NFC South Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

• According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Buccaneers plan to make a major effort to retain LB Shaq Barrett, including using the franchise tag.
• Fowler adds Barrett could make as much as $20 million a year on the open market, making it not a slam dunk situation for Tampa Bay to be able to keep him.  

Panthers

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport confirms that Cam Newton could pass a physical in March and be ready to participate in some football activities. 
• Newton could possibly be on the trade block in Carolina this offseason and Rapoport notes that the Panthers would save $19.1 million against the cap by trading or cutting Newton before June 1st.
• Among teams who could be interested in Newton, Rapoport mentions the Chargers, Colts, and Buccaneers as possibilities. 

Saints

• According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the reports of Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater potentially commanding as much as $30 million a year in free agency are coming from other agents trying to scare teams away from Bridgewater. 
• If the Saints are able to keep pending restricted free agent QB Taysom Hill, the Athletic’s Jeff Duncan expects the team to also explore signing a veteran backup QB like Chase Daniel. 
• Regarding a new deal between the Saints and Brees, Tom Pelissero says his understanding is that there haven’t been any substantive contract talks up to this point
• Pelissero notes that Brees will already count $15.9 million against the Saints’ salary cap, due to prior salary renegotiations, which means his new contract will be added to that figure.
• As for Taysom Hill, Pelissero mentions that it “stands to reason” he’ll get a first- or second-round tender from the Saints this offseason.