The Carolina Panthers are asking a lot of Tetairoa McMillan. And the strain could be starting to take its toll before a competitive down.
Dan Morgan didn't take McMillan at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft for him to take a back seat. The wide receiver instantly becomes Carolina's No. 1 option, someone who could finally provide quarterback Bryce Young with an elite-level threat to depend upon. And the Panthers are giving the gifted pass-catcher all he can handle this offseason to ready him for some stern upcoming challenges.
There's been a lot to like about the way McMillan transitioned. The former Arizona standout's been as advertised, displaying the dynamic playmaking ability and fluid athleticism that took college football by storm. His connection with Young is progressing well, but some nagging hamstring issues have also come up along the way.
Tetairoa McMillan kept out of Carolina Panthers practice with more hamstring soreness
McMillan wasn't practicing on Monday. Head coach Dave Canales revealed that the wideout was dealing with more hamstring soreness, so the Panthers are letting him rest for a few days before ramping things up again.
"Yeah, TMac had a really sore hamstring; the imaging looked fine, but he's just kind of all stoved up. He's been taking a lot of reps, a few series more than the rest of the starters, just to get him the game reps. And just between that and the practices, he's been working like crazy. I thought we'd shut him down for a couple of days and then turn him back around."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
This follows on from McMillan missing time over early workouts with a hamstring complication. It's nothing to overly concern right now, but the fact that this cropped up again after an increased workload makes it something to monitor nonetheless.
The Panthers have the luxury of being cautious with McMillan. Still, this isn't college anymore. The extra physical strain of NFL life always comes with an adjustment period. This is all part of the process to get the first-year pro to hit the ground running when competitive action commences.
McMillan knows the expectations on his shoulders. He also knows the hit rate of receivers taken in the top 10 over recent NFL history. The pressure is on to deliver the goods immediately, so he can ill afford hamstring injuries to flare up when things matter more.
Sounding the alarm or pressing the panic button entirely would be foolish at this juncture. Hopefully, McMillan is getting these growing pains out of the way now rather than during the season.