NFC Notes: Chris Godwin, Brian Burns, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

• Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles said WR Chris Godwin has been valuable as a leader and brings unquestioned work ethic to the organization: “Chris Godwin has meant everything to this franchise, from a leadership standpoint, from a work-ethic standpoint, from a making-plays standpoint, just from a culture standpoint. He does everything the right way… His work ethic is unquestioned and unmarveled. Great toughness, extremely smart player, can go in there and mix it up, can go outside and make plays, has great hands, very unselfish … He’s been a marvelous example of what a Tampa Bay Buccaneer is.” (Greg Auman)
• Buccaneers GM Jason Licht said they would like more depth behind RB Rachaad White: “We definitely would like to have more depth there, or the use of more depth there … to have a complementary back there – whether it’s Chase (Edmonds) or somebody else that could take a little bit of that load.” (Auman)
• Buccaneers GM Jason Licht talked about 2023 undrafted free agent RB Sean Tucker and the improvements they hope to see from him in year two: “He needs to take a big step.” (Greg Auman)

Falcons

• Falcons GM Terry Fontenot talked about the difficulties of finding a QB and made it evident Atlanta is still browsing for the best option: “It can be a veteran, it can be a young player…possible trades, the critical part is we get it right.” (JP Finlay)
• Fontenot pointed out that former Patriots HC Bill Belichick “was willing to work with the staff and be collaborative.” (Andrew Siciliano)
• New Falcons HC Raheem Morris talked about the QB situation and if he would consider Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield: “You know, obviously, when you talk about this, I won’t bring up names because I’m not going to tell (reporters) anything that I want to give him because he’ll let all you guys know but when you go into the process, you have everything open right?” (Rick Stroud)
• Morris continued: “We got so many avenues right now because we have free agency money. We have the ability to trade whether it be trading for a player with another team or would they be traded up or back in a draft. Each is really about having a different scenario that you want to have when you’re talking about the quarterback position. You got option A and you got option B and Option C you get option D and this year. There are a bunch of different options out there that you got to put through and it’s why I’ve surrounded myself with 19 quarterback coaches on my staff.” (Stroud)
• On last year’s QB play, Morris said: “If we had better QB play last year in Atlanta, I might not be standing here and they would have the ability to be talking about those things.” (Marc Raimondi)
• Morris also sounded confident about Atlanta’s chances next season: “I’m not afraid to say that we have the ability and we are capable to go out there and win next year if we [make] … some of the right moves, we can do that. And that’s not an arrogance, that’s not a cockiness.” (Raimondi)

Panthers

• David Newton cites multiple people he spoke to at the NFL Combine who say the Panthers are “focused” on either using their No. 33 overall pick or trading down. 

• Panthers new GM Dan Morgan told reporters at the Combine that “all options are on the table” as it pertains to impending free agent DE Brian Burns. (Darin Gantt)
• Morgan mentioned they are working through things with Burns and are willing to use the franchise tag as a last resort. (Mike Kaye)
• Morgan said that they intend to sign LB Frankie Luvu to an extension and highlighted his “dog mentality.” (Joe Person)
• As for DT Derrick Brown, Morgan said they have had discussions about an extension for him. 
• Morgan added that they plan to keep Ikem Ekwonu at left tackle: “He’s young. … He’s only going to get better and better.” (Joe Person)
• Clemson DE Xavier Thomas had a formal Combine interview with the Panthers. (David Newton)
• Washington DE Bralen Trice had formal Combine interviews with 12 teams including the Panthers. (David Newton)
• Florida State DL Braden Fiske had a formal Combine interview with the Panthers. (Justin Melo)