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.

“That’s my M.O.” McCoy said, via the Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “You’re only as strong as your weakest link. If you have no weak links, how strong can you be? That’s my philosophy. Any young guy that comes in, I have mandatory extra. It’s not allowed to do extra now (during OTAs), but when we can, it’s mandatory.

“I don’t give you an option. ‘I’m getting better and so are you. You’re already behind the 8-ball because we’re vets and we’ve been doing this. Now you’re coming in and learning a new brand of football, how the NFL game goes.’

“I didn’t have that,” McCoy said. “I didn’t get that. I always told myself, if I had the opportunity once I get to that point, I’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.”

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.

“We’re good,” Jones said. “It’s not even about that. Everyone wants a story right now. There’s no story. I’m just working on getting myself better. There’s no bad blood with the team or anything like that. . . . I’m not going anywhere.”

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

“As 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,” Blank said, via Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “This is just a normal kind of discussion that takes place. We’ll deal with it.”

Panthers

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

“I should be in my prime,” Anderson said, via Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer. “I 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.”

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.

“The 1,000 yards?” Anderson said. “That was just a start.”