Falcons

• Falcons DE Za’Darius Smith enters the 12th year of his career and his first season with the team. Atlanta DL coach Nate Ollie said Smith still has gas in the tank and is showing veteran leadership: “Still got that juice. … Coaching guys up already.” (Tori McElhaney)

Panthers

Panthers S Tre’von Moehrig enters the sixth year of his career and second season in Carolina. Moehrig said one of his goals is to achieve his first Pro Bowl selection. 

“That’d be amazing. I don’t think I have that in the forefront of my head. I’ve always been this kind of guy that’s just doing my job, and those plays and accolades will just come with whatever happens,” Moehrig said, via Joseph Person of The Athletic. “That’d be something really, really cool. But I try not to focus on that.”

Canales said Moehrig isn’t the most talkative player, but his physicality is a reason why they wanted to sign him. 

“Not a guy that says a lot, man of few words,” Canales said. “But he speaks with his pads. He speaks with the physicality that he plays with. And that’s exactly what Dan (Morgan) and I saw in him, and a reason why we wanted to get him here.”

Panthers

The Panthers signed veteran TE Darren Waller to a contract in recent weeks. Waller said he’s been working hard since the Super Bowl and is wondering when he’ll catch on with a new team. 

“Sometimes it can be like, damn, I’m doing all this work since the day after the Super Bowl, when is it gonna happen? But uncertainty’s kind of the name of the game,” Waller said, via Joseph Person of The Athletic. “I’m new to this free-agent situation. But it is what it was. I’m grateful that it happened in the timing that it did.”

Waller has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but he feels he’s finally regained his speed and explosiveness. 

“I was able this year to get back to places I feel like explosive-wise, top speed-wise, getting out of routes, just as good as I have any point in my career. So that’s very encouraging,” Waller said. “Just to be able to move the way that I’m moving at my age, I feel like it’s a blessing.”

Saints 

• Saints HC Kellen Moore said WR Chris Olave left Tuesday’s practice early because he “got the wind knocked out of him,” per Nick Underhill.