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Now, that the NFL draft is over, let’s have some fun. Let’s start looking ahead to next season with team-by-team looks at what I project as the opening day lineups for each of the four NFC South teams.

Let’s start with the New Orleans Saints, who might not have any rookies open the season as starters because they didn’t have a draft pick until the third round. Also, let’s keep in mind that the Saints could be dealing with some suspensions from their bounty program. We won’t speculate on possible suspensions. We’ll just go with the depth chart as I see it now and I’ll throw in comments where there could be competition.

OFFENSE

• QB Drew Brees (assuming his contract situation gets straightened out)
• RB Pierre Thomas (you can also count Darren Sproles as a starter)
• FB Jed Collins
• WR Marques Colston
• WR Devery Henderson (Lance Moore will play as much as the starters)
• TE Jimmy Graham
• LT Jermon Bushrod
• LG Ben Grubbs
• C Brian de la Puente
• RG Jahri Evans
• RT Zach Strief

DEFENSE

• DE Will Smith
• DT Sedrick Ellis
• DT Brodrick Bunkley
• DE Cameron Jordan
• LB Curtis Lofton
• LB Jonathan Vilma (it remains to be seen if Vilma or Lofton will play in the middle)
• LB Scott Shanle
• CB Jabari Greer
• CB Patrick Robinson
• FS Malcolm Jenkins
• SS Roman Harper

SPECIALISTS

• K Garrett Hartley (assuming he wins training camp competition with John Kasay)
• P Thomas Morstead
• PR Darren Sproles
• KR Darren Sproles

The New Orleans Saints weren’t able to keep the best guard on the free-agent market -- Carl Nicks. So, they went out and got the second-best guard on the market in former Baltimore standout Ben Grubbs.

The Saints agreed to terms with Grubbs on Thursday morning on a five-year deal worth $36 million. Grubbs was viewed by fans in Baltimore as not living up to the expectations that came when he was a 2007 first-round pick for much of his time with the Ravens. But he suddenly became much more appreciated last season when he missed six games with a toe injury and the offensive line struggled without him. The Ravens wanted to keep him, but didn’t have more money to invest in the offensive line after giving Marshal Yanda a big contract last year.

Grubbs will cost the Saints about $2.5 million less per season than Nicks got from the Buccaneers. Grubbs might not be the superstar that Nicks was, but he’s a powerful blocker, and should help keep the interior of the offensive line strong.

Grubbs will be paired with Pro Bowl guard Jahri Evans. Brian de la Puente, who played surprisingly well after taking over as the starting center, will return in the middle.

It’s impossible to say the Saints are better off without Nicks. But they aren’t in bad shape at guard, now that they’ve added Grubbs.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ agreement with wide receiver Vincent Jackson on Tuesday night was big. Their signing of guard Carl Nicks on Wednesday morning might be even bigger.

Yeah, I know it’s hard to imagine the arrival of a guard topping the presence of a receiver who has a history of making big plays down the field. But the Bucs just might have pulled off that trick by signing Nicks to a five-year deal that’s worth $47.5 million.

Jackson was perhaps the top receiver in free agency. But Nicks is pretty much the unquestioned best guard in the NFL.

He’s also only 26 and may be just hitting his prime. Jackson is going to give quarterback Josh Freeman a big target downfield and, in theory, should open things up for the rest of the receiving corps. But Nicks might end up being even more important.

He’s going to give Freeman plenty of time to find targets downfield. Nicks is dominating as a pass-blocker. He’s also dominant as a run-blocker. The Saints averaged more than 6 yards per carry when running to Nicks’ side last season.

With Nicks and Davin Joseph, the Bucs now have two of the NFC’s Pro Bowl guards from last season. They’ll move Jeremy Zuttah from guard to center. They’ve also got Donald Penn, who is an above-average left tackle. Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood has taken lots of criticism in the past, but his level of play should improve with those four guys around him.

We’ll see how it all shakes out in time. But, on paper, the Bucs suddenly have what could be one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. New coach Greg Schiano has pledged to make the Bucs more physical in all areas, and the arrival of Nicks certainly makes the offensive line much more physical.

But this move has implications beyond Tampa Bay. The loss of Nicks is a blow to the Saints. They wanted to keep him, but found it impossible with a tight salary-cap situation. Nicks also fell third in the pecking order after the Saints put the franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees and re-signed receiver Marques Colston.

With Nicks and Jahri Evans, the Saints had what many said was the best guard tandem in the league. Nicks and Evans made tackles Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief and center Brian De La Puente look better than they really are. The Saints have Baltimore's Ben Grubbs in for a visit, and he's decent.

Evans remains and he’s very good. But the Saints no longer have the best guard in the league.

The Bucs do.

Carl Nicks repeatedly has said he’d like to stay with the New Orleans Saints.

But, as we count down the hours until Tuesday’s start of free agency, Nicks said he still hasn’t received an offer from the only team he has ever played for. He also said he believes the Saints can’t afford him and don’t want to “disrespect’’ him by making him an offer that won’t make him the league’s highest-paid guard (more than $8.5 million per season).

Barring a last-minute surge in salary-cap room, the Saints probably will let Nicks hit the open market. As I’ve written before, NFC South rivals Atlanta and Tampa Bay could be in the market for Nicks. So could a lot of other teams around the league. That’s because Nicks is the league’s best guard and he’s only 26.

If the Saints lose Nicks, they’re losing a lot. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Nicks and teammate Jermon Bushrod led all offensive players in snaps played in 2011 with 1,177. In other words, Nicks and Bushrod played in every one of New Orleans’ offensive snaps. New England quarterback Tom Brady (1,149 snaps) and Atlanta Justin Blalock (1,147) and tackle Tyson Clabo (1,147) rounded out the top five.

In addition to being a dominant pass blocker, Nicks also has been stellar in the running game. The Saints averaged 6.6 yards when running to the left last season. That average ranked No. 2 in the NFL.

Nicks and Jahri Evans have formed the best guard tandem in the league in recent years. Their play probably has helped center Brian De La Puente, Bushrod and right tackle Zach Strief.

If Nicks leaves, the Saints still have an elite guard in Evans. But they’ll no longer have an elite player on both sides of the offensive line.

Let's take a run through the Thursday morning headlines from around the NFC South.

Charlie Campbell has the latest version of his mock draft. He’s got the Bucs taking cornerback Morris Claiborne at No. 5. No big surprise there, because it’s looking like Claiborne and running back Trent Richardson will be the two options. But Campbell does have a surprise at No. 9, where he has Carolina taking defensive tackle Dontari Poe, whose stock seems to be soaring after a strong showing at the combine. Since the Saints and Falcons don’t have first-round picks, we’ll tell you what Campbell has them doing in the second round. He has the Falcons taking center Phillip Blake, which makes sense, because of the age of Todd McClure. He has the Saints taking linebacker Bobby Wagner. That makes sense, simply because the Saints need outside linebackers that can run.

The NFL Players Association has announced it will conduct its own investigation of the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program.

Former Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking has been sued by a bank that says he has $2 million in unpaid loans. A representative for Brooking says that’s not accurate.

The Panthers reportedly signed kicker Justin Medlock, who had a brief stint with the Kansas City Chiefs and has kicked in the Canadian Football League. The Panthers at least want someone in camp to push Olindo Mare, who struggled last season.

The Saints reportedly have agreed to a one-year deal with center Brian de la Puente, who is an exclusive-rights free agent. He’ll probably be looking at a bigger deal down the road, because de la Puente seemingly came out of nowhere to solidify the position after the sudden retirement of Olin Kreutz.

No NFC South team faces a more challenging period between now and the start of free agency than the New Orleans Saints.

They have to find a way to re-sign quarterback Drew Brees, and there are at least a couple other players that it’s essential the Saints retain. They’ve also got some important role players and will need to find ways to keep several of them despite a difficult salary-cap situation.

Let’s take a look at New Orleans’ potential free agents. They’re all unrestricted, unless noted otherwise:

Brees, defensive end Jeff Charleston, receiver Marques Colston, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin, tight end John Gilmore, tight end Tory Humphrey, kicker John Kasay, defensive end Turk McBride, offensive lineman Pat McQuistan, receiver Robert Meachem, guard Carl Nicks, cornerback Tracy Porter, receiver/return man Courtney Roby, defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, cornerback Leigh Torrence, safety Jonathon Amaya (exclusive rights), receiver Adrian Arrington (exclusive rights), center Brian de la Puente (exclusive rights), offensive lineman Justin Drescher (exclusive rights), linebacker Jonathan Casillas (restricted), quarterback Chase Daniel (restricted) and linebacker Ramon Humber (restricted).

Whatever deal Brees signs, it’s likely he’ll take up somewhere around $15 million of the 2012 salary cap. But the Saints will have to continue to spend big money. It’s imperative they keep Nicks. He might be the best guard in the league and he’s Brees’ top protector. Keeping Colston also would seem to be a top priority because he’s one of Brees’ favorite targets.

Once the accounting is done on Brees, Nicks and Colston, the Saints will have to make some tough financial decisions. Porter and Meachem are important role players. But they could have market value elsewhere. The Saints might not be able to afford to keep them. That would hurt, but it might not be disastrous because the Saints have good depth at receiver and cornerback.

Colleague Ross Tucker ranked the offensive lines of the eight teams remaining in the postseason. He has the Saints at No. 2, behind only the Houston Texans.

That’s quite a tribute to the offensive linemen and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer. Plus, you could throw in offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and coach Sean Payton because they obviously have a lot to do with how the offensive line is used.

But I think the thing that really stands out to me about Tucker’s ranking, is that the Saints really only have two blue-chip offensive linemen. Guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks are All-Pros and they really carry this line, especially consider the fact the Saints went through some big changes on the line before and during the season.

They let veteran center Jonathan Goodwin go in free agency, coincidentally to the 49ers, who play the Saints on Saturday. They also released veteran right tackle Jon Stinchcomb in training camp. They signed veteran Olin Kreutz to replace Goodwin. But Kreutz got injured, came back briefly, but the left the team, saying his heart no longer was in the game.

After Kreutz left, the Saints got a very nice surprise. Brian de la Puente has stepped in and played pretty well. I’m sure he’s helped by the fact he’s sandwiched between Nicks and Evans, but de la Puente certainly deserves some of the credit.

Right tackle Zach Strief took over for Stinchcomb, but Strief missed five games around the middle of the season with injury. Strief is healthy now and like de la Puente, Strief isn’t considered a big-time talent.

You could even throw left tackle Jermon Bushrod into that category. I know Bushrod made the Pro Bowl this season, but I think that had a lot to do with how prolific the offense is. Bushrod has more talent than Strief or de la Puente and has developed into a solid player. But he’s not a great left tackle.

But I think the moral of this story is that, if you have the two best guards in the NFL, they’re going to make the guys around them look a lot better.

The results of the fan voting for the Pro Bowl are in and the NFC South didn’t fare very well.

New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham and strong safety Roman Harper were the only players to lead the NFC at their positions. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees finished third overall in league-wide voting, but Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers was the league’s top vote-getter.

Fan voting counts for one-third of the final tally. Votes from coaches and players make up the rest. The Pro Bowl rosters will be announced Tuesday night.

I was able to obtain the top five in fan voting at each position and I’ll run down the NFC South representatives. Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton was third behind Rodgers and Brees.

Atlanta’s Michael Turner was No. 5 among running backs and New Orleans’ Jed Collins was No. 3 among fullbacks.

Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez was second to Graham among tight ends and Carolina’s Steve Smith was fourth among receivers.

New Orleans’ Jahri Evans was third among guards and teammate Brian de la Puente was No. 4 among centers.

On defense, Atlanta’s Sean Weatherspoon (No. 5 at outside linebacker) was the only NFC South player besides Harper to finish in the top five.

New Orleans punter Thomas Morstead finished fifth, return man Darren Sproles was No. 4 and Courtney Roby was No. 5 among special-teams players.

The fan portion of Pro Bowl voting comes to an end Monday, and the NFC South isn’t faring well so far.

Fan vote counts as one third, with players and coaches each taking up a third. Here’s a link to go cast your ballot before the deadline.

But, as of the moment, New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham and strong safety Roman Harper would be the only NFC South starters. I’ve obtained a list of the top five vote getters at each position and it’s light on NFC South representation.

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is running away with the voting for the NFC quarterback. But New Orleans’ Drew Brees is No. 2 and Carolina rookie Cam Newton is No. 3.

Atlanta’s Michael Turner is No. 5 at running back and New Orleans’ Jed Collins is third at fullback. Graham leads the tight ends, but Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez is No. 2.

The only other NFC South players in the top five on offense are Carolina receiver Steve Smith (No. 3), New Orleans guard Jahri Evans (No. 4) and New Orleans center Brian de la Puente (No. 5).

Aside from Harper, the only other NFC South player in the top five at any position is Atlanta’s Sean Weatherspoon. He’s No. 5 among outside linebackers.

New Orleans kicker Thomas Morstead is No. 5, return man Darren Sproles is No. 4 and Courtney Roby is No. 5 in the special-teams category.

Drew Brees is on pace to break all sorts of passing records. Darren Sproles might be the best free-agent pickup of the year, and Jimmy Graham is well on his way to becoming the best tight end in the NFL.

Oh, and let’s not forget a group of receivers (Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem) that’s as deep as any other in the league. All of the above are huge reasons the New Orleans Saints are 7-3 and sitting atop the NFC South.

But if the Saints are 8-3 on Tuesday morning, it won’t necessarily be because of the previously mentioned guys. It will be because of the best thing the Saints have going for them right now.

That’s the offensive line. Yep, seriously. A group that struggled with adversity from training camp right up until midseason suddenly has become one of the team’s biggest strengths. That offensive line will have to be stronger than ever Monday night when the Saints host the New York Giants at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Giants come into New Orleans tied for second in the league with 31 sacks. Jason Pierre-Paul is No. 3 with 9.5 sacks, and Osi Umenyiora is tied for 12th in the league with 7. There’s no doubt the Giants can get after the quarterback, but I’d give the edge to the New Orleans offensive line right now.

This unit has suddenly found itself, and it’s only going to keep improving.

“The offensive line is the group that has to play with the most continuity,’’ Brees said. “They have five guys that need to be on the same page every play. It’s hard to do, and yet I feel like we have smart, tough guys that do that.”

But it wasn’t always this way. The New Orleans offensive line has been flawless only the past two games. In victories over division rivals Tampa Bay and Atlanta, the Saints haven’t allowed a sack. Note what Brees said about continuity. That’s why I’m saying the New Orleans offensive line will continue to improve.

Coach Sean Payton has a brilliant offensive mind, and his offensive coaches have worked very hard to fix some early problems. The linemen have put in a lot of work after a flaw that could have ruined the season was fully exposed to the rest of the league.

On Oct. 30, the Saints strolled into St. Louis as huge favorites against the Rams, who were winless at the time. The Saints left embarrassed, and Brees was battered like he’d never been battered since joining New Orleans in 2006. He was sacked six times and hit at least an additional 10 times.

It added up to a 31-21 victory by the Rams and a lot of tape for the rest of the league to look at. The season could have spiraled out of control right then, but it hasn’t.

That’s because the Saints limped out of St. Louis knowing something like that could never happen again, and it hasn’t. Brees hasn’t been sacked -- or even pressured very much -- since that day.

That’s because the Saints finally have figured out who their five best linemen are, and they’ve finally been able to get them all on the field at the same time. It just took about half a season for all the pieces to be on the table.

The Saints came out of the lockout knowing they would have to mess a bit with the continuity of the offensive line, which might have been the league’s best during the 2009 Super Bowl season and wasn’t bad last year.

The Saints liked Jonathan Goodwin, but they weren’t going to pay huge money to keep a 32-year-old center. They let him sign with San Francisco. They’d prepared for Goodwin’s eventual departure by drafting Matt Tennant in 2010.

But the Saints looked at Tennant for the first few days of training camp and quickly realized he was nowhere near ready. They quickly went out and signed Olin Kreutz, who was 2 years older than Goodwin, to a much cheaper deal and hoped he could act as a bridge for a year until Tennant was ready.

The bridge collapsed quickly. Kreutz started three games before being sidelined for two games with a knee injury. He came back for one game and then decided to walk away from the Saints, saying he no longer had the desire to play. Subsequent reports said Kreutz’s decision might have been made because the Saints were about to bench him -- not to go with Tennant, but to throw in the ultimate no-name player.

That was Brian de la Puente, who’d been bouncing around training camps since 2008 but had never appeared in a regular-season game until he started when Kreutz first was injured.

About the same time Kreutz was walking away, right tackle Zach Strief was dealing with a knee injury that sidelined him for five games. Strief didn’t exactly have a great pedigree to begin with. He’d been with the Saints as a backup since 2006 but was thrust into the starting job when the Saints decided to cut aging veteran Jon Stinchcomb in training camp. The Saints initially hoped the Goodwin departure would be the only change and they could squeeze one more season from Stinchcomb. But training camp quickly showed that Stinchcomb was at the end of the road, and the Saints handed the starting job to Strief. He started off pretty well but then went down with the injury. Charles Brown struggled as Strief's replacement.

But Strief has returned to start the last two games, and de la Puente is getting very comfortable in the middle.

“Certainly the time on task, snaps and experience for a young center and Zach Strief coming off an injury, all those things help,’’ Payton said. “They’ve played very good football here of late. We think it’s a key to us playing good football games. Certainly from a repetition standpoint, the more those guys get to work together, the more they become comfortable with the center, who is going to making a lot of the calls and [identifying] the defense along with Drew, I think that’s very important.’’

It’s important to note that the Saints already had and continue to have the league’s best guard tandem in Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks. Left tackle Jermon Bushrod is never going to be a superstar, but he’s been starting for three seasons and has become a very dependable player.

The Saints went through some changes and early adversity on their offensive line. But now that Strief and de la Puente have emerged as nice complementary players to Nicks, Evans and Bushrod, things have stabilized.

The Saints might have taken a couple of initial steps back when they let Goodwin walk and released Stinchcomb, and they certainly took a hit when Kreutz didn’t work out. But all of a sudden, it’s looking as though the adjustment period is over. The Saints might have an even stronger offensive line than before.

They’re going to need that against the Giants.

The New Orleans Saints’ offensive line, coming off its best game of the season, has been selected as the weekly winner of the Madden Protectors Award.

With right tackle Zach Strief returning to the starting lineup after an injury, the Saints bounced back from a rough performance against St. Louis to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The offensive line played a big role as quarterback Drew Brees was not sacked. He was sacked six times the previous week.

But Strief teamed with guards Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans, left tackle Jermon Bushrod and center Brian de la Puente to turn in what Hall of Fame coach John Madden called the best performance by an offensive line this past weekend.

The Saints also were able to move the ball on the ground. They finished with 195 rushing yards.

“When a team finds a great balance between the run and pass, you start giving out credit, and that usually starts with the offensive line,” Madden said.

Lots of good questions in Friday’s NFC South chat. Let’s take a look at the highlights:

ac (Orlando, FL): how big of a hole are the saints in after losing Olin Kruetz?

Pat Yasinskas: It's gotta hurt some. I mean they're going with Brian de la Puente because Matt Tennant apparently isn't ready. But the good news is their center is kind of hidden between Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks.

Andy (Lenoir): Is there any chance the panthers D turns it around this season or are we going to have to wait for everyone to heal and the draft? I know Rivera has a great reputation so can we expect him to work some magic?

Pat Yasinskas: Unfortunately, I think you're going to have to wait for the offseason to repair that defense.

Jessie (Raleigh NC): Do you feel that the bucs could win the game over in london and making a run at the best NFC South team at the end of the season?

Pat Yasinskas: Sure, it’s possible they could beat the Bears. If they play like they did against the Saints, they can beat almost anyone. But this is a young team and I think there still will be some ups and downs.

Randy (CT): I don't get it! No love for the Birds this weekend? Defense is starting to gel, Edwards has arrived, Babineaux is getting healthy, coaches believing the way to win is the way of Turner...Detroits got no run game and can't stop the run! Load up on Megatron and we win...right?????

Pat Yasinskas: If your offense shows up, you've got a chance.

Ken (NY): Is Steve Smith the greatest Carolina Panther ever?

Pat Yasinskas: Yeah, I'd give him the nod over Pep.

Jeff (Huntsville): Speaking of Abe, you know how he always follows a productive season with an unproductive one? That sure seems to be the case so far this season. Do you think he will turn it around before the season ends or is this a good sign for next year?

Pat Yasinskas: At Abe's age, I wouldn't be taking a quiet year as a good sign.

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

There was a very interesting development out of New Orleans this morning. Starting center Olin Kreutz has decided to leave the team.

Mike Triplett reports that Kreutz’s agent said the 14-year veteran no longer feels a passion for the game. Kreutz had missed two games with a knee injury, but returned Sunday and played against Tampa Bay.

Kreutz, 35, spent his first 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. He signed with the Saints when the lockout ended. New Orleans had decided to let center Jonathan Goodwin leave in free agency and the Saints apparently were not comfortable handing the job to second-year player Matt Tennant.

Brian De La Puente started the two games Kreutz missed and likely will be the starter, at least for the short term.

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

FALLING

1. Ron Rivera, coach, Panthers. I like just about everything this guy has done since he arrived in Carolina and he’s got the Panthers on a good track. But I think Rivera flashed a little of the stubbornness John Fox was so famous for on Sunday in Chicago. Rivera had his team kick and punt to Devin Hester and it cost the Panthers dearly. Rivera used to be an assistant coach in Chicago. As much as anyone, he should be aware that it’s not a good idea to feed the ball to the most dangerous return man in NFL history.

2. Brian VanGorder, defensive coordinator, Falcons. It’s still early and things can straighten out, but Atlanta’s off to a very rocky start. Sunday’s near disaster in Seattle is being viewed by fans as being almost as bad as a loss. This is a team that entered the season with huge hopes and so did the fans. Most important, owner Arthur Blank also felt that way and he’s not the world’s most patient man. If things don’t straighten out, there will be a scapegoat for this season and, so far, VanGorder is looking like the leading candidate. Atlanta’s defense has talent, but the results have not been there.

3. Ray Edwards, defensive tackle, Falcons. Speaking of Atlanta defensive talent that’s not producing, you’ve got to start with this guy. It’s not like Edwards has been a complete bust. He plays the run quite well and has shown he can pick up a fumble and make a nice return. But the Falcons paid him a lot of money and a lot of people thought he was the missing link. He was supposed to help generate a stronger pass rush. Through four games, Edwards has not produced a sack.

RISING

1. Steve Smith, wide receiver, Panthers. You don’t have to like everything about him and he does have some of the diva traits that so many great receivers have. But a lot of those guys are still happy if their team loses, as long as they put up big individual numbers. Smith put up big numbers against the Bears (and has been doing that all season), but he was extremely frustrated in the locker room after the game because his team didn’t win. You have to respect his competitive desire.

2. New Orleans’ offensive line. Right tackle Zach Strief and center Olin Kreutz were out with injuries and Charles Brown and Brian De La Puente had to take their places. Yes, the Saints did allow Drew Brees to be sacked three times, but he still had enough time to throw for 351 yards. More important, the running game really worked well with Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram. The Saints finished with 177 net rushing yards. The offensive line has to be doing something right for that to happen.

3. Adrian Clayborn, defensive end, Buccaneers: Lots of people are talking about Washington’s Ryan Kerrigan as the potential defensive rookie of the year -- deservedly so. But I think Clayborn at least belongs in the conversation at this point. This guy is showing up every week and getting better. So is second-year defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. It might not be too long before Tampa Bay has one of the league’s better defensive lines.

The Friday injury reports are out for the Falcons, Saints and Panthers. The Buccaneers don’t have to put out statuses yet because they don’t play until Monday night. So let’s take a look at the most significant injuries for Atlanta, New Orleans and Carolina.

The Falcons are listing Roddy White (thigh) as questionable. This is one to keep an eye on. If White can’t play against the Seahawks, the Falcons are going to have to juggle Harry Douglas, Kerry Meier and Eric Weems opposite Julio Jones. As expected, the Falcons also declared defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (knee), linebacker Stephen Nicholas (calf) and running back Jason Snelling (concussion) out for Sunday’s game.

The Panthers listed cornerback Chris Gamble (concussion) as doubtful. Coach Ron Rivera said he expects Darius Butler to take Gamble’s place in the starting lineup. Right tackle Jeff Otah (back) is listed as questionable, but has said he expects to play.

The Saints have the NFC South’s longest and most significant injury list. The team said tight end David Thomas, linebacker Will Herring, right tackle Zach Strief, center Olin Kreutz and linebacker Martez Wilson will be out for Sunday’s game with Jacksonville. Charles Brown is expected to start in Strief’s place and Brian De La Puente is expected to start at center. The Saints also are listing linebacker Jonathan Vilma and receiver Marques Colston as questionable.