution?

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Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report identified former first-round pick Xavier Legette as a potential trade target for the Cowboys after he seemingly has fallen out of favor with the Carolina Panthers.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette leaps over Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Legette missed the team's Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons with a hamstring issue, and the offense didn't miss a beat. In fact, it was the team's most impressive offensive outing of the season.

"Legette has also experienced a sophomore slump, which is significant because he wasn't particularly impressive as a rookie. The Panthers used a first-round pick on the South Carolina product, but they might be talked into moving him. It may not be a coincidence that Carolina had its best game of the season, a 30-0 romp over the Atlanta Falcons, with Legette out of the lineup," Knox wrote.

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"While Legette's tape isn't great, he's still a physically impressive 6'3", 227-pound pass-catcher with an intriguing amount of upside. His trade value would be buoyed by his first-round rookie contract."

This season, Legette has just four catches for eight yards, while the Panthers have relied more heavily on rookie Tetairoa McMillan, veteran Hunter Renfrow, and former undrafted standout Brycen Tremayne.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette walks off the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers | Allison Lawhon-Imagn Images

The Cowboys and Panthers are also familiar trade partners, with Dallas trading for former second-round pick Jonathan Mingo in 2024.

The best option for Dallas would be to role with Pickens and Tolbert to see how they can coexist on the field before making a snap panic reaction and trading away valuable draft capital. After all, Lamb could return in three-to-four weeks if the sprain is truly not as severe as it initially seemed.

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