NFC Notes: Derrick Brown, Kyle Pitts, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Buccaneers hosted 10 players for workouts including LS Tucker Addington, DL Deslin Alexandre, DT Eric Banks, K Tanner Brown, OL Henry Byrd, LS Evan Deckers, S Anthony Johnson, DE Jeremiah Martin, LS Matt Overton, and DL Lwal Uguak.
• Greg Auman reports Tampa Bay re-signed CB Keenan Isaac to their practice squad.

Falcons

Falcons TEs coach Justin Peelle feels TE Kyle Pitts is proving to be a better player now than when he was a rookie given he’s learned what it takes to be a professional. 

“In my mind, I still say that he’s a better football player right now than he was his rookie year,” Peelle said, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN. “Just with the experience and then becoming an NFL professional and all those things that come with it.”

Pitts often lines up in multiple different spots in Atlanta’s offense. Falcons OLB Bud Dupree commented that he views Pitts as a receiver instead of a tight end. 

“He’s a receiver,” Dupree said. “Definitely should be a receiver.”

Pitts is currently in the third year of his contract and would make $10.561 million under the fifth-year option as a tight end instead of an estimated $19.398 million as a receiver. Falcons DE Calais Campbell, who is vice president of the NFLPA executive committee, believes tight ends should be paid like receivers if they are producing in receiver roles, similar to Pitts. 

“If a tight end is lined up in the slot receiver spot, he should get paid that kind of money because that’s the production he’s bringing,” Campbell said. “Because it really should be based off my production, and how well I’m playing should designate where my tag should be.”

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Falcons hosted three players for workouts including OL Grant Miller, OL Kendall Randolph, and OT Ryan Swoboda.

Panthers

Despite his team only winning one game so far this season, Panthers DT Derrick Brown feels he can single-handedly disrupt games for opposing quarterbacks and feels he still has a role to play even though Carolina is in last place.

“You can look at the sacks. You can look at the pressures. I don’t really care,” Brown said, via Joseph Person of The Athletic. “If you don’t see I’m a game-wrecker, then I don’t know what to tell you. It’s been a wild ride this year. I’ve played a lot of plays and just tried to do everything I could for this defense. Going into a new system, it was different. Played a little bit of it in college, but clearly different how the coaches teach it. But it’s been exciting for me.”

“I see it as even though we don’t play with a lead, you’ve still gotta be able to affect (the passer),” Brown added. “Right now my role is pushing guys back into the quarterback,” he added. “Three-step drop, quick outs, quick slants — that’s what we’re seeing. Everybody plays us like third-and-medium. … We get dropback every now and again, but it’s tough. I look at it as I’m a grown man; I’ve got a family to feed. I love these guys I play with. So no matter when things are going wrong, you’ve gotta keep climbing the mountain. They say eventually you get to the top. Hopefully, we get to see a little more success by the end of the year.”

• Aaron Wilson reports the Panthers signed TE Chris Pierce to their practice squad.