Buccaneers

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield has been working on getting the ball out of his hands quicker this offseason.

“What are the quickest answers I can do here so we’re not getting negative plays? Easy things,” Mayfield said, via Tampa Bay Times. “Like I tell you guys all the time, how can I get the ball in my playmakers hands quicker?”

Mayfield added that the quick game will help mitigate the opposing team’s pass rushers.

“Say they have a bona fide edge rusher on the left side now,” Mayfield said. “You’ll always be game-planning for him anyway. Now, how do I take him out of the game? It’s made me overcommunicate with the young guys. Where we’re at receiver-wise, overcommunicate with them about what I’m trying to get done. And for the guys that have been here, reiterating, ‘Hey, this is the mindset we’re jumping back into,’ then we can develop and take our shots downfield when we have them. It’s about getting it in their hands early.”

Mayfield alluded to the team’s running back room being a lot more involved in the passing game this season.

“We’ll see what that looks like,” Mayfield said. “The thing we’ve been excited about is the depth at receiver. That’s been depleted a little bit. But then it goes back to what we did last year when we had some guys banged up. It was the pony package. Getting your best five out there and however you scheme that up and do that. That’s where it’s been really, really good training with Bucky (Irving) and Rachaad (White) in the offseason. Seeing them in really, really good shape. Just being able to communicate with them day-to-day stuff, whether it’s football or not. Bucky and Rachaad have developed even further in the pass game, so that’s going to be a thing that takes us to the next level, especially with where we’re at during the beginning of the year.”

Falcons

Elijah Wilkinson is set to start at right tackle for the Falcons, marking his first starting role since 2021 with the Bears. Wilkinson thinks he’ll quickly get back into the swing of things when he gets time on the field. 

“You just got to get on and take a couple laps,” Wilkinson said, via Terrin Waack of the team’s site. “Then, you’ll be good. You’re back rolling.”

Wilkinson has contributed as a guard and tackle throughout his career. Falcons OL coach Dwayne Ledford said they always knew Wilkinson could play multiple roles. 

“I always knew that Elijah has that flex,” Ledford said. “He’s got that flex where he can play any position along the offensive line. That’s what you like with those guys, the ability to play multiple positions. That’s why when you’re the sixth, seventh, eighth (lineman) you’ve got to be able to do that. So, in training camp and everything like that, we try to expose those guys to get ready for those situations if they do occur.”

With OTs Kaleb McGary and Storm Norton both out with injuries, Wilinson understands that it’s “go time” for him. 

“I’ve been in this role before,” Wilkinson said. “It’s go time for me. You never want to see anybody go down, but that’s an opportunity for me to step up.”

• Falcons WR Darnell Mooney (shoulder) said he is “feeling great,” but his availability is a game-time decision for Week 1: “We will see. It’s a game-time decision, got some things we’ve got to look at at the end of the week.”  (Josh Kendall)

Panthers 

Panthers DT Derrick Brown is entering the sixth year of his career after being a first-round pick back in 2020. Brown said he isn’t looking to overperform this season and just wants to execute “to the best of my ability.” 

“That’s one of the things I kind of live by now. I try to do my job the best that I can. I don’t try to go out here and say, ‘Dammit, I didn’t grade out 100 percent today,’” Brown said, via Joseph Person of The Athletic. “I need to do my job to the best of my ability for this team to have the best result. That’s just the mindset I take now.”

Brown wants to “rise to the occasion” after missing nearly all of last season with a knee injury. 

“I’ve always felt like I’m part of this organization, a big part of it,” Brown said. “They’ve always asked me to rise to the occasion. And hands down, I’m gonna do it.”

Brown admitted that he felt a lot of pressure to succeed as a rookie after being the No. 7 overall pick. 

“Coming in as a rookie, new system — Phil Snow was the DC (defensive coordinator) at the time and Phil had a large playbook. Trying to memorize all the plays and not wanting to mess up, feeling that pressure of being the first-round pick — it was a lot,” Brown said. “It was a lot.”

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