Buccaneers

• The Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield recently agreed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension. According to Jenna Laine, Mayfield and Tampa Bay stopped negotiating after Tampa Bay offered two years for $100 million. However, Laine’s sources indicate discussions resumed over the weekend.
• Buccaneers GM Jason Licht highly praised Mayfield following his extension: “From the moment Baker arrived, he brought a belief and competitive edge that has had a tremendous impact on our football team. He has earned the respect of everyone in our building with the way he prepares, competes and holds himself accountable. His toughness and ability to deliver in big moments are a big part of what makes him special, but what really stands out is the leadership he brings every day. Baker is the heartbeat of this team, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have a quarterback and leader like him.” (Rick Stroud)

Falcons

• Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said CB Billy Bowman Jr. (Achilles) is “getting close” to returning and wouldn’t rule him out from Week 1: “He’s feeling really good. He’s getting close. We will bring him along this week and see where he can get to.” (Josh Kendall)

Panthers

Panthers OC Brad Idzik will call plays for the offense in 2026 after not doing so in his first two years in the role under HC Dave Canales. Idzik comes from a family where his father and grandfather both worked in NFL front offices, and Canales said his demeanor makes that clear. Canales also praised Idzik’s work ethic and genuine passion for the job.

“You could feel there was a sense of legacy with him. You could feel there’s a lot of passion with him and he’s shown that,” Canales said, via Joseph Person of The Athletic. “I can confidently say Brad Idzik is the hardest worker on our staff. I can also say he’s the most conditioned and in shape coach on our staff as well. I’ve been chasing him for 10 years now, trying to keep up with that guy.”

“It’s his work ethic. It’s how much he cares about the players, how much he cares about being excellent that gave me the confidence to give him this opportunity.”