NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Michael Thomas, Saints

Buccaneers

• NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry shares some of the rumors and gossip he heard from team and media sources at the Combine. He’s also heard Seahawks QB Drew Lock connected to the Buccaneers as an option for them to bring in to compete. 

Falcons

Falcons GM Terry Fontenot said the team has a lot of flexibility and cap space to improve their roster this offseason, but they plan on doing it the right way instead of looking for a quick fix.

“Clearly we have a lot of cap space and clearly we have a lot of flexibility, but we have to be cautious,” Fontenot said, via Greg Auman of Fox Sports. “We are not trying to win a press conference. We want to make sure we are bringing in the right types of players for our building. When you have a lot of cap space, that means you have a lot of work to do. We have to add to every phase. We just want to make sure we have the right discipline. We have to set parameters because if we don’t, we could get ourselves in a bind. We need to add a lot. We just want to make sure we go through the process the right way.”

• Auman believes the team could look at a prospect like Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski with their first-round pick if they are unable to re-sign OT Kaleb McGary. McGary should command a deal that pays him north of $15 million a year and could walk in free agency if Atlanta doesn’t want to allocate that much in assets to their offensive line.
• Another option Auman believes would help bolster the offense is trading for Rams WR Allen Robinson. 
• With former Saints co-DC Ryan Nielsen joining Atlanta this offseason, Auman believes the team could look to purge some of the players from New Orleans roster on the defensive side of the ball.
• Auman notes while DE Marcus Davenport would assuredly bolster the Falcons pass rush and knows Nielsen, he could command around $20 million a season and may not be the best use of cap space for a rebuilding team.
• Auman believes Packers S Adrian Amos could be another option for the team’s defense and could provide veteran leadership in the secondary. He’d be relatively cost-effective and the Falcons have a connection on their coaching staff with senior assistant Jerry Gray.

Saints

• NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan writes the ball is in Saints WR Michael Thomas‘ court when it comes to what he wants to do in 2023. He can agree to renegotiate his deal again and come back on a cheap deal in 2023 or he’ll officially be released and set loose to free agency.  
• There’s a split of opinions inside the team building on what Thomas will do, per Duncan, with some optimistic he wants to stay in New Orleans and others believing he’s already moved on.