NFC Notes: Falcons, Lions, Panthers

Falcons

Regarding his new record-breaking extension, Falcons QB Matt Ryan told reporters on Monday that both parties wanted to get a deal in place before the start of training camp.

“I think it was for both sides wanting to try and get it done, and be able to have the focus on football when we got to training camp, for sure,” Ryan said, via NFL.com. “I think the organization is very happy with the timing of it, and certainly when we get back to training camp it’s 100 percent about football and even this morning, it’s 100 percent about football. I always felt confident that it was going to get done in a smooth way and in a timely manner, and I feel like it did.”

• Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said Monday that they are still looking for more defensive line help in free agency, but they won’t add someone just to add someone to their roster. (Knox Bardeen)
• Dimitroff stressed that any addition would have to be a scheme fit for them.

Lions

• The Lions have added Brian Hudspeth to the scouting staff on Monday, according to Justin Rogers.

Panthers

New Panthers RB C.J. Anderson mentioned that the team’s ground and pound approach to their running game “definitely fits [his] style and my game.”

Anderson added that he believes he will be a good compliment to Christian McCaffrey in the Panthers’ backfield.

“As far as ground and pound, the “Keep Pounding” slogan that Carolina likes to [use], the ground and pound game I think fits [me] well,” Anderson said, via the Charlotte Observer. “Breaking tackles and finding ways to use that to make long runs and bigger plays, also catching the ball out of the backfield, too. But having a guy like McCaffrey, who’s super shifty and also can do some of the same things, it can be a great complementary [relationship] with each other.”