NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

New Buccaneers QB Tom Brady admitted that he was not as mentally prepared as he thought he would be to learn a new playbook this offseason.

“It’s been different having the opportunity over this time to move and to, for example, study my playbook — I mean I really haven’t had to do that in 19 years, so you forget, ‘Man, that’s really tough,’ like all of the different terminologies,” Brady said, via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “You’re going back a very long time in my career to really have to put the mental energy in like I did. I have to work at it pretty hard physically, still. I put a lot of time and energy into making sure I’m feeling good in order to perform at my best, but mentally I think that’s been the thing that’s obviously had its challenges.”

Falcons

• Falcons HC Dan Quinn said he has been impressed with how hard RB Brian Hill has worked in order to make improvements in the passing game. (Vaughn McClure)
• Quinn says that Darqueze Dennard will be featured both inside and outside at cornerback this season. (McClure)
• Quinn also mentions that he didn’t want to name a No. 2 running back and said the plan is to feature both Ito Smith and Brian Hill, adding that he will find a role for everyone. (Kelsey Conway)
• Vaughn McClure notes that CB Darqueze Dennard’s base salary in his one-year deal with the Falcons is worth $910,000.
• Falcons QB Matt Ryan has liked what he’s seen so far in terms of the team’s handling of training camp: “I think guys are excited to be back. I think the organization has done a great job of trying to make it as safe as possible for us up here. We’re all trying to do our part to make sure that the season happens.” (Michael Giardi)
• Ryan is among those who expect a big year from Calvin Ridley: “His attention to detail – to me, I think, is at another level than it’s been earlier in his career. That comes with experience. That comes with being comfortable…”

Panthers

Reports of Panthers’ OT Russell Okung‘s possible retirement due to the COVID situation have now been confirmed by his agent J.I. Halsell.

“While he strongly did consider opting out because he does have a sincere concern about protocols and what does this look like once we start getting into groups and physical contact & all those pieces, at the end of the day he felt like, ‘I’m committed to playing with the Panthers.'” Halsell said, via Joseph Person. “And if things start to go sideways in terms of virus cases and all those pieces, then, yeah, an option for him at that point is to walk away if he wants to remove himself from that situation.”