NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Saints

Buccaneers

Adam Schefter reports that “at least two” Buccaneers’ players have tested positive for COVID-19. This comes shortly after one Tampa Bay coach was infected, which led to two assistants being quarantined earlier this week.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released a statement that they will refrain from releasing the names of individuals affected by the virus:

“The names of those impacted, as well as any additional information related to these incidents, will not be released due to privacy concerns.”

• Jenna Laine of ESPN says that while Jets S Jamal Adams is interested in playing for the Buccaneers and has a close relationship with DC Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay is unable to afford the more than $20 million per year that Adams is reportedly seeking.

Falcons

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff still has high expectations for his team entering the 2020 season, even though Atlanta lost several good players including RB Devonta Freeman, LB De’Vondre Campbell, LB Vic Beasley, and TE Austin Hooper.

“I do believe this is a very talented football team,” Dimitroff said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We need to continue to grow together as a football team. We need to continue to be consistent and work through things together…”I think we accomplished what we wanted to accomplish and needed to accomplish in free agency. It was something that I was encouraged by as well. It gave us a bigger opportunity in the draft because we were able to acquire a rush end, as well as a tight end, as well as a running back that (will) be really important, significant contributors for us. It allowed to pull back a little bit more, be more creative, and be open in the draft. That was really, really big for us.”

Saints

When asked about the status of Saints RB Alvin Kamara (knee, back, ankle), RBs coach Joel Thomas said the running back is eager to have a “better season” in 2020. 

“He wants to put forward a better season than he put forward last year, plain and simple,” Thomas said, via Luke Johnson of The New Orleans Advocate. “That’s the true sign of a competitor: Are they happy with what last season was, or do they want to keep getting better? I know in his heart and his mind that what he put out there wasn’t 100% him all the time as far as his best football.”

Thomas reiterated that Kamara “wasn’t 100 percent” throughout 2020 but was still able to play. 

“He’s the only one that knows exactly what he went through, but I know this, he wasn’t 100 percent the entire season,” Thomas said. “There was a point where, whether it was a back, a knee, an ankle, whatever it was, he battled through it the best he could.”