NFC Notes: Bryce Young, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Buccaneers worked out CB Allan George, CB Tre Herndon, CB Kenih Lovely and CB Greg Stroman this week.
• Buccaneers RT Luke Goedeke was listed as limited on Wednesday due to a concussion, per Scott Smith of the team’s site. 

Falcons

The Falcons believe their linebacker group is one of the strengths of the team, with three starting-caliber players in Kaden Elliss, Nate Landman and Troy Andersen, plus a fourth they really like in fifth-round LB JD Bertrand. Most teams these days play just two on the field since they’re in nickel for most of the snaps but Atlanta wants to make it a point to get their backers on the field as much as possible. 

“Those guys are really smart and physical, and we’re going to utilize them as much as we can on all downs,” Falcons DC Jimmy Lake said via the Athletic’s Josh Kendall. “There’s going to be times when all three can be on the grass. It’s going to give us a lot of different things to do to cause confusion.”

Panthers

Panthers QB Bryce Young sustained four sacks and five quarterback hits against the Saints in Week 1. First-year HC Dave Canales feels it’s the coaching staff’s responsibility to protect Young and limit the pressure he faces. 

“[H]onestly, it’s on the coaching staff. It’s on us,” Canales said, via ProFootballTalk. “We sat there like we were sitting ducks. We didn’t do enough to put our guys — to give them simpler solutions in some of those. This is one of the best third-down pressure packages that you’re going to go against. We saw it Week 1. We’ve been against it before. We had a plan. [Dennis Allen] had counters. We got out coached in that regard. I take that personal.”

Canales pointed out there was one instance where Young should’ve flipped protection.

“There was one that Bryce could have seen, and he could have flipped the protection. He’s been fantastic doing that. That’s the only one I would say that he could have really fixed the problem. [The Saints] gave us issues with what they did. We need to do better than that. That’s coaching.”

Canales thinks Young showed good footwork against the Saints but still could’ve cleaned up a few things. 

“As we went through the grades, looking at his footwork and the discipline of it, it was there,” Canales said. “I think he missed a couple of throws. I think that he’s learning some of his guys, and we’ve gotten all these reps and we’ve got to keep accumulating those reps. But what I saw from him was just kind of missing a few of his opportunities that he had there, and I also have to give the Saints credit for covering us really well and they made it hard and it forced accurate throws and that’s something that we have to make sure we cash in on when we have those opportunities.”