NFC Notes: Emeka Egbuka, James Pearce, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

NFC Notes: Emeka Egbuka, James Pearce, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints
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Buccaneers

Buccaneers first-round WR Emeka Egbuka said WR Chris Godwin has been an “absolute godsend” to him this offseason and often leans on the veteran for advice.

“Chris Godwin has been ‘an absolute godsend’…I can ask him any question, even if it’s just about life…We’re becoming better friends off the field…I don’t think I could’ve been drafted to a better team or situation,” Egbuka said, via Aileen Hnatiuk.

  • Bucs LB Anthony Walker remains sidelined with a knee injury. He was considered week-to-week heading into camp. (Greg Auman)

Falcons

During the first few days of training camp, the Falcons have had multiple fights break out, including some with first-round DE James Pearce Jr. Atlanta DC Jeff Ulbrich wants the team to play with an aggressive mindset, but he thought they took it too far past the line of aggressiveness and violence.

“We’re trying to develop a culture, a style of play, for sure,” Ulbrich said, via Terrin Waack of the team website. “Part of that is the violence in which we play — aggression, urgency and all that. Today, at times, it went a little too far. We got to learn how to manage that. You’re going to get agitated, especially when you’re playing really good defense, the offense is going to get very agitated. So, you got to anticipate punches being thrown, things being said, people being pushed. In those moments, you got to thrive, not retaliate. It’s a good lesson to be learned today.”

“I think celebrating the guys that take it right there and push it as far as that violence and urgency and intensity, but don’t go past the line. Don’t throw the punch. Don’t retaliate. The more we can take it there and not retaliate and celebrate it, I think that’s when you create that style of play.”

  • Falcons HC Raheem Morris said they initially liked Pearce Jr. because of the competitive edge he brings. (Tori McElhaney)
  • Morris also mentioned they will keep WR Darnell Mooney off the field for the next few weeks to re-evaluate his status for Week 1. (McElhaney)
  • Falcons first-round LB Jalon Walker missed practice Sunday. Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich downplayed the injury, though: “There’s just working on some stuff with his body, but he’s going to be alright.” (Josh Kendall)

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales thinks his team is going to be tough to beat in 2025 and admitted that his expectations for the team are quite high.

“The sky’s the limit for this group,’’ Canales said, via David Newton of ESPN. “This is going to be a very competitive team. I don’t think people are going to want to play us by the style of football that we play. I’m expecting that. My expectations are really high for this group.’’

Saints

  • Saints S Julian Blackmon‘s one-year, $3,170,000 deal includes a $2,000,000 signing bonus and a guaranteed base salary of $1,170,000. (OverTheCap)
  • Saints DL Jonathan Bullard‘s one-year, $1,422,500 contract includes a...