NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

• Bucs QB Tom Brady is locked in and focused on the team’s playoff game this weekend: “I don’t do anything extra this week,” Brady said. “I just want to do football. That’s all I want to do, prepare and get ready. That’s how we should all approach it. This isn’t the time for the trips to the movie theaters. This is the time to lock in on football. This is all we have, three days left and then we’ve got to earn more. Look at it like that, everything, you can put off until the end of the year, and we hope the end of the year isn’t Sunday. But you have to earn it.” (PFT)
• Dan Graziano reports that if Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich secures a head-coaching job this offseason, he could take Buccaneers LBs coach Larry Foote with him as his defensive coordinator.
• Buccaneers RB Ronald Jones is expected to miss round two of the playoffs along with WR Breshad Perriman who has a “torn muscle in his side”. (Rick Stroud)
• Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs practiced with a taped ankle on Friday after struggling mightily to play while injured last week against the Eagles. (Jenna Laine)
   

Panthers

• Joseph Person of The Athletic believes that new Panthers OC Ben McAdoo was likely the most experienced candidate for the job, along with former Washington HC Jay Gruden.
• Person now expects the Panthers to resume trade talks with Houston for QB Deshaun Watson, as GM Scott Fitterer likely doesn’t have the draft capital to land a top quarterback this year and would need to package picks to acquire Watson.
• One potential trade candidate by the Panthers would be CB A.J. Bouye, who Person notes could be dealt for a late-round pick instead of being a cap casualty.
• When it comes to LB Haason Reddick, Person thinks he could find himself in search of a new team should the Panthers choose to spend heavily at quarterback and on the offensive line.
• According to Person, the team may look to slide OL Brady Christensen back to guard from offensive tackle and look to select an offensive tackle in the draft.

• Regarding the Panthers’ offensive coordinator search, Jeremy Fowler reports that Colts running backs coach Scottie Montgomery and former Washington HC Jay Gruden are the current finalists for the job, but more names could be added to the list.
• Fowler adds that Carolina is taking its time, so it’s possible the job is not finalized this week.

Saints

• Katherine Terrell of The Athletic thinks that the Saints’ top priority this offseason should be quarterback, with a close second being a wide receiver.
• Saints CB Bradley Roby is the only player who Terrell sees as a cap casualty, due to his $10 million salary and the emergence of CB Paulson Adebo.