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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.

Todd McShay has his latest mock draft out and it includes some major changes from what he’s had in the past for the NFC South.

This draft goes seven rounds deep and McShay has help from Steve Meunch and Kevin Weidl. But we’ll just focus on the first round here and that means we’re talking about the Bucs and Panthers, the only two division teams with first-round picks.

It long has been thought that Tampa Bay’s choice at No. 5 would come down to LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Alabama running back Trent Richardson. But McShay is buying into growing speculation that Minnesota is going to throw off the direction many saw this draft going. McShay now has the Vikings taking Claiborne at No. 3. He follows that up by giving Richardson to Cleveland at No. 4.

Then he goes in a direction that many suddenly seem to be headed. He has Tampa Bay taking Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly at No. 5. I don’t have a big problem with that scenario, assuming new coach Greg Schiano’s defense is ready to put increased emphasis on the middle linebacker position. Back in the Cover 2 days, middle linebacker wasn’t all that important and the Bucs relied on outside linebacker Derrick Brooks to make the big plays.

If the Bucs want a strong presence and are willing to make a significant investment on middle linebacker, then go with Kuechly. He’s viewed as a can’t-miss prospect with no real questions on or off the field. (That in itself would be a departure from the approach Tampa Bay took with some picks in the past.)

But, I also see some other scenarios for the Bucs if Claiborne and Richardson are gone. They probably could trade down a few picks and still get Kuechly and they also would add a pick or two.

Even if the Bucs stay put, I’m not certain Kuechly really is the guy they would take. They at least would have to consider Southern California offensive tackle Matt Kalil or Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon. Neither plays a position where the Bucs have a huge need, but they might be hard to pass up. Kalil is viewed as the kind of guy who can be an elite left tackle for a decade.

The Bucs are pretty well set on the offensive line. The interior is very strong and left tackle Donald Penn is above average. Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood is a bit of a question mark. The Bucs could take Kalil and start him off on the right side and eventually have him switch spots with Penn. Or the Bucs could take Kalil and switch Penn, who has a history of getting off to fast starts and then not playing as well down the stretch, to the right side. That could give them one of the league’s best offensive lines and it’s become clear one of Schiano’s priorities is to structure this team to help quarterback Josh Freeman.

Speaking of helping Freeman, Blackmon also could do that. I know the Bucs just signed Vincent Jackson and they have a bunch of young guys with potential. But Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn haven’t really shown they are big-time players. The Bucs already have given Freeman one big playmaker in Jackson. They could give him two if they take Blackmon.

McShay also departs from previous conventional wisdom by selecting South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore for Carolina at No. 9. There are rumblings that Gilmore is a player on the rise. He’s also a local kid. He grew up just over the South Carolina border in what qualifies as a suburb of Charlotte. Cornerback is certainly a need and owner Jerry Richardson likes to bring in players from the Carolinas. I can see this one happening. But there’s another local guy who could be in the mix. That’s North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples. General manager Marty Hurney and coach Ron Rivera drove up to Chapel Hill for a meeting with Coples on Monday and I don’t think they would have made that trip if they weren’t seriously considering him.

Let’s take a moment to weigh in on one NFC South item that doesn’t deserve to get lost in the shuffle of the New Orleans Saints punishment for their bounty program.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced that they’ve agreed to contract terms with veteran cornerback Ronde Barber on a one-year deal that means Barber will play his 16th season with the team.

This is significant on several levels. First off, even though he'll be 37 next month, Barber still can play. He weighed retirement, but the Bucs wanted him back, mainly because they need him. Although they did sign free-agent cornerback Eric Wright, there’s uncertainty elsewhere at the position. Starter Aqib Talib has an April trial in Texas on an assault charge. Talib could face prison time or a suspension by the NFL. With Barber and Wright, the Bucs are guaranteed of having two quality corners. They also have some young corners and could add more in the draft.

So there’s some stability at the position, but more importantly, Barber’s return assures some stability in the locker room. Although Barber isn’t known as a classic vocal leader, he’s a good guy to have in the locker room. He conducts himself very professionally and it’s likely some of that will rub off on some of the young players and help them develop into leaders.

Finally, I think this move is significant for coach Greg Schiano as he adjusts to the NFL. He's got a veteran guy that's been to Pro Bowls and that's nice to have around. This is a better start to the Schiano era than the start predecessor Raheem Morris got off to in 2009. Soon after being named the coach, Morris and the Bucs parted ways with iconic linebacker Derrick Brooks and that created a huge leadership void in the locker room.

Give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers credit for at least using tact this time around in determining the future of a franchise icon.

General manager Mark Dominik and coach Greg Schiano reportedly have told veteran cornerback Ronde Barber they would like him back for a 16th season. Barber reportedly told Dominik and Schiano he’d like a little more time to make a decision. Presumably, Barber is weighing a return to the Bucs against retirement. But he also can become an unrestricted free agent and it’s at least possible he might want to continue his career somewhere else. Barber was particularly close to former Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris, who now is the defensive backs coach in Washington.

But the Bucs have done their part in making it known they want Barber back. As long as they’ve offered Barber a decent salary, they’re not going to come off looking bad, no matter how things turn out.

That wasn’t the case in 2009, when Dominik and Morris categorically told linebacker Derrick Brooks they didn’t want him anymore. The move upset Brooks and outraged the fan base. The Bucs were beginning a youth movement at the time and, in hindsight, would have been wise to keep Brooks to help ease the transition.

Although Barber is not the vocal locker room leader Brooks was, he does have some value as a leader. He might not be the mentoring type, but other players can watch how he prepares himself and his professionalism and take lessons. That would help a franchise that’s still deep in a youth movement and now will be adjusting to a new coaching staff.

At least as of Tuesday, there has been no decision on the future of veteran cornerback Ronde Barber with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Barber, who can become a free agent, previously said he hadn’t reached any decision. As defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan spoke to the media Tuesday, he said most personnel decisions won’t be made until after the coaches and front-office staff return next week from the scouting combine.

“I haven’t hardly reached out to any of the guys other than some of the guys I’ve bumped into at the facility here the last couple of days,’’ Sheridan said. “Right now, we’re concentrating on getting ready for the combine coming up. When we come back free agency will be a priority. At that time, I know [general manager] Mark [Dominik] and [coach] Greg [Schiano] and I will start talking about defensive needs and our current roster and where the needs are and how we’ll address free agency. But a lot of that stuff has not been talked about in the short time that I’ve been here. Our biggest sense of urgency now is to get ready to go down to Indianapolis and try to make the best use of the four or five days while we’re in town there to evaluate the draft prospects.’’

But it’s likely the Bucs will need to know Barber’s future soon after the combine. The decision on that isn’t entirely up to the Bucs. Barber, who will turn 37 in April, could elect to retire. If Barber wants to continue playing, the Bucs face a complicated decision.

Barber is an icon in Tampa Bay and the last real link to the Super Bowl team. The Bucs haven’t always handled endings well and didn’t score many points with their fans when they released linebacker Derrick Brooks in 2009. But, even though the Bucs are building with youth, it’s possible they could make an exception and re-sign Barber. Aqib Talib, the other starting cornerback from last season, is facing a March trial on an assault charge. Talib faces the possibility of prison time and discipline by the NFL. The Bucs might want to keep Barber around to help them through the transition.

One of the first things first-year law students are told is to look to their left, their right and at themselves. Then, they hear how at least one of the three of them won’t be there the following year. It’s the start of the weeding-out process.

The NFC South is about to go through one of its own. Give me your list of the 15 biggest names in the NFC South. Thanks, I’ve got them and I think we’ve got a pretty good consensus.

Now, I’ll tell you why a third of those names could be gone by the time the league year starts in mid-March. It happens every year in every division and it’s usually due to age, injury and salary-cap situations.

But 2012 could be the year of the facelift in the NFC South. More than usual, the faces and the names that are on the bubble are especially prominent. Let’s take a look at five big NFC South names that could be gone from their teams in the next month:

John Abraham, Falcons. He’ll turn 34 in May, which is ancient for a pass-rusher. There were signs in 2011 that Abraham was slowing down, after putting up an impressive 13 sacks in 2010. The numbers may not look terrible on the surface because Abraham did finish last season with 9.5 sacks.

But let’s put that in perspective and remember that 3.5 of those came in a game against a very bad Jacksonville team. That’s like counting home runs from batting practice. Without the Jacksonville game, Abraham had six sacks. I don’t want to hear the argument that every down year in Abraham’s career has been followed by an up one.

When a defensive end reaches 33 or 34, you generally see him trending in only one direction and that’s down. Abraham’s had a very nice run with the Falcons, but they invested a lot of money in Ray Edwards to play opposite him last year. Edwards didn’t light it up, so the Falcons may have to invest more money or draft picks in defensive ends this year.

Abraham’s also an unrestricted free agent. Could the Falcons bring him back at a reasonable rate for one more year and use him as a pass-rush specialist? Sure, it’s possible. But, with Mike Nolan taking over as Atlanta’s defensive coordinator, it might be a good time to find a new face of the Falcons’ pass rush.

Will Smith, Saints. For a long time, Abraham and Smith have been viewed as the NFC South’s top two pass-rushers. But it’s possible they’ll both be gone. Smith’s situation is slightly different than Abraham’s.

To start with, Smith remains under contract, which is precisely the reason he’s even in this discussion. Smith is scheduled to count $10.15 million against the 2012 salary cap. That’s an issue for a team that’s trying to figure out how to keep free-agent quarterback Drew Brees, guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston.

Let’s do the math real quick here. The Saints could save a $1 million roster bonus if they cut Smith before the 15^th day of the league year. If they did release Smith, the Saints would only be on the hook for $4 million against the salary cap. In other words, they could free up $6.15 million in salary-cap space.

Throw in the fact that Smith will turn 31 in July and produced only 6.5 sacks in 2011 and I think you can see the Saints have to at least consider this possibility. But there also are some things weighing in Smith’s favor. It’s not like the Saints have another dominant pass-rusher (safety Roman Harper led the team with 7.5 sacks last season) and new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes his pass rush to come almost exclusively from the front four. That could weigh in Smith’s favor. But, if Smith really wants to shift the scales and make sure he stays in New Orleans this year, he might be willing to restructure his contract to make it more cap friendly.

Jonathan Vilma, Saints. I can hear the screams coming from fans already. Vilma’s not Brees, but he’s close to being an icon and he should be because he’s had a great run.

But let’s face the reality. Can anyone honestly say they saw greatness in Vilma this past season? He looked a step slow before and after the knee surgery that forced him to miss five games. Vilma will turn 30 in April. Anytime you’re talking about a linebacker whose game is based largely on speed, knee surgery and 30th birthdays are not good signs.

As I pointed out on Smith, economics are a big deal for the Saints. Vilma is scheduled to count $7.6 million against this year’s cap. If the Saints release him, they instantly free up $5.2 million in cap space.

Thomas Davis, Panthers. We’re purely making educated guesses on Vilma, Smith, Abraham and the final guy on the list. But Davis’ departure from Carolina is more than an educated guess. Sadly, it’s a foregone conclusion.

The Panthers took a shot on Davis last summer when they signed him to a big contract extension after he had come back from two torn ACLs. Then, he went out and suffered the same injury for the third time early last season. That’s why the Panthers basically included an “out clause’’ when they gave Davis the new contract.

His deal calls for an $8 million option bonus on the second day of the league year. That’s not going to happen. The Panthers will release Davis because it’s the only move that makes economic sense. But he is well-liked by ownership, the front office and coaches, so it’s not impossible to see Davis ending up back with the Panthers at a much lower salary if he can’t land a nice deal somewhere else.

Ronde Barber, Buccaneers. You’d like to say that Barber has earned the right to end his career as a Buccaneer whenever and however he wants to. But this isn’t a perfect world. Yes, it is possible Barber could simply decide to retire. It’s also possible he may want to continue playing and new coach Greg Schiano could want to keep him as an elder statesman. In that scenario the Bucs simply could hand Barber another $4 million contract like they did in 2011.

But it’s also possible Barber may want to continue playing and the Bucs don’t feel they need to keep a cornerback who will turn 37 in April. That’s where this one could get sticky.

The Bucs looked terribly cruel when they sent Derrick Brooks packing in 2009. This situation isn’t quite the same because Barber’s no longer under contract and maybe he makes it easy on the Bucs and simply retires.

But Aqib Talib, the other starting cornerback, is facing trial on an assault charge in Texas in March. There’s no guarantee Talib will be with the Bucs next season and it’s not like the team has a ton of other talented cornerbacks.

This might be one situation where the Bucs might be wise to ignore the youth movement they’re following everywhere else and bring back the one guy they know they can count on -- if he wants to keep playing.

We’ll conclude our division-wide look at potential free agents with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

All are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, unless otherwise noted:

Cornerback Ronde Barber, kicker Connor Barth, running back Earnest Graham, defensive tackle Jovan Haye, linebacker Geno Hayes, quarterback Josh Johnson, safety Sean Jones, offensive lineman James Lee, safety Corey Lynch, cornerback Elbert Mack, receiver Micheal Spurlock, offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah, running back LeGarrette Blount (exclusive rights), receiver Preston Parker (exclusive rights), defensive end Michael Bennett (restricted) and offensive lineman Demar Dotson.

As soon as new coach Greg Schiano gets his staff hired, he and general manager Mark Dominik have to sit down, take a look at the list above and make what could be some difficult decisions. Let’s start with Barber’s future because that’s going to be a hot topic.

Barber played at a reasonably high level in 2011 and the Bucs could look to bring him back with another one-year contract. Of course, it’s also possible that Barber will decide to retire. It’s also possible Barber might want to continue playing, but a new coaching staff could decide to start fresh and give him the same treatment Derrick Brooks got in 2009 and let him walk. If that happens, don’t be surprised if Barber ends up in Washington, where former Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris is now coaching the secondary.

Barber’s status as a Tampa Bay icon makes him the most interesting person on the list of potential free agents. But the list contains plenty of others that will be interesting decisions. Barth and Zuttah seem the most likely to stay. But Schiano, his coaching staff and Dominik are going to have to take a long look at players like Hayes, Lynch and Lee to see if they fit the new system. Jones was a starter last season, but the Bucs may elect to go younger at safety. Graham also is an interesting situation. He can play running back and tailback and has been a dependable player for years. But he’s aging and coming off an injury that put an early end to his 2011 season.

On a side note, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth currently remains under contract for 2012. But Haynesworth, who was brought in after injuries wiped out the middle of the defensive line in the middle of last season, is scheduled to count $7.2 million toward the salary cap. The Bucs can release him without any cap implications. Haynesworth doesn't have a lot left in the tank and my early impression is that Schiano doesn't seem like the kind of coach that would want the baggage that comes with Haynesworth. Throw in the cap situation and it seems pretty obvious how this one will play out.

The 2011 season was memorable across the NFC South for many reasons, both good and bad. We saw the Saints go 13-3 while setting all sorts of records and we saw Tampa Bay fall apart about as completely as any team ever has.

We saw the Atlanta Falcons, at times, look like a great team and, at other times, look very ordinary. We saw the rebirth of the Carolina Panthers, who ended the season as a team very much on the rise.

So let’s take a look back at the season with a lists of awards and “bests’’ and “worsts’’.

Most Valuable Player: This one’s as easy as it gets. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees carried the Saints and set a new single-season record for passing yardage.

Most Valuable Player (non-quarterback): This one’s not all that difficult either. New Orleans’ Darren Sproles set a new NFL record for all-purpose yards. He also made it impossible for opposing defenses to match up with the Saints.

Defensive Player of the Year: This one’s difficult because the NFC South isn’t known for strong defense. It also didn’t help that Carolina linebacker Jon Beason, who might be the division’s best overall defensive player, missed almost the entire year with an injury, and New Orleans middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma was slowed by a knee injury most of the season. That’s why I’m going with Atlanta’s Sean Weatherspoon. Look around the division and tell me if there’s a guy who makes more big plays. I couldn’t find one.

Rookie of the Year: This is almost as easy as giving Brees the MVP. Carolina’s Cam Newton wins easily. He set a rookie record for passing yards and had more rushing touchdowns in a season than any quarterback in NFL history. His “Superman’’ celebration truly fits.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: This one’s not as obvious as Newton. But when you give it a little thought, Tampa Bay defensive end Adrian Clayborn easily was the best rookie defender in the division. Clayborn was one of only about two or three bright spots for the Bucs. He showed he’s a complete defensive end — one who can rush the passer and play the run.

Best Performance by a Second-Year Player: Weatherspoon was a candidate for this, but the nod goes to New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham. He had one of the best seasons ever by a tight end. I know the Saints have a lot of pressing contract issues and Graham is under contract for three more seasons. But at some point this offseason, they should give Graham an extension and a huge pay raise. Graham’s only making minimum wage. If ever a player has outperformed his contract, it’s Graham.

Coach of the Year: I respect the job Ron Rivera did in Carolina, but I’ve got to go with New Orleans’ Sean Payton. He got his team to 13 wins, despite having his knee shattered in a sideline collision.

Assistant Coach of the Year: Prior to Payton’s injury, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael had lived in the shadows of the head coach. But Carmichael started calling the plays when Payton went down. Payton let that continue the rest of the season and the Saints kept winning.

Executive of the Year: It has to be Carolina general manager Marty Hurney. In one offseason, he hit two home runs on two of the biggest challenges a general manager can face. He hired Rivera, who is well on his way to being a good head coach. More important, Hurney found a franchise quarterback in Newton. Many doubted Newton prior to the draft. Hurney did his homework and it paid off.

Best Turnaround: The Panthers might have won only six games, but that’s triple what they won last year.

Worst Collapse: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the biggest collapses in NFL history. They started 4-2, then lost their final 10 games while appearing totally out of control on and off the field.

Best Offseason Move: There’s no doubt it was the signing of Sproles. He was the best free-agent signing in the entire NFL. And for those Tampa Bay fans who like to bash their ownership and front office for not bringing in Sproles, the fact is you never had a chance. The Bucs and other teams made inquiries about Sproles, but were told it wasn’t going to happen. All along, Sproles was headed nowhere else but New Orleans, for a reunion with former San Diego teammate Brees. They continued spending their offseasons together. Brees was recruiting Sproles throughout the lockout and, in New Orleans, Brees gets whatever he wants.

Worst Offseason Move: That would be Tampa Bay not finding a running back to pair with LeGarrette Blount. It didn’t have to be Sproles and the Bucs weren’t wrong in letting Cadillac Williams go. But they should have gotten a legitimate NFL running back who could catch passes out of the backfield and pass-block. Blount can’t do either — and the Bucs made a severe miscalculation by thinking he could be an every-down back.

Best Bounce-Back Season: The winner here is Carolina receiver Steve Smith. In the offseason, he wasn’t sure he wanted to stay in Carolina. Once he caught a few passes from Newton, everything changed. Smith was back to being the dominant receiver he was a few years back.

Worst Disappearing Act: Soon after signing with the Atlanta Falcons, defensive end Ray Edwards proclaimed himself the "missing link.'' Instead of leading the Falcons to a Super Bowl, Edwards simply was missing most of the season. He played the run all right, but Atlanta’s pass rush didn’t improve and that’s why he was signed.

Best Off-Field Decision: You can accuse Tampa Bay’s ownership and management of being inept all you want. After a 4-12 season, it’s fair game. But someone very high up with the Bucs made an excellent decision when the team turned down the opportunity to appear on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.’’ Whoever that wise person was realized that it might not be such a great idea to open the organization to cameras around the clock. Those cameras could have captured things wouldn’t have looked great – things like assistant coaches trying unsuccessfully to explain the uncomplicated art of pass-blocking to Blount or a gregarious former coach taking the camera crew on a late-night tour of Tampa.

Equipment Manager of the Year: That’s Carolina’s Jackie Miles, of course. I used to say Derrick Brooks was the best player in NFC South history. Now, I’ll admit Brees has at least caught up to Brooks and maybe surpassed him. But, if I had to pick a third guy who’s the best at what he does in the history of the division, it would be Miles. To those who know him, the man’s a legend in many ways and could end up being the first equipment manager in the Hall of Fame.

Lots of ground to cover in the NFC South on this Thursday. We’ll start it off with one that’s close to my heart.

Carolina cornerback Captain Munnerlyn has been selected as the winner of the Tom Berry Good Guy Award by the Carolinas chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America. For those who didn’t know him, Tom Berry was the long-time Panthers beat writer for the High-Point (N.C.) Enterprise. I had the pleasure of being around Tom frequently in my days on the Panthers beat and he was a true pro’s pro and a good friend. When we decided to start this award soon after Tom passed away at the start of the 2009 season, we wanted it to reflect what Tom stood for. That’s why this award goes to the Carolina player who is most helpful to the media in doing its job. Munnerlyn was a unanimous choice this year. Jordan Gross was the 2010 winner and Brad Hoover won the inaugural award in 2009.

New Orleans guard Jahri Evans sat out Thursday’s practice with a knee injury. Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis (hamstring), linebacker Jonathan Vilma (knee) and running back Mark Ingram (toe) also were held out.

Carolina coach Ron Rivera said he believes Jordan Senn has a chance to be a full-time starter at outside linebacker next season. Senn has done a nice job since getting a chance to play after the Panthers went through a slew of injuries at linebacker.

Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber will play in his 224^th career game Saturday at Carolina. That will tie the franchise record set by Derrick Brooks. Barber could break the record when the Bucs play the Falcons the following week.

Here’s a bit of a strange one. Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said New Orleans fans caused the Falcons to have communications problems in the previous meeting between the teams. But that game was in Atlanta. If the Falcons had issues with noise from Saints fans in the Georgia Dome, they better have some new ways to communicate in place before they get to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday night.

Although there's still hope veteran cornerback Kelvin Hayden (toe) might be ready for Monday, he wasn’t cleared to practice Thursday. Starting cornerback Brent Grimes, who is coming back from knee surgery, did practice. If Hayden isn’t ready to go against the Saints, the Falcons likely will use Dominique Franks as the nickelback. Running back Michael Turner (groin) and linebacker Stephen Nicholas (toe) missed practice.

Martin Fennelly writes that it’s time for the Glazer family, which owns the Buccaneers, to make some noise on what the future holds for Raheem Morris. I know a lot of Tampa Bay fans feel that way. But I think you’re going to have to wait just a bit. If the Glazers are going to make a move, and I think they have no other choice, I don’t see it coming until after the season is over.

We already have shown you the midseason All-NFC South teams for offense and defense. Now, let’s move onto the specialists and a few individual awards.

Kicker: Matt Bryant, Falcons. The guy has not missed a field-goal attempt this season. Over last season and this one, Bryant is 40-of-43.

Punter: Thomas Morstead, Saints. This was a very tough call because Tampa Bay’s Michael Koenen also is having a very nice year. But Morstead has better numbers. He has a 49.7-yard gross average and a 43.7-yard net average with five punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.

Return man: Darren Sproles, Saints. He already made the team as a running back. But, if anyone deserves to be on the team twice, it’s Sproles. He’s doing a little bit of everything for the Saints.

Coach of the midseason: Sean Payton, Saints. He endured a sideline crash that caused major damage to his knee and leg. But Payton has the Saints at 6-3 and atop the NFC South.

Assistant coach of the midseason: Rob Chudzinski, offensive coordinator, Panthers. After years of watching John Fox keep handcuffs on coordinators Dan Henning and Jeff Davidson, Carolina fans are finally getting to see an offense that’s fun to watch.

MVP of the midseason: Drew Brees, quarterback, Saints. If you were hoping to see something outside the box, you’re not getting it. Brees is on pace to set the record for yards passing in a season. He also is making a strong case to take over Derrick Brooks’ place as the best player in the history of the NFC South.

Rookie of the midseason: Cam Newton, quarterback, Panthers. Several rookies, like Tampa Bay’s Adrian Clayborn and Mason Foster, Atlanta’s Julio Jones and New Orleans’ Cameron Jordan, are playing well. But none of them have come in and, on their own, changed the climate of a franchise. That’s what Newton has done.

General manager of the midseason: Marty Hurney, Panthers. He took what many thought was a huge risk when he drafted Newton with the top overall draft pick. Maybe it was a gamble, but Hurney won because he got a franchise quarterback.

TAMPA, Fla. -- If you scoured the stands of Raymond James Stadium on any game day over the past few seasons, you would have seen more replica jerseys for guys like Derrick Brooks, Mike Alstott, John Lynch and Warren Sapp than any of the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If you looked in those same stands, you also would have seen a lot of empty seats. The past 10 regular-season home games (all eight last year and the first two this season) have not been sellouts.

Is this a fan base living in the past?

It’s not quite that simple. In fact, things are on the cusp of changing. When the Buccaneers host the Indianapolis Colts on "Monday Night Football," the game will be sold out. So an entire nation will have a chance to view the Buccaneers, who have been in the NFL’s version of the witness-protection program even in their own backyard.

The past 10 home games haven’t been shown on local television, and even fans who go to the games haven’t really had a chance to get to know the NFL’s youngest team (25.17 years was the average age of the opening-day roster) like they knew Brooks, Alstott, Lynch and Sapp.

“It’s a team I want our town to fall back in love with,’’ Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said.

The Bucs went 10-6 last season and are off to a 2-1 start this year, but the speed-dating process really could kick in with the national stage. Once fans really get a look at the Bucs, they could fall in love. Some fans don’t know it yet, but there’s a lot to like about the Bucs.

Let’s take a look:

The understated franchise quarterback. Other than cornerback Ronde Barber, the lone holdover from the Jon Gruden/Tony Dungy era, Josh Freeman is the most-well-known Buccaneer. That’s simply because he’s the quarterback, but fans haven’t totally embraced him. They should, because he’s the first true franchise quarterback this team has had at least since Doug Williams, and you could debate whether Williams was around long enough to be considered a franchise quarterback.

Freeman’s physically gifted and already has shown a knack for leading fourth-quarter comebacks. He comes across as a bit shy and soft-spoken in group interviews. But when Freeman, 23, was leading players-only workouts during the lockout, you could easily spot rare leadership skills and more personality than he displays in public.

In the Atlanta game, Freeman stepped outside himself a bit, flapping his wings in what could be interpreted as an imitation of the Falcons’ “Dirty Bird’’ celebration.

“It was good to see him come out of his shell a little bit,’’ running back/fullback Earnest Graham said.

The gregarious head coach. Public displays of emotion aren’t lacking when it comes to Raheem Morris. The guy can talk, sometimes a little more than he should. With the possible exception of Rex Ryan, Morris might have the most entertaining news conferences of any NFL coach. But following Gruden -- who will be in the “Monday Night Football’’ broadcast booth -- and Dungy is not an easy task.

Gruden won a Super Bowl, and Dungy changed the direction of the franchise. Fans still aren’t quite sure what to make of Morris, who remains the league’s youngest head coach at 35. Morris has more public charm than Dungy and Gruden did as coaches. He just needs to keep winning.

The completely unknown portion of "the triplets." When the Bucs started winning last season, that’s the nickname (borrowed from when the Dallas Cowboys had Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith) that was given to Freeman, receiver Mike Williams and running back LeGarrette Blount. Williams and Blount were rookies last year, and both made good first impressions on the field. Williams instantly became Tampa Bay’s No. 1 receiver, and by midseason, Blount had replaced Cadillac Williams as the feature back. Still, there’s been a little apprehension from fans about both of them, and that goes back to their college days.

Blount is most famous for punching an opponent at the end of a game, and Williams was labeled as a "quitter" for leaving the Syracuse football team in his last year of college. But if you get to know them, you’ll see that labels can be deceiving. Williams is the anti-diva wide receiver. He comes across as quiet and humble.

Blount’s a punishing runner on the field, but is gentle off it. When he made his pre-draft visit to One Buccaneer Place, Blount ate his lunch and then went into the kitchen to thank every member of the staff. After last week’s victory in Atlanta, Blount sat in the locker room an hour after the game and told a staff member, "I don’t want to go home."

The big investments on the defensive line. In the past two years, the Bucs have used four draft picks in the first two rounds on defensive linemen. They brought in defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price last year and defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers this year. We’re only starting to see what they can do. Price and McCoy both got hurt as rookies. They’re starting this year, along with Clayborn, and there’s a lot to like.

Price is quiet on the surface, but there’s a depth to him. He’s coming off a rare surgery in which doctors inserted screws into his pelvis, and he's showing signs he can really play. McCoy’s had a gregarious personality from the start, but we’re still waiting to see big results. Clayborn’s outgoing like McCoy and already has made some plays. If this unit can continue growing, the Bucs could have a very good defensive line for a long time.

The new “quarterback’’ of the defense. A lot of fans were upset in the offseason when the Bucs let middle linebacker Barrett Ruud, another holdover from the Gruden days, walk via free agency. They should start getting over that, because third-round draft pick Mason Foster is showing signs he can make more big plays than Ruud ever did. The Bucs were a little hesitant to put too much on Foster right away and started the season by letting outside linebacker Quincy Black wear the radio helmet and call the defensive plays.

By his third career start, Foster had taken on those roles. It might not have been a coincidence that the Bucs went out and had their best defensive performance since the days when Monte Kiffin was running the defense for Gruden.

The Bucs once were beloved by their fans. There’s no reason they can’t be that way again. The parts are in place. The world just needs a chance to get to see and know them.

“It’s an opportunity to show everybody what they’ve been missing,’’ Morris said.

That chance comes Monday night.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Before he even took off his uniform and headed for the shower, Gerald McCoy went through the locker room, searching for a stat sheet.

When the Tampa Bay defensive tackle finally found one, his reaction came in one word.

“Wow,’’ McCoy said.

He then tapped fellow defensive tackle Frank Okam on the shoulder and pointed to one line. Sitting in his chair and taking off his shoes Okam looked at where McCoy’s finger was and elaborated.

“Thirty rushing yards?’’ Okam said. “We held them to 30 rushing yards? Wow.’’

What Tampa Bay’s defense did in Sunday’s 16-13 victory against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium was worth plenty of wows.

A defense that is incredibly young on the front seven shut down what many thought would be one of the league’s best offenses. The Bucs shut down a team that many considered a Super Bowl contender, but is now 1-2.

With rookie middle linebacker Mason Foster wearing the radio helmet and calling the defensive signals for the full game for the first time, a rookie (Adrian Clayborn) starting at defensive end and two second-year defensive tackles (McCoy and Brian Price) in the starting lineup, the Bucs turned in their best defensive performance since legendary defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin left after the 2008 season.

Heck, you can go back a month further than that. The Tampa Bay defense started falling apart that November when word leaked out that Kiffin was leaving to join his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee. The Bucs lost their final four games that season and the defense hasn’t been very good since.

The Bucs couldn’t stop much of anything in a 3-13 season in 2009 and they rode the coattails of quarterback Josh Freeman and his last-minute miracles to 10 wins last season. But things changed in a big way Sunday.

The Bucs (2-1) played defense the way they did in the early 2000s or late 1990s, when Kiffin was running the show and guys like Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice and John Lynch were making the big plays.

In this brand-new age, it was guys like Foster (a sack, a quarterback hurry and a tackle for a loss), Clayborn (his first sack in the NFL), Price (a sack and two tackles for a loss) and veteran cornerback Ronde Barber (an interception) making the big plays.

More importantly, the Bucs didn’t give up a lot of big plays.

“They still threw for 300 yards [actually 330], but it didn’t matter,’’ Okam said. “We didn’t give up big plays and we kept them out of the end zone for the most part.’’

Atlanta’s lone touchdown didn’t come until the fourth quarter. That’s the same offense that scored 35 points last week against “The Dream Team’’ (the Philadelphia Eagles) and the same team that had beaten the Bucs five straight times, dating to 2008.

But that streak ended and Atlanta’s offense fizzled because the Bucs realized the real backbone of Atlanta’s offense.

“Michael Turner is a great running back,’’ Foster said. “We knew we had to gang tackle him and we played at a high level all night. We swarmed to the ball and got him on the ground.’’

Turner, who had rushed for 100 yards in each of Atlanta’s first two games, carried 11 times for 20 yards (a 1.8-yard average). His longest run of the game was 9 yards and Atlanta’s longest run was a 12-yard scramble by quarterback Matt Ryan.

That’s pretty much the way coach Raheem Morris and his staff drew up the defensive game plan, although it certainly helped that a Tampa Bay offense that had started slowly in the first two weeks produced 13 first-half points.

“We knew it was really important to stop the running game,’’ Okam said. “If we could make them one-dimensional and knock out their run game, our rushers could get there and get pressure and help Matt Ryan make mistakes for us.’’

Ryan threw one interception, was sacked four times and was the victim of some dropped passes, particularly one by Roddy White in the fourth quarter that could have put the Falcons ahead. But the Bucs came in willing to let Ryan throw the ball a fair amount. The caveat that came with that part of the plan was to limit the big plays. The Bucs did a good job of keeping plays in front of the secondary and there weren’t many deep throws.

“They’ve got great receivers and a great quarterback and a Hall of Fame tight end [Tony Gonzalez],’’ Foster said. “We kept them in check and did what we had to do to win the game.’’

But, most of all, the Bucs stopped Turner. That’s more than a little surprising because this defense has struggled to stop the run since the final month of Kiffin’s time in Tampa Bay.

The Bucs have taken criticism from the media and their own fans for not adding a few experienced pieces to the front seven of their defense in the offseason. They didn’t seem to need any of that against the Falcons. They shut them down with youth, fresh legs and a well-executed scheme.

“Everyone was playing sound technique,’’ Okam said. “Everyone was holding their gaps and being physical at the point of attack, getting off blockers and making plays when they came to you. You make something happen just by doing your job. When you’ve got 11 guys focused on doing their job, the game plan comes to fruition and it just works out.’’

Maybe this was a game where Tampa Bay’s defense simply got lucky. The Bucs could have been in trouble if the Falcons got the ball back at the end of the game. Instead, Atlanta defensive tackle Corey Peters jumped offsides and the Bucs were able to run out the clock.

Or maybe this was a sign that Tampa Bay’s young defense has arrived and it just might keep getting better. If that’s the case, the Bucs could be a very real player in the NFC South race.

“I told the team we didn’t come into the season to beat the Atlanta Falcons,’’ Morris said. “We came into this season to win the division."

That just might be possible, if the Bucs can keep playing defense like they did Sunday.

To all those Tampa Bay fans screaming about how the Bucs haven’t spent any money in free agency, it might be time for a history lesson.

Let’s go back to 2003. That’s the season the Bucs were defending their only Super Bowl title. Expectations were high and the team was loaded with star power – Keyshawn Johnson, Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, Mike Alstott, Simeon Rice, Ronde Barber and John Lynch.

The only thing higher than the expectations was the spending. I just went back and looked at 2003 salary-cap figures on the Bucs and there’s a very clear story here. In addition to the guys mentioned above, this team had high-priced contracts with veterans like Rickey Dudley, Keenan McCardell, Ken Dilger and we can’t leave out Tom Tupa.

Records from that season show the Bucs actually spent over the salary cap. Their adjusted cap for that year was $75.443 million. They exceeded it by $1,104.58 -- a figure that would be shaved from their 2004 cap.

So what did all that spending get the Bucs? An incredibly-disappointing 7-9 record that was good for third place in the NFC South. It also marked the first time since 1998 that Tampa Bay didn’t make the playoffs. And the season was filled with all sorts of controversy.

You might remember some lowlights from that season.

• Johnson, with a cap figure more than $5 million, was deactivated for 10 games as he feuded with coach Jon Gruden.
• A rift between Gruden and general manager Rich McKay that was so bad that McKay fled to the Atlanta Falcons before the season ended.
• A 38-35 overtime loss to Indianapolis that wouldn’t have been nearly as painful if it wasn’t Tony Dungy’s first game back in Tampa. And it would have been even less painful if the Bucs hadn’t squandered a 35-14 lead with just over five minutes left in regulation.
• And don’t forget that Week 13 loss to Jacksonville. The mighty Jaguars entered that game with a 2-9 record.

So what if the current Bucs have $108.5 million (or 88 percent) committed toward this year’s cap if you count all their contracts? If you only count the top 51 figures, which is the rule in the preseason, they’re at $93 million, which is just about 76 percent of their cap.

The moral of the story is spending big money doesn’t guarantee success. The 2003 Bucs showed us you can spend to the cap -- and even a little above it -- and still lose. Ever think ownership and the front office might look back at that kind of thing and maybe that's at least part of the reason the Bucs are taking their current approach?

TAMPA, Fla. -- Of all the hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of moments Jimmie Giles could have picked as his favorite with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this one’s definitely not the cleanest. It also may surprise you a bit at first.

“Wrestling in the mud with (teammate) David Lewis,’’ Giles said Wednesday as the Bucs announced he will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at a Dec. 4 home game with Carolina.

The wrestling session happened at the end of the 1979 season, a crucial one for the Buccaneers. Needing a win to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Bucs beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 3-0, in a torrential downpour.

The team that began as an expansion franchise in 1976 and started 0-26 would go on to stun everyone and reach the NFC Championship Game. It was a high-water mark for a franchise that soon would fall back to its losing ways. Giles was with the Bucs from 1978 until 1986 and, by that point, the Bucs were mired in something well below mediocrity.

They spent the latter half of the 1980s and the early and middle parts of the 1990s as a national joke. Actually, there were all sorts of jokes in those days.

“The sign on the ticket window was “Sorry, we’re open,’’ cracked long-time Tampa Bay radio personality Jack Harris, who was one of the guest speakers before Giles took the microphone.

But one of the best things the Bucs have done since starting the Ring of Honor two years ago is that they’ve embraced their past. It would be easy to try to forget it all and skip the whole era before coach Tony Dungy came along and changed the climate and the uniforms switched from orange and white to pewter and red.

That also would be a mistake because there were some good times and good players from those early years. Co-chairman Bryan Glazer made it a point to say the team’s present and future wouldn’t be possible without its past. He’s right.

Lee Roy Selmon and John McKay, the first two inductees, created some magical moments for a young franchise. So did Giles, who played tight end and went to four Pro Bowls while with the Bucs.

“It was Jimmie Giles and some others who helped turn this team around,’’ Harris said. “It was a great era.’’

But a short era. Sooner or later, the Bucs will open the floodgates for their Ring of Honor. That will start when Derrick Brooks goes in, which will clear the way for guys like Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Mike Alstott, Ronde Barber, Dungy and Jon Gruden.

It’s not quite time for that yet. Although there was a long dry spell between the 1979 team and the teams of the late 1990s, there are some other guys from those eras who deserve the honor. Guys like Ricky Bell, James Wilder, Paul Gruber and Hardy Nickerson should go in before the Bucs get to their more-recent past.

Then, there’s Doug Williams. He was the quarterback of the 1979 team and, by all rights, he should be going into the Ring of Honor before or with Giles. He’s not. That’s mostly Williams’ fault. He did some great things as a player and left Tampa Bay in a bitter salary dispute with former owner Hugh Culverhouse. Williams carried a grudge before finally returning to work in the team’s personnel department.

Things were good for a few years, but Williams left after the 2010 draft. Williams and general manager Mark Dominik weren’t getting along. Since his departure, Williams has taken some public shots at the Bucs. He’s not going to get into the Ring of Honor as long as that’s going on.

As Giles talked, I think there might have been a subtle message to Williams. Giles was talking about how the Bucs of long ago went through some tough times and weren’t beloved. Giles said that things change with time and that no one should succumb to bitterness.

That’s an excellent point. The Bucs are going out of their way to reach out to their former players. Let the water flow under the bridge.

The Bucs and their former players need to stay above the bridge -- above the pettiness.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have said they’ll make an announcement Wednesday about the next inductee to their Ring of Honor.

They won’t officially say who it is yet, but the St. Petersburg Times is reporting that it’s former tight end Jimmie Giles and they’re citing former quarterback Doug Williams as the source. I’ve got no problem with Giles going in as the third member of the Ring of Honor after Lee Roy Selmon and John McKay. Giles was a very good tight end. The Glazer family, which owns the team, works together to select members of the Ring of Honor and team co-chairman Bryan Glazer serves as the front man for those efforts. The Glazers are making a smart move by going by some degree of chronological order.

If he had skipped ahead to Derrick Brooks, guys like Giles, James Wilder, Paul Gruber and Hardy Nickerson would have to wait for years. Once Brooks goes in, it’s going to open the gates for the rest of the big names from Tampa Bay’s golden age -- Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Mike Alstott, Warrick Dunn, Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden and Ronde Barber. By the time all those guys get in, Josh Freeman, LeGarrette Blount and Mike Williams might be ready to follow.

The Bucs didn’t have a glorious history before Dungy came along, but it’s important to recognize guys like Giles now and Brooks and friends can wait a few years. The guy who may be waiting the longest is Doug Williams. You could make a case Williams should be the next guy going into the Ring of Honor, but that’s not likely to happen anytime soon.

After winning the battle of public opinion in his long-ago feud with former owner Hugh Culverhouse, Williams was back in the good graces of the franchise for a time. He worked in the team’s personnel department and was close with Gruden and former general manager Bruce Allen.

But Williams left due to a strained relationship with Mark Dominik after he became the general manager. Williams might not have the fans on his side this time. He’s taken public shots at the Bucs and Dominik, while the franchise has stayed quiet about Williams. Even while Williams still worked for the team, he created an awkward moment when the Bucs announced Selmon as the first member of the Ring of Honor. Williams spoke at that news conference and it was kind of bizarre. Instead of talking about Selmon, he spent almost all of his time talking about the 1979 team.

The franchise probably is going to stay quiet on Williams for a long time. He was an important part of the franchise’s early years, but he’s burned some bridges. Unless those are repaired, Williams probably won’t be going into the Ring of Honor.