NFC Notes: Jaycee Horn, Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers OT Tristan Wirfs said he has “very high expectations” of himself as he converts to left tackle from playing the opposite side. 

“I have very high expectations of myself. I don’t want to let anybody else down, so it’s just doing my best to keep those thoughts positive, to kind of just take every day as an opportunity to get better. I think about that all day, every day,” said Wirfs, via Greg Auman of Fox Sports. 

Wirfs mentioned there are certain nuances to playing the left side compared to how he executed things at right tackle. 

“I’ve had thousands of reps on the right side, and I’m going in as a newborn baby on the left,” said Wirfs. “It’s all different. It’s so similar. You’re doing the same stuff, but it’s all flipped.”

Falcons

The addition of S Jessie Bates to a massive free agent deal likely pushed Falcons S Jaylinn Hawkins out of the starting lineup going into the last year of his rookie deal. That’s not what Hawkins is focused on right now, though. 

“It just allows us to go out there and play to our strengths,” Hawkins said via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “(It) allows everyone to do what they do best. Additions to the defense (are) always good. It’s only going to benefit the team.”

“We are just out here working,” Hawkins also noted. “With the addition of Jessie, it’s been great. It’s good to have a very, very good safety back there and learn from him. We all learn from each other. We are just trying to grow every day. It’s good to have a room like that.”

• The Falcons are moving LG Jalen Mayfield back to right tackle, as he spent the previous season on injured reserve. (D. Orlando Ledbetter)

Panthers

Panthers HC Frank Reich isn’t too concerned with CB Jaycee Horn‘s injury and doesn’t believe he’ll be forced out for an extended period of time.

“Not concerned,” he said, via Panthers Wire. “This offseason, obviously, with CJ [Henderson] not takin’ some reps and Donte [Jackson] not takin’ reps—so our secondary guys got a lot of work. This injury to Jaycee, thankfully, it’s a non-surgical injury—and so he should be ready for training camp. But I love the work our secondary’s done. Gives us a lot of confidence in our guys.”

• The Carolina Panthers promoted Cole Spencer to director of player personnel and Jared Kirksey to college scouting director, according to Aaron Wilson.