Falcons
Falcons CB AJ Terrell said he’s gotten a strong first impression of Atlanta’s rookie draft class, saying his new teammates look “about their business” this offseason.
“Everybody coming in, trying to look ‘tough guy,’” Terrell said, via Olivia Sayer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I ain’t seen no clowns. Ain’t nobody joking. They’re all about their business.”
Falcons HC Raheem Morris said first-round DE James Pearce is proving to be “a really serious rookie.”
“James is a really serious rookie,” Morris said. “You’re gonna be hard-pressed to get a smile out of him until he knows you. I kind of thought they had similar traits.”
As for fourth-round S Billy Bowman, Morris said he is observant and eager to learn.
“You can tell he is watching, he is learning, he is grasping from everybody,” Morris said. “Whether it be anybody from his room or outside of his room, you can tell he has a certain mentality that he wants to get better. So (the rookies) have been a lot of fun to watch. (It’s) been a lot of fun to watch those guys form those relationships.”
Panthers
Panthers TE Ja’Tavion Sanders embraced the team’s offseason program and is entering June down 10 pounds and also quicker than last year.
“J.T. heard that message, took it seriously and he really came back in such great shape,” Panthers HC Dave Canales said, via NY Times. “I’m proud of him for taking those steps. And it makes me feel confident about him going into the summer, having a plan for his prep and looking for a big year out of him.”
Sanders said that he wasn’t going to show back up in 2025 without changing his diet.
“Just taking that next step. You’ve gotta get better every year. I couldn’t come back the same way,” he said. “I just felt like that was what I needed from myself to take that next step to become the player I want to be and to become the teammate I want to be for this team.”
Sanders worked out with QB Bryce Young this offseason, who he said had an incredible work ethic.
“He told me we was gonna do some QB training. Bryce might be one of the hardest workers I know. Real talk,” Sanders said. “I’m talking about actually working out, not (only) throwing.”
Saints
New Orleans will switch from a 4-3 defensive system to a 3-4 in 2025, and while that specific distinction matters less in the modern NFL, the transition from former HC Dennis Allen‘s scheme to new DC Brandon Staley‘s system will be substantial. Tons of players will be impacted by it, including DE Chase Young. New Saints HC Kellen Moore said they intend to use Young as a pass rusher and in “versatile roles.”
“Certainly, he’s going to be a pass rusher,” Moore said via Josh Deshazier of the team’s site. “There’ll be some versatile roles that he’ll be able to do and we’ll be able to line up in some different fronts and structures and all that fun stuff, but allowing him to maximize, be an edge rusher, play with some width and get after the QB.”
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