NFC Notes: Montez Sweat, Brian Burns, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

• Jeremy Fowler of ESPN considers the Falcons among the losers at the trade deadline after negotiating to acquire Montez Sweat from the Commanders before making an “anticlimactic” move for DE Kentavius Street. 
• According to Fowler, Atlanta was willing to extend Sweat’s contract as part of the deal and the defensive end was eager to join the Falcons given his family is located nearby. 
• However, the Bears’ offer was more attractive to the Commanders. 
• Falcons HC Arthur Smith said the Falcons will “see how the week goes” for WR Drake London before determining what his status will be for game day, adding that he won’t practice on Wednesday. He’s dealing with a groin injury. (Tori McElhaney)

Panthers

Panthers HC Frank Reich said he and GM Scott Fitterer had some conversations about trades but in the end, nothing ended up materializing.

“So I was workin’ and game-plannin’, and Scott [Fitterer], was I know busy, he came in once or twice, said he had some conversations,” Reich said, via Panthers Wire. “But they were brief. They were brief with me. He came down at the end and nothing materialized.”

Reich was enthusiastic when asked if he was happy that EDGE Brian Burns was still on the roster.

“Oh yeah,” he replied. “I am really, really happy that Brian Burns is still here. That guy, again, I can’t say enough about. He’s our leader, he’s a great player, he’s elite in every way. I mean, we always knew we wanted him here so…glad about that.”

• Reich says CB Jaycee Horn is making progress but is still a week or two from returning following hamstring surgery after Week 1. (Joe Person)

Saints

The Saints were the subject of a lot of trade rumors, both for players coming in and coming out, in the days leading up to the NFL trade deadline. Saints GM Mickey Loomis confirmed the team had some talks about adding a player or two but wasn’t really in the market to trade anyone away. 

“We talked to a couple of teams about a couple of things, more in the acquisition area as opposed to trading somebody,” Loomis said in a radio interview, via USA Today’s John Sigler. “We didn’t really talk about trading anyone from our team. We did talk to a couple teams about an acquisition, but I wouldn’t say it ever got really serious.”