Aug 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Tetairoa McMillan's ho-hum preseason means nothing for his Panthers role: PFF

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Tetairoa McMillan flashed the potential during the preseason, but he really didn't do much to stand out. This is partly because the Carolina Panthers have known he was always going to be a starting wide receiver, and starters played all of four series across the three games.

In those four series, McMillan had very minute production, and he even struggled with drops uncharacteristically. It resulted in an overall disappointing stretch, even warranting a pretty horrible PFF grade. Yet, even PFF admitted it won't change where he ends up with the Panthers.

PFF isn't worried about Tetairoa McMillan's bad preseason

PFF graded Tetairoa McMillan, who only played in two games, with a 49.0 overall grade. He ranked 87th out of 92 graded players. He was the second-worst first-round rookie among those who played (only Armand Membou had a lower grade).

Despite that, McMillan should still easily be the top Panthers wide receiver. "In two games of preseason action, he caught two passes totaling 43 yards but also dropped two passes," PFF's Dalton Wasserman said. "Regardless, he appears to be locked into a starting role in Carolina’s offense."

This was only further proved with the recent trade of Adam Thielen. The veteran was probably supplanted by McMillan on the depth chart anyway, but it was hard to imagine Thielen not also getting a ton of targets and being the go-to receiver he's been for Bryce Young.

Now, that's not the case any longer. Thielen is gone, so McMillan, by default, is the go-to. When in trouble, Young will look to his rookie wide receiver because his trusted vet is gone.

That was probably going to be the case anyway. Bad preseason or not, the Panthers fully expected McMillan to be their guy eventually, which is why PFF admitted that even such a horrendous grade wasn't going to affect his role in the slightest.

The Panthers might've rushed to that conclusion by trading Thielen, but it seemed inevitable, so while the 49.0 grade is pretty awful, the Panthers have never wavered in their confidence in the rookie wide receiver.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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