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Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Panthers and why.

There probably isn’t a defensive coordinator in the league who has faced more criticism than Sean McDermott the past two seasons. He was fired by Philadelphia after the 2010 season, and his defense was dismal in his first season in Carolina.

McDermott got a bit of a pass because Carolina had a bunch of injuries on defense, it was the first year for a new coaching staff and rookie quarterback Cam Newton and a suddenly explosive offense gave fans a nice distraction. But, no matter how many points Newton and the offense scored, the Carolina defense had enormous trouble protecting leads in a 6-10 season. The excuses won’t fly this time around.

Linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis and defensive tackle Ron Edwards are returning from injuries and the Panthers added linebacker Luke Kuechly in the first round of this year’s draft. McDermott has the personnel necessary to put together a respectable defense. The injured players and Kuechly join a nucleus that includes defensive end Charles Johnson and cornerback Chris Gamble, and the pressure is squarely on McDermott to put a good defense on the field.

If he can do that, Carolina could be a legitimate playoff contender. If not, McDermott could be on the hot seat.

Lots of readers in our NFC South chat were asking about the possibility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being interested in cornerback Drayton Florence, who was released by the Buffalo Bills on Friday.

General manager Mark Dominik isn’t going to tip his hand on interest in any free agent, but I think it’s at least worth keeping an eye to see if the Bucs do show interest. Bringing in 31-year-old cornerbacks doesn’t exactly fit with what the Bucs are doing these days, so I'd call this a long shot. But I wouldn’t completely rule it out.

Drayton’s a smart and experienced player and his production didn’t slide in Buffalo. He was released simply because the Bills wanted to get younger at the position and they just drafted Stephon Gilmore.

The reason I think there’s at least a chance the Bucs show interest in Florence is because they have some uncertainty at cornerback. Aqib Talib is awaiting trial on an assault charge in Texas and he could face prison time or an NFL suspension. The Bucs also have talked about moving veteran cornerback Ronde Barber to safety. The possibility of that move seemed to diminish when the Bucs drafted safety Mark Barron in the first round, but it still is possible the Bucs could use Barber at safety.

Aside from Talib and Barber, the Bucs have Eric Wright, whom they signed as a free agent. After that, they have guys such as E.J. Biggers, Myron Lewis and Anthony Gaitor, who haven’t shown real strong signs they’re ready to start. The Bucs did draft West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy, but it likely will take some time for him to develop.

If the Bucs decide they need a quick fix -- and, again, that’s not really what they’re all about -- then Florence could be a possibility, if he comes at the right price.

But the Bucs aren’t the only NFC South team that possibly could have interest in Florence. You can scratch the Falcons off the list because they just traded for Asante Samuel. But Carolina and New Orleans could be possibilities. Aside from Chris Gamble, the Panthers aren’t loaded with talent at cornerback.

The Saints, who have shown more willingness to bring in older players than any other NFC South team, are set with Jabari Greer and Patrick Robinson as their starters. Johnny Patrick appears likely to step into the nickelback role, but the Saints have brought in older players in front of younger players before. New Orleans doesn’t have a great salary-cap situation, but Florence shouldn’t command a huge salary.

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)

There’s a sensitive story out there about a player who could be one of the top prospects on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ draft list.

According to reports, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a four out of a possible 50 on the Wonderlic Test that was given to prospects at the scouting combine in February. That’s a very low score, but should it impact Morris’ status in the draft?

"This should not have an impact,’’ ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “Not to minimize his position, but this isn't a quarterback, this isn't a middle linebacker, this isn't a guy that needs to memorize a dozen reads. He needs to react. Assuming he was fine in interviews -- and all I've heard is he's a good kid -- it shouldn't change the way teams view him. I will have him as the No. 5 pick to the Bucs. These things pop up now and then and teams do a quick check, and they do their own evaluations, and they move on. Besides, not all teams trust everything they hear anyway."

I’m with Kiper. I don’t think this works against Claiborne at all. If the Bucs (or another team) like Claiborne as a player and person, I say go ahead and draft him.

A bad Wonderlic score by itself isn’t reason to stay away from a prospect. I’ve seen a similar situation in the NFC South before.

When the Carolina Panthers drafted Chris Gamble back in 2004, there were reports that the cornerback also had a low Wonderlic score. The Panthers did their homework on Gamble and drafted him. It’s worked out pretty well. Gamble’s been starting for the last eight seasons and has 27 career interceptions.

As we wait for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to hire assistant coaches, get blocked from interviewing potential assistants or anything else of note to happen during a very quiet time in the NFC South, let’s look at some more playing-time figures from the 2011 season.

We showed you the numbers on linebackers earlier Tuesday and I’ve been trying to roll out one position group a day since last week. But we’re going to go ahead and go with two in a day. We’re going to show you the playing time for the NFC South cornerbacks.

Lots of people like to criticize Atlanta’s Dunta Robinson. That’s understandable to some degree because Robinson signed a huge free-agent contract prior to the 2010 season, but has produced only three interceptions since joining the Falcons.

But I haven’t seen Robinson giving up a lot of big plays. In fact, I think he’s done a nice job overall in coverage. Apparently, Atlanta’s coaching staff agrees.

Robinson was on the field for 967 of Atlanta’s 996 defensive plays (97.1 percent). That percentage ranked Robinson tops in the NFC South and No. 11 in the NFL. Tennessee’s Cortland Finnegan was the NFL’s only cornerback to play 100 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

New Orleans’ Jabari Greer, who I think is easily the division’s best cornerback, was next on the list. Greer was on the field for 93.3 percent of New Orleans’ defensive plays and ranked No. 19 in the NFL.

The other NFC South cornerback of note high on the list was Tampa Bay’s Ronde Barber. His durability never has been a question. Even at age 36, Barber took part in 92.3 percent of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps to rank No. 21 in the league.

Carolina’s Chris Gamble (89.3 percent) was the only other NFC South cornerback to play more than 80 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

Here’s a look at how much playing time some other NFC South cornerbacks had in 2011:

• Captain Munnerlyn, Panthers, 79.8
• Brent Grimes, Falcons, 69.5
• Patrick Robinson, Saints, 69.4
• Aqib Talib, Buccaneers, 65.1
• Tracy Porter, Saints, 64.6
• E.J. Biggers, Buccaneers, 62.9
• Darius Butler, Panthers, 40.1
• Dominique Franks, Falcons, 33.7
• Christopher Owens, Falcons, 30.3
• Elbert Mack, Buccaneers, 27.2

Time to take a look at the NFC South players that are scheduled to have the highest 2012 salary-cap figures.

Let’s be clear, these numbers are not what the players will actually make in 2012. These numbers simply reflect what they’ll count against the salary cap. And let’s also be clear that this list isn’t quite complete. You can bet Drew Brees will be on here once the quarterback signs a new deal with the New Orleans Saints. There also are some guys that probably will be cut or have their contracts restructured before the start of the year. Tampa Bay defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is a perfect example of that.

He’s scheduled to count $7.2 million. The Bucs can release him without any salary-cap hit. It’s a similar situation for Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis, who is scheduled to count $5.9 million. Davis is coming off his third torn ACL in two years and is due a big bonus in March. I seriously doubt he’ll get to collect that bonus.

Anyway, as it stands right now, Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan is the easy winner for the NFC South’s highest cap figure. He’s scheduled to count $13.5 million toward the cap ($11.5 million in base salary and another $2 million in prorated bonus money). Aside from Ryan, 30 other NFC South players are scheduled to count more than $5 million toward the salary cap. Let’s take a look:

• Jordan Gross, Panthers, $11.5 million

• Charles Johnson, Panthers, $11 million

• Steve Smith, Panthers, $10.7 million

• Will Smith, Saints, $10.15 million

• Chris Gamble, Panthers, $9.75 million

• Davin Joseph, Buccaneers, $9.5 million

• Gerald McCoy, Buccaneers, $9.44 million

• DeAngelo Williams, Panthers, $8.7 million

• Josh Freeman, Buccaneers, $8.545 million

• Roddy White, Falcons, $8.03 million

• Jonathan Vilma, Saints, $7.63 million

• Travelle Wharton, Panthers, $7.6 million

• Sedrick Ellis, Saints, $7.6 million

• Albert Haynesworth, Buccaneers, $7.2 million

• Dunta Robinson, Falcons, $7 million

• Jermon Bushrod, Saints, $6.9 million

• Donald Penn, Buccaneers, $6.43 million

• Roman Harper, Saints, $6.35 million

• Jabari Greer, Saints, $6.25 million

• Jeff Faine, Buccaneers, $5.925 million

• Tony Gonzalez, Falcons, $5.92 million

• Thomas Davis, Panthers, $5.9 million

• Quincy Black, Buccaneers, $5.75 million

• Jon Beason, Panthers, $5.5 million

• Ryan Kalil, Panthers, $5.35 million

• Justin Blalock, Falcons, $5.3 million

• Jeremy Trueblood, Buccaneers, $5.25 million

• Jahri Evans, Saints, $5.2 million

• Cam Newton $5.01 million

Defense wasn’t a strength in the NFC South in the 2011 season. In fact, it was a big problem for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and only an occasional strength for the Atlanta Falcons.

But there were some solid individual performances. With that in mind, let’s roll out the All-NFC South defense.

Defensive end: Charles Johnson, Panthers. He got his huge contract in the summer, but didn’t take the money and disappear. Johnson came through with nine sacks and also played the run fairly well.

Defensive end: Adrian Clayborn, Buccaneers. Yes, I’m taking the rookie over Atlanta veteran John Abraham. I know Abraham ended up with 9.5 sacks, but 3.5 of them came against Jacksonville and rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Abraham was ordinary most of the season and was on the field for only 13 percent of Atlanta’s defensive snaps. Clayborn finished with 7.5 sacks. He also was on the field for about 80 percent of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps, showed he can rush the passer and played the run well. Not much went right for the Bucs in the 2011 season. But they hit on their first-round draft pick.

Defensive tackle: Corey Peters, Falcons. He started in 2010, but was only a run-stuffer then. Peters emerged into a complete defensive tackle in his second season and showed signs he can generate a pass rush in the middle.

Defensive tackle: Brian Price, Buccaneers. Off the top of my head, I was preparing to go with Atlanta’s Jonathan Babineaux or New Orleans’ Sedrick Ellis. Then I looked at their statistics and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’m going with Price, who quietly put together a nice season. He finished with three sacks and was one of the few Bucs who played the run well. More importantly, Price made a nice comeback from surgery on his pelvis and played through the pain of an ankle injury for most of the second half of the season.

Linebacker: Curtis Lofton, Falcons. In a year in which Carolina’s Jon Beason was hurt and New Orleans’ Jonathan Vilma slowed down, Lofton emerged as the NFC South’s best middle linebacker.

Linebacker: Sean Weatherspoon, Falcons. The second-year pro might now be the division’s best all-around linebacker. Weatherspoon is a playmaker and plays with an attitude that the rest of Atlanta’s defense needs to copy.

Linebacker: James Anderson, Panthers. With Beason and Thomas Davis going down early, Anderson was the bright spot in Carolina’s linebacker corps.

Cornerback: Jabari Greer, Saints. He often gets overlooked, but this guy is the best cover corner in the division.

Cornerback: Chris Gamble, Panthers. Gamble got benched by coach John Fox at the end of the 2010 season and his career appeared to be on the downside. But Gamble got a fresh start with coach Ron Rivera and bounced back with a strong season.

Safety: Malcolm Jenkins, Saints. He didn’t make as many big plays as I think he’s capable of, but Jenkins is an enormous talent. If the Saints can add a pass rush, the big plays will flow for Jenkins.

Safety: Thomas DeCoud, Falcons. He was benched briefly early in the season, but DeCoud seemed to get the message that he needed to play better. He finished the season with four interceptions and 86 tackles.

Check out this Insider post in which ESPN’s Mel Kiper has his first mock draft for 2012.

Kiper has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the No. 5 overall pick. Kiper also cautions that fans shouldn’t assume the Bucs won’t take a running back here because they already have LeGarrette Blount. If anything, the 2011 season showed that Blount probably never will be an every-down back. He simply isn’t a pass-catcher and never could pick up the pass protections well enough for the previous coaching staff to leave him on the field as a pass-blocker. I’m not sure the Bucs are going to be willing to lock up Blount with any sort of long-term deal. Blount still could have a role because he is a good power runner. But drafting Richardson makes plenty of sense because he’s an all-around running back. Also, drafting an offensive skill-position player usually generates a lot of excitement. I’m not saying the Bucs would simply draft a player to generate excitement, but this is a franchise that could use anything that might generate a little positive interest.

Kiper also has another Alabama player going to the only other NFC South team with a first-round pick this year. That’s cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. That move would make plenty of sense because the Panthers are looking to upgrade a defense that wasn’t very good in 2011. Put Kirkpatrick opposite Chris Gamble and Carolina instantly would have a better secondary than it did last season.

At the moment, Atlanta and New Orleans don’t have first-round picks in 2012. The Falcons gave up their pick last year in the trade to get Julio Jones. The Saints did the same thing to acquire Mark Ingram. It’s still possible, but not likely, the Saints and Falcons could trade for first-round picks.

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

The Atlanta defense has moved into the top 10 in the NFL. The Falcons are ranked ninth, easily the best ranking for any NFC South defense. I’ve said several times this season that defense might win the NFC South. It still might be too much to expect the Falcons to overtake the Saints. But the fact Atlanta’s defense is playing so well could come in very handy in the postseason.

Carolina cornerback Chris Gamble has been one of the few bright spots on the defense. After being benched by former coach John Fox late last season and apparently struggling through the preseason, Gamble has bounced back and firmly established himself as Carolina’s top cornerback.

Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is still calling the bulk of the plays for the Saints as coach Sean Payton recovers from leg and knee injuries. Carmichael has done a fine job, but it sounds like Payton expects to be able to take over his old duties before too long.

Tampa Bay backup quarterback Josh Johnson says he’s ready to play if starter Josh Freeman is sidelined by a shoulder injury. Johnson hasn’t started a game since 2009.

We’re going to start off our midseason All-NFC South team with the defense. That’s an area where NFC South teams have not excelled this season. But there have been some strong individual performances.

Let’s take a look:

Defensive end: Charles Johnson, Panthers. Carolina gave Johnson a six-year, $72 million contract at the end of the lockout. Unlike the rest of Carolina’s defense, Johnson hasn’t disappointed. He has seven sacks, including one in each of his last three games.

Defensive end: Will Smith, Saints. He missed the first two games while serving a suspension, but Smith stepped right back into the lineup and made a strong impact. He has 4.5 sacks and also plays the run better than most defensive ends.

Defensive tackle: Brian Price, Buccaneers. Very quietly, Price has been one of the league’s most amazing stories. He missed much of his rookie year with an injury and had surgery in which screws were inserted to keep his pelvis in place. The Bucs weren’t even sure they’d have Price for the first half of the season. But he’s been starting and playing consistently well.

Defensive tackle: Corey Peters, Falcons. Atlanta’s coaches were thinking 2009 first-round draft pick Peria Jerry was finally healthy and ready to claim a starting spot at the start of the season. But Peters, who was mainly just a run stuffer last season as a rookie, has expanded his game. He’s shown signs he can generate pressure on quarterbacks and he’s held onto his starting job.

Linebacker: Sean Weatherspoon, Falcons. In his second season, Weatherspoon is emerging as a playmaker. He has excellent quickness and plays the run very well. But Weatherspoon also has been making plays on blitzes and in pass coverage.

Linebacker: James Anderson, Panthers. With Thomas Davis and Jon Beason lost to season-ending injuries, Anderson has been the bright spot of the linebacker corps.

Linebacker: Curtis Lofton, Falcons. With Beason out and New Orleans’ Jonathan Vilma slowed by a knee injury, Lofton has emerged as the best middle linebacker. He’s also the quiet leader of an Atlanta defense that has started to show signs it can become pretty good.

Cornerback: Jabari Greer, Saints. He doesn’t get nearly the attention he deserves, but Greer is the best cover corner in the NFC South. If he could produce some interceptions, he could become a legitimate Pro Bowl candidate.

Cornerback: Brent Grimes, Falcons. He gets the nod over Tampa Bay’s Ronde Barber and Carolina’s Chris Gamble. In the past, a lot of people talked about Grimes’ lack of size. That’s really not an issue any more because Grimes compensates with his athletic ability and teams that try to pick on him get burned.

Safety: William Moore, Falcons. He has only one interception, after making five last year. But Moore has turned into a solid all-around player. His tackling has improved a lot since last season.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins, Saints: He still hasn’t hit his full potential. But Jenkins has all the tools to become the best safety in the NFC South.

Lots of Carolina fans have been asking in recent weeks what the Panthers would do with rookie cornerback Brandon Hogan, who has been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of the season.

Well, we got the answer Tuesday. The Panthers activated Hogan to the 53-man roster. He could be active as soon as Sunday.

But I wouldn’t get too carried away and think Hogan is going to step in and immediately solve all of Carolina’s defensive problems. He’s a fourth-round draft pick coming off a major injury.

The Panthers have decent starters in Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn. Nickelback is a bit of a question, and I think Hogan has a chance to gradually work himself into that spot as the season goes on.

The Panthers made several other roster moves. They also activated defensive end Thomas Keiser from their practice squad to the 53-man roster. The Panthers placed linebacker Thomas Williams on injured reserve and released defensive tackle Ron Fields.

Carolina also signed defensive tackle Jason Shirley and linebacker Phillip Dillard to the practice squad. Linebacker Lawrence Wilson, who was charged with marijuana possession during the bye week, was released from the practice squad.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers' 33-20 victory against the Washington Redskins at Bank of America Stadium:

What it means: The Panthers didn’t let this one slip away. The team that’s had problems holding leads until the end finally got it done. This was a significant win for the Panthers because the Redskins came in with a winning record. It also was significant because the fan base was starting to get a bit frustrated with moral victories. This was a real victory and a real stride for a young team.

What I liked: Carolina’s defense. It was far from perfect and the Panthers were going against John Beck, who entered the game with an 0-4 record as an NFL starter. But the defense, which had been hit hard by injuries, did some things it had not been doing, like getting the Washington offense off the field and making some big plays.

What else I liked: Cam Newton. This was the first time I’ve seen the rookie quarterback in person in game circumstances. He might be even more impressive in person than on television. I knew Newton could run and throw, but didn’t fully appreciate his arm strength, accuracy and ability to shrug off hits from defenders.

What I didn't like: The Panthers had successive plays at the end of the first half where Olindo Mare kicked the ball through the uprights, but the field goal didn't count. Mare got pushed back and finally was successful from 45 yards. But you can't get away with mistakes like that every week.

In the record books: Chris Gamble recorded the 25th interception of his career in the fourth quarter. That ties Gamble with Eric Davis for the franchise record.

Still going strong: Carolina receiver Steve Smith continues to look like the Smith of the middle of the last decade. He had seven catches for 143 yards and was full of energy. People talk a lot about how Newton has revitalized Smith. But it also needs to be noted that Smith is doing a lot to make the rookie quarterback look good.

What’s next: The Panthers host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.

The Wednesday injury reports are out, so let’s take a look at the most significant injuries around the NFC South.

We’ll start in New Orleans because the Saints have some pretty serious injury issues. Linebacker Will Herring (hamstring), center Olin Kreutz (knee), tackle Zach Strief (knee) and tight end David Thomas (concussion) all sat out the last game. They also sat out Wednesday’s practice.

There was mixed news in Carolina. The good news is cornerback Chris Gamble (concussion) returned to practice. The bad news is guard Geoff Hangartner (back), tackle Jeff Otah (back) and tight end Jeremy Shockey (concussion) sat out practice.

Tampa Bay didn’t list any significant players on the injury report. But backup tight end Luke Stocker (knee) and defensive end Tim Crowder (knee) sat out.

There was a little bit of encouraging news out of Atlanta. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (knee) and linebacker Stephen Nicholas (calf), who have been out in recent weeks, returned to practice on a limited basis.

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.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma returned to practice for the first time since injuring his knee more than a week ago. Vilma practiced on a limited basis, but it was an encouraging sign that the Saints may have their defensive leader back for Sunday’s game at Jacksonville. The news wasn't nearly as good on some other key injuries. Right tackle Zach Strief (knee), center Olin Kreutz (knee) and tight end David Thomas (concussion) all did not practice. That means it’s likely Charles Brown will start at right tackle and Brian de la Puente at center.

Atlanta Falcons receiver Roddy White missed his second straight day of practice with a thigh injury. This one bears watching. White is one of those guys who sometimes get a day off on Wednesdays. But when he sits out practice two days in a row, you know he’s hurt. If he can’t go against Seattle, the Falcons would have to give more playing time to Harry Douglas, Eric Weems and Kerry Meier. Linebacker Stephen Nicholas (calf) and running back Jason Snelling (concussion) also sat out for the second straight day. The only encouraging development was that cornerback Kelvin Hayden (hamstring) returned to practice on a limited basis.

Carolina cornerback Chris Gamble missed another day of practice with a concussion. If he’s not cleared to play, the Panthers likely would start either R.J. Stanford or Darius Butler.

Bucs linebacker Geno Hayes has been cleared to play this week after suffering a concussion last week. Linebacker Quincy Black, who missed last week with an ankle injury, returned to practice.