CHARLOTTE — The Panthers used a top-10 pick on Tetairoa McMillan for a reason.

And after a year in which he earned offensive rookie of the year honors and the Panthers saw some other targets develop, and then continued to add to it, McMillan's seeing the beginnings of something.

"Shoot, I mean, we're pretty good," McMillan said of the receivers room. "I feel like we're very slept on. We have a lot of guys that may not have got the opportunities past a couple of years or even the rookies that haven't got any opportunities yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us, and I'm excited.

"We're going to make plays this year."

McMillan made plenty of his own last season, with 70 catches for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns, helping the Panthers to a division title. And with Jalen Coker coming on late last year and earning an extension, and Xavier Legette working his way back, and drafting Chris Brazzell II in the third round and already seeing plays from him, it's a deep group. Young and deep.

"It's a super young group, and it's all of them," quarterback Bryce Young said earlier this week. "They've done a great job of stepping up, of being wise beyond their years, having that feel, doing a lot of stuff at a way quicker timeline than what's average. And I think because of that, the coaching staff does a great job of trying to call plays and design plays based off our personnel and what we can bring.

"I think we have a super, super talented group out there. I think there's a lot that we can do, and then for all of us as a unit, it's on us to kind of prove it to our coaches to play callers when they're going to let us try everything, and it's on us to form that identity, put it on tape for them, and that's what training camp's for."

There is some degree of experimentation happening.

Head coach Dave Canales has said that with Brazzell and his deep speed, there are chances to use McMillan, Coker, and Legette in different ways. That includes working McMillan more out of the slot (which he's fine with, after lining up inside around 15 percent of the time last year).

But more than any particular split or route, he said there's just a sense of settling in. He's back to his old college playing weight, he's establishing himself as the "focal point" of the passing game (to use the Canales phrase), and he's clearly confident.

"First off, the standards are higher," McMillan said. "Obviously, just coming off of the playoffs, and one year with Bryce, chemistry is a lot different, a lot more confidence Bryce has in me, and we all have in each other. So, I'm just looking forward to Year 2, and what it brings. . . .

"I feel like I'm a lot more confident, just in my speed, my mind, just confidence in Bryce and, and the play calling and my teammates. So, I feel like that's one thing that I would have told myself last year is just be confident; you don't have to do everything, just be you, really."

Just being him has been a lot already. So as the Panthers develop this passing game, his growth will be a huge part of it, and as he and Young continue to work as they did this offseason, their relationship and chemistry only deepens.

"I mean this offseason, obviously had him winning rookie of the year," Young said. "Having success he did, it's easy to kind of just phone it in and keep going. Being around him a lot this offseason, the work he's put in, the discipline he's had with his body, with his workouts, with his training, being able to kind of have those next-level conversations of, OK, we've established that you know how to run these routes and you know what this is, how do you feel about this stuff, how do we feel about, changing up these little nuances to try to give a defense a curveball, just being able to do those things.

"He's super smart, so that's stuff that you expect from a vet, and you know him going a year or two, I already feel super confident with. So, I'm super excited for him. He's put in a ton of work, so it's just, it's on all of us to make sure we, we translate into ultimately what, what matters the most."