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About the Author: Mark Cook

Avatar Of Mark Cook
Mark Cook currently is the director of editorial content and Bucs beat writer and has written for PewterReport.com since 2011. Cook has followed the Buccaneers since 1977 when he first began watching football with his Dad and is fond of the 1979 Bucs team that came within 10 points of going to a Super Bowl. His favorite Bucs game is still the 1979 divisional playoff win 24-17 over the Eagles. In his spare time Cook enjoys playing guitar, fishing, the beach and family time.Cook is a native of Pinecrest in Eastern Hillsborough County and has written for numerous publications including the Tampa Tribune, In the Field and Ya'll Magazine. Cook can be reached at [email protected]

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Behind Enemy Lines is a weekly look at Tampa Bay’s NFC South foes every Wednesday. Let’s spy on the Bucs’ division rivals, shall we?

Atlanta Falcons

• The effects of the blockbuster trade of former star wide receiver Julio Jones to the Titans is still being talked about. New Falcons head coach Arthur Smith commented this week on the trade, sharing his thoughts with Cris Collinsworth on his podcast.

“We knew the issue with the cap and then obviously the cap went down this year, coming off the bizarre year with the pandemic, the cap actually shrunk,” Smith said. “So we knew there were going to be some big decisions we would have to make coming up. The way everything worked out, we feel pretty good. We feel like it was a win-win. With the salary cap, and Julio going to Tennessee and us right now being able to solve our short-term issue with the cap.”

The Falcons received a 2022 second-round draft pick from Tennessee in the trade, and saved the $15.3 million in salary crop space with the deal.

• The Falcons announced that safety Richie Grant has signed his four-year rookie deal with the team leaving just first-round tight end Kyle Pitts as the only 2021 draft pick unsigned.

Grant, the 40th overall pick last April, had 290 tackles, 10 interceptions, 11.5 tackles for loss, one sack. five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and one interception return for a touchdown in four seasons with UCF and will be counted on as part of a revamped Atlanta secondary.

• The NFL wants teams to get to an 85 percent vaccination rate as a goal and Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, while not revealing his team’s percentage, appears happy with the direction it is heading.

“All we try to do is provide the information so guys can make their own personal choices and make everything available for them to educate themselves. Again, these are all personal choices,” Smith said, while also adding he is “very comfortable with where we’re at.”

Carolina Panthers

• Most teams shoot for one joint practice with another opponent during the preseason, but in the case of the Panthers, they will scrimmage with two teams during training camp.

Carolina will travel to Indianapolis to practice against the Colts on August 12 and 13 before they play a preseason game on August 15. Then, after returning, they plan to host the Ravens for two days prior to their preseason matchup on August 21.

Panthers Hc Matt Rhule

Panthers HC Matt Rhule – Photo by: USA Today

• Count star Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey as someone who has been impressed with new quarterback Sam Darnold since the former Jets first rounder joined the team in a trade this spring.

“I think I’ve seen him grow in a lot of ways,” McCaffrey told ESPN. “He’s a guy that approaches each day the exact same and continues to strive to get better. But when you make a statement Day One like Sam did, I think it’s tough — you just expect that from here on out. So somebody like him, every single day, he comes always trying to get better. As a leader, he’ll text guys late at night, asking about plays, giving us what he sees on certain plays. And you can just tell he’s dialed in.

“So every day, every throw, as a leader, as a player, just kind of developing in the offense and learning the playbook and getting everything down, he’s just been very consistent. SoI think when you stack a bunch of consistent days on top of each other, that will ultimately create a lot of growth. And that’s what he’s done.”

• The reshuffling of the Panthers front office continued this weeks with a number of moves.

Carolina announced the promotion of Pat Stewart to vice president of player personnel and also hired Cole Spencer as director of college scouting  who comes over from the Washington Football Team. Internally, E.J. Barthel was moved to a pro scouting role from his previous position as a coaching assistant and Jeff Morrow was also promoted to a senior personnel executive from his prior scouting role according to the team’s website.

New Orleans Saints

• The Saints surprised many in April when they selected rookie quarterback Ian Book out of Notre Dame in the fourth round.  Despite the scrutiny from some fans and national media, the former Irish standout is loving his time in New Orleans and trying his best to learn from the veterans as he faces the challenge of making the team.

“It’s been great,” Book said following Saints minicamp. “It’s been a dream come true to be out here and I’m just adapting and trying to be a sponge as much as I can and, on the weekends, seeing the town a little bit and just adapting to this new city. Really love it and, actually, the food down here is great, the team’s great, coaches’ been great — it’s just everything I’ve wanted.”

Saints Qbs Drew Brees, Taysom Hill And Jameis Winston

Saints QBs Drew Brees, Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston – Photo by: USA Today

Book spoke highly of the quarterback room he is now a part of.

“I don’t know about one specific moment — every day, though, just even just the quarterback group with Jameis and Taysom and Trevor,” Book said. “Just I’ve grown up, seen all of them play before. And just to be in the room with them, it’s a special group of guys that are really helping me learn.”

• ESPN’s Marcus Spears is a Jameis Winston believer.

Spears said recently he thinks the Saints will be a playoff team with Winston, the Bucs former No. 1 pick in 2015, under center.

“I expect the Saints to make the playoffs, and I expect him not to turn the ball over a lot.”

Spears think the year observing Drew Brees will pay dividends for Winston in 2021.

“He just needed to digest the game without having to play it,” Spears said. “When you get taken first overall and have to play right away, you’re learning on the fly and never get to sit back and learn the game the right way.”

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