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A weekly look at the top stories being discussed on the other three NFC South blogs on SB Nation.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (via Bucs Nation)
- Gronk staving off retirement for one more year! The Buccaneers tight end agreed to a one-year deal with the team, a contract that could earn him a total of 10 million dollars, and a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champion.
- Leonard Fournette’s return to Tampa not a done deal. The Bucs’ running back is an unrestricted free agent, and the Seattle Seahawks are making a push to poach him away from the defending champs.
- Shaq Barrett inks new deal. It’s signing season in the NFL, and the Bucs have ensured that their pass rush will remain a force to be reckoned with, with the re-signing of Shaquil Barrett.
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Atlanta Falcons (via The Falcoholic)
- Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo speaks out against anti-Asian violence. Some think that sports figures should stick to sports, “shut up and dribble” and basically only do what they are trained for. Personally, I couldn’t disagree more with those who feel that way. I believe that when someone is given a platform, they should use it for the greater good, regardless of their primary profession or celebrity status. Fighting injustice of any kind is always for the greater good. Kudos to Koo for speaking out against the anti-Asian violence that has been rampant in America since the start of the pandemic, and culminated a few days ago with the senseless killings of eight massage parlor workers in Atlanta, six of whom were of Asian descent. Please join me in sending healing thoughts to the families of the victims.
- Erik Harris is now a Falcon. In what was a low-key very good signing, Atlanta inked former Los Angeles Raiders safety Erik Harris to a deal. Atlanta had previously released safety Damontae Kazee, so the Harris’ signing make plenty of sense.
- Kyle Pitts to the Falcons? The Atlanta Falcons might be making a lot of noise about drafting a quarterback early just to drum up interest in potential trade partners. There are rumors that the Falcons are highly interested in former Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, so maybe Atlanta ends up trading down and selecting the former UF standout. For those who haven’t seen Pitts play, find the game tape of Florida against LSU in 2019: A championship Tigers defense had absolutely zero answer for the incredible tight end.
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Carolina Panthers (via Cat Scratch Reader)
- Denzel Perryman signs with the Panthers. The NFC South keeps getting better, as Carolina signed the hard-hitting inside linebacker to a two-year deal. The former Los Angeles Charger will try to revive a position that has significantly dropped off in Panthers-land since the retirement of Luke Kuechly.
- Haason Reddick and Morgan Fox sign with Carolina. Free agents do not always make the impact that teams expect when they are signing them. However, with former Arizona Cardinals pass-rushing linebacker Haason Reddick and former Los Angeles Rams defensive end Morgan Fox, the Panthers are telling you something: they are prioritizing getting after the quarterback this offseason. In a big way!
- Curtis Samuel signs with Washington. The speedy wide receiver won’t be tormenting NFC South defenses on a regular basis anymore, as Samuel signed a 3-year $34.5 million with the Washington Football Team, who are coached by former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera. You win some and you lose some in free agency, and seeing Samuel depart for Washington is definitely a loss for the Panthers.
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