Buccaneers

Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving was the team’s biggest breakout player last season and Tampa Bay has even higher expectations for him as he goes into Year 2. Irving worked in a committee last year and will still share the load with other players, but Tampa Bay believes he’s a special player worthy of more touches.

“His vision [stands out],” Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield said via ESPN’s Dan Graziano. “His timing of when he’s supposed to hit the gas. He’s patient, patient and then hits it. I just think he’s always looking to score. It’s tough to see in practice. Like, last year at this time I was like, ‘Eh. We’ll see. It looks good.’ But didn’t expect it to be like it was. He’s just tough to bring down. He’s strong, he’s got great vision, he understands it, and then also you add in the ability to catch too. He’s well-rounded.”

Falcons

Falcons HC Raheem Morris revealed QBs Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins will not play in the preseason opener on Friday. (Cameron Wolfe)
Morris also said first-round DE James Pearce Jr. will return from his hamstring injury today, and third-round S Xavier Watts will be back as well. (D. Orlando Ledbetter)

Panthers

Panthers rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan admitted that he had a rough start to his first training camp.

“I’m not gonna sugarcoat it,” McMillan said, via NY Times. “I’ll be the first to tell you, the first couple days I struggled a little bit.”

McMillan added that the hand-checking and physicality was different from what he faced in college.

“The refs let the players play at the end of the day,” he said. “d”

Panthers

Panthers DB Chau Smith-Wade has made strides in commanding the team’s playbook and has started earning the trust of HC Dave Canales.

“He’s really just kind of bought into what we’re doing,” Canales said, via the Charlotte Observer. “He’s becoming a person that we are counting on to communicate. Particularly, if you’re playing the nickel spot, there’s a lot that goes into your connection with the run fits, your connection with the safeties in coverage and leverage and those things. He’s doing a great job, and he’s even playing outside some for us. So, really fired up about Chau, and he kind of came to us that way, with that kind of pro mentality, with the way he takes care of his body. I can’t see right now (after practice) over the fence, but I guarantee he’s out there working on something. He’s a guy who is really about the details of his work.”

Smith-Wade said he’s feeling more comfortable working out of the nickel position.

“I was feeling smooth out there,” Smith-Wade said. “My footwork, I felt more patient. I was way more comfortable and … I knew nickel was one of the hardest positions in this defense, so being able to go out there and play nickel, just makes all the other positions even easier.”

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