Buccaneers
Buccaneers S Miles Killebrew signed on with Tampa Bay as a free agent this offseason following his time with the Steelers. Killebrew said that ST coordinator Danny Smith, who also came from Pittsburgh, was a “giant factor” in his decision to join the team.
“I would say a giant factor,” Killebrew said, via Gabriel Kahaian of the team’s site. “He was my coach for a number of years in Pittsburgh. We have a pretty strong relationship. I know what he expects out there on the field and so when he made the move down here, I saw in my forecast sunny skies.”
Killebrew said that he takes special teams “very seriously,” and there’s no question that he will contribute to the unit.
“I take it very seriously,” Killebrew said. “I know how my bread is buttered. I am not here to be the franchise quarterback. I am here to play special teams, no doubt. I know the language that they speak, I can reiterate it. Danny is really big on multiple voices, same message. I know what he is looking for.”
Killebrew called special teams the “purest form of the game.”
“In my opinion, I think it [special teams] is the purest form of the game,” Killebrew said. “I think a punt is the best play in the game. I think it’s critical… I know that games can be won or lost on the back of special teams, so I want to do everything I can in my power to benefit this awesome organization and get some wins.”
Falcons
Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa shared his thoughts on the quarterback battle between him and QB Michael Penix.
“I think competition is gonna be there whether it is said or whether it’s not said,” Tagovailoa said, via Falcons Wire. “This is the NFL. You’re either coming out there to compete or you’re not. I think we’ve all been in this league for some time to know this isn’t something you can walk through. This is something that whether it’s in the meeting room, we’ve all got to take our job serious and whatever capacity we can do it – I look at it all as competition.”
Saints
Veteran Saints DE Cameron Jordan is back for his 16th season with the team and spoke about the team’s wide receiver depth, also joking that he plans to have statistics similar to the ones DE Myles Garrett had in what will be his final NFL season.
“I liked how we finished last year,” Jordan said, via NFL.com. “I like the way Tyler Shough progressed last year. And then you add in the draft class they just had with Jordyn Tyson there, you add in they picked up a guard (free-agent signee David Edwards ). There’s elements. You look at that wide receiver room, you’ve got Chris Olave , you’ve got Devaughn Vele , you’ve got Jordyn Tyson, you’ve got a myriad of guys like Ja’Lynn Polk and Trey Palmer and all these dogs. The depth is there that we may not have had last year. You look at the tight end spot with Juwan Johnson , you know, we go pick up a tight end ( Oscar Delp ) in the draft. I think the Saints’ draft this year was excellent if they live up to what they should do.”
“Year 16 is going to be phenomenal for sure,” Jordan laughed. “I’m going to try to get me a good Myles Garrett 22.5, 23 (sacks), but even if all I do is be a coach, a mentor to my guys, there is nothing that is going to take away from my will and want for the black and gold to win a Super Bowl. That’s in whatever capacity, but I’m giving it all. I’m squeezing every game like it’s my last play I’m ever going to take. Just like I did the first snap, just like I’ll do the last snap. The passion I have for this game never stops.”
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