NFC Notes: Derrick Brown, Andy Dalton, Jason Licht, Buccaneers, Panthers

Buccaneers

The Buccaneers have had a busy offseason extending WR Mike Evans and QB Baker Mayfield, but two more key contributors have deals that expire after the 2024 season. Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht touched on where they stand regarding new deals with S Antoine Winfield and LT Tristan Wirfs.

“We’ve had really good discussions there,” Licht said, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “Once again, it’s like the same thing when we were at the combine talking about Baker [Mayfield] and Mike [Evans] and Lavonte [David]. We really want them here, we want them here long term, I think they want to be here long term. We’ve had a good track record with getting things done. I feel pretty good about things getting done.”

Panthers

Panthers DT Derrick Brown said he wasn’t overly concerned about being traded after the team dealt OLB Brian Burns this offseason.

“I didn’t really know what was going on in the offseason,” Brown said, via Panthers Wire. “Kinda just stayed away from it. Let my agent handle it. I spent the offseason doing what I normally do—being a dad and training. So when the opportunity came about and the contract talks started, then I was excited and then it got done.”

Panthers

Panthers’ veteran QB Andy Dalton thinks Bryce Young did well at handling adversity throughout his rookie season, especially after the team fired Frank Reich after 11 games. 

“Yeah, I thought he handled it well,” Dalton said, via the Jim Rome Show. “You know, he’s never in his life had a season like that and had to handle the adversity that he had to deal with. It was a tough year. And then you throw in losing your head coach after 11 games and changes on offense all the things that went into it, it was tough. So I think for him, I thought he handled it well, and I kept telling him, just stay the course.”

Dalton is confident Carolina improved this offseason by signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis and acquiring WR Diontae Johnson. 

“This thing is going to get better, it’s going to improve,” Dalton said. “And I think what we have done this offseason, bringing in some guys, bringing in a couple guards on the offensive line, you know, different things, trading for Diontae Johnson, I think it’s getting built the right way where, yeah, it’s going to set him up to have a better year.”