Buccaneers
- Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio points out that how the Buccaneers handle QB Tom Brady after June 1 will be telling as far as what opportunities for a return to playing will look like. They will keep Brady on the roster until then for cap purposes.
- If Tampa Bay releases Brady after that date, he’s free to sign with any team if he wants to make a comeback. If they place him on their reserve/retired list, however, they control his rights and if he wanted to play elsewhere, that team would have to trade for him.
- Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes the Buccaneers would like nothing more than for Brady to change his mind on retirement and have every expectation that if he does, it will be to play in Tampa Bay.
- Fansided’s Matt Lombardo writes that with all the uncertainty facing Tampa Bay next season, there’s a loose expectation that RB Leonard Fournette tests free agency.
Panthers
- Joe Person of The Athletic writes it’s worth noting how two Panthers assistant coaches left the team on Tuesday for lateral moves, with WR coach Frisman Jackson joining the Steelers in the same role and secondary coach Jason Simmons joining the Raiders in the same capacity.
- Both coaches came with Panthers HC Matt Rhule in 2020 so it’s notable to see them leave. Person notes it could be because Rhule is viewed around the league as a lame-duck coach and someone who is facing an uphill climb to make it through his third season without being fired. That’s supposedly why Texans OC Pep Hamilton turned down an interview with the team for that position.
- Person points out, for what it’s worth, that the team did deny an interview request for TE coach Brian Angelichio and block him for leaving. They could have done that for Jackson and Simmons as well if they wanted to.
Saints
Saints DE Cameron Jordan joined Good Morning Football and discussed what he thinks about the retirement of his former HC Sean Payton.
“I thought it was retirement, and then he said I’m not done with coaching. He’s just done with us right now. … With Sean, you never know,” Jordan said, via NFL.com. “You’re talking about a guy who has always had the plan. He plays chess, not checkers. So in my mind, he’s going to a bigger market. We’ll see what happens. But seriously, with what Sean has given to the Saints, what Sean has given to New Orleans, if he says he needs some time off, take some time off. If he comes back to coaching, great. But everything he’s done for me, my fam, the friends that I’ve created over the last 11 years on the Saints, the whole entire organization, bringing a Super Bowl to the city, do what you want, big guy.”
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
