Buccaneers
Bucs OC Zac Robinson talked about the team’s personnel and how he believes he’s walking into a situation with a unit that is already built up and ready to succeed.
“You [have] to start with the offensive line,” Robinson explained, via Bucs Wire. “The offensive line is built the right way. When that group is going, there’s no offensive line that you’d rather have around the league, so it starts with those guys up front. I think you look at the skill groups, it’s a very versatile group. The receivers speak for themselves, you’ve got a number of guys that can do a number of different things, and their skillsets all match up really well. I’m excited about that. Then you take a look at the [running] backs — didn’t study Bucky [Irving] coming out because we weren’t thinking about taking a running back, but then obviously that 2024 season where he came on the scene, there was a number of things he can do in the run and pass game, now I’m excited to get to work with [him]. The tight ends situation, they have got really stable and steady tight ends — I know Cade [Otton] is a free agent, those things work themselves out. Collectively as a group, it’s exciting as a coach to come in and have that at your disposal, and [I am] just looking forward to building this the right way with these guys.”
Falcons
Falcons president of football Matt Ryan said that the team’s identity will be being able to run the football and being able to stop the run. He wants a physical unit on both sides of the ball.
“The main thing was we wanted a detailed, tough physical football team on offense,” Ryan said, via ESPN. “We want an offense that has the ability to run the football, that is going to be explosive with the pass game off of the run. On defense, we’re going to stop the run, we’re going to be physical against the run. In the pass game, we’re going to affect the quarterback physically, and we’re going to affect him mentally as well, with disguise, with the way that we play coverage.”
Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said that level of toughness is “earned” and they will achieve that.
“We will be about that work,” Stefanski said. “We will put in the work and it’s going to be hard work. We’ll put in the work to being a smart football team, to playing a smart brand of football. We will earn that toughness. I believe that physicality and playing this style of football is earned and we will earn that.”
Stefanski added that keeping DC Jeff Ulbrich was an easy decision for him and he’s happy to have him on the staff.
“There was a very easy conversation with [Ulbrich] and I about how we saw this game of football and how demanding we are of our players and then just watching tape of some of the things that he was able to do this season with some of our young players, it was really exciting,” Stefanski said. “So early on we got on the horn and it was obvious to me and I think it was obvious to him, we really hit it off. Cut from the same cloth, if you will, from a football perspective. But can’t tell you how excited I am to have Coach Brick with us.”
Falcons
Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said that the team won’t have a decision on what their quarterback will look like until they hire a general manager.
“I think we have to hire a general manager first, before I can give you a great answer there,” Stefanski said, via PFT. “Once we do that I’ll sit with the general manager, sit with Matt Ryan, we’ll put our heads together on all roster decisions.”
Stefanski did add that he’s excited to get to work with QB Michael Penix Jr., adding that the most important thing for him is to get healthy.
“Michael is a young player that I think very highly of, he is rehabbing off his injury, he’s doing great, he’s doing everything he’s supposed to be doing right now, which is the number one thing for him, is to get healthy,” Stefanski said. “He’s obviously played good football in his first two seasons. I’m excited to have the ability to develop him.”
- The Falcons have hired Michael Bearden as a coaching fellow/offensive assistant, who was with Stefanski last year as part of the Bill Willis Coaching Fellowship. (Kendall)
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