NFL Notes: Friday 06/11 - I'm the specialist

• As other NFL teams are bringing in vaccination experts to educate players and coaches on the advantages of getting vaccinated prior to the NFL season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians is going a different route. And I don't know about y'all, but I'd be one to listen to Bruce.

I asked Bruce Arians if he brought in a specialist to talk to players about the vaccine like coach Ron Rivera did in Washington.

“I’M THE SPECIALIST,” Arians said.

He told players, “If you want to go back to normal, get vaccinated.” pic.twitter.com/CDX92Kgsuh

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) June 10, 2021

• San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had some ...interesting words to say about their first-round draft pick, Trey Lance, following workouts this week. "I never say whether it was good or bad because just going through it is good even if he didn't do that good, which I thought he did." Ok, Kyle.

• New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton injured his hand in practice last week after banging it on a teammate's helmet. Head coach Bill Belichick confirmed to reporters Thursday that Newton is doing alright and won't be doing much practicing until it heals. Rookie Mac Jones and Jarrett Stidham took all the QB reps. Godspeed.

Belichick surprisingly acknowledges Cam Newton's hand injury. "He's doing alright. He won't be out there today but it's nothing serious. ... He'll be alright." pic.twitter.com/oYYZFck1Ap

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) June 10, 2021

• Speaking of Mac Jones, who hasn't exactly had the best camp, he said the collective effort from the quarterback room in New England is going to help them all get better. AKA he already has the 'media savvy' part down. "We're just coming in every day -- there's four guys and I am the rookie, so I am just learning from them. They have all been very nice to me, treated me well and I am just trying to help them out as much as I can." I'm sure they're good, Mac.

• Matthew Stafford has a lot of work to do this offseason with his new team. And his new receivers. Stafford says he's excited to work with his new Los Angeles Rams teammates, specifically his "weapons." "There's guys in there I didn't even list that I think are really good players that are going to help us come fall, both in the receiver room, the backs, the tight ends. So I'm just excited about all of it."
  

• Even though Shaq Barrett won a Super Bowl just a few months ago, AND got a pretty hefty contract to follow that up, he's not letting himself become complacent. Barrett's eyes are on Defensive Player of the Year. If he can keep his late-postseason streak going (four sacks and eight QB hits), he may be able to do just that.

THIS ENERGY >>@ShaquilBarrett pic.twitter.com/nq2aJ7jXQr

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) June 10, 2021

• I thought we were over this already, but Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray told reporters today that he isn't closing the door when it comes to potentially playing baseball again, the sport he almost chose over football. 

Kyler Murray continues to talk about playing pro baseball at some point. He knows he can't, he acknowledges the Cardinals certainly aren't thinking that way, but he says -- with a smile -- he doesn't want to close the door.

"I'm not trying to start anything, I'm just talking."

— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) June 10, 2021

• Rookie quarterback Justin Fields is getting high praise from teammates and coaches lately. This latest one comes from receiver Darnell Mooney, who was lucky enough to catch a few deep balls from Fields. "I've caught one or two deep balls from him. The very first one that he threw up to me I was smiling mid-route of just seeing the ball in the air and just where it was placed." Hmm. Andy Dalton could never.