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Time for a quick look at some headlines from around the NFC South.

• The New Orleans Saints’ bounty program dominated the NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., in late March. The owners will have another meeting Tuesday in Atlanta. The May gathering is a much quicker and smaller meeting (owners, coaches and executives attend the March meeting) with an agenda that includes some updates on stadium situations and some talk about minor rule changes. But I would expect NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to get asked about the defamation lawsuit recently filed against him by New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma, and the commissioner also might have to field some more questions on the Saints’ situation from the media.

• The Carolina Panthers have signed undrafted rookie receiver Hubert Anyiam. He spent a brief period after the draft with San Diego before being waived. Anyiam played at Oklahoma State. He’ll be fighting for one of the final receiver spots on the roster. Veteran Steve Smith is locked in as a starter. But, after that, Brandon LaFell, David Gettis, Kealoha Pilares, rookie Joe Adams and Armanti Edwards are competing for the remaining jobs. To make room for Anyiam, the Panthers released defensive tackle Jason Shirley.

• Speaking of Carolina’s receiver situation, Joseph Person has a breakdown of that, as well as some other position battles as the Panthers get ready to take the field for Tuesday’s organized team activity.

• Jay Adams writes that Matt Ryan, Tony Gonzalez and Julio Jones are prime candidates for the next wave of the NFL Network’s list of the top 100 players for 2012. I’m thinking there’s a pretty good chance Jones could end up being ranked ahead of Roddy White, who fell 41 spots from last year and came in at No. 65 on this year’s list.

• Mike Freeman writes that a lot of New Orleans players feel the franchise is being “railroaded’’ in the bounty scandal, and say the NFL hasn’t produced enough evidence to justify the punishments. But Freeman is right when he says whatever evidence the NFL has might stay locked away. The league says it has sources to protect. Unless Vilma’s lawsuit or something else pushes this matter into an open court room, the NFL doesn’t have to release anything more.

• The one knock on Tampa Bay rookie linebacker Lavonte David is his size (6-foot-1 and 233 pounds). But Scott Reynolds writes that shouldn’t be a concern because David is such a sure tackler. Funny, but a lot of people said Derrick Brooks was undersized and should move to safety back when he was coming out of college. Funny, but the Bucs left Brooks at linebacker, and that ended up working out very nicely.

When Cam Newton wasn't selected to be on the cover of "Madden 13," there seemed to be a huge sigh of relief from fans of the Carolina Panthers.

One potential crisis was avoided, but it seems like Carolina fans now are creating another. A lot of them seem to be worried about Newton following his offensive rookie of the year season with a “sophomore slump."

I have a tough time buying into that one. First off, Newton is incredibly talented. Second, he’ll have a full offseason with his coaches and the playbook, a luxury he didn’t have during last year’s lockout.

But let’s turn to someone who knows Newton a lot better than most. That’s Carolina coach Ron Rivera, who was asked in this interview about the possibility of Newton taking a step backward.

“I will say this about a sophomore slump: If there’s anybody that’s going work through it, he’s going to work through it,’’ Rivera said. “When the season was over, one of the things he said was he wanted to find a way to make sure he didn’t have one. I think the less we talk about it, the less we get caught up in it, the better. It’s like the Madden curse; he really wanted to be the cover. I think that’s the thing. Instead of running from it, saying, 'Oh, I hope it doesn’t happen -- it’s not going to happen.' I’m not going to let it happen. I think that’s his approach to the sophomore slump.’’

I think that’s an excellent approach. But Rivera was quick to point out that Newton can use some help from his teammates.

“I also think the guys around him have to continue to step up,’’ Rivera said. “Our running backs have to continue to go. I think the addition of [Mike] Tolbert gives us something extra because it’s now a fullback that’s a multitalented and versatile guy. Our tight end situation with Greg Olsen is solid. We have [Gary] Barnidge and Ben [Hartsock] sitting there -- guys that give us a different kind of look. And the continued development of our receiving corps. The young guys have got to step up, whether it’s David Gettis getting back to 100 percent, whether it’s Kealoha [Pilares] taking the next step, whether it’s Armanti [Edwards] stepping up, Darvin Adams stepping up, Joe Adams becoming a part of that.’’

Like I said, I only see Newton continuing to progress. But I’m not a big believer in curses, slumps or jinxes. But I could be wrong.

Let’s hear what you think. Cast your ballot in our accompanying SportsNation poll and use the comments section below to share your thoughts on if Newton will have a sophomore slump.

Lots to catch up on as several NFC South teams held rookie camps over the weekend. Let's take a quick spin through some of the headlines from around the division.

• Carolina first-round draft pick Luke Kuechly went through the team’s rookie camp working at weak-side linebacker. He could end up staying there, but I don’t think anything is set in stone right now. The Panthers want to get a look at middle linebacker Jon Beason and outside linebacker Thomas Davis in training camp before making any firm decisions. Beason and Davis each are coming back from major injuries. Beason has played a little on the outside in the past and Kuechly spent most of his college career in the middle.

• Receiver Plaxico Burress caused a stir last week when he mentioned the Panthers as a team he’d be interested in playing for. I think the real question is, do the Panthers have any interest in Burress? I strongly doubt it. Burress will turn 35 in August. I just don’t see general manager Marty Hurney signing a receiver that’s about to turn 35. Besides, the Panthers have lots of young options -- Brandon LaFell, David Gettis, Kealoha Pilares and Joe Adams -- to go with Steve Smith. Also, Carolina history has shown that it’s not always a wise idea to bring in big-name receivers (see Keyshawn Johnson). There only has been one guy who has truly fit well opposite Smith and that was Muhsin Muhammad.

• Speaking of Carolina receivers that never really worked out, Dwayne Jarrett has signed to play in the Canadian Football League. Maybe Armanti Edwards can follow?

• Mike Triplett has a good overview of the contract standoff between Drew Brees and the Saints. He points out this situation isn’t all that unusual, it’s just unexpected because many fans thought the team would give Brees a blank check or the quarterback would give the Saints a hometown discount. Don’t be surprised if this one drags on until close to the July 16 deadline for Brees to sign his franchise tag.

• New Orleans fifth-round draft pick Corey White caused a bit of a stir when he said he was looking forward to intercepting passes from Brees in practice. Brees had a good-natured response, but made it clear he doesn’t expect the rookie defensive back to be picking off very many of his passes.

• With middle linebacker Curtis Lofton leaving for New Orleans as a free agent, Atlanta outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said he needs to become a more verbal leader. That’s a good idea. It’s pretty obvious new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has big plans for Weatherspoon. He’s Atlanta’s most athletic linebacker and the Falcons believe he can be a playmaker. They wouldn’t have let Lofton go if they didn’t think Weatherspoon was ready for the next step.

• Defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi showed up at Atlanta’s rookie camp weighing about 260 pounds. That’s about 15 less pounds than Massaquoi carried in his final season at Detroit. The weight loss was by design. The Falcons believe Massaquoi can make more of an impact as a pass-rusher if he’s not carrying as much weight.

• After his first practice with the Falcons, rookie offensive lineman Peter Konz broke into the “Dirty Bird’’ dance that was popular when the 1998 team was on its way to the Super Bowl. Although Konz grew up in Wisconsin, he became a fan of the Falcons during their Super Bowl run.

• Keeping with the league-wide trend of getting draft picks signed much earlier than in past years, Konz and the Falcons agreed to contract terms. The Falcons also signed three other draft picks.

• Bradley Handwerger writes that the NFL should show all its evidence related to the Saints’ bounty program. Fans have been screaming for more evidence after the team was hit hard by suspensions of coaches and players. I understand the frustration and I also would like to see more evidence. But the fact is, this isn’t a court of law. The NFL isn’t required to show all its evidence. If grievances, appeals or lawsuits (or some combination of the three) can get this situation into a court of law, that’s the only way we’re going to see all of the NFL’s evidence.

• Those of you that have been reading this blog regularly through the years know that I’m forever indebted to legendary former Tampa Tribune sports editor and columnist Tom McEwen. He gave me my first job in this business. As the one-year anniversary of McEwen’s death approaches, McEwen’s family and friends are making sure his legacy of helping young journalists continues. University of Florida journalism student Emily Padgett is the first recipient of a scholarship established in McEwen’s name.

NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas talks about the Panthers' plans for Armanti Edwards.

Let's take a look at some headlines from around the NFC South.

Former Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Polian reportedly will join the Atlanta Falcons in a scouting capacity. The Falcons shuffled their front office a bit when Les Snead left to become the general manager in St. Louis. David Caldwell and DeJuan Polk each took on added duties. Polian should add experience and make the front office deeper.

Here’s a partial and unofficial list of undrafted rookie free agents expected to sign with the Carolina Panthers. One of them is Southern receiver Jared Green, the son of Hall of Famer Darrell Green. The Panthers are expected to announce their full list Monday or Tuesday after they have received signed contracts.

Here’s the list of undrafted rookies expected to sign with the New Orleans Saints.

Undrafted Toledo receiver Eric Page tweeted Saturday that he was signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But he apparently had a change of heart and signed with the Denver Broncos. Here’s a list of a few other rookies that are expected to sign with the Bucs.

With the drafting of receiver/return man Joe Adams, Armanti Edwards’ time with the Carolina Panthers is probably up. The Panthers traded a second-round pick in 2011 to take the former Appalachian State quarterback in the third round in 2010 and the plan was to turn Edwards into a receiver and returner. Former coach John Fox was opposed to drafting Edwards and was hesitant to play him. Edwards got a fresh start last year, when Ron Rivera took over, but was never able to make an impact.

We held our Friday NFC South chat, and it was about as lively as any session we had during the regular season. Can’t say that’s surprising, because NFC South fans tend to be a loyal and dedicated bunch.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights:

Zion (New Orleans, La): With a new DC in Spags coming in, i'm sure we will see a new look with new faces. Do you see Porter and Harper fitting into Spags scheme?

Pat Yasinskas: My guess is Porter will be allowed to walk. Harper's contract means they almost have to keep him. They may have to adjust his role to make things work in that defense. Spags generally relies on safeties to cover and make plays. Coverage isn't exactly Roman's strength. They may have to get a little flexible with him.

Tay: (Atlanta, GA) [via mobile]: Pat I'm a die hard falcons fan, but I'm beginning to wonder if Matt Ryan is just another Tony Romo. He looks amazing in the regular season, but cracks under pressure... Maybe we should start looking for his replacement in case the upcoming season is also a failure.

Pat Yasinskas: You might be a tad early on pulling the plug on Matt. Let's give him the upcoming season with a new coordinator before making any final calls on him.

Chris (ATL): Dirk Koetter...We should give the guy a chance. It's not like he's trying to rip apart the offense and rebuild it to be ranked dead last. It seems his goal is to use the pieces already in place, keep the things the offense does well, and add in some elements that werent there like more vertical passing, screen plays....maybe some draws and misdirection to offset some pressure. The offense just needs some minor tweaks and he could be the guy to do it.

Pat Yasinskas: Agreed. I think Koetter is a much better coach than a lot of Atlanta fans are giving him credit for. He's got a ton more to work with than he had in Jacksonville.

Justin (Orlando): Why didnt the Bucs look at Mike McCoy? Are the Dolphins going to hire him?

Pat Yasinskas: I don't know the answer to that. But I would have looked at him. I covered Mike from the day he was hired as a quality control guy in Carolina. I've always thought he's had "Future head coach" written all over him. I think he's got a real good shot in Miami, so maybe the "future" part comes off of him.

Cody (Columbia): What do you think are Armanti Edwards' chances of making the Panthers' roster again next year? With David Gettis coming back and Edwards' inability to make a difference as a punt returner, it seems like it'd be difficult to find a spot for him again.

Pat Yasinskas: Armanti would have to come to training camp and show some pretty major improvement.

Richard F. (Chicago): They say it's a quarterback driven league but at the same time it's also a general manager driven league, so I was a little surprised that Mark Dominik survived the Buc's housecleaning. Do you think it was a good idea retaining Dominik?

Pat Yasinskas: Yeah, I do. First off Dominik's contract situation was different than Raheem's. He has three years remaining on his deal. Secondly, Glazers know what was going on in their building better than we do. There were reasons why they decided to stick with the GM and not the coach.

Corey (D.C.): Pat, if Meachem leaves New Orleans, do you think Arrington plays a larger role? Are they high on him at all?

Pat Yasinskas: Look at history of Saints. It sometimes takes several years for draft picks to really make impact. Meachem is an example of that. I think they like Arrington to some degree and he's a guy who was held back by injuries somewhat early in his career. One thing they like (and Brees likes) is continuity in the WR group. So, if Meachem does leave, I think that improves Arrington's stock.

Matt Riddle (Atlanta, Ga): Do you think there's any logic in trading Roddy White?

Pat Yasinskas: If you can get good value, yes, some logic. Roddy's also getting to an age where he could decline. The number of drops this season have to be a concern. And Julio's waiting in the wings to be a No. 1 WR. They could get another No. 2 pretty easily. But, that said, you don't just give a guy like Roddy away.

Trey (Charlotte, NC): Pat, after drafting Cam Newton, is Marty Hurney’s job secure for the next couple of years?

Pat Yasinskas: I think so. Newton was definitely a home run for him. Plus, you have to understand how Marty is viewed by the owner. Basically, when Richardson fired his two sons, he started looking at Hurney and Danny Morrison almost as two sons. Richardson thinks the world of Hurney.

Here's the complete transcript of Friday's NFC South chat.

Time for a look at the top Saturday morning headlines from around the NFC South.

Atlanta defensive end Lawrence Sidbury has moved into a tie for the team lead in sacks with four, even though he is being used in a limited role in a rotation. But Sidbury’s production could lead to more playing time down the stretch. With John Abraham and Kroy Biermann approaching the end of their contracts, Sidbury also could be putting himself in a position for a bigger role next season.

New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter drew a $7,500 fine for hitting an opponent out of bounds in Monday night’s victory against the New York Giants.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are singing the praises of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. He’s been criticized and questioned elsewhere. But Haynesworth has been the model citizen since joining the Bucs three weeks ago. If Haynesworth continues to behave and play well, the Bucs will have an interesting decision to make on his future. Haynesworth didn’t cost them much this season, but his salary-cap figure jumps to over $7 million in 2012. The Bucs could release Haynesworth after this season and there would not be any cap implications for 2012.

If Carolina rookie Kealoha Pilares, who is doubtful with a quadriceps injury, can’t play Sunday the Panthers are likely to use Armanti Edwards on kickoff returns. Edwards has been handling punt returns this season.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from Friday’s NFC South chat:

Ben (Atlanta GA) Pat will Cam be ROY? I know Dalton has some wins, but CIN is playing a cupcake schedule.

Pat Yasinskas: If you've followed the NFC South blog, you know that I think Cam wins it easily. No offense to Dalton, who is having a nice year. But I think Cam had ROY sewn up after first two games.

Orlando (Baton Rouge, La): Hey Pat, everyone's saying that the Saints have no shot at out throwing Green Bay outdoors in January but Green Bay hasn't done that well throwing outside either hence, relying on their running game to win which I believe New Orleans has their number at. your thoughts

Pat Yasinskas: An excellent point. Was talking to a scout the other day, who made the point that these aren't the Bart Starr Packers. The current Packers aren't necessarily built for playing in Lambeau in January.

Rob (Tampa): Pat, I am a Falcons fan living in Tampa. I go to all of the Falcons games at Ray Jay, it is a great stadium and the fans that show up are very passionate. I know you live in Tampa as well. Why do people here just not show up to games?

Pat Yasinskas: Agree, one of best stadiums in league and fans that do come are passionate. Biggest reason I hear from those who don't go is the economy. But it also would help if the team was winning.

Eliot (New York, NY): Ok Pat, let's assume the Saints win the division. Do you really think they are guaranteed a trip to the NFC Championship? Are you forgetting what happened last season? They'd have to play (in all likelihood) CHI/SF or ATL/SF first.. All of whom are better than 7-9 SEA..

Pat Yasinskas: I don't think anything is guaranteed. But I'd say this year's Saints are far better than last year's Saints. At least at this point, they haven't had a lot of big injuries.

David W (Atlanta): Pat - it seems that the Falcons are beginning to hit a stride (third quarter not withstanding) and their remaining schedule seems pretty generous. I know all the talk is about Green Bay and New Orleans, but do you see the Falcons being a playoff sleeper if they continue playing the way they have been?

Pat Yasinskas: Yep, certainly possible. Look at roll Packers went on last year. They were No. 6 seed. Am I seeing signs Falcons might be getting hot at the right time? Yes, they've been better lately.

Ben (Atlanta GA): Armanti Edwards just hasnt gotten launched this year and it may not be his fault per se, but do you think he gets cut as a result?

Pat Yasinskas: Think they'll bring him to training camp and give him one more chance.

KTV (ATL): Curtis Lofton and Sean Weatherspoon better tandem than Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman?

Pat Yasinskas: Maybe not yet, but moving in that direction.

David (Ak): Brees ever win an MVP? Doubt it myself.

Pat Yasinskas: Not this year. I mean, he's having a great year. But so is Rodgers and Rodgers plays for the Packers, who are a national team. So that's tough for Drew to overcome.

Here's the complete transcript of Friday's NFC South chat.

The Carolina Panthers could have a shakeup in their starting lineup Sunday and this one might be overdue.

Receiver Legedu Naanee (Achilles tendinitis) missed his second straight day of practice Friday. That could clear the way for second-year pro Brandon LaFell to get his first start of the season.

Even before Naanee’s injury, a lot of Carolina fans wondered why he continued to start ahead of LaFell, a third-round pick last year. I’ve been wondering the same thing since LaFell has shown some promise in a backup role and the veteran Naanee never has been a standout.

Maybe the coaching staff didn’t think LaFell was ready to start. But the Panthers are in a position where it’s time to find out what they have in LaFell. Carolina obviously isn’t going to the playoffs and it’s time to take an extended look at some young players.

LaFell is the classic example of that. Even if Naanee gets healthy, the Panthers should start LaFell the rest of the year. The coaches need to know if LaFell can be the starter opposite Steve Smith. At the very least they want to find out if he can be a good No. 3 receiver if David Gettis returns from injury and claims the starting job next season.

Along those same lines, starting LaFell the rest of the season could allow the Panthers to give more playing time to rookie Kealoha Pilares and second-year pro Armanti Edwards. Those two have been used almost exclusively in the return game.

The Panthers knew Edwards was going to be a project when they drafted the former college quarterback last year. They thought he could develop into an explosive return man and wide receiver.

So far, Edwards has been just a return man and not a great one. The Panthers need to start taking a look at Edwards as a wide receiver even if it’s just in spot duty. If Edwards can show a little promise, he’ll come to training camp next year with a chance to be a contributor at receiver.

If he doesn’t show much promise, Edwards might not even be with the Panthers when training camp rolls around.

The Panthers also said linebacker Omar Gaither is doubtful for Sunday’s game with Indianapolis.

Part of the reason Ron Rivera was hired to coach the Carolina Panthers was his willingness to embrace the team’s youth movement.

That wasn’t just a ruse to get the job. Rivera’s sticking by his plans. More accurately, as Joseph Person notes, Rivera’s sticking by the plans laid out by the front office in his decision to stick with Armanti Edwards and Kealoha Pilares as his punt and kickoff returners.

You can lump the wishes of owner Jerry Richardson in with the wishes of the front office. Edwards and Pilares haven’t done much in the return game and the Panthers have a pair of experienced returners in Mike Goodson and Captain Munnerlyn.

But Rivera isn’t going to turn to the past. Unlike predecessor John Fox, he wants to give the young guys a chance. Makes sense because the Panthers invested draft picks in Edwards and Pilares and the front office believes both can be explosive players.

They’re going to keep getting chances.

"The thing you would hope is somewhere along the lines they're going to pop it," Rivera said.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. The “hot’’ coordinators in the NFC South. New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Greg Olson all got outcoached badly in their openers. These are guys whose names come up in conversations when you talk about potential head coaches. If they keep coaching this way, they’ll stay as assistants.

2. Tampa Bay’s pass rush. The Bucs have known for a couple of years they needed to get better on the defensive line. That’s why they drafted tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price in the first two rounds in 2010 and ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers this year. It didn’t make a bit of difference Sunday. The Bucs didn’t record a sack and allowed Matthew Stafford to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns.

3. New Orleans coach Sean Payton. There was a time when there was no room to question Payton’s play calling. But fans started doing it after his decision to run rookie Mark Ingram and take the ball out of Drew Brees' hands on the final play of Thursday night’s loss to Green Bay. New Orleans fans are passionate and they’ve been spoiled by success the past couple of seasons. If the Saints get off to a slow start, they’ll start questioning Payton’s decision to move his family to Dallas.

RISING

1. Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney. Who’s making a huge mistake now? Not Hurney. Although fans and some members of the media said Hurney was asking for catastrophic results if he drafted Cam Newton with the No. 1 overall pick, that suddenly is looking like a very smart move. Yeah, Hurney also drafted Jimmy Clausen and Armanti Edwards. But if Newton’s record-setting debut is any indication of the future, he’s going to make things a lot brighter for Hurney and the entire organization.

2. The possibility of a Week 4 local television blackout in Tampa Bay. That’s the "Monday Night Football" game against the Indianapolis Colts. Once upon a time, it was thought the presence of Peyton Manning would guarantee a sellout at Raymond James Stadium. Now, Manning’s hurt. Speaking of hurting, the Bucs’ performance in the opener isn’t going to help sell many tickets.

3. Atlanta owner Arthur Blank. Could he have known about or prevented Michael Vick's downfall in Atlanta? It’s possible. But that’s the past and Vick and Blank made their peace long ago. That will make things a lot smoother Sunday night when Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles come to Atlanta. Blank kept in touch with Vick while he was in prison and told commissioner Roger Goodell he believed the quarterback deserved another shot in the NFL. The game between the Eagles and Falcons might bring back memories, but it’s not a grudge match.

With the preseason over, roster cuts already taking place and the start of the regular season only days away, we were able to cover all sorts of ground in Friday’s NFC South chat.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights.

Kent (Melbourne): Pat- Should the Bucs be looking for a running back with speed. Do you think they could use a change of pace back.

Pat Yasinskas: If I were them, I'd be keeping a close eye on what New Orleans does with Joique Bell. If he's available, grab him.

Jacob (Michigan): Any surprise to Kyle Moore and Tyrone Mckenzie being cut?

Pat Yasinskas: More surprised at McKenzie. He was real popular with his teammates, but I guess coaches didn't share the same view.

coached (couched): Can Cam win the job? And remain starter?

Pat Yasinskas: He already won the job. They'll keep him as the starter unless he gets hurt or is just flat-out horrible. There may be some ups and downs, but they're prepared for that and just want to see him grow as the season goes on.

Eliot (NY, NY): Do you think Matt Ryan will put up career numbers or do you think 'taking the gloves off' is too big of a step?

Pat Yasinskas: Yes, I think they really will let him do more this year. Plus, he has more to work with.

Nate (Anchorage, AK): Armanti Edwards? I know you say it's a long shot, but what makes you say it at all? Where does he stand right now?

Pat Yasinskas: He needs to catch the football. Like I said, it's a long shot. They've got a high draft pick invested in him. But it's shaping up to be like Dexter Jackson (the receiver, not the safety) with the Buccaneers. But Hurney probably gives Edwards one more year.

Brock (Boulder, CO): Is Jacquizz Rodgers going to be a factor this year?

Pat Yasinskas: Yes, you'll see him worked in as a change-of-pace back. They're hoping he can be what Norwood never could become because of the injuries.

Dwayne (Who Dat Nation): I think it would be in the SAINTS best interest to place Chris Ivory on PUP. That way, Ingram, Thomas, Sproles, and Bell can carry the running game for the first six weeks. In week seven they'd get Ivory back with fresh legs for the stretch run. Agreed?

Pat Yasinskas: I suspect that's how it will play out.

Daniel (Nashville): Who ends up with more yards rushing Ingram or Thomas?

Pat Yasinskas: Ingram.

Here’s the complete transcript of Friday’s NFC South chat.

We got our first glimpse of coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s offensive system Saturday night when the Carolina Panthers opened their preseason against the New York Giants.

It didn’t look much like schemes previous coordinators Jeff Davidson and Dan Henning ran under former coach John Fox. There were passes to the tight ends, a reverse to Armanti Edwards and some downfield throws.

And that was just a first glimpse. There are other nuances we haven’t seen yet. The Panthers still will run the ball a fair amount because DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are quality running backs, but there’s going to be more balance in the offense.

That’s a refreshing change for the players, even the offensive linemen, who generally pride themselves on run blocking.

“We got in a situation the last year or two where we were very much a one-dimensional offense,’’ Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil said during my recent visit to Carolina’s training camp. “Teams were putting eight or nine men in the box. We were still running the ball pretty well. But you can’t do just that and win in this league.’’

The Panthers didn’t win very often last year. They went 2-14 and replaced Fox with Ron Rivera. Although Rivera comes with a defensive background, he realized Carolina needed to change its offensive philosophy. That’s why he brought in Chudzinski, who had been the tight ends coach in San Diego. The plan is to run an offense similar to what the Chargers use.

“There are dynamics to our offense that we haven’t had in a while,’’ Kalil said. “I’ve always felt we’ve been one-dimensional with the running game. That whole aspect of the offense is going to completely change now.’’

Now we know for sure that John Fox no longer is coaching the Carolina Panthers.

If you saw their preseason opener (a 20-10 victory against the New York Giants) on Saturday night, there was plenty of evidence.

There was offensive creativity. There were passes to the tight end. Young quarterbacks were allowed to take shots down the field and not forced to play like each mistake would be their last. Oh, and we also saw quite a bit of Armanti Edwards.

All of the above were either illegal or heavily frowned up on in the Fox regime. Under Ron Rivera, they all are encouraged.

We still don’t know for sure if Cam Newton or Jimmy Clausen will open the season as the starting quarterback, but we do know whoever wins that competition might actually have a chance. Clausen and Carolina’s offense had no chance last season as Fox took conservative offense to a whole new level.

In new coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s system, it’s pretty obvious the Panthers are going to use their tight ends a lot and, once Steve Smith gets back from an injury, they could have a deep passing game.

Heck, Edwards could even be a part of the deep passing game. The wide receiver, who Fox refused to play as a rookie, caught a 36-yard pass from Newton to help set up a field goal late in the first half. More importantly, Edwards had two very impressive punt returns.

Some other observations on the Panthers.

• Without Smith and David Gettis, who will miss the season with a knee injury, the wide receivers had trouble getting separation from defensive backs. Smith’s return will help and we all know what he can do, but the Panthers need someone else to step up on the outside.
• Newly-acquired tight end Greg Olsen got off to a very nice start. He had three catches for 58 yards and caught a touchdown from Clausen. Olsen’s performance brought back memories of Wesley Walls and Jeremy Shockey's going to get his share of passes.
• Speaking of tight ends, Gary Barnidge, who currently is No. 4 on the depth chart, is helping his cause. He had a nice game and could challenge Ben Hartsock for the third tight end job.
• Running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart only made cameo appearances, but both ran well. As much as we talk about the new offensive scheme, Williams and Stewart are too good for the Panthers to go too far away from the running game.
• Speaking of running back, Mike Goodson has plenty of talent and he showed it last season when Williams and Stewart were banged up. But Goodson had trouble holding onto the ball Saturday night. He’s not going to earn playing time if that continues.
• There’s strong competition for the backup spots in the defensive secondary. A couple of young guys who helped themselves with good performances were R.J. Stanford and Jordan Pugh.
• Derek Anderson, who was brought in to provide a veteran presence for Newton and Clausen, connected with rookie Kealoha Pilares on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass. It was a short throw and Pilares took off down the sideline. Pilares also had a nice tackle on the punt coverage unit early in the game.

It’s safe to assume Ron Rivera isn’t going to decide on a starting quarterback Saturday night, Sunday or any time soon.

That’s probably the smartest move the new coach of the Carolina Panthers can make. He needs to let the competition between No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Newton and second-year pro Jimmy Clausen play out and unfold naturally.

Clausen almost made it easy for the Panthers to just hand the job straight to Newton when he was intercepted on the third offensive snap of Saturday night’s exhibition with the New York Giants. In a scene straight out of his disastrous rookie season, Clausen threw a pass to running back DeAngelo Williams, who wasn’t facing the ball. Linebacker Michael Boley, not a huge playmaker, intercepted and returned it for a touchdown.

But Clausen bounced back, later connecting with tight end Greg Olsen on a touchdown pass. Clausen also showed some savvy, once wisely throwing the ball away when everyone was covered and getting away from pressure a couple of times.

Clausen played the first quarter and completed four of seven passes for 61 yards. Newton took over at the start of the second quarter to loud cheers from the crowd in Bank of America Stadium.

Newton was far from perfect, but he didn’t have any disastrous plays like Clausen’s interception. He never looked lost and he also flashed big-play ability. The numbers (8-of-19 for 134 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions) weren’t spectacular, but there were memorable strong throws to Olsen and Armanti Edwards.

There were several times when Newton made good throws that were disrupted by good coverage. But keep in mind that Newton was playing with second- and third-team wide receivers, who had trouble getting separation from defensive backs, and Edwards didn’t help when he failed to hold onto a nice pass from Newton in the third quarter.

Give Newton a healthy Steve Smith, who sat out with an injured finger, and the results might have been spectacular. Newton, who played into the fourth quarter, didn’t have the luxury of playing with running backs Williams and Jonathan Stewart, and played behind backups on the offensive line.

Rivera will have plenty to think about as he reviews the film and ponders who will start next week’s game at Miami and who will start the regular-season opener at Arizona.

I think the Panthers should go with Newton. He has way more upside than Clausen. Plus, as Clausen’s interception suggested, Newton might not have as much downside.