NFC Notes: Bryce Young, Mike Evans, Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Bucs HC Todd Bowles said CB Zyon McCollum has been impressive but hasn’t yet surpassed CB Jamel Dean or CB Carlton Davis on the depth chart.

“He has played well,” Bowles said, via the team’s website. “Carlton [Davis III] and [Jamel] Dean are still ahead of him. He has a bright future and we’ve got to find ways to get him on the field, but not enough to replace the other two if that’s what you’re asking me.”

Bowles said first-round DL Calijah Kancey adds another element to the interior pass rush and also praised the development of DL Logan Hall.

“Well, he gives us another option as a pass rusher inside where we didn’t have viable options before,” Bowles explained. “I think Logan [Hall] is getting a lot better and we really like what he is doing, but with his quickness and his savvy as a pass rusher, hopefully that helps us.”

• Bucs WR Mike Evans (hamstring) is still day-to-day and Bowles said they’ll have a better idea of his status on Friday: “He is coming along. I will have a better idea on Friday when we will probably see him doing some more running and then kind of go from there.“

Panthers

Panthers HC Frank Reich said the team plans on simplifying the offense and doing less so first-round QB Bryce Young can play faster.

“Every coach would tell you, when you’re 0-5, what’s the answer? Do more? No. The answer is do less,” Reich said, via Panthers Wire. “Every coach. The history of the NFL. Hey, we’re 0-5, we’re 0-3, we’re 0-4 — do less. Do less. Does that mean you gave him too much? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know the answer to that. I just know we gotta get better — because insanity is doin’ the same thing over, right? So, that’s what we do as coaches. Not for the quarterback, for the whole team. We did it on offense, we did it on defense, we did it on special teams. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Do the basics. Let the players play fast. Sometimes, it takes that to do it. And sometimes, that was the answer and that’s why. Sometimes, it just works out to get you back on track and in rhythm.”

Reich called Young a mature player and said he’s continuing to do everything he can in order to improve.

“You play quarterback in this league and throw it 40 times a game and are handlin’ every game and have to make 75 decisions a game, obviously a lot more than that, you’re gonna make some mistakes,” he replied. “Everybody does. Nobody plays a perfect game. So, that’s a conversation we’ve had — we gotta move on to the next play. If you make a mistake, just move on to the next play. We all know this guy is incredibly mature and has a great perspective. We know he’s hard on himself, like all great players are. So, I just think that’s all normal and part of the process.”

• Reich says RB Miles Sanders did not practice Wednesday due to a shoulder injury. (Joe Person)
• Reich added CB Jaycee Horn and S Xavier Woods are both making “very good progress” rehabbing from their hamstring injuries. (Person)

Saints

• NewOrleans.Football’s Brooke Kirchhofer reports the Saints appear to be benching former first-round OT Trevor Penning, as he worked behind veteran OL James Hurst at practice this week.
• Hurst had been starting ahead of veteran G Andrus Peat at left guard due to a combination of poor performance and injury. This move will put Peat back in the lineup.