NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers OC Dave Canales said the team will be flexible on offense, will utilize a lot of different personnel groupings and will ultimately adapt to their players.

“A lot more personnels, but then again it’s going to come down to who do we have? Who are our guys? Who are our players? That will give us the flexibility, right? I think as a coordinator, it’s about developing the scope,” Canales said, via Bucs Wire. “As long as you scope [and] what I mean is, how much can this group handle? This is not the Seahawks. This is not the Buccaneers of 2022. This is our new team, what scope can they handle? And then just do a little bit more so that we are not predictable and so that teams cannot just pick us apart.”

Canales said the team will scheme up ways to create advantages based on matchups.

“Anytime you reduce football to just being mano-y-mano ball, it’s just not smart football,” Canales said. “So, anything you can do to get a matchup, an advantageous matchup or to move a gain to gain access, we’ll do those things.”

Canales said their approach will change on a week-to-week basis and won’t try to force the run or the pass, but will rather go with what’s working.

“So, then what it comes down to is, you’ve got to have a great system, great coaching upfront to just get the play started, and a lot of what you do with having the play actions, the boots, the keepers [is] it just slows down the backside just enough to give a great player space and then ‘see you later.’ Some of those runs have come off of that but it’s also about the attitude, right?  Just knowing when to just pour it up in the dark crease and get that ugly two and three [yards] early on, and that becomes four and five, and then it becomes 12,” Canales said. “Being dogged in your commitment to being able to run the ball in any given situation and any given personnel. That being said, if the runs [are] not working, we’re going to throw it a little bit more, [and] if the pass isn’t working we’re going to run it a little bit more. There will be days, [where] if they’re not fitting the runs right, we’ll run the ball 40 times and there will be days where you’ve got a matchup outside with Mike [Evans] or Chris Godwin and we’re blocking them pretty [well] and we can throw for 400-plus yards. That’s happened in our past in Seattle, as well. It’s just like, ‘Do whatever it takes to win and above all, take care of the ball’. So, having that balance is critical and it’s not about establishing the run, it’s about establishing an attacking offense that makes you have to defend the run but also defend the pass. Then that’s when you become dangerous.”

• Canales told QB Kyle Trask that he should be ready to get the ball out quickly in his offense: “Life’s better that way when you do that. You’ve got these bears chasing you. If you don’t like bears chasing you, then get rid of the ham. And that’s the football.” (Greg Auman)

Panthers

• Panthers assistant HC and RBs coach Duce Staley believes using three running backs is the best approach for an offense, but adds Carolina’s running back position is “a car wreck,” via Joseph Person of The Athletic. 
• Staley said being an assistant head coach allows him to step into the head coach’s “shoes” and feels that has helped him over the past five years with the Eagles and Lions, per Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. 
• As for why he was drawn to Carolina, Staley said he wanted to work with HC Frank Reich in addition to being closer to his mom. 
• Staley feels it is important for the organization to re-sign RB D’Onta Foreman this offseason, but it’s up to GM Scott Fitterer: “Super high for me — but my last name ain’t Fitterer.” (Person)
• Evero mentioned OLB Brian Burns was one of the reasons he found the job attractive. (Person)
• Evero adds while LB Shaq Thompson‘s cap situation is above his pay grade, he admires him and believes he would fit well in his scheme. (Person)
• Evero had no previous relationship with new DB coach DeAngelo Hall but mentioned he has instant credibility through those who Evero does have a relationship with. (Mike Kaye)
• Panthers LS J.J. Jansen‘s one-year deal is worth a little over $1.3 million, including a $1.165 million base salary and a $152,500 signing bonus. The deal qualifies for the veteran salary benefit to count less against the cap and $400,000 of Jansen’s base salary is guaranteed. (Over The Cap) 

Saints

• According to Nick Underhill, Saints K Wil Lutz agreed to a new salary that lowers his cap number for 2023. 
• Mike Triplett notes Lutz’s contract is still a one-year deal and he will take a pay cut from his original $3.7 million salary for next season. However, Lutz’s deal also includes incentives going forward.