Buccaneers

• Buccaneers DT Vita Vea did not practice on Thursday, and HC Todd Bowles said he will return to practice next week for the joint practices in Jacksonville. It’s worth noting he’s working his way back from a back injury. (Jenna Laine)
• Vea said he never wanted to be traded and wants to remain with Tampa Bay for his career: “They say home is where the heart is. I feel like my heart is in Tampa.” (Rick Stroud)
• Vea also came to the defense of his head coach, saying he would retire if Bowles was no longer around: “I want to set the record straight. We all love Bowles. It is not what he is doing. He is telling us what to do and giving us all the answers to the test and it is on us players to be able to go out there and execute what he is telling us to do. He is always putting us into the best position to play…If anything, blame us players for not executing. Bowles puts us into the best position to play. I even told Bowles, ‘the day you retire is the day I retire.’” (Brianna Dix)

Falcons

• New Falcons OLB Za’Darius Smith signed a one-year deal worth a base value of $6 million, $5 million of which is guaranteed, and a maximum value of $8 million with incentives. He has a $3 million base salary, $2 million signing bonus and up to $1 million in per-game active roster bonuses. (Over The Cap)

Panthers

Although Panthers K Ryan Fitzgerald isn’t facing competition for the starting job, STs coordinator Tracy Smith said the kicker is “competing with himself” and managing the pressure he faces during kicks. 

“Kickers always have competition,” said Smith, via Kassidy Hill of the team’s site. “Competition just comes from external players, that kind of thing. So he’s competing with himself every day and competing with everybody else that’s available.”

Smith thinks a year of experience has been great for Fitzgerald and is looking more prepared this offseason. 

“He’s done a nice job. We’re seeing a different player in some ways just by having the whole season behind him. Each of these experiences, you’re going to see him do it for the second time. He was different at Fan Fest. He’s different in preseason one. He’s dealing with off days more like the season. He’s more prepared for this camp. He knew what was coming, so he’s ready every day for his job.”