NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

New Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles said the status of TE Rob Gronkowski and DT Ndamukong Suh is “up in the air right now.”

“It’s up in the air right now, but I feel OK about it,” Bowles said, via Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times. “There are still things to work out, and we’ll see what the draft brings and we’ll keep working with those guys, as well.”

Bowles mentioned that there are “a few kinks to work out” in terms of the team’s offseason, but he’d like to know if they’ll be back before this week’s draft “if possible.” 

Panthers

• NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe says he heard early on the Panthers weren’t interested in trading for Browns QB Baker Mayfield or 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo when they became available because of the price.
• However, the lack of interest in both has caused the price to come down and if the draft plays out a certain way, Wolfe notes the Panthers could trade for either veteran.
• Wolfe adds there isn’t a consensus on how to proceed with the draft yet among the Panthers’ top decision-makers. The team is very open to trading back and picking up more picks on Day 2.
• There is also a faction that wants to take an offensive tackle, with both Alabama’s Evan Neal and N.C. State’s Ikem Ekwonu high on their board. Others are ready to take a swing on a high-upside quarterback, perhaps Liberty’s Malik Willis. 

Saints

• The hearing initially scheduled for Monday in Saints RB Alvin Kamara‘s battery case has been moved to August, per Katelyn Newberg of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.