Advertisement

NFC South news roundup: Preseason Week 2

Deen Worley
·5 min read

With the first week of preseason action already in the books, we decided to take a look around the NFC South to see what the Atlanta Falcons‘ three division rivals are up to. Here’s a look at all notable signings, injuries and team news for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers leading up to the second preseason game.

Roster moves for Week 2

(AP Photo/Derick Hingle)

Cuts/Trades

  • Saints: WR Jake Lampman, CB Lawrence Woods, CB Prince Amukamara, LB Noah Spence, RB Stevie Scott III

  • Buccaneers: S Raven Greene, WR John Franklin III, OG Donell Stanley, TE De'Quan Hampton, CB Cameron Kinley, WR Josh Pearson

  • Panthers: WR Micah Simon, OL Matt Kaskey, FB Rod Smith, C Mike Panasiuk, LB Nate Hall, OT Greg Little (Traded to MIA)

Signings

  • Saints: CB Brian Mills, WR Kevin White, CB Natrell Jamerson, OL Jordan Mills, OL Caleb Benonech

  • Buccaneers: OT Brandon Walton, OT Jake Benzinger

  • Panthers: OL Marquel Harrell, DT Walter Palmore,

Injuries

  • Saints

    1. Michael Brown IR

    2. Adonis Alexander IR

    3. KeiVarae COVID/Reserve

    4. Brett Maher IR

    5. Kyle Murphy IR

  • Buccaneers

    1. Sadarius Hutcherson IR

  • Panthers

    1. Marquis Haynes 1 - 2 weeks

    2. Robby Anderson Undisclosed

    3. Troy Pride Jr. IR (ACL, out for season)

Saints to allow season ticket refunds for upcoming season

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

After earning the No. 1 ranking from NFL Health and Safety in 2020, the Saints will require all fans to provide proof of at least a single dose of COVID 19 vaccine or a negative test. The team will also allow for fans who refuse either category to get their first shot at the stadium before entering. The Saints received some pushback. Over 100 season ticket holders wanted refunds, although the team was also flooded with thousands of calls from fans wishing to take their spots. A refund isn't something normally offered, but the overwhelming response to those specific season ticket holders opened the door for the Saints to get loyal fans in the stadium, rather than risk those tickets being sold to away fans on the secondary market.

Taysom Hill, Jameis Winston struggling to cement starting QB job

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest storyline surrounding the Saints this offseason was who will take over for Drew Brees. All offseason, fans and experts alike, have all went back and forth between Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston. However, neither took advantage of their Week 1 preseason game to cement themselves as the team's starter. Hill started strong, going for 63 yards on his first drive, but was then completely undone on his second and third drives after some misplaced passes and gaffes by the running backs. Winston also suffered at the hands of his running backs due to a quick fumble by ex-Falcons RB Devonta Freeman. Winston did manage to showcase his abilities on his final few drives after completing consecutive passes of 26 and 33 yards before connecting on an eight-yard score. However, neither quarterback was able to create much separation in their battle to take over for Brees.

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich growing and learning

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Byron Leftwich and Tom Brady are entering their second year together in Tampa Bay. Even after the pair won the Super Bowl in their first year together, the Former Falcons QB and current Buccaneers offensive coordinator, says he is growing and learning while working with Brady.

“From Day 1, I just want to see it how he sees it. We all know how good Tom is, but I tell you, you can’t call plays to guys until you know him – you’ve got to know them. It took us some time for me to know him, to figure him out, to know what he would wants to do on paper and know what he is going to do on the grass.

Leftwich even gave praise to how Brady see's the field differently than others. Brady's ability to make snap judgments has been a hallmark of his career thus far. Even as he inches closer to age 45, Brady still reads the field as fast as anyone.

“It’s simple the way he sees it and as a coach you appreciate it because we just want to know what you want to do and how you want to execute it. Any time you have a guy with this stature and with this resume, with that mindset, it allows him to play clean and allows him to play fast. As a quarterback, if you can’t play fast in this league, you can’t play with success. It’s a blessing to have someone like that with the skillset but also the human being. The way he sees football, the way he likes being around the guys is unique from that position really. It’s a blessing to be around it every day.”

Bucs HC Bruce Arians lays out plans for starters

Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

More and more we are seeing teams elect to not play their starters in the preseason and using joint practices as a measuring stick instead. The Falcons sat all starters in their Week 1 game against the Titans and used their joint practices with the Dolphins as a point of evaluation. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians chose to play starters for only a handful of snaps in Week 1, but may save them for the preseason finale in Week 3.

“Looking at the two practices [against the Titans], as good as I know they’ll go physicality-wise, we probably won’t play any starters,” Arians said. “I don’t really want to put our starters back in [along the offensive line] or put them in at all. The offensive line might play in this game only by necessity. We’ll see how that goes.”

While playing starters isn't a part of his plan for Week 2, the bye week between preseason Week 3 and Week 1 of the regular season could prompt Arians to play his starters for a significant amount of time.

“We’ll play that by ear, but my plan right now is to play them a significant amount in that ball game because we don’t play for two weeks after,” Arians said. “I know our guys don’t want to hit each other for 10 days, so we’ll probably play them more in that game than any.”

Antonio Brown kicked out of practice after fight

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

While joint practices can be beneficial for the teams participating, the intense competition of guys trying to make the roster can push players to their boiling points. Thursday's joint practice between the Titans and Bucs was no different. On five occasions players have to be separated, with the biggest name being wide receiver Antonio Brown. Brown and Titans cornerback Chris Jackson came together after a play where Brown wanted a flag for illegal contact. Punches were thrown after Brown removed the helmet of Jackson. Brown was kicked off the practice field before returning later on to participate in 7-on-7 drills.

Matt Rhule believes Panthers are significantly better after Week 1

(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Not only did the Panthers and Colts face off for their first preseason game of the year, but the pair conducted joint practices in the days leading up to the game. Despite losing their Week 1 matchup, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule believes his team has seen significant improvement in the shared time with the Colts.

“Significantly better,” he said of the Panthers’ output as a whole. “I think the first day, I think we went out there and we kinda dipped our toe in the water. And the Colts . . . didn’t dip their toe in the water.”

Indianapolis may have "won" the first joint practice, but Rhule made sure to return the favor on the second day.

“I think the second day we came out there, and if you were on that defensive field, our defense went out there and said ‘Hey, we’re gonna forge an identity,'” he continued. “I think offensively, seeing Sam [Darnold] in the two-minute, take us right down the field, kick the field goal to win it, I thought we came out of the second day feeling ‘Hey, we’re a way better football team than we were even yesterday.'”

Indianapolis defeated Carolina 21-18 in the preseason opener.

Panthers, Ravens conduct joint practices

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

A week after partaking in joint practices with the Colts, the Panthers are now onto the Ravens. Carolina will play host to Baltimore this weekend and will look to end the Ravens' historic preseason run of 19 consecutive wins. Despite a limited receiving core with injuries to DJ Moore and Robby Anderson, Rhule hasn't ruled out the idea of playing Sam Darnold. Rhule wants to give some reps to his young quarterback in order to get better acclimated to the team's offensive weapons. However, the absence of Moore and Anderson opens up the door for rookie receiver Terrace Marshall to build a connection with Darnold.

1

1