NFC South Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians said that he and GM Jason Licht “couldn’t wait to get that pick in” when they selected K Matt Gay in the fifth round. 

“I mean, you get criticized for taking a kicker in the fifth round until you line up with four seconds left and they make a 55-yarder to win a game,” Arians explained, via JoeBucsFan.com. “‘Oh, what a great pick.‘”

Arians added that he expects a good competition this summer between Gay and veteran Cairo Santos. 

“Well, the distance, the strength of his leg, you know, from 58 [yards] in,” Arians said. “Cairo [Santos] has been very consistent 40 [yards] in. It’ll be a good battle. And I believe in competition breeds success. It’ll be a heck of a battle between those two guys.”

Falcons

• Vaughn McClure posted the full list of tryouts for the Falcons during the team’s rookie camp. 
• Falcons signed first-round OT Kaleb McGary and fourth-round CB Kendall Sheffield. (NFLTR)

Panthers

The Carolina Panthers announced some changes to their football operations department on Thursday including:

• Mark Carrier – executive director of football staff
• Rob Rogers – executive director of player finance/football research
• Jeff Morrow – director of player personnel
• Erik Stokes – director of college scouting
• Chris Herbert – director of video