Buccaneers
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans revealed QB Tom Brady hinted to him about coming back right before the announcement was made officially.
“He texted me and he sent me an article where his ball sold for over 500 grand, the last touchdown that I threw in the stands against the Rams,” Evans said in an interview with Ari Alexander of KPRC in Houston. “He’s like, ‘That’s a lot of tuition money.’ I just laughed, and then I said, ‘To my defense I didn’t know that you were going to retire.’ He sent back a laughing emoji, saying, ‘There’s more touchdowns in our future.’ So I’m just thinking he’s trolling me. I don’t know what he’s talking about. So a few hours later, it’s announced that he’s coming back, and I was happy. I didn’t think he was really coming back. I thought he was just playing around.”
Falcons
- The Athletic’s Josh Kendall notes the Falcons plan to be intentional about monitoring RB Cordarrelle Patterson‘s usage after he wore down at the end of last season. Atlanta essentially gave him the spring off and added some other backs to share the load. Kendall thinks there’s a good chance someone besides Patterson leads the team in carries.
- That could be fifth-round RB Tyler Allgeier, per Kendall, who was compelling to Atlanta for his size and effectiveness after contact. Veteran free agent RB Damien Williams also is effective after contact and could provide another layer of insurance.
Panthers
Panthers WR D.J. Moore said new OC Ben McAdoo provides a better structure for them going into 2022 and thinks their system is “way better than previous years.”
“I feel like it’s a better, like, structure for us going into this year than previous years,” Moore said, via PanthersWire. “I could tell you a little something—the offense is way better than previous years. So we have a lot of upgraded weapons and calls that’ll help us out this year.”
Moore added that QB Sam Darnold has shown a lot of growth and is taking McAdoo’s system “full head-on.”
“Sam — I could see a growth in him already, from OTAs,” Moore said. “Ya know, everything has been hectic this offseason for him, in the news-wise—so with all the quarterbacks moving around. The way he just handled it, he was talking to everybody and was just so poised. And he came in and had to learn the new offense, he just took it full head-on. He’s been good with Ben and Sean [Ryan] with the quarterbacks and I haven’t seen no downward spiral for him. All upwards for him right now.”
- NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reports that despite trading for Browns QB Baker Mayfield, the Panthers intend to have a competition between him and Darnold for the starting job.
- The same thing was reiterated to ESPN’s David Newton and other local Panthers reporters.
- Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says this trade was about raising the floor for the Panthers at quarterback, as despite a rough 2021 season after getting hurt, Mayfield has put out some solid tape.
- He adds the Browns and Panthers went to their respective caps as far as how much money they were willing to take on in a deal and Mayfield’s pay cut covered the rest.
- Panthers WR Robbie Anderson commented negatively on an Instagram post earlier this offseason about a potential Mayfield trade. On Wednesday, he tweeted a video when he was asked about it and said he was just trying to support Darnold, adding: “I don’t have an issue with Baker stop tryna paint that narrative.”
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