by Ari Koslow | Panthers Correspondent | Thu, Jul 23rd 12:32pm EDT Tetairoa McMillan was at practice on Thursday. ( Joe Person on Twitter ) Fantasy Impact: The Panthers and Cardinals are the first teams to have veterans report to training camp. McMillan had missed most of the spring due to a foot injury. Tetairoa McMillan, who missed most of the spring with a foot injury, is in uniform and practicing. Category: Injury Updates | More Tetairoa McMillan : News , Rankings , Projections , Stats
McMillan (ankle) participated in Thursday's training camp practice, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. McMillan was in and out of practice during the spring due to ankle soreness, but he's ready to roll for the start of training camp now that pads are on and the season is inching closer. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, McMillan is expected to see more opportunities out of the slot this season after the Panthers used a third-round pick on outside weapon Chris Brazzell. McMillan added "eight or nine pounds of muscle" over the offseason, per Wolfe. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, McMillan will look to build on his 70-1,014-7 regular season from last year
Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan (foot) practiced fully at the team's first training camp session, after missing spring workouts due to a foot injury. He is expected to be ready for Week 1 and could build on his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign from last season, potentially moving into the WR1 tier
The NFL Players Association released its annual Rising Stars list on Tuesday and the first overall pick of this year’s draft is one of the players at the top. Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is No. 1 on the list of the 10 rookies that the NFLPA projects to be future members of the Top 50 list of licensed player product sales. There is also a list of 10 players with NFL experience who have not been on the Top 50 and it is topped by Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. Mendoza is followed on the list by Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate, Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon, Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles, Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, Ravens wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, and Buccaneers edge rusher Rueben Bain. The list of veteran players also includes Bears tight end Colston Loveland, Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker, Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, Dolphins running back De’Von Achane, Bills running back James Cook, and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez
The Carolina Panthers kick off their training camp next week. Rookies report on July 21st, veterans on July 22nd, and we’ll be inundated with glowing reports of how great and healthy everybody looks by about July 23rd. For all that it can be hard to parse just how much progress a team has made from year to year by the news filtering out of camp, there are always kernels of truth to hold onto. On the one hand, if we hear about Jonathon Brooks spending the entire camp on the Edmund Kugbila Memorial Stationary Bike then we can temper our expectations. On the other hand, it’s hard to know what to make of these practices if Bryce Young throws zero incompletions or interceptions all camp and the receivers catch every ball in their zip code. For all that we may not see every step of development in camp, development does occur. We should be able to see noticeable differences in a lot of position groups by the start of the preseason. This, of course, assumes that the Panthers decide to play any of their starters in the preseason. Holding that optimistic assumption for a moment, we decided to ask y’all which position group you’re most excited to see develop this training camp. Unsurprisingly, y’all want to see the wide receivers. Wide receiver is going to be the group with the fiercest competition for roster spots on the final 53-man roster. The Panthers usually carry six wide receivers on their final roster and try to sneak a couple more guys that they like onto their practice squad. That usually isn’t a problem as most folks around the league have not been looking at players that get cut by the Panthers as viable NFL players. That’s a large part of how they snuck Jalen Coker onto their practice squad last season before signing him to a 3-year, $35M contract this offseason. This year, Coker is a lock to make the roster. So is Tetairoa McMillan , the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. After that, you have Chris Brazzell II, the 83rd overall pick this year, fifth-year veteran Dan Chisena , second-year veteran Jimmy Horn Jr , third-year veteran Xavier Legette , new free agent and fourth-year veteran John Metchie III , eighth-year veteran David Moore , and second-year veteran (and former undrafted free agent) Brycen Tremayne as your seven guys competing for what are likely four remaining roster spots. There are more questions than answers at this point in the offseason about each of these players and how they might stack up against each other. We’ll know more in August, when the Panthers have four preseason games and two joint practices with their last two preseason opponents, the Jacksonville Jaguars (August 19th practice, August 21st game) and the Houston Texans (August 26th practice, August 28th game). For now, break out your old tea leaves or spare goat entrails. Treat the comments here on CSR as good hill and watch the birds. It’s divining season, and the Panthers actually have some tough cuts to make with a talented group of players. Who do you think will make the roster? Scroll on down to the comments to let us know or click here to get started. Checkout FanDuel , the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation
FlexWork Sports Management mishandled a youth football camp advertised to feature Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan. Parents and children arrived to find no one else present, and many had not received emails about a supposed transfer to a different camp featuring Xavier Leggette. McMillan's representative stated the camp was canceled in February
In 2025, the NFL began outfitting the jerseys of the prior year's award winners with gold shields . This year, a pair of Rams will be wearing them. The gold shields go to the reigning NFL MVP, the offensive player of the year, the defensive player of the year, the offensive rookie of the year, and the defensive rookie of the year. This year, the five awards that will be acknowledged with gold shields were won by Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (MVP), Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njgiba (OPOY), then-Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (DPOY), Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan (OROY), and Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger (DROY). With Garrett being traded to the Rams, L.A. will have both Stafford and Garrett wearing the gold shields. (If Garrett hadn't been traded, the 5-12 Browns would have two defensive players wearing gold shield). The gold shields are hard to notice, since the shield on each jersey is small. The issue landed caught our eye on a slow Sunday because the Seahawks have posted an image of Smith-Njigba in his new jersey . And, no, Smith-Njigba's gold shield doesn’t have a typo
Matthew Stafford (Rams QB) and Myles Garrett (Rams DE) will receive gold shields on their jerseys for their 2025 award wins (MVP and DPOY, respectively). Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks WR), Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers WR), and Carson Schwesinger (Browns LB) also received gold shields for their respective award wins
Jalen Coker entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2024 and put together two seasons worthy of a contract extension. The Panthers recently rewarded the wideout with a three-year extension that will keep him under contract through 2029. Coker, 24, hopes to stay in Charlotte much longer. “It was a huge opportunity for me,” Coker said Tuesday, via Kassidy Hill of the team website. “Your dream is to always go get to the NFL, of course, but to stay around and to continue to contribute and to make an impact every Sunday, that’s always been my goal. “This wasn’t the end of my story. This isn’t where I want to be finished at. I just want to continue to build, continue to do good things for this organization down the line. Hopefully, I can stay for eight more years. I didn’t want it to be like I finally made it. I can relax. I can take the foot off the gas a little bit. No, now I’ve got to prove it even more.” In 22 games, Coker has made 65 receptions for 872 yards and five touchdowns. Coach Dave Canales identified Tetairoa McMillan and Coker as the top two wide receivers, but the Panthers believe they are deep at the position. Xavier Legette and John Metchie are among others on the depth chart. “I think we’ve got so many guys that can play on this team, and it’s just going to continue to push us to be better every single day,” Coker said
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette expressed a 'do or die' mindset heading into the 2026 season, acknowledging his previous two years were not up to his standards. He aims for a significant jump in production, hoping to secure his long-term future with the team
Jalen Coker agrees to a three-year contract extension with the Panthers worth $35 million, with incentives potentially taking the deal up to $41 million
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette said he lost seven to nine pounds in the offseason and is now down to 221 pounds, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Legette also said he's tried to "bulletproof" his hamstrings after previously having issues with them. The 25-year-old, who was the 32nd overall pick in 2024 out of South Carolina, has failed to live up to his lofty draft capital in his first two years in the NFL in Carolina. Legette has totaled 84 receptions on 148 targets for 860 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 31 regular-season games (25 starts). His production took a dip last year, too, as he finished with a 35-363-3 line on 64 targets across 15 regular-season contests. Last year's first-rounder, Tetairoa McMillan, looks like the real deal, and Jalen Coker appears primed to be a breakout candidate in his third year as the team's WR2. That leaves Legette battling with John Metchie III and rookie Chris Brazzell II for targets as the Panthers' WR3. In standard 12-team fantasy leagues in 2026, Legette should go undrafted
Jalen Coker has been a standout performer for the Carolina Panthers during OTAs and minicamp, impressing coaches and media with his consistency and ability to get open. Despite injury concerns in his first two years, Coker has shown flashes of potential, recording 65 catches for 872 yards and five touchdowns. He is making a strong case for the WR2 position, potentially challenging Xavier Legette for the role, and is considered a breakout candidate with significant fantasy upside
The Panthers expect McMillan (ankle) to be ready for the start of training camp, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports. McMillan missed some time during OTAs due to what was initially labeled a foot issue, but it is now being dubbed ankle soreness. He participated in practice during the first day of mandatory minicamp Tuesday, but per Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340, the 2025 first-rounder is not dressed for practice Wednesday. McMillan himself said Wednesday that he currently feels good and expects to be ready for training camp in July, Kaye reports, an indication that his reps at minicamp may simply be being capped as a precaution. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, head coach Dave Canales said that Carolina's plan is for McMillan to take part in two of the team's three minicamp practices, so the wideout should be back on the field Thursday
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker has finished each of the past two seasons in memorable fashion. In 2024, it was a then-career-high seven-reception performance in Week 18, and in 2025, he closed out the regular season with another six grabs and a touchdown before turning in the best game of his career in a Wild Card loss to the Rams, finishing the day with 134 yards and a score on nine catches. For the second straight season, he has garnered sleeper buzz, and while a preseason quadriceps injury cost him the first six games of 2025, he appears to be in good health heading into his third season and is locked into one of the top two receiver spots alongside 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan. Including his breakout postseason performance, Coker scored 11.3 half-PPR points per game over his final eight contests, finishing as the WR24 or better five times, and yet, as a consensus dynasty WR5, there is still time to acquire the 24-year-old wideout well below his potential value
