NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

• The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reports Buccaneers QB Tom Brady‘s recovery from knee surgery required the “entire offseason.”  
• Howe mentions that Brady followed a “detailed rehabilitation” regimen in order to be ready for Thursday Night’s Week 1 game against the Cowboys.
• Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians said S Jordan Whitehead (hamstring) is about “90 percent” recovered from his injury and could be available for Week 1: “He’s looking really, really good. It’s probably about 90 percent right now. Hopefully, we can get him back with these three more (off) days and have him practicing next week.”  (Rick Stroud)
• Arians said they are waiting to determine a timetable of recovery for CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (elbow) after his initial x-rays came back negative. (Greg Auman)
• Arians called Buccaneers’ veteran RB Giovani Bernard their third-down and two-minute drill running back: “He’s our third-down back and our two-minute back.” (Jenna Laine)

Falcons

• Falcons HC Arthur Smith officially named RB Mike Davis their starter but wouldn’t comment on the backup quarterback situation. (D. Orlando Ledbetter)

Panthers

Panthers’ QB Sam Darnold says he didn’t play up to the best of his abilities when asked if his struggles in New York were due to the lack of playmakers and receivers.

“I didn’t do my job, to the best of my ability,” Darnold said, via PanthersWire.com. “I think that’s really all there is to it. I don’t know if I have any regrets. Obviously, things didn’t go our way. Wish we would’ve won more games. I think that’s pretty obvious. But I met a lot of great people in New York, have a lot of great friends there still with the organization. So, yeah, I don’t regret anything.”

• Jets’ HC Robert Saleh said during a press conference on Thursday that the decision to trade QB Sam Darnold to the Panthers was due to GM Scott Fitterer making Jets’ GM Joe Douglas an offer he could not refuse, and had he not made the offer there is a chance that Darnold would still be with New York.