NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles said Baker Mayfield gives them an experienced quarterback and will compete with Kyle Trask for the starting job. 

“[Baker] gives us competition and it gives us another warrior. It gives us a guy who has been to the playoffs before. At least, you have a proven guy, someone to compete with Kyle [Trask] that will still make sure we haven’t taken dips too low. I think when you lose the greatest quarterback of all time, everybody just assumes you are going to be bad, or at least that is the narrative, but it takes a team to win a Super Bowl and it also takes a team to play ballgames. Tom is great by all accolades. He gets everything he deserves and he should, but to bring in guys that can still challenge and win, you just have to prepare differently as far as what you are trying to do …Tom brought a presence with him as you saw and everyone has to earn their stripes and we are good with that,” said Bowles, via Brianna Dix of the team’s site. 

Bowles added they don’t want to put too much pressure on their next starting quarterback and points out they’ll have a capable surrounding cast with WR Mike Evans, WR Chris Godwin, RB Rachaad White, OT Tristan Wirfs, C Ryan Jensen, and TE Cade Otton. 

“You don’t need to be the guy; you need to rely on the 10 guys around you. You don’t need to be the guy. We are not looking for a guy to come in here and be Superman. We have great players, you have Mike Evans, you have Chris Godwin, you have Rachaad [White], you have Tristan [Wirfs], you have Ryan Jensen, you have Cade Otton coming; You have guys that you can play with and pieces, so you do not have to be the guy. You just really need to drive the car.”

Bowles called S Antoine Winfield a playmaker for their defense and wants him to create more turnovers going forward. 

“Winfield is such a playmaker. He is such a good tackler, and you want him down there [in the box] making tackles, but we talked about it, and I told him I really want him to stay at free safety this year as far as we can help it and I am going to try and keep him there and concentrate on that. He is a ballhawk and we need more turnovers, so I would like to leave him there,” said Bowles. 

Falcons

• According to Aaron Wilson, Auburn DE Derick Hall has an official visit scheduled with the Falcons. He also has virtual interviews with a number of other teams. 

Panthers

Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline believes the Panthers will ultimately select Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud with the first-overall pick, but if HC Frank Reich had his way, the team would select Florida QB Anthony Richardson.

“If it’s up to Frank Reich, yes,” he said, via Panthers Wire. “I think what’s gone on or, what I’ve been told, is that everybody in the room is really heavily leaning towards C.J. Stroud. C.J. Stroud did well at the combine, he did well at the pro day and I’m told that the interviews with C.J. Stroud—he’s knocked them out of the park. And he’s very genuine, he’s been very forthright and he’s a likable guy. I’m told that everybody in the building is heavily leaning—if not, checked off the box on C.J. Stroud. I’m told that Frank Reich, if he had his way, would go with Anthony Richardson because of the upside, because of what Anthony Richardson could be two or three years down the road. It’s just a matter of how much of a fight is Frank Reich gonna put up in that war room to say, ‘Hey, listen, I want Anthony Richardson.’ I think right now, there’s probably less than a 20-percent chance it’s Anthony Richardson and all signs are pointing towards C.J. Stroud.”