NFC Notes: Bill Belichick, Michael Penix, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers seventh-round TE Devin Culp said he’s excited to join an organization that has several players from his former college, including TE Cade Otton, DT Vita Vea and WR Jalen McMillan.

“I’ve exchanged some text messages and a couple calls with Cade as well, asking questions and trying to see what I’m getting myself into,” Culp said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “I had a cool opportunity to meet Vita (Vea) for the first time at the spring football game at the Dub. It’s been all good and I look forward to when those guys come in. I’m sure they’ll be excited to see me and J-Mac. Logistically, these guys have all established themselves here in Tampa so they’re definitely going to be great resources to have on how to navigate the city and what not.”

Buccaneers TE coach Justin Peelle is glad to have a young group of players at tight end. 

“I’ve had some young groups before,” said Peelle. “You get them to take it over, so to speak, and that’s some of the funnest rooms or the best rooms I’ve had, it’s been, ‘This is what you’re going to do today,’ and they just kind of take it. You’d like for them to learn from somebody, but in this situation, it’s yours and figure it out. When the position is playing well, it’s because of what those guys are doing, it’s not because of me.”

One of Culp’s criticisms is a tendency to drop catchable passes. Peelle said he plans on building Culp’s confidence through their offseason program. 

“It’s just gaining confidence and a lot of it is concentration,” Peelle said. “A lot of it is trust and just kind of building that in the spring and into training camp and as you get going, getting him to understand that he has good hands. You see the acrobatic catches; the kid can catch the ball. And just kind of building off that.”

Falcons

Mike Sando of The Athletic cites an anonymous NFL executive who thinks the Falcons hired HC Raheem Morris over Bill Belichick because he would have less push-back against the front office and GM Terry Fontenot. In the end, the executive believes Belichick wouldn’t have drafted Michael Penix. 

“Remember, the reason they went with Raheem Morris instead of Bill Belichick (as head coach) was because he would not push back against the front office,” another exec said. “The two teams that rejected Belichick did the opposite of what Bill would have done, and that includes New England drafting Drake Maye.”

One former NFL general manager isn’t buying the Falcons’ logic of being in “win-now” mode leading them to drafting Penix given they could’ve still landed a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft around No. 25-26 overall.  

“I’d love to know what the conversations were in Atlanta leading up to that and why there was no adult supervision,” a former GM said. “Truth be told, they could be good next year with Kirk Cousins, come away with the 25th or 26th pick, and then you take a quarterback in that range. That is what Green Bay did with Jordan Love, and it is fundamentally different from what Atlanta just did.”

Panthers

• Scott Fowler notes Panthers’ first-round WR Xavier Legette was held out of Wednesday’s practice due to a hamstring injury, but they are mostly being cautious with him.
• Panthers LT Ikem Ekwonu said he’s excited about their offense’s emphasis on the run under HC Dave Canales, per Darin Gantt.
• Ekwonu mentioned he felt like he’s been “riding the coattails” of a good rookie season in 2022 and is spending more time with coaches this offseason.