Lammey: Post-Super Bowl 51 buzz from around the NFL

Author’s note: Covering the NFL since 2003, I’ve been able to generate contacts with every team in the league. This is the time of year when those relationships come in handy.

NFL teams have entered the offseason mode, and information is swirling around the atmosphere of the league. If you know who to ask, you can learn some interesting things about the direction of these franchises as they prepare for the 2017 season.

Here’s some of the latest buzz I’m hearing from around the NFL the week after Super Bowl 51.

Julius Thomas to return to Broncos?

The Denver Broncos are looking for possible upgrades at the tight end position. They could look to the draft, as this is an incredibly strong class at tight end. They could also look to free agency.

One option may be Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas. Due $8.3 million in 2017, the Jaguars are expected to release Thomas at some point this offseason.

Buzz: Thomas may not be thrilled to return to Denver. His early time with the team was spent with a problematic ankle injury that basically knocked him out for the first two years of his career.

Sources indicate that Thomas was upset with the way his ankle injury was handled. I’m hearing the Broncos may kick the tires on Thomas, but it would be a bit surprising to see him return.

Carolina Panthers interested in Christian McCaffrey

The Carolina Panthers may have an interest in selecting Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey with the 8th-overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

The Panthers hired running backs coach Lance Taylor last week, and he coached McCaffrey in college. Florida State running back Dalvin Cook and LSU running back Leonard Fournette are also options for the team with their top-10 pick.

Buzz: The Panthers want more weapons around superstar quarterback Cam Newton, and adding a player like McCaffrey would make sense.

Head coach Ron Rivera indicated the team can’t rely on Newton to be one of its top rushers, and this is an offense devoid of playmakers.

An NFC team executive I talked with says McCaffrey could get a “James White bump” after the game White had in Super Bowl 51.

Atlanta passes on hiring Chip Kelly

With Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan moving on to be the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, the team had a big opening on the coaching staff. To fill that role, the team announced they hired former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.

It’s an interesting move, especially considering Sarkisian has no experience calling plays at the NFL level. This was a bit of a surprise move, but Sarkisian comes from the Pete Carroll coaching tree like Falcons head coach Dan Quinn.

Buzz: There was a buzz about the Falcons considering former 49ers head coach Chip Kelly to take Shanahan’s spot. Adding Kelly would not have been a popular move within that locker room or on that staff.

Kelly has the NFL experience that Sarkisian lacks, but that wasn’t enough to get him hired. The team certainly had to consider the reaction from the people in the building when considering Kelly as a coaching option.