NFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Michael Penix, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers GM Jason Licht said they graded first-round OL Graham Barton as a center but also thinks he has the versatility to play guard and tackle. 

“We had him [as a] center, but he can play guard,” Licht said, via BucsWire. “He did a pretty damn good job playing tackle, too. So, there’s a lot of versatility there with him. We had him targeted. To be honest with you, the whole time we were crossing our fingers that he would make it to us and he did, so that’s good. He’s got a tenacious playing style that we like. He’s a very good athlete, he’s a very good technician.”

Falcons

Falcons HC Raheem Morris said it was a difficult decision to draft Michael Penix at No. 8 overall despite having Kirk Cousins, saying they contacted Cousins about their plans as they were on the clock. 

“He got called on the clock, obviously because of the sensitive time with the issues of what you got going on,” Morris said, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN. “It’s never a right time to talk to a quarterback about those things. And reactions are always going to be private when it comes to those things, unless Kirk decides to tell you some of those things that are whatever they may be. But he’s a competitor, just like us all. And you can always expect those things to go just like you kind of think.”

Falcons GM Terry Fontenot thinks Penix puts them in a good position for sustained success over a long-term period. 

“These are not easy decisions. These are tough decisions,” Fontenot said. “But that’s who we’re thinking about. We’re thinking about the fans. We’re thinking about this organization. We’re going to build a sustained winner. We’re going to win for a long time. That’s the most important position in football.”

Penix plans on learning from Cousins as he develops. 

“He’s been in the league,” Penix said. “He’s been in there for a while. He’s played a lot of football. I feel like I’m going to come in and I’m going to learn. I’m going to learn from him.”

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales said first-round WR Xavier Legette‘s “versatility” was impressive to them with his ability to attack passes at its peak and his mobility. 

“Versatility is huge for us,” Canales said, via PanthersWire. “So when you get a guy who can really run, a guy who can highpoint the ball, a guy that can carry it, you can give him the ball different ways—he just brings a lot of versatility.”

Canales added that Legette still must learn their entire system. 

“Now, with that being said, he’s got a long way to go. He’s gotta learn our stuff. He’s gotta figure out the system and find out how he fits into the whole thing—not just the pass game, but the run game as well. Just speaking to that, I’m really excited to bring his talents to our offense—and at the same time, I’m sure he knows too, he’s got a lot of work in front of him.”