NFC Notes: Grady Jarrett, Antoine Winfield Jr., Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield Jr. set his goal in 2023 to be the highest-paid safety in the league.

“Highest paid,” Winfield said, via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “Highest paid this year. Mark my words. I’m going to come back to this video and be like, ‘I did it.’ I’ll probably shed a tear because on this work that we put there right now, we’re going to make it happen. … The power of the tongue. You’ve got to speak it into existence. All-Pro, highest paid. All-Pro, highest paid. All-Pro, highest paid. And eventually it’s going to become reality.”

After reaching his goal just one year later, Winfield reflected on hearing the news from his agent.

“My goal coming in was to be the highest-paid safety. And then my agent [David Mulugheta] called, and when he went over the details, I was like, ‘Wow.'”

Falcons

Falcons DL coach Jay Rodgers said veteran DT Grady Jarrett still commands respect around the locker room despite missing time as he recovers from a knee injury.

“He’s an alpha,” Rodgers said, via Tori McElheney of the team’s site. “He has earned the respect of everybody in the organization and in the league.”

Falcons HC Raheem Morris thinks Jarrett’s veteran presence is important for the team. 

“That presence is really special when you have that in that room,” Morris said.

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales is very pleased with how QB Bryce Young has responded throughout the early stages of offseason workouts. 

“He’s doing fantastic with it,” Canales said, via ESPN’s David Newton. “So, for us the formations are pretty vanilla so we can just teach the concept we want out of each route, the depth, the footwork we want. As I expect him to do, he’s really mastered that part of it.”

• Canales said RB Miles Sanders has been dealing with a minor heel issue. (Darin Gantt)
• Canales also mentioned DE D.J. Wonnum has had some complications from his quadriceps surgery. (Joe Person)