The Carolina Panthers' performance in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars left a lot to be desired. It was a complete flop that severely diminished any offseason optimism fans had about contending for the NFC South. And there is a significant amount of hard work ahead for head coach Dave Canales to turn the tide.
Nobody will want to remember what transpired at EverBank Stadium for long. However, it wasn't all doom and gloom for the Panthers.
There were a couple of players who performed well in difficult circumstances. Carolina's biggest positive to emerge from a woeful afternoon at the office was painfully obvious.
Carolina Panthers got some good production from Tetairoa McMillan in Week 1
Carolina's defense was an abomination, led by a porous inability to stop the run. Things weren't much better on offense, with poor execution and even poorer decision-making from key figures quickly becoming their undoing. But amid all the chaos and lack of cohesion, rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan emerged as a silver lining.
McMillan came into the league with significant expectations on his shoulders. The Panthers selected him at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft to give them a legitimate No. 1 option for Bryce Young to depend upon. It wasn't the quarterback's best day, but the chemistry with his new weapon was positive on occasion.
The former Arizona standout made some tough catches look easy. There was one incredible highlight reel that unfortunately got waved off. McMillan was comfortably the Panthers' most consistent pass-catcher, but that's a pretty low bar after the indifferent contributions from Xavier Legette and Hunter Renfrow.
If the Panthers want to get themselves back on track, they need McMillan to build on this encouraging regular-season debut. Adam Thielen is gone, traded to the Minnesota Vikings. Jalen Coker is on injured reserve with another quad strain. With Legette and Renfrow struggling to find the consistency needed, the onus is on the first-year pro to step into the alpha role and stay there.
It's a lot to ask despite McMillan's supreme physical attributes. This was an encouraging first step with five receptions from nine targets for 68 receiving yards, but it'll count for nothing if this production doesn't become the standard.
The Panthers aren't going to get very far without McMillan. Renfrow missed so much football last season, and the frustrations around Legette are there for all to see. There's just no telling how long it'll take for Coker to get back, so this perceived strength will become a glaring weakness quickly without the first-rounder picking up the slack.
McMillan is capable, but he shouldn't have to do it alone.