NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Cardinals, Lions

Buccaneers

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes that if the first two practices are any indication, Buccaneers K Roberto Aguayo “might be the guy Hard Knocks cameras follow into the parking lot as he packs up whatever may be left of his career.”

Last week, Aguayo converted 1 of 4 field goal attempts on narrow goalposts and followed that up by going 4 of 5 from 35-40 yards. Meanwhile, his competition, veteran Nick Folk, made all nine of field goal attempts.

“The competition has definitely started. I know everybody feels it,” Buccaneers HC Dirk Koetter said. “There’s a little tension when we’re going through that. That’s a good thing. That’s a good thing. This is pro football, there’s supposed to be competition.”

Stroud still expects the Buccaneers to give Aguayo every opportunity to turn things around.

Cardinals

• Josh Weinfuss of ESPN writes that the upcoming season is urgent for S Tyrann Mathieu, given that he’s coming off of a third season in which he ended up on the team’s injured reserve list.
• Weinfuss writes that Mathieu needs to prove he can stay healthy and one more serious injury could create an interesting situation for the Cardinals next year.
• As for 2016 first-round DL Robert Nkemdiche, Weinfuss says that he needs to prove he was worthy of his draft status.

Lions

Lions HC Jim Caldwell made it clear that they have no interest in signing free agent QB Colin Kaepernick.

“[W]e have the guys that we want at this point in time,” Caldwell said, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.

Even so, Caldwell still believes Kaepernick has something left to offer NFL teams.

“I don’t think there’s any question he’s capable,” Caldwell said. “I was on the other side of the field [with the Ravens]. Actually, I was in the press box, but nevertheless when he was playing for the 49ers in the Super Bowl. That was only a couple years ago. So, I don’t think that his skill level has diminished to the point where he would be completely ineffective in this league, so we’ll see.”