Falcons
Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said that QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s accuracy has jumped off the charts during initial off-season activities.
“Some guys get better at it with tweaks to how they throw the ball, tweaks to their lower body, those types of things. But there is an innate ability — and all of our guys have this, all of the quarterbacks — to be able to let the ball go and (have) it go where you want it to go,” Stefanski said, via The Athletic.
Stefanski said that QB Michael Penix is not fully healthy yet, but he’s been impressive in on-field activities.
“He’s doing outstanding, but I don’t think it’d be fair to put a percentage on (how healthy he is),” Stefanski said. “He’s not 100 percent, but he’s exactly where he needs to be.”
Tagovailoa made it clear he’s out to compete for the starting job, but added that he’s a resource for Penix regardless.
“Competition has been around us our entire lives,” he said. “For Mike, for all the other guys that are in that locker room, competition has been there. It’s a competition, don’t get me wrong. I’ve got to go out there and compete, and MP has to go out there and compete. But for me, it would just be wrong not to help.”
Panthers
Panthers OC Brad Idzik said that RB Jonathan Brooks is growing impatient trying to return from a second ACL tear, but likes the tone he’s setting during the off-season.
“He doesn’t like it,” Idzik said, via the team’s website. “Our guys are competitive. That room starts with Chuba (Hubbard) and JB; those guys are like brothers. They push every single other guy in that room. They don’t like to be pulled back. So that’s the kind of attitude that you want on your team. I told them yesterday, after we’re coming off of ball handling, you guys set the tempo on how you finish runs, even in a period where we’re not doing live tackling. Your burst down the field inspires the receivers to continue their blocks. It inspires the backside defensive backs to pursue, right? They are the glue, and us pulling them back will be just from protecting them from themselves, but we love the attitude that they bring to our team.”
Idzik added that Brooks is still someone the team wants to build around offensively, even though he hasn’t been on the field much for the team.
“I think that’s something you grow into as well,” Idzik said. “You want to make sure JB is getting back comfortable with our schemes, and all the things that he was doing in year one when he was healthy. Because there’s always a gap of, OK, I’m rehabbing. Feeling great about my rehab. I’m training on air, and now I’m training in front of a defense. So as he progresses with his comfort and attacking with a defender in front of him, we’ll continue to feed him and grow with the skill set he has. But absolutely, Jonathon Brooks is one of the, … I mean, a couple of years ago, he’s probably the most talented back coming out. He’s still one of the most talented guys on our roster. We’re really excited to watch him grow and his confidence coming off that rehab. He looked great out there yesterday. He’s attacking and everything he does, and then there’ll just be continued dialogue with him of saying, ‘ Hey, here’s what we need out of you.’ Let us know too if there are other ways to feature your skill set, because I love the two-way street from player to coach, from coach to player, to make sure that they’re communicating with us. You guys have ownership in this offense, too. I want to make sure we’re highlighting everything that you do.”
Panthers DC Ejiro Evero added that OLB Jaelen Phillips is a perfect fit for the defense and said that his history working in an odd front will help him integrate seamlessly.
“That certainly is a big part of the evaluation process because there’s certainly a lot of guys that have the athletic ability to be a dropper, but they’ve never been in the system to drop,” Evero explained. “And so there’s always going to be a lot of reluctance and hesitation to doing that, but when you have a guy that’s been in the system and was really raised in a 3-4 scheme, as a pro, that’s just the world that he lives in, and that’s what he knows. He understands the techniques and fundamentals that are being asked, and so, for him, it’s really a lot of the stuff that we’re doing now he’s done in some shape or form before; it’s just a matter of him learning the words.”
Panthers ST coach Tracy Smith said that he advocated for the team to re-sign TE Feleipe Franks due to his contributions on special teams.
“He had a great season again last year as he had for us,” Smith said. “So when the free agent list comes out, you try to get the best guys you can at every single position. My focus is on special teams contributors, of course. So when you’re asking who do you want as a tight end, it’s hard not to say Feleipe.”
Saints
Saints RB Travis Etienne talked about how happy he was to sign with the Saints and return home to Louisiana.
“I mean, man, this is the best feeling, honestly,” Etienne said, via Saints Wire. “Just being back home, being around my family. I feel like my family is really important to me, and I didn’t realize how much I was missing them because I was always so busy with work. I was always able to just distract myself on my job. But whenever I got home, it’s like I’m still doing my job, but I just got this feeling of comfort, I guess, or just this sense of — I just feel whole again, really.”
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