NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons Panthers

Buccaneers

• Per Greg Auman, the following players attended Buccaneers minicamp on a tryout basis: TE James Boston, OLB Markees Watts, LB Dillon Doyle, G Dylan O’Quinn, WR Kesean Carter, WR Deshun Kitchings, TE Kemore Gamble, and NT Ami Finau.

Falcons

Falcons second-round OL Matthew Bergeron believes he is handling the transition from offensive tackle to guard well. Atlanta plans to move him inside to start at left guard after he primarily played tackle at Syracuse. 

“This is Day 3, if you count Senior Bowl practice, I think I’m picking it up well,” Bergeron said, via the team’s website.

Bergeron detailed the differences between the two positions.

“At tackle you have three kicks before things start happening, at guard everything happens right now. One step and they’re on you.”

Bergeron added that he doesn’t feel pressure to grasp the nuances of the position immediately.

“I don’t put pressure on myself,” Bergeron said. “I’m going to give my hundred percent every day and see where that takes me.”

Panthers

Panthers third-round LB D.J. Johnson knows he has to earn the right to be a pass-rusher in Carolina and that his first priority is being a run-stopper. 

“You gotta earn the right to pass rush,” Johnson said, via PanthersWire.com. “Stoppin’ the run is the first thing and as an outside backer, my job is to set the edge. So it’s a big focus.”

• Panthers OC Thomas Brown says the goal was to make the Panthers’ offense a split between his system from the Rams and that of HC Frank Reich. Brown added that the split is currently around 60-40 in favor of Reich. (Joe Person)
• Panthers DC Ejiro Evero on the plans for S Jeremy Chinn: “He’s a weapon that we’re definitely going to try to utilize.” (Person)
• Evero also commented on the team’s pass rushers, led by LB Brian Burns: “We’ve got Mr. Burns and then we’ve got a bunch of guys who are fighting and clawing.” (Person)