NFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Bryce Young, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers GM Jason Licht issued a statement regarding the team officially re-signing WR Mike Evans to a two-year deal.

“The first 10 years of Mike’s time in Tampa have been truly unprecedented and we look forward to seeing him continue to break records and add to his legendary career as a Buccaneer,” Licht said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “Mike is a special player who has made a lasting impact on this franchise and in our community. As great as he’s been on the field, Mike and his wife, Ashli, have had an even bigger effect in the Tampa Bay area through all their charitable work. He is crucial to our team success and exemplifies everything we want our players to be.”

Falcons

New Falcons QB Kirk Cousins mentioned the long-term approach as a huge reason he chose Atlanta over Minnesota. Cousins also added he believes he could retire a Falcon if things go as planned.

“I think in Minnesota it was trending over the last couple offseasons to being somewhat year-to-year,” Cousins said, via ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. “And as we talked with Atlanta, it felt like this was a place where, if I play at the level I expect to play, that I can retire a Falcon. And that was something that really excited me, and that’s certainly the goal and you gotta earn the right to do that.”

“When you see Mr. Blank’s commitment to winning and what he’s done over the years to make the Falcons a first-class organization. When you see the players that Terry’s drafted, when you see his experience with the Saints and what they built over many years and the success he’s been around. And then I knew Raheem, and when I see what he’s done and what he’s been around and the people he’s led and the people who have worked with these people speaking so highly of them, I mean, the evidence was just mounting to show that this is some serious alignment here.”

Panthers

David Newton of ESPN questioned general managers around the league, asking if they believed the Panthers made a mistake by moving up in the draft to select Alabama QB Bryce Young last year. The decision was magnified by the amount of success that second overall pick QB C.J. Stroud had leading the Texans to the playoffs.

Newton also reports that the Panthers met with QB Derek Carr and spoke with QB Lamar Jackson before making their decision to move up in the draft.

“It’s too early,” Buccaneers GM Jason Licht said. “You can’t take anything away from Stroud. He had a great year. Unbelievable. But it’s still too early to tell. It wouldn’t surprise me, as good as Bryce was in college, if he rebounds and has a helluva year this year.”

“Tremendous talent and he’s [going to be] great for this league,” added Bucs HC Todd Bowles. “Obviously, the schemes [in Houston] fit C.J. better. Bryce got off to a rough start. … That doesn’t mean he’s not a good quarterback. That just means the jury is still out. I have a lot of belief in him.”

“Houston had an absolutely phenomenal offense that would have fit Bryce perfectly,” an anonymous executive noted. “It fit C.J. perfectly. There wasn’t as much to manage at the line of scrimmage. There were a lot of guys running wide open, and not because they are great separators. It’s a lot of scheme.”

Newton also cited multiple sources, reporting there was dysfunction in the locker room due to philosophical differences between former HC Frank Reich, OC Thomas Brown and OL coach James Campen over the pistol formation being installed a week before the season began.

“That’s how little of a plan there was,” said one anonymous source. “Bryce really didn’t stand a chance. They put way too much on him.

“There are guys that have lit it on fire that have fizzled, and there’s guys that started slow and came back and played great,” Colts GM Chris Ballard mentioned. “Everybody wants to make a prediction without just waiting patiently for the outcome.”