NFC South Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Saints

Buccaneers

• Buccaneers S Justin Evans is actually dealing with a heel injury instead of the toe that sidelined him last year and should only be in a boot for a couple weeks, per HC Bruce Arians. (Greg Auman)
• The injury is also to his left foot, while his toe injury last year was to his right foot. (Auman)
• Buccaneers OL Caleb Benenoch has worked at offensive tackle during OTA’s after moving from guard. Tampa Bay plans on him being the swing tackle backing up both starting spots. (Auman)

Falcons

Falcons HC Dan Quinn said he anticipates having WR Julio Jones and DE Vic Beasley at mandatory minicamp. He wasn’t sure about DT Grady Jarrett, though. 

“I don’t know that yet. I anticipate he will. He hasn’t told me he’s not,” Quinn said via the Athletic’s Jeff Schultz. 

• Per Matt Tabeek, Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson said S Keanu Neal participated in walkthroughs during OTA’s: “Any time you get a player of that caliber back … it helps. You feel his grown man-ness on the field.”

Saints

Saints TE Jared Cook is confident he can join a long list of tight ends who have been productive in New Orleans.

“Last year was a big year for me. So I’m just trying to continue on that same path and do great things,” Cook said via ESPN’s Mike Triplett. “It’s always been a very tight-end-friendly offense. And I just thought this was a great place to come and extend my career and come to shine for a little bit.”

Cook says joining WR Michael Thomas and RB Alvin Kamara was a big draw, as he can both free up space for them and operate in the space they free up for him. 

“Having Mike and Alvin as pretty much the 1-2 combo last year, I felt that I can come in and kind of help Mike — and at the same time him help me,” Cook said. “And we can kind of relieve some pressure off of each other and make this a high-powered offense once again this year.”

• Saints QB Drew Brees was not at OTA’s on Tuesday because of a trial in San Diego versus a jeweler Brees and his wife allege defrauded them. (Triplett)