Mandatory minicamp Day 1 standout just gave Panthers fans a severe case of PTSD caused by Tetairoa McMillan being limited
Carolina Panthers wrapped up the first day of mandatory minicamp and the Day 1 standout was veteran wide receiver David Moore working with the first-team offense in Tetairoa McMillian’s absence.
The Carolina Panthers wrapped up the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday and the big storyline was the return of wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year who missed OTAs due to a foot soreness.
While McMillan was back on the field, he wasn’t a full participant yet and did not participate during team drills (7-on-7 and 11-on-11).
With him sidelined, veteran wide receiver David Moore emerged as Tuesday’s standout, much to the dismay of a select group of Panthers fans.
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales praises David Moore’s strong day at practice
Moore has been with the Panthers since the team brought in head coach Dave Canales and the two were together back in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers and back in Seattle with the Seahawks. He’s a player Canales trusts and one Panthers fans have mixed opinions on.
Regardless of how you feel, Moore was the one standing out on Tuesday catching passes from quarterback Bryce Young during team drills, along with rookie Chris Brazzell II, while McMillan was off the field.
“We can always count on D-Mo,” Canales said after practice. “David Moore is a guy that I have known for a long time. We go way back, got a lot of trust in D-Mo. He can really play all of the positions and he stepped in and did well. Of course, Chris Brazzell has been taking reps at X as well and he’s made some plays over the last couple of weeks. Really excited about where he’s headed with his development.”
McMillan’s absence is opening the door for Moore to start making a name for himself and for Brazzell to get valuable opportunities working with Young. And for fans having PTSD about Moore standing out, his experience in the system goes a long way this time of year.
“Those are the ones that have the advantage” Canales added. “That’s where the urgency is a little bit higher for our younger players. They look around and everyone knows exactly what all of these signals mean. They know the adjustments and where we cut it off at what yard line. All of the finer points of the position. . .
“It certainly does give him an advantage, but at the same time, it is our jobs as coaches to evaluate how they perform given that one person might know a little bit more about the system. We can’t fault young players that can help us because they don’t have all of the answers.”
By the time we get to training camp and McMillan is fully healthy, we’ll get a better idea of how this WR room is shaking out.