NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers RB Dare Ogunbowale says that QB Tom Brady is running the team’s workouts as if they were in a practice, and they’re running a lot of routes and doing plenty of learning. Brady is wasting no time preparing his new team for game situations.

“The way he runs our workouts, it’s like a practice,” Ogunbowale said, via Mike Florio of NBC Sports. “Instead of just telling us to run a dig [route] or something like that, he’s telling us the full play call. He’s doing his cadence as if we’re in a game. He’s doing adjustments, doing the hots and sights. With a guy like him, it’s really easy to kind of be building chemistry and emulating that whole practice environment.”

• Per ESPN’s Jenna Laine, Brady and other Buccaneers have continued to hold workouts despite the recommendation from the NFL Player’s Association for players to cease workouts until training camp. 
• The NFL, NFLPA and the Buccaneers organization are all aware of the continued workouts, with NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy giving the following statement: “Everyone associated with the NFL should follow the recommendations and guidelines of state and local authorities and medical experts, including the NFLPA. The league is working with the NFLPA to conclude the remaining protocols and finalize arrangements for the safe opening of training camps next month.”

Panthers

• Per the Athletic’s Joe Person, Panthers OC Joe Brady had high praise for offensive assistant DJ Mangas, who Brady has made sure to bring along at each of his past coaching stops. While Brady is seen as a rising coaching star, he says Mangas is every bit his equal: “I think DJ is going to be one of those coaches that everybody’s going to be wanting. The fact that I coached with him at William & Mary, coached him with LSU and now here at Carolina, it speaks to how I feel about DJ as not only a man but a coach.”
• Former NFL GM and analyst for the Athletic Michael Lombardi writes the most obvious question for the Panthers in 2020 is if they can improve their defense. 
• Lombardi adds the Panthers will need to replace 36 of the 53 sacks they had in 2020. 

Saints

• Nick Underhill writes that Saints WR Michael Thomas appears to have put on several pounds of muscle judging from his workout videos on social media. 
• Former NFL GM and analyst for the Athletic Michael Lombardi writes the most obvious question for the Saints in 2020 is whether QB Drew Brees will still be able to throw the ball deep to take advantage of the weapons they have on offense.