NFC South Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

Buccaneers Pro Bowl DT Gerald McCoy has been staying to work with some of the young players including first-round DL Vita Vea to do what he can to get them up to speed.

โ€œThatโ€™s my M.O.โ€ McCoy said, via the Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. โ€œYouโ€™re only as strong as your weakest link. If you have no weak links, how strong can you be? Thatโ€™s my philosophy. Any young guy that comes in, I have mandatory extra. Itโ€™s not allowed to do extra now (during OTAs), but when we can, itโ€™s mandatory.

โ€œI donโ€™t give you an option. โ€˜Iโ€™m getting better and so are you. Youโ€™re already behind the 8-ball because weโ€™re vets and weโ€™ve been doing this. Now youโ€™re coming in and learning a new brand of football, how the NFL game goes.โ€™

โ€œI didnโ€™t have that,โ€ McCoy said. โ€œI didnโ€™t get that. I always told myself, if I had the opportunity once I get to that point, Iโ€™m not going to be that guy where I do what I do and then walk off. No. Let me teach you something. I want everyone to be successful.โ€

Falcons

Falcons WR Julio Jones tells TMZ Sports that he plans to remain in Atlanta long-term, despite the recent report that he was seeking an adjustment to his contract.

โ€œWeโ€™re good,โ€ Jones said. โ€œItโ€™s not even about that. Everyone wants a story right now. Thereโ€™s no story. Iโ€™m just working on getting myself better. Thereโ€™s no bad blood with the team or anything like that. . . . Iโ€™m not going anywhere.โ€

This cam in response to a question about Falcons owner Arthur Blankโ€™s recent comments that he wants Jones to remain a Falcon for life.

โ€œAs I said about Matt Ryan, how I wanted him to be our quarterback for his entire career, Julio Jones will be our receiver for his entire career,โ€ Blank said, via Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. โ€œThis is just a normal kind of discussion that takes place. Weโ€™ll deal with it.โ€

Panthers

New Panthers RB C.J. Anderson says he asked for a one-year contract so he can prove that heโ€™s still capable of playing at a high level and test the open market again next year.

โ€œI should be in my prime,โ€ Anderson said, via Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer. โ€œI think I have an opportunity to do something really special here. I asked for the one-year deal. I want to prove myself that I can still play this game at a high level.โ€

Last year, Anderson topped a 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career, but he says that this is just the start for him.

โ€œThe 1,000 yards?โ€ Anderson said. โ€œThat was just a start.โ€

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