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Let's take a look at the top Tuesday morning headlines from around the division.

This one sounds a little strange at first. Carolina coach Ron Rivera said Brandon LaFell “encapsulates who we are’’. Think about that for a minute. LaFell is a young player that has shown some flashes of promise. But, overall, LaFell hasn’t done all that much. He hasn’t even been able to permanently lock up the No. 2 receiver job, but the hope is he can fill that role and start showing more consistency. So, in a way, LaFell does represent the Panthers. They’re a young team with a lot of potential, but they have yet to arrive.

Joseph Person takes a look at the top position battles for the Carolina Panthers' defense as they begin workouts on the field. The top one is for the No. 2 cornerback job. Fans might not want to hear this, but it looks as if that’s Captain Munnerlyn’s job. He remains undersized, and that makes him a target for opposing offenses. But unless Brandon Hogan, who played little as a rookie as he recovered from knee surgery, takes a huge step forward, I don’t see anyone else on the roster ready to challenge Munnerlyn.

There is one slight positive to New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees being unsigned and not participating in offseason workouts. Safety Roman Harper said that makes it easier to install the defense of new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Harper said if Brees was around, he would show no mercy on a defense that’s going through some big adjustments.

Gary Shelton writes that Kellen Winslow shouldn’t be surprised by the Buccaneers' decision to trade him. He’s right. It was pretty obvious that Winslow’s a guy who is used to doing things as he pleases. It’s also pretty obvious coach Greg Schiano runs a very tight ship. If Winslow really wanted to play for Schiano, he should have realized it was time for some changes. At the very least, he should have first talked to the new coach about his plans for the offseason. I’m not sure Schiano would have been excited at the prospect of Winslow spending some of his time working out in San Diego. But it’s at least possible the coach and player could have worked out a deal if the situation was put on the table before workouts started.

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.

A look at the top Monday morning headlines from around the NFC South.

Although the Saints have been preaching an “us-against-the-world’’ mentality, Jeff Duncan writes that they risk turning it into “us against us’’ the longer the Drew Brees contract situation drags on. This thing has been lingering for a long time and Brees has started showing some displeasure. The Saints have the upper hand that comes with the franchise tag. But Brees isn’t going to be happy if he has to play for the franchise tag. There are a lot of unhappy people in New Orleans these days. The Saints don’t need the leader of their team going through an entire season in a bad mood.

With Brees staying away from the team’s offseason program, backup Chase Daniel is expected to work with the first team when the Saints hit the field Tuesday. Daniel said he’s ready to try to take advantage of the work with the first team.

Despite the wishes of their fans, the Carolina Panthers haven’t added a veteran receiver to go with Steve Smith. That may be because the Panthers want Brandon LaFell in the No. 2 job. Coach Ron Rivera said he’s encouraged by what he saw out of LaFell last season. But Rivera also made it a point to say LaFell hasn’t arrived. I think that’s a pretty clear message to LaFell that he has to continue to grow.

A league expert said the goal of Jonathan Vilma’s lawsuit against Roger Goodell isn’t so much to technically win as it is to compel the NFL to produce evidence of a bounty program.

New Atlanta linebacker Lofa Tatupu says he has to earn the respect of his new teammates as he attempts to win the starting job in the middle. Tatupu has a big challenge in front of him. He hasn’t played since the 2010 season in Seattle and, in a perfect world, the Falcons would like second-year pro Akeem Dent to win the job. But Tatupu had some very productive years with the Seahawks. If he can get back to that form, he could end up in the starting job.

Mike Williams said that free-agent pickup Vincent Jackson quickly has become the leader of Tampa Bay’s receiving corps. That’s a good thing because Jackson is a proven player and has been productive for a long time. The rest of Tampa Bay’s receiving corps has some potential. But Williams and the other receivers are very young and desperately need a leader to follow.

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

Check out this Insider piece by Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders. No argument that the Falcons are looking for a return man, and the Saints could use some depth at cornerback. But I’m not so sure the Panthers are as much in the market for a No. 2 receiver as a lot of people think. I believe the Panthers are ready to let Brandon LaFell, David Gettis, Joe Adams and Kealoha Pilares compete for the spot opposite Steve Smith, and are hoping one of them will step up. I also think the Tampa Bay coaching staff is intent on going with Jeremy Zuttah at center. But it doesn’t sound like Tanier is a big Zuttah fan.

The sister of Tampa Bay defensive tackle Brian Price reportedly died from injuries she suffered in a car accident.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank used the carrot of being a potential Super Bowl and World Cup host while discussing the new open-air stadium he wants with season-ticket holders.

Willie Roaf, who will be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, reflects on why he left the New Orleans Saints for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Atlanta coach Mike Smith admitted in this radio interview that the Falcons are doing some “soul searching’’ after failing to win a playoff game the past four seasons.

Peter Finney writes that it’s time for Saints owner Tom Benson to get quarterback Drew Brees signed to a long-term deal. I couldn’t agree more. This situation has dragged on way too long. The Saints have dealt with a lot of turmoil this offseason, and getting their team leader signed to a new contract would accelerate the healing process.

Scott Fowler writes that the Panthers’ decision to put rookie Luke Kuechly at outside linebacker and keep Jon Beason in the middle for the moment is best for team chemistry. That’s true. Beason has been the leader of this defense for several years. It makes sense to at least let him open training camp in the middle. If a move needs to be made, it can come later.

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.

Let's take a spin through some of the day's headlines from around the NFC South.

• ESPN.com's Mark Kreidler writes that New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma was a scapegoat for the NFL. Vilma drew a season-long suspension for his role in the bounty program. That’s about half a season longer than I expected Vilma to be suspended for. But the reality here is NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was faced with all sorts of legal implications when making his decision. He had to be harsh to make sure that no team ever again runs a bounty program because that potentially could bankrupt the NFL and every one of its teams. Yeah, I guess that makes Vilma a scapegoat. But some player had to be used as an example to the rest of the league. Goodell went hard after the player who was the leader of the New Orleans defense.

• Former Texans receiver Jacoby Jones reportedly visited with the Carolina Panthers. If he’s signed, it would make lots of sense. The Panthers have Steve Smith as one starting receiver, but the other spot is open. The team has high hopes for Brandon LaFell and David Gettis, but there is no guarantee either is ready to be a full-time starter. The Panthers also think Kealoha Pilares and Joe Adams could have bright futures, but they’re viewed as backups and return men at the moment.

• ESPN draft guru Todd McShay never stops. The 2012 NFL draft is over and he’s already got a mock draft for 2013. Check out this Insider post. The good news is none of the NFC South teams are projected to have top-10 picks. Perhaps anticipating huge seasons from Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton and Josh Freeman, McShay sees the NFC South teams going heavy on defense in next year’s first round.

• Joseph Person has a post-draft projected depth chart for the Carolina Panthers. He’s starting rookie linebacker Luke Kuechly in the middle and sliding Jon Beason to the outside. It could sort out that way or the two could swap spots. I think the Panthers will let their linebacker situation sort itself out in training camp.

• Wesley College linebacker Mike Asiedu hasn’t been signed by the Carolina Panthers yet, but he reportedly will get a tryout with them during their upcoming rookie camp.

• Receiver Raymond Webber reportedly has been told he’ll be released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

• Former Atlanta running back Jamaal Anderson has joined a legion of other retired players suing the NFL for allegedly not properly protecting its players from concussions.

The NFL draft is over and the Carolina Panthers have added at least one new starter.

That’s linebacker Luke Kuechly, who was drafted with the No. 9 overall pick. It just remains to be seen if he’ll start in the middle or on the outside.

Let’s take a look at Carolina’s projected depth chart as I see it at the moment.

OFFENSE

• QB Cam Newton

• RB DeAngelo Williams (Jonathan Stewart is interchangeable)

• FB Mike Tolbert

• WR Steve Smith

• WR Brandon LaFell (or David Gettis)

• TE Greg Olsen

• LT Jordan Gross

• LG Mike Pollak (or rookie Amini Silatolu)

• C Ryan Kalil

• RG Geoff Hangartner

• RT Jeff Otah (Byron Bell could end up here if Otah’s not healthy)

DEFENSE

• DE Charles Johnson

• DT Ron Edwards

• DT Terrell McClain (Sione Fua also will be in the rotation)

• DE Greg Hardy

• MLB Jon Beason or Kuechly (one of them will move outside)

• OLB James Anderson (or Beason or Kuechly)

• OLB Thomas Davis (or Beason or Kuechly)

• CB Chris Gamble

• CB Captain Munnerlyn

• SS Charles Godfrey

• FS Sherrod Martin

SPECIALISTS

• K Olindo Mare

• P Brad Mortman (at least one rookie besides Kuechly will play a lot)

• KR Kealoha Pilares

• PR Joe Adams (the rookie also could get some time as the slot receiver)

The fourth round is just about over. It's down to the compensatory picks and those can't be traded, so this round will end with only three picks made by NFC South teams.

But this still was a relatively eventful round for the division. Carolina was the star in this round as the Panthers used back-to-back picks to get Oklahoma defensive end Frank Alexander and Arkansas receiver Joe Adams. I don’t think either is a candidate to start right away, but they give the Panthers some depth at positions where they needed depth.

Charles Johnson is Carolina’s big threat at defensive end and Greg Hardy hasn’t really produced the way the Panthers had hoped. They still have hope Hardy will emerge, but Alexander provides another option behind him.

I like the Adams pick even more. Carolina has one certainty at receiver. That’s Steve Smith. After that, the Panthers are hoping Brandon LaFell can continue to develop and David Gettis can come back strong from last year’s season-ending injury. But there are no guarantees LaFell and Gettis will become stars, so it makes sense to add another guy to this mix. Adams could end up being used as a slot receiver fairly early on. He has the potential to be explosive and, with Cam Newton’s arm, the Panthers could use someone besides Smith that can get open down the field.

Speaking of wide receivers, the Saints got one with the only other NFC South pick in the fourth round. They took Wisconsin’s Nick Toon. A lack of top end speed and questions about his durability are the main reasons Toon slid to the fourth round. But this is a polished player from a big-time program. In New Orleans’ offense, wide receivers tend to produce more than their draft status would suggest. Just look at what Marques Colston and Lance Moore have done.

The Saints did lose Robert Meachem in free agency. They still have Colston, Moore and Devery Henderson. Toon should have a chance to compete with Adrian Arrington for the fourth receiver spot.

Let’s take a look at the highlights of Friday’s NFC South chat.

Tim (Athens): Pat, do you think the Bucs have a plan if Richardson goes to CLE and Claiborne goes to MIN? Thank you.

Pat Yasinskas: I'm sure they do. Teams usually are prepared for any scenario. The thing I wonder about in that scenario is Justin Blackmon. I know they just signed Vincent Jackson and have a bunch of young WRs. But those young WRs haven't really established themselves. I could see them going with Blackmon to give Freeman another target.

Luke (Northdale): Pat, in your opinion will millionaire pro athletes really buy into the "toes on the line" from the head coach?

Pat Yasinskas: Time will tell, but it's definitely very different out there these days.

Ben (Atlanta): Do you know how high and upside the Panthers think Brandon Hogan has? If they think it is high, they may wait until rd 4 to get some CB depth.

Pat Yasinskas: He should be fully healthy this year and they obviously like him. He could be a factor in what Panthers do (or don't do) at CB.

Jeff (Decatur): I know you're tired of Falcons fans belly aching about our inactive free agency. However, it's hard for me to stomach the idea that two new coordinators should fix us. Dropped passes and miss tackles have nothing to do with scheme. Don't you think it's unfair that (by appearences) BVG and Murlarkey are getting the blame for our uneven playoff showings? Where is Dimitroff being held accountable? Some guys (ie Decoud, Jerry, Baker) just don't pass the eye test and I don't think Koetter/Nolan can change that.

Pat Yasinskas: Your points are all valid. But Dimitroff and Smith have decided to play it this way and fans aren't going to change it. If it works, they'll look like genuises. If it doesn't, they'll take heat.

Christopher (Pickens, South Carolina): Why do so many people think the Panthers need reciever help? We got Steve Smith who is still one of the best recievers in the game and Brandon LaFell was statistically one of the most dependable recievers in the NFC AND David Gettis looked really good in his rookie year. add on to that our TE's, and Carolina actually has one of the best reciever corps in the NFL.

Pat Yasinskas: I tend to agree with you. I could see them adding some depth, but I don't think they need to look for a starter in this draft.

Sean (Vegas): Saints fan. I don't understand the interim coach for the interim coach the Saints have planned. Any chance Parcells is still in the ix and he and Payton are talking strategy until June, when Parcells then steps in?

Pat Yasinskas: I suppose anything is possible.

Will (California): Do you think the Bucs will trade Blount at the Draft?? I see them taking Doug Martin in the 2nd rd!! I think he would become the instant starter in Tampa! Seeing he can do everything!! What are your thoughts??

Pat Yasinskas: I think there's a chance you could see Martin and Blount as teammates this year. In this day and age, you need several RBs that can play.

Rick (New jersey): What is a Bigger NEED for the SAINTS D line or CB?

Pat Yasinskas: I think D-line. They need to improve pass rush.

Joe F (Vero Beach) [via mobile]: I'm surprised the Bucs didn't follow through with shopping Talib. You know some dumb team would give them something for him?

Pat Yasinskas: I don't think anyone would give up anything for him right now. If he goes through trial and is cleared and isn't going to be suspended by the NFL, then, he has some trade value.

Saleem (Saint Louis): What are your thoughts on the league taking so long to hand out suspensions to the Saints. I understand legal implications and the need for doing their due diligence but they announced Sean Payton's suspension over a month ago now. In addition to roster impact, the suspensions have salary cap implications and could be part of why Loomis hasn't pulled the trigger on Brees' contract. Your thoughts?

Pat Yasinskas: Yes, I'm totally surprised nothing has come yet. I thought it would have happened sometime in the last few weeks, but it seems to be dragging. On the salary-cap implications, unless they do it differently than in the past, the suspended players would still count against the cap right up until the moment they start their suspensions.

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

There are pretty common assumptions among Tampa Bay and Carolina fans that the Bucs will take either LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne or Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the fifth overall pick in the draft and Carolina will take a defensive player at No. 9.

That’s all logical and very possible. But I think there’s a wild-card scenario that could play out for either team.

That’s Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. He generally is viewed as the top receiver in the draft and I think the Bucs and Panthers would consider him, if he’s available.

It looks like the Bucs and Panthers apparently are doing their homework on Blackmon. He reportedly will visit both teams prior to the draft.

Although receiver might not be the top need for the Bucs or Panthers, it’s at least a consideration and I could see Blackmon landing with either team.

Tampa Bay added free agent Vincent Jackson. But the Bucs, who want to improve the talent around quarterback Josh Freeman, could be looking to add an upgrade because Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn didn’t have big seasons in 2011.

Carolina has Steve Smith as its No. 1 receiver. Although Smith hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, he is aging. The Panthers need to find an heir apparent. The team has high hopes for David Gettis and Brandon LaFell, but they might not be anything more than No. 2 receivers. Blackmon could be a No. 2 receiver right away and be the heir apparent to Smith as the No. 1 receiver.

We’ve been talking about needs for the four NFC South teams this offseason and we’re about to do it again. Let’s turn to this Insider post by Gary Horton.

He lists three needs for each team and I’m picking one of those for each team to discuss here.

— For the Falcons, Horton lists the offensive line as the top need. No argument here. The Falcons have to get better up front if they’re going to truly have the kind of explosive offense they like to talk about. Horton speculates the Falcons could go after guard Carl Nicks as a free agent or sign tackle Marcus McNeill if he is released, as expected by the Chargers. I’m not totally ruling out the Falcons pursuing Nicks. He’s the best guard in the game and taking him away from New Orleans would weaken a division opponent. But I don’t know if the Falcons can afford to spend so much money on a guard when their biggest weakness is at left tackle.

— Horton lists wide receiver as Carolina’s top need. I’d put defensive tackle and outside linebacker ahead of receiver, but I see his point. There’s a school of thought the Panthers should go get another top receiver to pair with Steve Smith. I can see the Panthers adding a receiver, but not in the early rounds of the draft and not an expensive free agent. All indications I’ve been getting are that the Panthers are happy with the progress of Brandon LaFell and are expecting David Gettis back from an injury.

— For the Saints, Horton has outside linebacker at the top of the list and I couldn’t agree more. Scott Shanle is aging and the Saints never found a solid replacement for Scott Fujita. They have high hopes for Martez Wilson, but I think they’ll add another linebacker in the draft or free agency.

— Horton also has outside linebacker on Tampa Bay’s list. That’s a definite area of need. Geno Hayes and Quincy Black didn’t step up last season. The team played rookie Mason Foster in the middle and that could have had a negative impact on the outside linebackers. But the Bucs have to upgrade this position.

Let's take a look at the top headlines from around the division.

Tom Sorensen makes a compelling case for the Panthers to sign receiver Randy Moss, who says he wants to come out of retirement. As Sorensen points out, the Panthers have shown a little more flexibility lately in being willing to take chances on players with reputations (see Cam Newton and Jeremy Shockey) and there’s no doubt Moss has had some issues in his past. But Moss always had the ability to stretch the field and that’s something the Panthers could use to take coverage away from Steve Smith. But they also think third-year pro Brandon LaFell might be ready to blossom and David Gettis will be returning from an injury.

Speaking of compelling arguments and veteran receivers, John Manasso makes a pretty strong case that the Falcons should sign Hines Ward if, as is expected, he is released by the Pittsburgh Steelers. My first reaction was that the Falcons really don’t need to add a receiver who is about to turn 36. But Manasso points to Ward’s strong roots to the Atlanta area, his reputation as a locker-room leader and his experience as a winner. It’s tough to argue that the Falcons couldn’t use a few more players who have experience winning in the postseason.

Speaking of the Falcons and receivers, Atlanta reportedly has denied Jacksonville’s request to interview receivers coach Terry Robiskie for the same job. Former Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey is now Jacksonville’s head coach and he brought quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski along with him as offensive coordinator. Those were steps up and weren’t blocked by the Falcons, but this would have been a lateral move for Robiskie and the Falcons don’t want to lose him.

Roy Cummings writes that new Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was noted for putting players through quirky drills when he was quarterbacks coach of the New York Giants. But the unconventional methods were used to get a conventional result -- sound decision making. That’s what Sullivan will be working to get out of quarterback Josh Freeman.

Wide receiver Randy Moss, who sat out last season, celebrated his 35th birthday Monday by saying he wants to play in the NFL in 2012.

Could he land in the NFC South?

It’s probably a long shot, but I wouldn’t say it’s completely out of the question. Let’s take a look at the possibilities.

Saints. It is possible the Saints could lose top receiver Marques Colston in free agency. If that happens, Moss could be a consideration. Of all the teams in the division, the Saints have shown a willingness to bring in veteran guys. At various times in his career, Moss has been viewed as a locker-room distraction. But that wouldn’t be a huge concern in New Orleans because quarterback Drew Brees runs that locker room with a firm hand and no one challenges him.

Falcons. Atlanta could lose third receiver Harry Douglas in free agency. That would leave the Falcons with a need to get someone to complement Roddy White and Julio Jones. The Falcons clearly are in a win-now mode. This is the kind of move I could not have seen them considering a couple of years ago, but it’s a different time for the Falcons.

Panthers. General manager Marty Hurney generally isn’t the type of guy who goes out and signs 35-year-old receivers with some baggage. But the Panthers are clearly trying to give franchise quarterback Cam Newton as many weapons as possible. I doubt Moss is the top priority and the Panthers do have some hope that Brandon LaFell will blossom in his third season and David Gettis will come back strong from an injury. Look for the Panthers to add a receiver in the draft or free agency. But, if they can’t find what they want and Moss remains available in the late spring or summer, he could become a possibility to complement Steve Smith.

Buccaneers. A 35-year-old receiver doesn’t fit Tampa Bay’s youth movement. Moss also doesn’t seem like the kind of guy new coach Greg Schiano would want as he tries to clean up a locker room that has had some issues and needs stronger leadership. But the Tampa Bay receivers struggled to get separation last season. Stretching the field is one thing Moss always has been able to do.

His 2011 season wasn’t as spectacular as his 2010 rookie campaign, but Tampa Bay’s Mike Williams still was on the field more frequently than any other NFC South wide receiver.

Williams took part in 94.5 percent of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps. He was on the field for 965 of Tampa Bay’s 1,021 offensive plays.

Carolina’s Steve Smith and Atlanta’s Roddy White each played more snaps, but came up short of the percentage of plays Williams was in for. Williams’ percentage of playing time ranked No. 4 in the NFL.

Smith ranked No. 7 in the NFL, taking part in 91.4 percent of Carolina’s snaps. He was on the field for 956 of Carolina’s 1,046 plays. White was involved in 90.5 percent of Atlanta’s offensive plays. He was on the field for 1,020 of Atlanta’s 1,227 offensive snaps.

Let’s take a look at some other NFC South receivers and the playing time they got in 2011:

• Legedu Naanee, Panthers: 70.8 percent.

• Brandon LaFell, Panthers, 65.9 percent.

• Robert Meachem, Saints, 64.4 percent.

• Devery Henderson, Saints, 62.8 percent.

• Julio Jones, Falcons, 62.6 percent.

• Marques Colston, Saints, 57.2 percent.

• Harry Douglas, Falcons, 55.4 percent.

• Arrelious Benn, Buccaneers, 49.2 percent.

• Dezmon Briscoe, Buccaneers, 46.6 percent.

• Preston Parker, Buccaneers, 45.6 percent.

• Lance Moore, Saints, 36 percent.

• Eric Weems, Falcons, 24.1 percent.

• Sammie Stroughter, Buccaneers, 6.66 percent.

• Micheal Spurlock, Buccaneers, 4.7 percent.

• Seyi Ajirotutu, Panthers, 4.59 percent.

• Adrian Arrington, Saints, 4.51 percent.

• Kerry Meier, Falcons, 3.02 percent.

• Armanti Edwards, Panthers. 2.39 percent.

• Kealoha Pilares, Panthers, 2.01 percent.

We have a tie when it comes to the best hands in the NFC South.

New Orleans’ Marques Colston and Tampa Bay’s Preston Parker each had a 97.6 catch percentage during the regular season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the catch percentages for wide receivers around the division:

• Brandon LaFell, Panthers, 97.3

• Dezmon Briscoe, Buccaneers, 97.2

• Legedu Naanee, Panthers, 95.7

• Steve Smith, Panthers, 95.2

• Robert Meachem, Saints, 95.2

• Harry Douglas, Falcons, 95.1

• Lance Moore, Saints, 94.5

• Devery Henderson, Saints, 94.1

• Julio Jones, Falcons, 93.1

• Mike Williams, Buccaneers 89.0

• Roddy White, Falcons 87.7