Buccaneers
- The Buccaneers signed QB Jake Browning to a one-year, $1.332 million deal that includes $400,000 fully guaranteed and a $1.145 million salary. (Wilson)
- The Buccaneers signed DT A’Shawn Robinson to a one-year, $10 million deal that includes $9.15 million fully guaranteed and a $3.15 million salary. (Wilson)
Falcons
Falcons TE Austin Hooper said it was an “easy decision” to reunite with HC Kevin Stefanski and return home to Atlanta.
“Understanding his style, his philosophy, his approach, the way he leads his team,” Hooper said, via the team’s website. “Also, the way he makes sure that his entire staff as a whole is on the same page and able to articulate the same message to the players, he does a phenomenal job.”
Hooper found humor in the fact that former QB Matt Ryan is now in an executive position within the organization.
“This man went from throwing me touchdowns to now it’s like, ‘Hi, Mr. President,’” Hooper said with a laugh. “But nah, he’s still Matt.”
Hooper added that Ryan’s ability to communicate is what will make him grow into a leadership role off the field.
“What I think will really allow him to succeed in this role will be the same type of deal that helped him succeed as being one of the best passers in the history of the game,” Hooper explained. “His ability to articulate to the people around him what he needs, and his work ethic. He’s not going to stop until he gets something right. That’s one thing I know about Matt. I don’t see him changing what made him such a great player and those core philosophies that helped him reach such heights. I don’t see him all of a sudden trying to do something new as the president. I think that fire, that competition, that attention to detail will still be there.”
Panthers
Panthers pass rusher Jaelan Phillips was a big free-agent signing for the team and was asked how he would fit into the 3-4 scheme under DC Ejiro Evero.
“I’ve played a lot in 3-4s,” Phillips told the team website. “I definitely can say that I’m versatile in the sense that I can get down to the 3 (technique), I can play the edge. I can walk out in coverage. I can drop back to the inside backer if I need to. I’ve done a lot of things in a lot of different defenses. I think that’s kind of one of the fortunate things that I’ve had different coordinators with different teams, different position coaches, stuff like that. So, I’ve had a lot of experience and been involved in a lot of different systems, so I think that I can definitely contribute in that sense of just being versatile and allowing the defense to be able to be multiple because you don’t have to worry about my position.”
“The one thing I know about myself is I’m going to get after the quarterback,” Phillips noted. “I’m going to affect him. I’m going to get my hand in his face. I’m going to take the tackle back into him. I think for me, I’m excited about expanding my game and really getting that finishing aspect and turning a lot of the disruption into production.”
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