NFC Notes: Derrick Brown, Kirk Cousins, Alvin Kamara, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Falcons HC Raheem Morris believes QB Kirk Cousins is healthy after struggling during his debut with Atlanta.

“I feel like Kirk is healthy,” Morris said, via ESPN. “He’s been healthy since he’s been here.”

Morris believes that Cousins’ struggles likely had to do with him wearing off rust.

“With Kirk being here, we’ve been doing the same thing since he’s been here, and that’s how we’ve planned on playing and we’ve played that way throughout,” Morris said. “We’ve played that way for a minute, and we’ve done a bunch of different things in our case and everything we’re going to do is figuring out how to win this football game. And that was the plan to go out there and win the football game.”

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales didn’t undersell what the loss of DT Derrick Brown means to the team while saying that others will need to step up and fill the void left by him.

“Definitely a huge loss,’’ Canales said, via PFT. “He’s one of our best players. That’s big shoes to fill. At the same time, we encourage [other players to] go in with great technique and just do your job. We don’t need you to make the special plays that Derrick makes. Just do your job. That’s the truth of it. If you play team football with a bunch of guys you can have success.’’

Saints

Saints RB Alvin Kamara has started the 2024 season without a contract extension despite rumblings all season that he was looking for a new deal. Kamara isn’t focused on his contract situation and he discussed why he wants to show up every day whether he has a new deal or not.

“I’m not worried about it. I’m here to play. I’m going to play. I’m going to perform. I don’t got no illness. I don’t got no mystery injury. I’m here. You know what I’m saying? I’m going to play, I’m going to perform, I’m going to be here with my teammates, coaches,” Kamara said, via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “Outside of all that, I think the most important thing, I mean, I love this city right? I love the fans. I love these people. They support me. They’ve been supporting me for years now, right?”

“For me, in my head, it would be kind of selfish to not go out there. I mean, I interact with so many people every day. These people love me like I’m family. I feel the same way and vice versa. I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t come out here and try to put on for those people that have been supporting me.”

Kamara explained how he doesn’t want to be a distraction for the team in the middle of the season.

“It didn’t get done. Like I said, it is what it is. It may get done, it might not get done. I’m just focused on football right now, so I don’t want to talk contract at all. I’ve never wanted to be the center of attention on anything, on any front right? I don’t want to be sitting here trying to negotiate a contract while we’re trying to win games, while we’re trying to get to a Super Bowl. And I meant it when I said it the other day, we’ll talk about it after the season.”