Buccaneers
- Buccaneers LB Lavonte David said he was not interested in leaving Tampa Bay: “I didn’t want to go nowhere. I have a legacy here I’m trying to chase. I’m just trying to win more Super Bowls.” (Greg Auman)
- David’s two-year, $25 million deal includes $20 million guaranteed and he’s owed $6 million on the fifth day of the new league year. His $1.075 million base salary for 2021 is guaranteed, while he’s owed $7.5 million of his $12.5 million 2022 base salary guaranteed for injury. He has another $5 million guaranteed for skill, and will receive another $2.5 million on the fifth day of the 2022 league year. (Aaron Wilson)
- Auman reports that the Buccaneers have not reached out to Mike Evans to further restructure his contract this offseason.
- Auman points out that Evans already converted $17.5 million from his base salary over the last two years into bonuses, meaning Tampa Bay likely wants to avoid pushing too much money into future years.
- Florida K Evan McPherson has been in contact with the Buccaneers. (Justin Melo)
Panthers
The Athletic’s Joe Person points out that Panthers GM Scott Fitterer didn’t mention pending free-agent LT Russell Okung when discussing Carolina’s plans for the position, hinting he won’t be back. Fitterer did mention Trenton Scott, Greg Little, and Dennis Daley.
“(Scott) played well when he had an opportunity last year,” Fitterer said. “Daley played well when he had an opportunity. We’d like to see Little step up and provide competition at that spot. Obviously, the draft has quite a few tackles in it, as well. As of right now, the more competition we can bring in to that position, the better.”
- Panthers’ HC Matt Rhule praised pending free-agent TE Chris Manhertz, calling him one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. Person thinks Carolina will try to add a pass-catching option, though.
- Panthers 2020 second-round LB Jeremy Chinn could move to safety now that Tre Boston has been released but Person says it depends on what other moves Carolina makes this offseason.
Saints
Saints RB Ty Montgomery was seldom used for most of the 2020 season. But he got a chance to be the feature back in Week 17 and showed out with 105 yards rushing on 18 carries in a win against the Panthers. It was enough for the Saints to offer him a tidbit of their precious cap space and Montgomery was thrilled to run it back in New Orleans.
“I think I went out and showed that I can still play, (and) I belong in this league,” Montgomery said via Luke Johnson of NOLA.com. “ … I definitely think there’s more that I can show. That game I was just getting the ball, getting downhill.”
“(New Orleans is) just a place where I feel like I can really thrive,” Montgomery added. “It’s a place I want to be.”
- Mike Triplett of ESPN mentions that some other players the Saints could consider trading, releasing, or restructuring this offseason include CB Patrick Robinson and RB Latavius Murray.
- San Diego State CB Darren Hall has met recently with the Saints. (Justin Melo)
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