NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

• Per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles‘ familiarity with DT Steve McLendon from their shared time with the Jets should help ease McLendon’s in-season switch: “Anytime you can get a good player, you want to get him.”
• The Buccaneers are working out DBs Nate Brooks, Stephen Denmark, D’Cota Dixon, and Chris Miller. (Aaron Wilson)
• Buccaneers re-signed WR John Hurst to their practice squad. (NFLTR)
• Buccaneers released WR Isaac Whitney from their practice squad.

Falcons

The Falcons have a lot of work to do to reshape their roster back into contending status. But that work won’t begin ahead of the NFL’s pending trade deadline, as team president Rich McKay explained they will let the new general manager and head coach make the key decisions on the roster once they’re hired after the season. 

“You can’t begin to look at the roster in that way and try to tie the hands of the next people who are going to lead this franchise, the head coach and the general manager,” McKay said via the Athletic’s Tori McElhaney. “They’ll make those determinations. We are all disappointed that we are sitting here right now at 0-5 with this roster (now, 1-5). No question. But we have a lot of good football players. They will determine what mix of those players should stay on the roster going forward. I am not the one who is going to answer that question for them.”

• ESPN’s Sarah Barshop lists Falcons C Alex Mack as a potential trade candidate, as Atlanta could stand to shed some salary from a player in the final year of his deal and Mack is still playing at a high enough level to garner interest. 

Panthers

• ESPN’s David Newton lists Panthers LB Tahir Whitehead as a potential trade candidate, though Newton acknowledges there might not be any suitors. 
• Panthers DC Phil Snow said second-round S Jeremy Chinn could take more snaps in a deep role to replace S Juston Burris. Chinn has learned a number of different positions but has primarily played linebacker. (Myles Simmons)

Saints

• ESPN’s Mike Triplett lists Saints QB Jameis Winston as a potential trade candidate for teams looking for an upgrade the rest of the season. 
• Saints WR Michael Thomas tweaked his hamstring in practice this week as he tries to work his way back from a high ankle sprain in Week 1. (Tom Pelissero)
• Saints signed DE Will Clarke to their practice squad. (NFLTR)