NFC Notes: Dave Canales, Spencer Rattler, Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers first-round OL Graham Barton played his final seasons at LT in college but is opening camp as the team’s starting center. Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht isn’t worried about Barton’s snap struggles and has faith he’ll figure it out by the start of the season.

“He’s had a handful that he’d probably like to have back, but not that many,” Licht said, via the Ira Kaufman podcast. “Nothing that can’t be fixed. He’s very good at it. . . . By Week One, I promise you he’s going to be in a different place.”

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Buccaneers worked out RT Nolan Potter, RG Ryan Johnson, OT Tyler Smith, and OT Jack Wilson.

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales brings a brand new offense to Carolina this season which comes with an extended learning curve in camp. Canales knows they aren’t a finished product but he likes where they’re headed. 

“He’s showing all those things. But I still think, just in terms of getting our group polished, we’re not there yet,” Canales said, via Anthony Rizzuti of the Panthers Wire. “We still have strides to make as an offense as a whole. I want for all of our groups, particularly our first group, to be able to function so it just looks like a really fine-tuned machine. And we’re not quite there right now in that regard. But I love the understanding that we have right now with our concepts.”

Saints

Saints fifth-round QB Spencer Rattler is in a camp battle with QB Jake Haener for the backup job behind QB Derek Carr. New Orleans HC Dennis Allen noted Rattler’s steady improvement and his beaming confidence. 

“I think he’s improving every day,” Allen said, via John DeShazier of the team’s website. “There’s still some things that he’s doing: Just understanding how to play within the scheme of the offense, how to get through your progressions, knowing how to listen to your feet, when to take your chances down the field, when it’s time to check the ball down — all those things are pretty good learning experiences.”

“I wanted to put him in a situation [Monday in practice], fourth-and-five, we’re in a move-the-ball situation see if he could execute and make a play. And he did. He made a hell of a throw on the out route to get the first down in that situation. So I see some of that confidence, which I think is good at the quarterback position, and yet there’s some times where I think we’ve got to pull the reins back just a little bit.”