Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan said he is “almost 20 pounds heavier” since the start of his rookie season and that added mass should help his durability and stamina heading into Year 2. McMillan is now listed at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds after being listed at 212 last season, and coach Dave Canales said the receiver was “a man on a mission to get stronger.”
McMillan said he has focused on becoming more versatile, noting he was “always a big fan” of playing both inside and outside. With Brad Idzik now calling plays, McMillan said the additional size could allow him to be used in different spots in the Panthers’ offense.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, McMillan ran 515 routes as a rookie, with 107 (20.7%) coming from the slot. When lined up wide, he posted a 54.2% catch rate versus a 69.7% clip from the slot, though the slot sample was smaller.
Production varied by alignment: McMillan had 18 catches for 220 yards (12.2 yards per catch) and two touchdowns from inside alignments, while he totaled 52 catches for 794 yards (15.3) and five touchdowns on 408 outside routes, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Passer rating on his slot targets was 88.6, seven points higher than the 81.6 rating on targets from the outside; five interceptions were thrown targeting him on outside routes, with two coming from the slot.
Canales said the Panthers want to take advantage of McMillan’s size over the middle and noted that moving receivers around can create matchup problems for defenses. McMillan, the No. 8 pick in 2025 out of Arizona and the Panthers’ NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, said he regained weight lost during his rookie campaign and feels stronger and more powerful now.
