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

• I don’t know if it will change anything, but New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith and former Saints Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove will have appeals of their suspensions for their roles in the bounty program heard by an arbitrator Wednesday. Even if nothing comes of this, this isn’t the end of the line. The NFL Players Association has filed a separate grievance with the league’s system arbitrator. They also have filed an appeal with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who issued the punishments in the first place.

• Although the Saints have a veteran coaching staff and roster, Jeff Duncan writes they already miss suspended coach Sean Payton. I think the Saints potentially can weather this one, but it’s going to be a process and some assistant coaches and some of the leadership among the players will have to step forward to help compensate for some of the intangibles that left the building with Payton.

• Here’s a column that takes issue with the prospect of taxpayer money being used to potentially finance a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons. I totally understand the argument that the people of Georgia have other needs and that Falcons’ owner Arthur Blank already makes plenty of money. But, in today’s NFL, you need state-of-the-art stadiums to stay competitive. It may not be ideal, but the norm is for taxpayers to pick up at least some of the tab for a new stadium.

• Speaking of sports and the economy, let’s go a little outside the box. I don’t do much reading in the world of finance, but a former co-worker passed along this column by a financial planner, who writes that recent events have caused him to lose his life-long passion for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NFL in general. The author concludes that professional sports are a waste of time, money and energy. I don’t necessarily agree with that, but he brings up some points worth pondering.

• Former Carolina Panthers running back Stephen Davis was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. Davis earned the honor exclusively for his spectacular high school career, when he was nicknamed “Little Herschel’’ after Herschel Walker. But I’ll always remember Davis for his role in the Panthers’ 2003 season. That year, Davis arrived in Carolina and instantly became the focus of the offense. Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad each made some big plays along the way, but Davis was the glue to the Carolina offense as the Panthers went to their only Super Bowl.

• Brian Allee-Walsh has a theory that agent Tom Condon isn’t simply looking for a new deal for New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees. He speculates that Condon is trying to raise the bar for all quarterback contracts. There’s some logic in there because Condon’s agency represents nearly half of the NFL’s starting quarterbacks.

The Atlanta Falcons may stay within the organization when they fill their vacancy at quarterbacks coach. Glenn Thomas is a leading candidate for that role, D. Orlando Ledbetter reports.

It makes plenty of sense. Thomas, 34, has been an offensive quality-control coach for the Falcons since the arrival of coach Mike Smith in 2008. He obviously has to know quarterback Matt Ryan pretty well.

The Falcons lost quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski, who became the offensive coordinator in Jacksonville when former Atlanta coordinator Mike Mularkey became the Jaguars' head coach earlier in January.

Bratkowski spent only the 2011 season with the Falcons. He replaced Bill Musgrave, who had been Ryan’s quarterbacks coach in his first three seasons. Musgrave left after last season to become offensive coordinator in Minnesota.

Former Jacksonville coordinator Dirk Koetter has been hired as Atlanta’s offensive coordinator. Koetter obviously will bring some subtle changes to Atlanta’s offense. But promoting Thomas to quarterbacks coach could provide some familiarity and continuity for Ryan.

Smith is a coach who believes in loyalty and promoting Thomas would illustrate that. It’s also not a bad thing to start moving young coaches up the ladder.

The best example I can give you of that is Mike McCoy. I saw him join the Carolina Panthers as a quality-control assistant under George Seifert. McCoy later worked his way up to quarterbacks coach and he had a strong relationship, and a fair amount of success, with Jake Delhomme.

That success put McCoy on the radar for bigger things and he was hired as Denver’s offensive coordinator in 2009. He was reunited there with former Carolina coach John Fox in 2011 and McCoy largely was credited for the success of Denver quarterback Tim Tebow. That led to McCoy getting several interviews for jobs as a head coach this offseason.

ATLANTA – Time for a look at the top headlines from around the NFC South.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees said talks about a new contract have been tabled until after the season. Smart move. The Saints are down to crunch time and the team and Brees don’t need any distractions.

Atlanta linebacker Stephen Nicholas, who returned Thursday night after missing two games with a quadriceps injury, suffered a knee injury in the victory over Jacksonville. The severity of the injury isn’t known yet, but the Falcons don’t play again until Dec. 26.

Atlanta coach Mike Smith will undergo a stress test Friday at Emory Hospital. Smith was taken to a Charlotte hospital Sunday after experiencing chest pains. After Thursday night’s game, Smith said he’s fine and politely said he doesn’t want to discuss his health any further.

Carolina receiver Steve Smith said there’s no comparison between Cam Newton and Denver quarterback Tim Tebow. Smith said Newton is a more complete player. No argument here.

The Panthers play at Houston on Sunday. Reliant Stadium was the site of Carolina’s only Super Bowl, a loss to New England in Super Bowl XXXVIII. The only current Panthers who were on that team are tackle Jordan Gross and Smith. Jake Delhomme was the quarterback of that team. Ironically, he now is with the Texans.

Former Tampa Bay defensive lineman Chidi Ahanotu wrote a guest column for PewterReport.com that’s very interesting. Not sure I agree with his opinion that the Bucs shouldn’t fire coach Raheem Morris. But Ahanotu is a smart guy and has spent a lot of time in locker rooms. His opinion is at least worth a look.

Gary Shelton has a column that asks a very valid question – if the Bucs fire Morris, does general manager Mark Dominik go as well? Dominik’s had his share of hits and misses and he certainly deserves blame for a season gone awry. But my best guess is Dominik stays. Some coaches and general managers are package deals. I think the Bucs provided a big hint that they don’t view Morris and Dominik that way after last season. They gave Dominik a four-year contract extension and simply picked up two option years on Morris’ contract.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina’s Steve Smith became the 35^th player in NFL history to reach the 10,000-yard receiving mark.

Smith got very reflective after Sunday’s loss to Atlanta as he talked about the milestone.

“It’s a lot of people, a lot of men and a lot of boys’ dream,’’ Smith said. “But there are few men who get the opportunity to live out their dream, so I’m fortunate enough. I’ve had the opportunity for about a decade to do it and it’s been enjoyable. I’ve had fun. I’ve also had some bonehead situations, but that’s the opportunity to live and so it’s pretty cool.’’

Smith then went on to thank just about every quarterback he ever has played with. He mentioned Chris Weinke, Rodney Peete, Jake Delhomme, Vinny Testaverde, Cam Newton, David Carr, Brian St. Pierre, Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore.

Smith went on to mention a bunch of receivers he played with through the years.

“Isaac Byrd, Karl Hankton, Ricky Proehl, Muhsin Muhammad and Donald Hayes because when I first came here, they were the guys who took me under their wing and showed me how to play,’’ Smith said. “There were times I was annoying to them and I followed them and watched them.’’

Interesting story here about how Carolina receiver Steve Smith ranks the quarterbacks he has played with since coming into the league in 2001.

When you simply glance at the headline, you might think Smith is selling rookie Cam Newton short. Smith says Newton is No. 3 on his list.

But when you read Smith’s words and think about them, this one is not difficult to understand. Although all indications are that Newton and Smith have developed a very strong chemistry, Newton hasn’t been in the league for a full season.

He’s fared very well through the first 11 games. If Newton keeps doing what he’s been doing and Smith, who is under contract through 2012, stays healthy, the rankings could change. There already is no doubt Newton is the most physically talented quarterback the Panthers have had.

But Smith has a good memory, and that’s why he ranks Jake Delhomme at No. 1. I know a lot of Carolina fans were down on Delhomme as he left at the end of the 2009 season. But Delhomme had a nice overall career in Carolina and he had a strong bond with Smith.

The two were teammates from 2003 through 2009, and they shared a lot of big moments. But Smith’s pick at No. 2 is somewhat surprising, again on first glance.

Smith went with Vinny Testaverde. Although Testaverde was with the Panthers for a little more than half of the 2007 season, he was at a point in his career where he had a big impact on Smith.

When Delhomme went down with an elbow injury that season, backup David Carr didn’t work out. The Panthers lured Testaverde out of retirement and he quickly brought a strong presence and leadership skills to the locker room. At that point, Testaverde was more than willing to share the wisdom he had collected through the years.

Smith said he learned a lot from Testavrede, and still uses many of those lessons.

So, after you really think about it, it’s not all that surprising Smith ranked Newton third on his list. Smith was with Delhomme for a long time. Smith also benefitted greatly simply by being around Testaverde. Newton hasn’t been around long enough to have a lasting impact on Smith. At least not yet.

Plus, Smith is a pretty smart guy. Although he’s given Newton plenty of praise this season, it would be out of character and not a great idea for Smith to go ahead and put a rookie at No. 1.

Newton’s off to a very nice start, but there still is a lot of work to be done.

Since the New Orleans Saints were the only NFC South team to win Sunday, they are the only team who will get a list of statistical highlights this week. We might throw out some lowlights on the Falcons, Buccaneers and Panthers later on.

For now, though, let’s turn to ESPN Stats & Information for some nuggets on the Saints.

• New Orleans is off to a 4-1 start. They’ve been 4-1 or better through five games three times since coach Sean Payton arrived in 2006.

• Drew Brees threw for 359 yards. That’s his 23^rd 350-yard passing game since joining the Saints in 2006 – the most in the NFL in that span.

• Brees extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown to 32. That’s the third-longest streak in history. The next target for Brees is Brett Favre, who is second at 36 consecutive games. The record (47 games) is held by Johnny Unitas.

• Since 2001, Brees’ first NFL season, he now is tied for fourth with 17 fourth-quarter comeback victories. The only quarterbacks ahead of Brees are Peyton Manning (24), Tom Brady (19) and Jake Delhomme (18).

We know the New Orleans Saints can play offense and there’s no doubt that will happen when the regular season comes along. But the Saints didn’t even need their offense in a 24-3 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in their preseason opener at the Superdome.

The defense and special teams gave the Saints a fast start as Drew Brees and most of the first-team offense didn’t even stay in long enough to get a first down.

New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams looked like he was prepared for a playoff game, not an exhibition. He blitzed like crazy and the first-team defense was all over San Francisco starting quarterback Alex Smith. Safety Roman Harper spent as much time in the backfield as any of San Francisco’s running backs. Heck, Williams was even calling run blitzes.

The Saints also got a big boost from undrafted rookie Joe Morgan, who returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown. People thought Darren Sproles would make everyone forget Reggie Bush, but Morgan might be making a case to stay on the roster to handle some returns.

Some other observations on the Saints.

• Brees left the game with about five minutes left in the first quarter and only completed one of four passes for six yards. Smart move by Sean Payton to get Brees out of there quickly. When you have a quarterback like that, you don’t need to take any chance of getting him hurt in a preseason game.
• Brees did throw one perfect deep pass, but Robert Meachem dropped it.
• Backup Chase Daniel took a big hit out of bounds soon after replacing Brees. He got up, holding his side. Made me wonder for a second if the Saints have a phone number for Jake Delhomme? He’s a Louisiana guy and, if he’s going to play again, the Saints would be a tempting option. But Daniel seemed to shake off the hit and completed 13 of 21 passes for 129 yards.
• The Saints didn’t even need the blitz all the time. With a bit of help from defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, Will Smith had a nice sack on Smith.
• Nice debut by rookie running back Mark Ingram. He had a 14-yard touchdown run at the end of the first half that brought back memories of Deuce McAllister.
• Linebacker Jonathan Casillas hasn’t been getting much work with the first-team defense. But he had a strong outing and that could earn him some work with the starters as camp goes on.
• Rookie cornerback Johnny Patrick went down near the end of the third quarter with what appeared to be a leg injury. It was unclear how serious the injury is, but the Saints already are thin at cornerback. Tracy Porter and Fabian Washington already have missed camp practices with injuries.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Carolina Panthers don’t practice until late Monday, but they’re already making news.

One potential move might excite you and the other will probably come as a bit of a disappointment. Let’s start a Monday morning by getting the news that’s not likely to be well received by fans out of the way.

The Panthers are bringing in free-agent quarterback Derek Anderson for a visit and probably will sign him, barring any problems with a physical exam or contract talks. The Panthers had said they were looking for a veteran to help mentor Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen.

They’re about to give you Anderson, who didn’t do all that much in his Cleveland days. Not sure about you, but I think the Panthers would have been just as well off keeping Matt Moore and I don’t even think Moore’s that good. I think they would have been even better off bringing back Jake Delhomme, who recently was released by Cleveland.

But, as often is the case, you have to look at ties to the coaching staff when a player is brought in. Anderson had his one decent season (2007) in Cleveland, when Carolina offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski was with the Browns.

Now, onto the news that probably will go over well with fans. The Panthers are showing interest in veteran cornerback Carlos Rogers, who has spent his entire career with the Washington Redskins and been a starter most of that time.

After letting Richard Marshall go in free agency, the Panthers are looking for a cornerback to start opposite Chris Gamble.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- I just arrived in “Sparkle City’’ and will be doing interviews and watching the Carolina Panthers practice Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

I’ll provide some live updates and notes and also will be gathering information for our Camp Confidential series and our season previews.

Updating our earlier item on guard Justin Blalock returning to Atlanta, his six-year contract is worth $38 million with $16 million guaranteed.

Now, on to some links about the day’s happenings around the division.

The Saints, who are assembling one of the league’s deepest defensive backfields, signed former Baltimore cornerback Fabian Washington.

Tampa Bay safety Cody Grimm admitted he’s not fully recovered from the leg injury that ended his rookie season. But Grimm said he expects to be 100 percent by the start of the regular season.

New Orleans coach Sean Payton said he believes defensive end Will Smith finally will have to serve the four-game suspension for violating the league's rules on performance-enhancing substances that was tied up by the legal system since 2008.

Safety Roman Harper said he really didn’t want to leave New Orleans. But he might have if the Saints hadn’t stepped up with a four-year, $28.5 million contract.

Carolina coach Ron Rivera said the Panthers are very much in the market for another quarterback. Presumably, they want a veteran to help mentor Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen. Makes you wonder if Jake Delhomme, who was released by Cleveland, could be up for a return to Carolina.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

A look at the free-agent priorities for each NFC South team:

Atlanta Falcons

1. Sign a pass-rushing defensive end: This move has been telegraphed since the draft, when the Falcons jumped up to add an explosive offensive player in wide receiver Julio Jones rather than a pass-rusher. It’s no secret the Falcons want to add an edge rusher who can complement John Abraham in the short term and replace him in the long term. The Falcons showed last year when they signed cornerback Dunta Robinson that they’re not afraid to spend big money in free agency. They’re poised to do it again, and Minnesota’s Ray Edwards and Carolina’s Charles Johnson are two pass-rushers just entering their prime who will be on the market. The Falcons can offer big money and the chance to be the last piece of a Super Bowl puzzle. That should be attractive.

2. Figure out what the offensive line will look like: The Falcons have three starters on the offensive line who are likely to be free agents, and they’ll allow one or two of them to walk. That’s not as scary as it may sound, because none of those free agents is dominant, and the Falcons have stockpiled some promising linemen in the last few drafts. But center Todd McClure is near the end of his career, and left tackle Sam Baker is still a question mark. That means the Falcons can’t afford to let all their free-agent linemen walk. They need to maintain some continuity on the line to make sure quarterback Matt Ryan stays upright. Keeping right tackle Tyson Clabo is the major priority.

3. Re-sign kicker Matt Bryant: The veteran has revitalized his career since coming to Atlanta. He’s come through consistently in the clutch. The Falcons are a team on the verge of great things, and they don’t need to suddenly go young or cheap at kicker. They need a veteran who can help them win some big games.

Top five free agents: Bryant, LB Mike Peterson, T Tyson Clabo, G Harvey Dahl and G Justin Blalock.

Carolina Panthers

1. Re-sign DeAngelo Williams: The running back is sure to be a hot commodity on the open market, but the Panthers can’t afford to let him get away. Yes, Jonathan Stewart looked very good at times last season, and Mike Goodson made the most of his playing time after Williams was injured. But the Panthers don't want to put too much pressure on a young starting quarterback, whether it's Cam Newton or Jimmy Clausen. They need to have two or three strong running backs, and Williams is the most versatile member of the backfield.

2. Make a decision on Steve Smith: Other than the drafting of Newton, speculation about Smith’s future has been the dominant story out of Carolina this offseason. There have been conflicting reports about whether the veteran wide receiver wants to be traded from the only team he’s ever played for. The speculation was a moot point because no trades could be made during the lockout. Now, Smith and the Panthers will have to show their hand. If he truly wants out, the Panthers will try to trade Smith. But they’re not simply going to give him away. Even if he’s unhappy, Smith still might be the best player on the roster. The Panthers aren’t letting him go without getting a good draft pick or a decent player in return.

3. Sign a veteran quarterback: New coach Ron Rivera has said several times that he wants to add a veteran quarterback to serve as a mentor to Newton and Clausen. Heck, he might even need that veteran to start the first few games of the season so Newton and Clausen can catch up on all the missed offseason work. The Panthers want someone who can help the development of the two young quarterbacks. Someone like Marc Bulger or Jake Delhomme could fit, if either is willing to accept a backup role.

Top five free agents: Williams, DE Charles Johnson, LB James Anderson, LB Thomas Davis and CB Richard Marshall.

New Orleans Saints

1. Decide what to do with Reggie Bush. The running back/return man is scheduled to make almost $12 million and count $16 million against the cap. That’s not going to happen, but the Saints have indicated they’d like to keep Bush if they can work out a contract extension that would spread money around. The Saints drafted running back Mark Ingram in the first round, but Bush still could play plenty of roles with this team. Sean Payton has been creative with the ways he’s used Bush, who has been productive when healthy. Last year’s injury problems at running back showed the Saints can’t have enough depth at the position.

2. Make some key secondary decisions. Safeties Darren Sharper and Roman Harper are both potential unrestricted free agents, so the Saints have to make some choices. Sharper’s past his prime and is a free safety. That position now belongs to Malcolm Jenkins. Harper has been the starting strong safety and has been solid. Harper shouldn’t command huge money on the open market, and the Saints would be wise to re-sign him. If they do, they should have one of the league’s better secondaries.

3. Shore up the outside linebacker spots. Scott Shanle is an unrestricted free agent and may or may not return. The other position is up for grabs. Martez Wilson was drafted in the third round, and the Saints have a few other promising prospects at outside linebacker. But this is a veteran team with a realistic chance to contend for the Super Bowl, so it might be wise to go out and get a proven veteran and let the young linebackers develop behind him.

Top five free agents: Sharper, Harper, WR Lance Moore, FB Heath Evans and TE David Thomas.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. Re-sign Davin Joseph. The guard is very much in his prime and is strong as a run blocker and pass blocker. Along with Donald Penn, he’s the anchor of an offensive line that may be working in some young players. Quarterback Josh Freeman is the franchise in Tampa Bay, and the Bucs need to do whatever it takes to keep him protected.

2. Decide on a defensive leader. Middle linebacker Barrett Ruud is an unrestricted free agent and may bolt if a decent offer comes from elsewhere. Ruud’s been asking for a new contract for about two years, and the Bucs haven’t given it to him. They drafted Mason Foster in the third round and are high on his potential. But this is a very young defense, and putting a rookie at middle linebacker could be a risky move. Buffalo’s Paul Posluszny is a free agent, and there are reports that Green Bay could be looking to trade or release Nick Barnett. Either of those guys could come in and be an immediate leader on this defense.

3. Spend some money. The Bucs have had one of the league’s lowest payrolls in recent years. Still, they’ve made progress in a youth movement that won’t be abandoned. It might be time to start locking up some young players to longer deals. It might also be time to go out and get just a few free agents to keep the youth movement headed in the right direction.

Top five free agents: G Davin Joseph, LB Barrett Ruud, RB Cadillac Williams, DE Stylez G. White and Maurice Stovall.

At a time when everyone seems to be filling up lockout time with various lists of bests, it’s a little refreshing to come across something totally different.

Bill Barnwell has a look at the 25 least valuable players in the NFL. There are only two current NFC South representatives and we’ll come back to those in a moment. That’s because we’ve got to start with the top two guys on the list.

Both are NFC South outcasts. At No. 1 is Cleveland quarterback Jake Delhomme, who spent most of his career with Carolina and was with New Orleans before that. At No. 2 is San Francisco safety Sabby Piscitelli.

Sad to say, I can’t put up an argument for either of those guys not to be in those spots. Delhomme is one of the most genuine and gregarious human beings I’ve ever covered. For a time in Carolina, he was a pretty good quarterback. But sometime before he left the Panthers, Delhomme started taking throwing lessons from Chuck Knoblauch and Steve Sax and he hasn’t stopped throwing interceptions.

Piscitelli? Well, there’s really not a lot to say. People in Tampa Bay once expected him to be the second coming of John Lynch. I’m pretty sure you could go pull Lynch out of the broadcast booth right now, throw a uniform on him and he’d still be way better than Piscitelli.

The two current NFC South players on the list are Tampa Bay offensive tackle Jeremy Trueblood (No. 9) and Carolina quarterback Jimmy Clausen (No. 13). I’m not saying Clausen will ever be great, but I think it’s unfair to judge him on last season when he was playing for John Fox. Trueblood? Well, he’s fair game. He lost his starting job last season to James Lee.

Several times this offseason, new Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera has implied pretty strongly that he wants to add a veteran quarterback to help mentor Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen.

I get the idea. Clausen and Newton are both very young and raw. If the lockout shortens training camp, the Panthers could even open the season with someone like Marc Bulger or Jake Delhomme as the starting quarterback. Someone like Delhomme or Bulger could come in and run the offense efficiently until Newton and/or Clausen gets up to speed.

But let’s say the lockout gets resolved quickly and training camp starts on time. In that scenario, I’m not so sure it’s necessary the Panthers go out and sign a veteran to work as a mentor. In fact, I think the idea of having a player mentor another player at the same position is overrated. First off, there are competitive juices flowing through every professional athlete and that doesn’t always lead to dedicated mentoring.

Besides, I think the Panthers already have some pretty good mentors for Newton and Clausen. They are offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula. They’ve been around and are good at what they do. They can do more as mentors than some veteran backup.

Look at how Tampa Bay handled Josh Freeman. They had Byron Leftwich there as a (very short) bridge in Freeman’s rookie year. But Leftwich wasn’t a mentor. Freeman’s development came because he worked hard and because he got some very good coaching from offensive coordinator Greg Olson and Alex Van Pelt joined the Bucs as quarterbacks coach last season. Freeman frequently credits Olson and Van Pelt for his progress. It was kind of the same thing with Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Chris Redman might be an extra set of eyes and ears for Ryan, but offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and former quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave were the ones who developed him.

It probably wouldn’t hurt the Panthers if they add a veteran mentor for Newton and Clausen. But will it really help them? They’ve got another quarterback, Tony Pike, who they drafted last year. Some in the organization thinks Pike has potential. If the Panthers bring in a veteran, Pike will be gone, unless the Panthers find some way to carry four quarterbacks. Putting Pike on the practice squad is possible, but not likely. If he’s released, some other team will sign him before Carolina can get him on the practice squad.

The idea of bringing in a mentor sounds nice. But the fact is the Panthers might already have all the mentors they need in Chudzinski and Shula.

It was very quiet while I was off last week, but there was one story with NFC South roots that deserves some reflection here.

Quarterback Kerry Collins retired from the Tennessee Titans. Collins played for the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints before there even was an NFC South. Collins’ time in New Orleans was short and uneventful.

But his time in Carolina was anything but dull. Carolina’s first draft pick in its expansion season, 1995, Collins quickly became the starter and took the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game in his second season. After the Panthers returned from that trip to Green Bay, Collins stood on the steps of what is now Bank of America Stadium and talked about how Carolina would be a dynasty.

It didn’t work out anywhere close to that. Collins began having problems soon after that and was gone before the midway point of the 1998 season. Collins repeatedly has admitted he had a drinking problem in his Carolina days and that issue isolated him from some of his teammates.

Collins deserves lots of credit for straightening out his life when he joined the New York Giants and he took that franchise to a Super Bowl. He also spent time with the Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans and ended his career with more than 40,000 passing yards, which ranks him No. 11 in history. The numbers could have been better if Collins didn’t spend part of his career as a backup.

You can’t call Collins’ career a flop or a disappointment, but those terms can be used to describe his stint in Carolina. Or you can just call it what it was -- a disaster that set the franchise back for years. I arrived in Charlotte and began covering the Panthers a little less than a year after Collins left. The wounds were still fresh and stories were still making the rounds about Collins’ wild nights on the town and wilder parties at his house.

Collins had to go because he had some major problems and was in denial as the Panthers tried to get him help. But you can’t help but wonder what might have happened for Collins and the Panthers if he had gotten help earlier or avoided his problems in the first place.

The guy was an amazing talent -- big and strong with one of the best throwing arms of his generation. I’ve been a life-long Penn State fan and Collins was so talented he convinced Joe Paterno to scrap his conservative offense. In 1994, Penn State had one of the nation’s best offenses with Collins, Ki-Jana Carter, Bobby Engram and Kyle Brady. The Lions went undefeated, but got robbed of a national championship.

Collins went straight to the NFL and started living like a rock star. If he hadn’t, he could have been what Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman probably will be -- a franchise quarterback who will spend his entire career with one team.

Imagine what Collins could have been if he spent his entire career in Carolina and lived his life the way he did in later years? I’m not sure the Panthers would have been the dynasty Collins talked about. That expansion team was built around veterans and it got old right after the NFC Championship Game. There still might have been some ups and downs, but Collins had stayed on the straight and narrow, the valleys the Panthers hit wouldn’t have been nearly as deep. He was young, talented, should have continued to get better and the Panthers could have had a franchise quarterback for a generation.

If Collins didn’t implode, Dom Capers wouldn’t have been fired after the 1998 season and George Seifert never would have been hired. It took years for the Panthers to recover and, for years, they stayed away from drafting quarterbacks early or signing big-name free agents at that position.

Seifert got a couple good years from Steve Beuerlein and then put him on the scrap heap for no apparent reason. Chris Weinke was next and he never really had a chance. He played on Seifert’s last team, which went 1-15.

When John Fox took over in 2002, he needed to get wins quickly and didn’t want to let Weinke develop on the field, so he went out and got Rodney Peete, who I think might have been offensive coordinator Dan Henning’s college roommate. A year later, the Panthers went out and signed career backup Jake Delhomme and made him the starter. Delhomme had a nice run and even took the Panthers to a Super Bowl. He was the best quarterback in franchise history, but wasn’t a franchise quarterback. He was a nice game manager.

The Panthers drafted Jimmy Clausen last year and Cam Newton this year and there’s hope that one of those guys can become the first true franchise quarterback in Carolina history. Collins could -- and should -- have been that guy. If Collins had done things the right way in Carolina, the dark days at the end of the Capers era and the entire Seifert era never would have happened.

If Collins had still been there when Fox arrived, he would have fit nicely in the system and the Panthers might not have been quite so conservative. Heck, if things had gone differently, Collins could have spent his entire career in Carolina and Fox still might be coaching there.

Collins could have been the most popular athlete ever in Charlotte and, had he stayed, he might still be playing. He could have even spent this year as a mentor to Newton and Clausen. Instead, they’ll be trying to become what Collins never was able to become for the Panthers.

If you have not already voted in our recent Call it polls on whether the Carolina Panthers should bring back Jake Delhomme (if available) and which NFC South player (Drew Brees, Ronde Barber, Tony Gonzalez, Steve Smith or Darren Sharper) has the best shot at making the Pro Football Hall of Fame, please do so.

Let’s go ahead and set 8 p.m. ET Monday as the deadline for voting. I’ll be a little generous if you’re a little late. I’ll take a look at results Tuesday morning and write posts on both topics, detailing the vote and sharing my opinion on both matters.

Thanks to all those who already have voted.

Let's take a quick trip through the Sunday headlines around the NFC South.

• The attorney for Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib says it’s likely a trial for his client on assault charges won’t come until next year. That means that barring a plea agreement or dismissal, the Bucs or the NFL will be the only ones who might force Talib to miss any time this year. The league could suspend Talib, who was suspended for the first game of last season. But players are fighting for amnesty for conduct violations during the lockout, although NFL commissioner Roger Goodell continues to say that infractions during the lockout are subject to punishment. The Bucs also could step in and discipline Talib before the league does. They also could trade or cut him. If the lockout ends and the Bucs don’t do anything with Talib, he could open training camp with his teammates. If discipline for lockout activities is allowed it’s likely to take the NFL some time before issuing suspensions.

• Here’s a link to some audio of me talking Bucs with our friends at ESPN Tampa Radio.

• It looks like Carolina receiver Steve Smith, who is at his best when he’s got a chip on his shoulder, already has found a chip to put on his shoulder wherever he’s at this season. Smith, 32, said many people are saying his skills are diminishing and he’s losing a step. Funny, but I haven’t seen or heard anyone suggest anything close to that. Yes, Smith’s numbers were off last season, but I think that can be blamed totally on poor quarterback play and an antiquated offense.

• Steve Reed writes that the Panthers may bring in a veteran quarterback who could end up as their opening-day starter. The Panthers have thrown out hints that they’d like a veteran to help mentor Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen and guys like Jake Delhomme and Marc Bulger could be available. But unless the lockout shortens training camp and the preseason, I don’t see the Panthers using a veteran as a "bridge." This team is in a youth movement and it might as well go through the growing process with one of the young guys. Yeah, it might not be a bad idea to have a veteran to help them, but if Clausen and Newton get a full preseason, whoever grasps the play book quicker should be the starter on opening day.

• Here’s a look back at one writer’s favorite moments in Atlanta Falcons’ history.

• Jim Henderson writes that New Orleans running back Reggie Bush has strongly denied a report that he and his agent were given permission to talk to other teams before the lockout. The initial report said that Bush found several teams who said they would pay him more than the Saints were offering in a restructure of his contract.

• Mike Triplett has a nice feature that looks back at the career of former Saints fullback Buford Johnson, the latest member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.