NFC Notes: Miles Sanders, Kyle Pitts, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Panthers

Panthers RB Miles Sanders said the team’s culture has completely transformed under the team’s new regime and noticed a different energy within the building.

“It’s a different type of culture that we’re building here that there’s been here previously,” Sanders said, via Around The NFL. “It’s nothing but positive vibes, but he’s honest. The stuff that we’re harping on — as players, within each other — he’s harping on in the meetings, and then he don’t really like say too much on the field. Player-led teams are the ones that have the most success.”

Falcons

Atlanta has spent the week practicing with the Dolphins as they prepare for their preseason game on Friday. Falcons QB Kirk Cousins talked about utilizing his legs more despite his age and how he’s coaching TE Kyle Pitts to help reach his high potential. 

“You have to take off and run sometimes. People are going to be covered,” Cousins said, via Josh Kendall of The Athletic. “What I don’t want to do is train my instincts to just sit back there all day and go through my reads knowing that too many times it’s not perfect and you have to take off. I tell Coach, ‘I understand your desire is to protect me, but I do have to train my instincts that when the best decision is to run, I have to go.’ I don’t want Week 1 against Pittsburgh to be the first time I do that.”

“He has a couple (unique) traits. He can really run, and those guys don’t grow on trees, and then he’s got length. As a quarterback that’s really, really friendly and so what I am encouraging him is to use that length as much as he can. Anytime he lets the ball into his body, I tell him, “That wasn’t good enough. Never let it come into your body. You’re too good to let it come into your body.’ I challenge him with that, and I challenge him when I don’t feel like he’s running as fast as he possibly can. I say, ‘That wasn’t good enough. It was fast enough for a lot of tight ends, but for you, it has to be faster.'”

Saints

• Saints HC Dennis Allen said they had a good visit with S Justin Simmons and both sides are currently evaluating the fit. (Nick Underhill)