NFC Notes: Taysom Hill, Vita Vea, Buccaneers, Falcons, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers third-round WR Jalen McMillan has generated excitement within the organization as they feel he could have an immense impact from the jump. Tampa Bay Assistant GM John Spytek described McMillan’s profile and highlighted his favorite traits.

“He definitely can line up outside, he can spell Mike at X,” Spytek said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “He can run a lot of the routes that we ask for in the slot to spell Chris. We’ll see, we’ll get him in here to compete.”

“A lot of times I think that guy can be forgotten about, but his athleticism, the way he naturally runs routes, he plays like the game makes sense to him. There’s a smoothness and easiness to his game that you really appreciate.”

• Buccaneers co-DC Kacy Rodgers is excited about DT Vita Vea‘s weight loss: “We’re not going to let the cat out of the bag, but wait until you see him. I’ll just let you see him.” (Rick Stroud)

Falcons

Falcons DB Avery Williams is excited to get back on the field and discussed what the rehab process was like while the rest of his team was on the field competing.

“You’ve seen guys who have had big, big injuries and they’re not around until they’re healed and come back, but I couldn’t imagine that,” Williams said, via the team’s website. “It’s hard for me to really say how that would look or how that would feel. And I don’t think I would ever want it to be that way. I’m grateful that I was able to be around for many reasons, but mainly to be around my friends, my teammates, every single day and still feel a part of the team.”

Williams is back on the field and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the team once again and doesn’t take it for granted.

“After the injury you start to realize the small things like just being grateful to be out here,” Williams said. “Even when we have a lot of reps, or there might be hard days here and there, I’m grateful to just have the ability to get tired out here. I could be out here watching all the time like I did last year. There’s a certain amount of aches or anxiousness that comes with not being able to help or participate, not being able to help your teammates that are out there working their butts off.”

Williams hopes to be the league leader in return yards once again and has his goal set on being the best in that metric.

“My goal, my expectation for myself is to lead the league again,” Williams said, “in punt return and in kick return with the new kick return rules. It’s going to be a different dynamic on special teams, but my expectations? They’ve always been to lead, to be first, to be No. 1.”

Saints

Saints TE/QB Taysom Hill has been lining up at the running back spot alongside Derek Carr in certain packages during New Orleans’ offseason program. Hill thinks the more aspects they can add to their system, the better. 

“The more we can do, the better and harder it is,” Hill said, via Matthew Paras of Nola.com.

Hill is excited by his new duties this offseason and is grateful for the challenge he’s been given. 

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Hill said. “It’s weird to say after seven years of doing what I’ve been doing that I’m being asked to do things I’ve never done before. That is exciting to me and it’s challenging, and I love to be challenged like that. I’m grateful for those guys creating unique and fun opportunities for me.”

Saints’ new OC Klint Kubiak wants to get Hill “a lot of volume early” and will begin narrowing things down regarding where he fits in as they get closer to the regular season. 

“Taysom has been phenomenal here early,” Kubiak said. “We’ve been kind of moving him in a lot of spots as he has his entire career. He’s a really intelligent guy, and we’re looking forward to giving him a lot of volume early. And then we’ll start narrowing it down as we get closer to the season.”

• Saints TE Clancy Barone mentioned that Hill has been in the TE and RB rooms every day through OTAs. (Brandon Thomas)