Panthers Prez Admits He Hoped Rams Trade Would Collapse After Sean McVay Settled With Trading 1st Round Pick

Draft day drama isn’t just a cliché—it’s a real, pulse-racing experience for NFL front offices. The tension, the flurry of calls, the last-minute proposals—it’s basically high-stakes poker with millions on the table and the future of franchises on the line. For the Panthers, this year’s draft came with its own set of plot twists. And one of them involved the Los Angeles Rams trying to climb the board.

What made this situation especially charged was that the Rams weren’t just idly browsing the draft board—they were circling the Panthers’ No. 8 pick, the exact spot Carolina had set aside to land their guy. It wasn’t just about which player would go next—it was about stopping a potential disruption from a team desperate to reload.

On Monday, the Panthers posted a behind-the-scenes draft day video that gave fans an unfiltered peek into those tense war room moments. In the clip, Carolina GM Dan Morgan candidly reveals just how close things came to changing course. “Some trade discussions [were] going on at the time,” Morgan says, “but I was kind of hoping that the trade would fall through, because I really wanted to take T-Mac (Tetairoa McMillan).”

Panthers released some excellent behind-the-scenes footage of the 2025 NFL Draft

including their negotiations with the Rams, who wanted to move up from No. 26 to No. 8 pic.twitter.com/gs3suGdISP

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) June 2, 2025

As it turned out, Morgan got his wish. According to sources, the Panthers were so committed to McMillan that they set an intentionally high price tag on the pick, knowing the Rams might flinch—and they did. The Rams didn’t bite, and Carolina selected Tetairoa McMillan eighth overall, signing the standout wideout to a four-year, $27.93 million rookie deal.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean Los Angeles got the short end of the stick.

Trade Moves by Sean McVay in the Draft

Drafting a top receiver was one of the Rams’ biggest offseason needs, especially with Cooper Kupp (reluctantly) moving on after a storied run in L.A. Sean McVay had clearly zeroed in on McMillan, hoping to land him as a dynamic new target for Matthew Stafford. But Dan Morgan’s message to Les Snead and company was firm: “They’re going to have to go above and beyond.”

The Rams huffed and puffed, but ultimately decided it wasn’t worth emptying the draft cupboard. To make the jump to No. 8, they would’ve had to sacrifice multiple premium picks—and perhaps a future first as well. That’s a big ask, especially for a team still trying to rebuild depth after years of win-now moves.

Instead of mortgaging their future, the Rams decided to trade down. They moved out of the 26th pick after the Falcons came calling, eager to grab edge rusher James Pearce Jr. The Rams accepted, collecting two picks in return, including Atlanta’s 2026 first-round selection, a potential goldmine depending on how the Falcons perform next season. Besides, they managed to get Davante Adams in the door, and he’s no slouch, to say the least.

Apart from this, the Rams selected Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson with the 46th overall pick, a versatile pass-catcher who fits McVay’s offensive system. They rounded out the draft with a low-risk, high-upside addition in the seventh round—grabbing Konata Mumpfield, a speedy receiver from Pitt who could surprise if he shines in camp.

The Rams didn’t walk away with McMillan. But they did land a solid tight end, a project receiver, and a premium future asset—all without blowing up their draft plan. For GM Les Snead, it was about playing the long game. Whether they regret not pushing harder for McMillan remains to be seen. But in the ever-unforgiving arms race of the NFC, staying flexible might be their smartest play yet.

The post Panthers Prez Admits He Hoped Rams Trade Would Collapse After Sean McVay Settled With Trading 1st Round Pick appeared first on EssentiallySports.