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This is the time of year when you hear a lot about offseason workouts. This is when teams can begin conditioning drills and get out onto the field to start working on football and that continues through minicamps and organized team activities.

It’s a great time to build chemistry. You’ll also hear a lot of coaches bragging about how almost all their players are participating in the workouts, which is great. But, in some cases, there’s a lot of money to be earned just for showing up and working out in the offseason.

I just got a look at all the offseason workout bonuses scheduled to be earned (if the players take part in a majority of the workouts) by NFC South players this year and there were some eye openers. Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik doesn’t use a lot of workout bonuses in the contracts he negotiates. But, when he does use them, they’re significant. Tight end Kellen Winslow and cornerback Eric Wright have the largest workout bonuses in the division for 2012 at $500,000 each. Offensive tackle Donald Penn is right behind them at $400,000 and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is scheduled to collect $300,000. Linebacker Quincy Black has a $250,000 bonus and defensive tackle Amobi Okoye is slated to make $200,000. Those six are the only Buccaneers with workout bonuses this year, but they come to a total of $2.15 million.

Carolina general manager Marty Hurney and New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis are much more liberal in their use of workout bonuses. The Saints and Panthers each have 21 players scheduled to earn workout bonuses this year.

Carolina’s scheduled workout bonuses add up to $2.055 million. I won’t list anyone under six figures. But here are the guys who can earn big money. Charles Johnson, Jon Beason, DeAngelo Williams, Ryan Kalil and Ron Edwards each are scheduled to make $250,000. Charles Godfrey, James Anderson, Olindo Mare and Garry Williams each can earn $100,000.

If all the New Orleans players take part in enough workouts, the Saints will have to pay out $2.381 million. Sedrick Ellis leads the Saints with a $250,000 workout bonus. Jahri Evans, Lance Moore and Scott Shanle each are scheduled to make $200,000 and Will Smith is slated to make $150,000. Marques Colston, Roman Harper, Jabari Greer, Jermon Bushrod, Jonathan Vilma, Malcolm Jenkins, Devery Henderson, Pierre Thomas, David Thomas, Korey Hall and Will Herring each are scheduled to make $100,000.

Apparently, Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff, who probably works out more (he rides a bike religiously) than any NFC South general manager, doesn’t believe in workout bonuses. Dimitroff has used them very sparingly in the past. This year, there’s not a single Atlanta player schedule to earn a workout bonus.

After ending last season on a 10-game losing streak, no team needed more out of the NFL draft than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On the surface, it looks like they got at least three starters in safety Mark Barron, running back Doug Martin and linebacker Lavonte David. Add them to key free-agent pickups Carl Nicks, Eric Wright and Vincent Jackson and Tampa Bay should have a very different look come September. Let’s take a look at what I suspect at the moment will be Tampa Bay’s starting lineup.

OFFENSE

• QB Josh Freeman

• RB Doug Martin (LeGarrette Blount will get some carries, but Martin’s an all-purpose back)

• FB Erik Lorig

• WR Vincent Jackson

• WR Mike Williams (he may have to beat out Arrelious Benn for the starting job)

• TE Kellen Winslow

• LT Donald Penn

• LG Carl Nicks

• C Jeremy Zuttah

• RG Davin Joseph

• RT Jeremy Trueblood

DEFENSE

• DE Adrian Clayborn

• DT Gerald McCoy

• DT Brian Price (Amobi Okoye will factor heavily in rotation and could start if injury woes continue for McCoy and Price)

• DE Michael Bennett (might have to beat out second-year pro Da’Quan Bowers in training camp)

• OLB Lavonte David

• MLB Mason Foster

• OLB Quincy Black

• CB Ronde Barber (if he doesn’t switch to safety)

• CB Eric Wright (Aqib Talib could factor in, but his future is uncertain)

• FS Cody Grimm

• SS Mark Barron

SPECIALISTS

• K Connor Barth

• P Michael Koenen

• KR Preston Parker (rookie Michael Smith also could factor into return game)

• PR Sammie Stroughter

We ran through the NFC South portion of Todd McShay’s latest mock draft earlier. Now, let’s turn to ESPN’s other draft guru.

Check out this Insider post in which Mel Kiper Jr. unveils his latest mock draft . Kiper differs significantly from McShay when it comes to the only two NFC South teams with first-round picks.

In Kiper’s draft, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Alabama running back Trent Richardson are gone before the Bucs pick at No. 5. As recently as a week ago, the consensus was at least one of those two players would be available for the Bucs. But the consensus seems to be changing and I’m sure the Bucs have been preparing themselves for all scenarios.

Kiper gave the USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil to the Bucs and I don’t think that’s at all out of the realm of possibility. Yeah, Tampa Bay could take Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly and fill a big need. Or the Bucs could take Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon to give quarterback Josh Freeman another play-maker to go with Vincent Jackson.

But Kalil makes some sense. He’s viewed as pretty much a can’t-miss prospect. The Bucs already have Donald Penn at left tackle, but right tackle Jeremy Trueblood is a bit of a question mark and he’s heading into the final year of his contract. Kalil could step in and play the left side immediately and Penn could switch to the right side. Or Penn could stay on the left side for now and let Kalil begin his career on the right side.

At No. 9, Kiper, who had been giving the Panthers a steady diet of defensive tackles in the past, made a significant change. He has the Panthers taking Kuechly. Makes total sense. Kuechly might be the best player on the board at that point and the Panthers have linebackers Thomas Davis and Jon Beason returning from major injuries.

But I also could see Carolina going with South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore or North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples if Kiper’s first eight picks come true.

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 look at some notes and headlines from around the NFC South.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have kept alive their streak of not giving a single signing bonus in this free-agency period. According to contract details obtained by ESPN.com, defensive tackle Amobi Okoye signed a one-year deal and is scheduled to earn $1.8 million ($700,000 of it guaranteed) in base salary. Okoye also can pick up an extra $200,000 for taking part in the majority of the team’s offseason workouts. Okoye didn’t receive a signing bonus. Neither did free agents Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright. Neither did cornerback Ronde Barber when he re-signed with the team. This is a pretty unique approach by the Bucs, and it doesn’t seem to have prevented them from landing free agents. While other teams are offering big signing bonuses to spread out pro-rated salary cap hits over the life of the contract, the Bucs are stepping up and putting big base salaries in the first year or two of their deals.

In this radio interview, New Orleans safety Malcolm Jenkins says he has confidence the rest of the coaching staff can handle the team in the absence of coach Sean Payton. But Jenkins also said it’s up to the players to step up and take on more of a leadership role. Get ready to hear a lot more along these same lines. It’s already becoming clear the Saints are planning to use their adversity as motivation.

Bradley Handwerger writes that the Saints sent a very clear message that this is still Payton’s team by announcing assistant head coach Joe Vitt will take over as interim head coach. Vitt has been Payton’s top assistant since they arrived together in New Orleans. Vitt isn’t likely to change much of anything, and Payton’s system will remain intact while he serves a season-long suspension.

The Buccaneers had USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil in for a visit this month. Don’t get too excited, because the Bucs simply are doing their homework. Most speculation has had Kalil going before the Bucs pick at No. 5. But there’s been some growing speculation Kalil could slip a bit. If LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Alabama running back Trent Richardson go before Tampa Bay picks, it’s at least possible the Bucs could take Kalil. They appear to be set with Donald Penn at left tackle. But right tackle Jeremy Trueblood is heading into the last year of his contract, and is the biggest question mark on the offensive line. The Bucs have been investing a lot in their offensive line. I wouldn’t totally rule out the possibility of them taking Kalil if he falls to them.

Check out this inspirational story to find out what former Carolina defensive back Reggie Howard is doing in his post-football life.

The Panthers officially announced the re-signing of linebacker Jordan Senn. He played well last season after the Panthers had a bunch of injuries at linebacker, and coach Ron Rivera said Senn would have a shot at a starting job this season. But the Panthers didn’t pay Senn anything close to starter money. According to contract details obtained by ESPN.com, Senn will make $700,000 in base salary on his one-year deal. The Panthers again took advantage of the veteran minimum salary benefit. That means Senn’s base salary will count only $540,000 against the salary cap. He also got a $65,000 signing bonus, and his total cap figure will be $605,000.

Former Tampa Bay defensive tackle Warren Sapp spoke out for the first time since news of his bankruptcy filing broke. Sapp said a bad investment in the construction business started his financial troubles. He said he didn’t want to file bankruptcy, but his only other option was going to jail. Sapp said he doesn’t know if he’ll remain with NFL Network, but pledged to work his way through his problems.

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Atlanta Falcons

Key additions: LB Lofa Tatupu, G Vince Manuwai

Key losses: LB Curtis Lofton, WR/KR Eric Weems

Keeping their own: Much to the chagrin of their fans, the Falcons chose not to pursue defensive end Mario Williams or any other big-name free agent. Instead, they focused hard on keeping their own guys. That started before the season ended with tight end Tony Gonzalez re-signing and continued into free agency as the Falcons made it a point to lock up guys like receiver Harry Douglas, defensive end John Abraham and running back Jason Snelling. They also protected cornerback Brent Grimes with the franchise tag.

The only loss that really hurt was Lofton. The Falcons liked him, but new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan didn’t view him as a three-down player. The Falcons still made an effort to keep Lofton, but weren’t willing to pay big money. They brought in the veteran Tatupu, who could be a short-term answer. But there’s a hope within the organization that second-year pro Akeem Dent can step forward and win the job immediately because he’s the guy that’s going to end up there for the long term.

What’s next: Don’t completely rule out the addition of a minor or mid-level free agent or two, but the Falcons are focusing mainly on the draft. Even with Abraham back, they’re still looking to improve their pass rush and defensive ends could be in play. But the Falcons also could add a defensive tackle because Jonathan Babineaux and Peria Jerry are coming off sub-par seasons. Some depth in the secondary and a kick returner also are possible targets.

Key additions: RB/FB Mike Tolbert, G Mike Pollak

Key losses: G Travelle Wharton

The splash came last year: The Panthers haven’t been very active in free agency. That’s largely because they made their big moves coming out of the lockout last year. They signed defensive end Charles Johnson, running back DeAngelo Williams, linebacker Jon Beason, defensive tackle Ron Edwards and linebacker Thomas Davis to huge deals, and that’s why they had very little salary-cap room to work with this year.

But the Panthers didn’t really reap the rewards of some of those signings because Beason, Davis and Edwards all suffered early injuries. That took a toll on the defense. But all three of those guys are back and healthy and that should improve the defense immediately. Carolina developed an explosive offense last season and a strong defense could turn the Panthers into playoff contenders.

What’s next: The Panthers have very little cap room and don’t figure to make many more moves in free agency. They’re focused in on the draft and there needs have been narrowed. They’re likely to address cornerback and defensive tackle early in the draft. But don’t be surprised if they take a linebacker somewhere in the first three or four rounds, and it’s even possible they could target one in the first or second. Davis is coming off his torn ACL and the Panthers don’t know if he’ll be anything close to what he was before the injuries.

New Orleans Saints

Key additions: LB Curtis Lofton, DT Brodrick Bunkley, G Ben Grubbs

Key losses: G Carl Nicks, CB Tracy Porter

Miracle workers: Faced with an extremely tight salary-cap situation and some bizarre off-field events, it’s somewhat amazing the Saints were able to keep as much as they did. They didn’t want to lose Nicks, who might be the best guard in the league and is in his prime. But that’s the price they had to pay to make sure they kept quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Marques Colston, as well as adding players like Lofton, Grubbs and Bunkley.

The Brees situation remains complicated. He's still carrying the franchise tag. The Saints need to get him signed to a long-term deal quickly. Even more than ever, the Saints need Brees’ leadership abilities. They need him signed and happy before their offseason program starts April 16.

What’s next: With the possibility of multiple defensive players facing possible suspensions as a result of the bounty program, the Saints still could be looking to make significant moves. It will be hard to draft players that will make an instant impact because the Saints are without picks in the first two rounds. That means they might have to pull some more help out of free agency, even with limited cap space. They could use another pass-rusher to complement Will Smith. Even after adding Lofton and Bunkley, the Saints still could use depth at linebacker and defensive tackle.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Key additions: WR Vincent Jackson, G Carl Nicks, CB Eric Wright

Key losses: C Jeff Faine

Locking them up: Part of the reason the Bucs didn’t lose much of anything in free agency is because they’ve done a nice job of locking up some core players in recent years. They made it a point to make sure offensive linemen Donald Penn, Davin Joseph and Jeremy Zuttah never got close to leaving. Add Nicks to that group and the Bucs have a chance to have one of the league’s better offensive lines. As the season gets going, some other young players will be rewarded with contract extensions as they show they fit in coach Greg Schiano’s system.

What’s next: After making the initial splash, the Bucs said they’re done with free agency and are focused on the draft. That’s largely true, although the team is keeping a close eye on what remains on the market. This is a team that still is building and will still have needs after the draft. The Bucs have a big need at running back, where they have to find at least one player to complement LeGarrette Blount. The cornerback position could be an early target in the draft even after Ronde Barber decided to return for a 16th season. There also is some uncertainty about Aqib Talib's future. Even if he remains with the team, the Bucs need depth at the position. There also is uncertainty at linebacker and a need for depth at safety and tight end.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just announced two transactions.

The first is no big surprise. We told you last week that cornerback Ronde Barber had agreed to terms on a one-year deal that would bring him back to the Buccaneers for a 16^th season. That deal now officially has been signed, the team said.

The Bucs also announced that reserve offensive lineman DeMar Dotson has agreed to a two-year contract. Dotson had been tendered as a restricted free agent.

Dotson’s signing enhances the depth on a Tampa Bay offensive line that has a chance to be very good. Dotson, who appeared in 13 games last season and started two, is viewed as a young player with high upside. He and the recently-signed Jamon Meredith likely will be the two backups behind starters Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood at tackle.

After adding guard Carl Nicks in free agency, the Bucs appear loaded in the middle of the line. Nicks and Davin Joseph will be the starting guards and Jeremy Zuttah, who has played both center and guard, will become the full-time starter at center.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just announced a few minor roster moves.

They have signed free-agent offensive tackle Jamon Meredith to a two-year deal and released defensive ends Tim Crowder and Nick Reed.

Meredith is a four-year veteran, but has appeared in only 17 games with four career starts. He was with Pittsburgh last season. It’s pretty obvious the Bucs are looking at Meredith as possible depth behind starting tackles Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood.

Crowder spent the past three seasons with the Buccaneers and made 13 starts. But Crowder became expendable because the Bucs are very high on young defensive ends Adrian Clayborn, Da’Quan Bowers and Michael Bennett. Reed, who joined the team for the final three games of last season and played sparingly, was even more expendable.

The Bucs freed up $1 million in cap space with Crowder’s release and $540,000 by letting Reed go. We don’t know the details of Meredith’s contract yet, but it’s likely to be for somewhere near the minimum. We also don't know exact details of the one-year contract cornerback Ronde Barber signed Wednesday night. But the Bucs had just under $16 million in cap space before those moves.

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.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Desperate for fans, victories and a No. 1 wide receiver, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have purchased all three in one very expensive package.

The Buccaneers opened free agency with one of the boldest moves in franchise history. They’ve agreed to terms with former San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson on a five-year deal worth more than $55 million.

At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Jackson is more than just a big receiver. Throughout his career, he’s shown surprising speed and an ability to get open down the field. If he can bring all that to Tampa Bay, things suddenly could look better for a franchise that ended last season on a 10-game losing streak and has seemed to lose its connection to fans in recent years.

But the move to sign Jackson should help silence critics that have accused the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, of being cheap and not wanting to win. Jackson was considered one of the top five free agents and the premier wide receiver and that’s why the Bucs are making him one of the highest-paid players in franchise history. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy's five-year contract could be worth up to $63 million, but only if he hits all incentives and escalators.

Team co-chairman Joel Glazer said in January that the Bucs would spend whatever it takes to win going forward and the team backed that up by going all out for Jackson as soon as free agency opened.

Jackson instantly gives the Bucs a drawing card. That’s something desperately needed in a town where you see more people wearing replica jerseys of Evan Longoria, of baseball’s Rays, and Steven Stamkos, of hockey’s Lightning, than you see wearing Josh Freeman jerseys.

Jackson’s presence could help the Bucs sell tickets at Raymond James Stadium, where only two home games have been sold out in the past two seasons. Fans might have reason to show up because Jackson is more than just a name.

As a football player, he seems like the perfect complement for Freeman, the quarterback who struggled mightily in his third year. The front office and Greg Schiano’s new coaching staff believe Freeman has all the skills to be a franchise quarterback, but was held back by his supporting cast last season.

Jackson, 29, should help tremendously in solving that. He’s shown the ability to get open downfield, something Tampa Bay’s receivers failed to do last season. Jackson averaged 18.4 yards per catch last season and that should make him the focus of opposing defenses.

Jackson’s arrival also should allow Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn to be what they are -- No. 2 or No. 3 receivers.

The Bucs have made it clear they’re building this team around Freeman. They’re not done yet. ESPN’s John Clayton reports the Bucs also are talking to New Orleans guard Carl Nicks. If the Bucs are able to add the All-Pro Nicks to an offensive line that already includes Davin Joseph, Jeremy Zuttah and Donald Penn, Freeman suddenly could have excellent protection. There also are rumblings the Bucs may be interested in Atlanta linebacker Curtis Lofton and a few role players on defense. After that, all the Bucs might need is a running back. But it’s a pretty safe bet the Bucs will add that in free agency and the draft.

They’ve already tipped their hand and shown they’re willing to spend and they want to win. There’s no guarantee it will all work, but fans no longer can say the Glazers won’t spend money.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are likely to release veteran center Jeff Faine prior to the start of free agency Tuesday afternoon, according to this report by Stephen Holder.

Although Tampa Bay is roughly $43 million under the salary cap and doesn’t have to make any moves prior to free agency, there seems to be logic to this move.

Faine will turn 31 in April. Although he started 15 games last season, he dealt with injury problems in the seasons before that. Then there’s the financial aspect. Since the Bucs already have absorbed all the prorations on Faine’s contract, there would be no salary-cap implications if they release him. In fact, they instantly would clear up $5.925 million in cap room.

The Bucs recently signed Jeremy Zuttah, who played guard in the past, to a new contract. Zuttah played for new coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers and it appears the Bucs could be preparing to move him to center, a position he has sometimes played in the past.

With the extra cap room, the Bucs could do something dramatic and pursue New Orleans’ Carl Nicks, who is expected to become an unrestricted free agent. If the Bucs landed Nicks, they could weaken the Saints.

Nicks and Tampa Bay right guard Davin Joseph both were on the NFC’s Pro Bowl roster last season. Put those two on the flanks of Zuttah and throw in Donald Penn, who is viewed as an above-average left tackle, and the Bucs could have the makings of a very good offensive line. Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood is far from a star, but his level of play could improve with better players around him.

Time for a look at Wednesday morning's top headlines from around the NFC South.

With the Panthers $9.6 million over the salary cap, Joseph Person writes that linebacker Thomas Davis, quarterback Jimmy Clausen, guard Travelle Wharton and punter Jason Baker are potential cap casualties.

Here’s the scouting report on LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who has been mentioned as a possible first-round target for the Panthers.

Atlanta’s Tyson Clabo graded out as one of the league’s top pass-blockers. Speaking of Clabo, here’s one writer’s explanation why he ranked Clabo among the top 20 tackles in the league and left Carolina’s Jordan Gross and Tampa Bay’s Donald Penn off the list.

Stephen Holder writes that the Buccaneers are likely to try to re-sign potential free agents Jeremy Zuttah and kicker Connor Barth. They’re two of Tampa Bay’s younger free agents. Zuttah has value because he can play center and guard and Barth has shown good accuracy. Age could work against running back Earnest Graham and safety Sean Jones as the Bucs look at their own free agents.

Here’s a pretty interesting item by Jonathan Bales from the DC Times. Bales ranks the top 20 offensive tackles in the NFL.

There’s only one NFC South tackle on the list and it’s probably not who most of you would name with your first guess. Or your second.

It’s Atlanta right tackle Tyson Clabo. Although he has a reputation for being a decent player, nobody has ever called Clabo elite. But that’s basically what Bales did by ranking Clabo as the No. 2 tackle in the NFL.

According to Bales, Clabo gave up quarterback pressures on just 1.4 percent of the snaps he took part in. That’s pretty impressive. It’s too bad the rest of Atlanta’s offensive line didn’t play like Clabo last season. The Falcons struggled with pass protection early in the season and there probably will be major changes on the offensive line this offseason. The biggest change could come at left tackle where Sam Baker entered last year as the starter. Baker got hurt and Will Svitek replaced him. When Baker was healthy again, the Falcons kept Svitek as the starter. There’s lots of speculation the Falcons will part ways with Baker and look for a new left tackle in free agency or the draft.

Going back to Bales’ list, I’m a little surprised that Carolina’s Jordan Gross and Tampa Bay’s Donald Penn didn’t make the top 20. Those are the two most scouts point to as the best tackles in the division.

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

In recent days, I’ve been sharing some details on 2011 playing time at various positions. We’ll continue to do that going forward and still have to touch on NFC South fullbacks and all the defensive positions.

But this is Iron Man Day, so we’re going to talk about offensive linemen. As a general rule, offensive linemen get a greater percentage of playing time than players at all the other positions. That’s part of the nature of the position -- teams want continuity.

In 2011, 42 NFL players took part in 100 percent of their teams offensive and defensive snaps. New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, Cleveland linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, St. Louis linebacker James Laurinitis, Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs, Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and Tennessee cornerback Cortland Finnegan all deserve special mention for taking part in 100 percent of their team’s snaps at positions where that’s pretty rare.

Aside from those six players, 36 others took part in all of their team’s offensive plays. All of them were offensive linemen and seven of them were from the NFC South.

Carolina guard Geoff Hangartner, Atlanta guard Justin Blalock, New Orleans guard Carl Nicks, Tampa Bay guard Davin Joseph, Atlanta tackle Tyson Clabo, New Orleans tackle Jermon Bushrod and Tampa Bay tackle Donald Penn each took part in every one of their team’s offensive snaps.

Several other NFC South offensive linemen also came close to achieving that honor. Here’s a look at the other NFC South linemen that played more than 90 percent of their team’s offensive snaps.

• Carolina center Ryan Kalil, 99.3.

• New Orleans guard Jahri Evans, 96.8.

• Carolina guard Travelle Wharton, 95.6.

• Carolina tackle Jordan Gross, 92.5.

• Tampa Bay tackle Jeremy Trueblood, 92.1.

• Tampa Bay center Jeff Faine, 90.5.