Buccaneers

Buccaneers WR Sterling Shepard is now in the 10th year of his career and is referred to as “Unc” around Tampa Bay’s locker room. Shepard reflected on being the young receiver when he was drafted by the Giants, saying the time has flown by. 

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, so I take it, but it’s weird, because I used to call Victor Cruz and all those guys ‘Unc,’” Shepard said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “Eli Manning, I called him ‘OG’ I played with all those guys. But when you’re their age, they would tell me, ‘It comes in the blink of an eye,’ and it sure does.”

Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield said Shepard is someone he can “lean on.” 

“Shep is just ‘old reliable,’” Mayfield said. “He’s my crazy lunatic that I continue to lean on.”

Shepard had four receptions for 80 yards in Tampa Bay’s 29-27 win over the Jets, including a 24-yard reception that set up a touchdown to Mike Evans. Shepard understands he isn’t the first read in their offense, but has developed a great connection with Mayfield. 

“It was funny, because I came back to the sidelines and (Mayfield) said, ‘I locked eyes with you, and I already knew what you were going to do,’” Shepard said. “Yeah, that’s kind of the connection we’ve always had. I’m not the first read on too many plays. Most of the time, it starts with Mike, depending on the coverage. But plays break down a lot, and Baker is one of those quarterbacks who is going to use his feet but he’s going to look to throw as he’s running. I just try to get into his vision and be somewhere he can throw the ball up if he has to, and it’s been working well.”

Panthers

• Panthers first-round WR Tetairoa McMillan should be available to play Sunday. However, WR Xavier Leggette is questionable. (David Newton)
• Panthers WR Jalen Coker is still week to week, per HC Dave Canales. He’s eligible to have his 21-day practice window activated next week. (Mike Kaye)

Saints

Saints DC Brandon Staley highly praised DE Cameron Jordan for consistently showing up to do extra workouts at the team facility despite being a veteran. 

“I can see him … in a workout in our facility and he’s out there running laps as a D-lineman,” Staley said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN. “I mean he’s running extra, in sweats, in the Metairie heat, the Louisiana heat and he’s always doing extra.”

Saints LB Demario Davis is another veteran who does extra work, saying his passion for the game drives him to stay sharp and conditioned. 

“I think I heard very early on ‘Do what you love and love what you do,’ and I think when you have something that you enjoy doing and it’s a passion for you, you don’t have to have an alarm clock to remind you to be there,” Davis said. “So, you’re constantly working. There’s a drive and ambition to attain something or achieve something and you just lock in your goal. Whatever it takes.”

Staley said both players are “wired to their routine” and provide a great example to their younger teammates. 

“They’re just so wired to their routine, and I think that you see it by how they play and their durability,” Staley said. “And I think it’s a great example for our whole team because they see that, they see why these guys have been able to play so long, not just their God-given engineering, it’s what they’re putting into the game. And I do think that they sacrifice so that they can play.”