NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers LB Lavonte David is close with new HC Todd Bowles and is excited about him taking over this season.

“I love it. I love the move. It’s a great thing, just putting the right guy in front,” David said, via Greg Auman of TheAthletic.com. “I think everybody’s going to love him, everybody’s going to get along with him. I talked to him, he said, ‘You guys, the defensive guys, know me already.’ You won’t get bad words from anybody talking about Bowles. Coach Bowles is a great dude, a team-first guy, he’s a player-first guy. It’s just going to give the opportunity to the offense, throughout this process, for guys on the offense to get to learn and get to know him. I’m sure it’s going to be a great thing. I’m very happy for him. If it wasn’t here, eventually it was going to be somewhere else. But definitely, a guy who you definitely want to go out there and play hard for, for a full four-quarters, full football game.”

• David says he was around 60 percent healthy last year due to his foot injury and looks forward to returning fully healthy this season. (Greg Auman)
• The Buccaneers used the veteran salary benefit to re-sign DL Pat O’Connor to a one-year deal worth a minimum of $1.035 million with a base salary of $350,000 guaranteed, a $100,000 roster bonus, and another $52,500 roster bonus if he’s on the roster for Week 1 of the 2022 season. (Auman)
• The Buccaneers have a top 30 visit scheduled with Arizona State RB Rachaad White. (Justin Melo)

Panthers

• NFL Media’s Peter Schrager says not to rule out Ole Miss QB Matt Corral as the pick for the Panthers at No. 6 overall even though Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett is connected to them more often. 
• Alabama RB Brian Robinson has a top 30 visit scheduled with the Panthers. (Josh Norris)
• The Panthers will host Wake Forest WR Jaquarii Roberson for a pre-draft visit. (Ryan Fowler)
• Toledo CB Samuel Womack had a private workout with the Panthers. (Tony Pauline)

Saints

• Jordan Schultz says leagues sources tell him the Saints could consider trading up for a quarterback they are high on such as Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett or Liberty’s Malik Willis. They have picks No. 16 and No. 19 and could package them together.
• NewOrleansDotFootball’s Nick Underhill doesn’t dismiss the idea outright but he says he would be surprised if the Saints end up trading up for a quarterback on draft night. 
• Toledo CB Samuel Womack had a private workout with the Saints. (Tony Pauline)