NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Bucs HC Bruce Arians said that the team’s priority this offseason will be re-signing as many of their players as possible, then adding from there. Arians said he doesn’t see the team rebuilding, but instead, “reloading.”

“Our [priority] in free agency will be our guys — see how many that we can get back and then build a team from there,” Arians said, via ESPN. “I always look forward to that part of it, and then the draft. Each year is so different and so new. Last year, to get everybody back was amazing. I doubt we can do it all again this year, but we’re sure going to give it our best.”

Bucs OL Ryan Jensen, who spent the past four years in Tampa Bay, expressed a desire to remain with the team.

“Obviously, I love it here, it’s home,” Jensen said. “We’ll see what happens and figure out what’s going on. For now, we have a little bit of time to figure things out and go forward with what’s going to happen.”

Falcons

Falcons OLB coach Ted Monachino has high expectations for 2021 fifth-round OLB Adetokunbo Ogundeji.

“Ade is an overachiever, which is huge. That’s a good trait,” Monachino said, via Michael Rothstein. “We all understand that there are people that meet expectations, people that overachieve, and people that underachieve. Ade is an overachiever and there are some measurables that he has been blessed with, there are some things from an experience standpoint that he’s still working on. I don’t have one, there’s not one situation that comes in a situation or in a game that I would be concerned to play Ade.”

Ogundeji said he is still learning how to play in the league.

“You get a lot of different perspectives of the game so I’m learning more, not just from my position but a lot of other positions, which is great to understand,” Ogundeji said. “In the position that we play, you have to learn not just what you do but what everybody else does.”

Panthers

• Lions GM Brad Holmes told reporters that the Panthers did have interest in QB Matthew Stafford before he was traded to the Rams: “He was very cooperative in the process.” (Eric Woodyard)

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett could make sense for the Panthers now that they’ve hired Ben McAdoo as offensive coordinator.
• As for targeting a high-end quarterback via trade, Breer thinks the perception that HC Matt Rhule could be on the hot seat won’t help their chances of landing one of them.
• Breer thinks it could make sense for Carolina to take a shot on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo.