Dan Morgan is a talented evaluator and roster builder. The Carolina Panthers are in good hands, with the general manager's conviction and methodical strategy quickly becoming a breath of fresh air as this perennial struggler got back on track.
Not every decision has borne fruit, but the Panthers are slowly emerging from the proverbial abyss. And a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18 will get this franchise into the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
There is still work to do, but Morgan's plan is coming to life. And one decision his critics questioned at the time already seems to be paying off handsomely.
Carolina Panthers struck gold with Tetairoa McMillan, and Dan Morgan got instant vindication
Eyebrows were raised when Morgan selected Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Most experts thought the Panthers could have taken a blue-chip defensive prospect, but the front-office leader didn't overthink things with the wide receiver. He was rewarded with exceptional production immediately, which could see Offensive Rookie of the Year come his way in the not-too-distant future.
Unsurprisingly, Benjamin Solak from ESPN named McMillan to his All-Rookie Team. It wasn't needed, but this further vindicates Morgan's decision to take the wideout over others.
"[Tetairoa] McMillan needs 71 yards in Week 18 to clear 1,000 on the season -- an impressive milestone for any rookie receiver, and doubly so with Carolina's inconsistent quarterback play. McMillan is showing the physicality and catch radius that was promised of him when he was coming out of Arizona, and his route running has really shined as NFL-caliber despite his supersized frame. He looks the part of a three-level X receiver who can win over the middle of the field just as frequently as he wins jump balls against the sideline -- a Courtland Sutton-type of pass catcher."Benjamin Solak
More is needed in the receiver room, especially given Xavier Legette's failure to make the desired progress. However, the Panthers have their first legitimate No. 1 wideout in years, and McMillan is only going to get better with more experience and time to hone his craft.
Morgan knows what he's doing. Critics wondered whether his promotion to the top job after serving as Scott Fitterer's right-hand man would backfire on David Tepper. As it turned out, this gave the Panthers some sorely needed stability as everything started to crumble.
And if Morgan can hit the upcoming offseason out of the park, the Panthers will be a dark-horse candidate to go deep into the postseason next time around. Not even his biggest haters can deny that.