Falcons linebacker Paul Worrilow has missed a combined four tackles in the first two games of the season and while some have been critical of the Delaware product, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan refuses to put all of the blame on him, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Sure there is [room for him to play better]. But we don’t have anybody on defense at this point that is playing at a high level. I think they all would say that they want to play better than they’ve played. Some have played better than others, don’t get me wrong. But I think to a man, they want to play better.” More from the NFC South..
- The season is underway, but the Buccaneers and Gerald McCoy are still discussing a contract extension, according to Jason La Canfora (on Twitter), who says that there’s a healthy dialogue going between the two sides. Buccaneers GM Jason Licht reached out to agent Ben Dogra in late May and, months later, a deal is still in the works. Our own Rory Parks wrote back in May that McCoy can reasonably expect an extension in the five-year, $55-60MM range.
- Free agent linebacker Pat Angerer worked out for the Saints this week, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Angerer, a 2010 second-round pick, was cut by the Falcons in late August as a part of their first wave of cuts. Angerer racked up 226 tackles in his first two NFL seasons but has played more sparsely over the last two years, in part due to foot and knee injuries. He also worked out for the Jets recently.
- For Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy to play in 2014, he’ll need his November 17th trial to go forward, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Hardy’s attorney was initially pushing to get the trial delayed until 2015, but he’ll now have to get his legal situation settled before he’s welcomed back on the field.