NFC Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Teams like the Falcons with established continuity on offense would seem to be better suited to weather the lack of on-field practice time this offseason. That hasn’t stopped QB Matt Ryan from organizing workouts with his players to try and gain every edge possible heading into 2020. Ryan says this work on timing and communication can pay off huge, even for a player like WR Calvin Ridley entering his third year in the system and eyeing a breakout season. 

“If you’re getting to the hashes on an in-cut before I’m ready to deliver the ball, when we have certain play-pass actions off it, you’re eliminating your chances of getting the ball,” Ryan said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “You’re also eliminating your chance of getting run after the catch, all those little things that turn a completion into an explosive completion, or a touchdown. We’ve had a lot of chances to talk about the little nuances that are gonna make us better.”

“That’s the development you can get with a guy now going into Year 3,” Ryan continued. “But you really can only get there if you have this extended amount of time, and this one-on-one venue to work at. He’s a guy I think could explode going into a year like this. He’s in phenomenal shape, he’s been running great and I think his grasp of the offense, and his mastery of our system is so much further along than it was last year.”

• Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes the Falcons are one of 11 teams where QB Colin Kaepernick would be a fit. 

Panthers

New Panthers RB coach Jeff Nixon was already familiar with his star RB Christian McCaffrey as an observer from afar. Nixon got to dig in more on McCaffrey after he was hired, and his biggest takeaway wasn’t McCaffrey’s rushing or receiving ability. In a year where McCaffrey became the third NFL player to ever have 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving, Nixon was blown away by his pass protection. 

“He is a tough, tough kid. Very few negative runs,” Nixon said via Myles Simmons of the team website. “He can pass protect, which is an underrated quality for a running back in the NFL because we’re going to throw the ball 60 to 65 percent of the time. You’ve got to be able to protect the quarterback, and Christian can do that.”

Saints

Saints LBs coach Michael Hodges says he’s been impressed with third-round LB Zack Baun‘s approach during the virtual offseason. 

“For him to approach what he’s been doing the way he has, I mean, I just know we got the right guy and that goes to our scouting department,” Hodges said, via Amie Just of Nola.com. “… When you talk about a makeup, this guy’s makeup is outstanding. And then from an intelligence standpoint, man, he approaches it the right way.”

Hodges added that they’re excited about taking advantage of Baun’s versatility, particularly as a pass rusher on third downs. 

“When we get to third down, that pass rush value, man, we’re going to try to leverage the hell out of it,” Hodges said, noting how the Saints do that with their safeties some, too. “We are going to do everything we can to put these guys in the best position week-to-week. And that may be a different spot from Game 1 to Game 3.” 

“Yeah, we love the flexibility of the player. That was one of the things that was the most intriguing to us about him. There’s a vision for this guy being able to move around and do some different things for us,” Hodges added.