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Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 16:

Ryan's on fire: The Falcons appear to be getting hot at the right time. In the past six quarters, against the Panthers and Jaguars, Atlanta has outscored opponents 65-14. Quarterback Matt Ryan has thrown seven touchdown passes and zero interceptions in those two games. Ryan also is playing for a spot in the record book. He is 42-18 in his career. Joe Flacco, who also entered the league in the 2008 draft, is 42-20. Each already has won more starts in his first four seasons than any quarterback since the Super Bowl era started in1966.

Monday Night Fever: The New Orleans Saints have all sorts of streaks going. They’ve clinched a playoff berth for the third straight season. They’ve won at least 11 games in each of the past three seasons. They’re on a six-game winning streak. That ties them with the Patriots for the longest active winning streak in the NFL. Finally, the Saints have the NFL’s longest active winning streak in “Monday Night Football’’ games. They’ve won six straight and haven’t lost since a 2008 game against Minnesota.

The “other’’ record: Understandably, most of the talk surrounding the Saints has to do with Drew Brees’ pursuit of Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season. But another member of the Saints is chasing history. That’s second-year tight end Jimmy Graham. He’s on pace for 99 catches and 1,338 receiving yards. The NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end is 1,290, set by San Diego’s Kellen Winslow in 1980. Graham also has had at least five catches in six straight games.

Making history: Even in a season that hasn’t been filled with wins, the Carolina Panthers have a chance to make some very positive history. Running back Jonathan Stewart needs to gain just 6 rushing yards to reach 600 for the season. Fellow running back DeAngelo Williams already has 717 yards and quarterback Cam Newton has 609 yards. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last two teams to have three 600-yard rushers in a season were the 2006 Falcons (Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood) and the 1978 Patriots (Sam Cunningham, Horace Ivory and Andy Johnson).

Losing at historic rate: Some unflattering notes on Tampa Bay’s eight-game losing streak: It’s the longest active streak in the NFL and the first time the Bucs have lost eight straight in a season since 1987. If the Bucs lose to the Panthers and make it nine straight, it will set off some more statistical bells. The Bucs haven’t lost nine straight in a season since starting 0-9 in 1985.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- I've spent the day watching the Carolina Panthers practice and doing interviews. Now, it's time to catch up on the headlines from around the entire NFC South.

• Former Atlanta running back Jerious Norwood agreed to terms with the Rams and he’s not the only former NFC South runner who could end up in St. Louis. Jim Thomas reports, Tampa Bay free agent Cadillac Williams remains on the Rams’ radar. The Bucs have said they would like to bring Williams back. But, presumably, that’s only at the right price and only if they can’t find someone better. According to league sources, the Bucs made overtures toward Darren Sproles before he agreed to terms with New Orleans.

• The Saints agreed to terms on a contract that will keep tight end David Thomas with the team. This one’s significant. Although second-year pro Jimmy Graham figures to be the main pass-catching tight end, Thomas is an all-around tight end, who can contribute as a blocker and receiver.

• The Saints also agreed to terms with veteran defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin. That gives them some solid depth behind Sedrick Ellis and Shaun Rogers.

• New Orleans right tackle Jon Stinchcomb said he’s feeling healthy again after playing through much of last season with a torn quad muscle.

• D. Orlando Ledbetter lays out the scenario on Atlanta restricted free-agent cornerback Brent Grimes, who has yet to sign his first-round tender. Basically, the Falcons have the right to match any offer Grimes receives and would receive a first-round pick as compensation if he leaves. The Falcons also could sign Grimes to a long-term contract.

• Stephen Holder supplies a refresher course on the rules of safety Tanard Jackson’s suspension. He’s not eligible for reinstatement until Sept. 22 and cannot practice with the Bucs during training camp. Jackson was in the final year of his contract when he was suspended last year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. As a result of that, the remainder of his contract rolled over to this year and the Bucs still have his rights. In the meantime, Tampa Bay appears content to open the season with Sean Jones and Cody Grimm as the starting safeties.

• Former Atlanta defensive lineman Jamaal Anderson has agreed to terms with the Colts.

Things are moving at a furious pace, so let's use the headlines from around the NFC South to help us cover more ground.

Very accurate and concise statement by Steve Reed as he says the reality is that Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson “never has been cheap. It’s just that some folks have short memories." That sums it up nicely. Yeah, Richardson might have made some unpopular moves as he prepared his franchise for the lockout. But Richardson always has been willing to do what it takes to win and Wednesday’s spending spree shows that desire is still there.

When I first heard the Panthers had agreed to terms with Olindo Mare, my initial thought was that John Kasay must have decided to retire. It turns out, that's not the case -- at least not yet. The Panthers plan to release Kasay later Thursday and general manager Marty Hurney said he would be surprised if Kasay continues kicking in the NFL. It could happen. But I think there also is the possibility that, once reality sets in, Kasay could decide it's time to stop playing.

James Varney writes that the Saints are close to deals with draft picks Martez Wilson and Nate Bussey, but it’s unclear how close the Saints are with their other rookies. With practice starting Friday, I’d expect a flurry of activity today.

Scratch defensive end Jason Babin off Atlanta’s wish list, if he was ever on it. Babin is going to Philadelphia.

D. Orlando Ledbetter writes that tackle Tyson Clabo has had some talks with Buffalo. I think the Falcons are going to do their best to keep Clabo. Ledbetter also reports that Tampa Bay made a strong push for linebacker Stephen Nicholas before he re-signed with Atlanta. Makes me think the Bucs are probably still looking for linebacker help, even after re-signing Quincy Black.

New Orleans free-agent defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson has drawn interest from Seattle. However, he’s still talking to the Saints. It would be easy to view Wilkerson as expendable because the Saints have Will Smith, Alex Brown and rookie Cameron Jordan. But Smith could face a four-game suspension to start the season and that could prompt the Saints to keep Wilkerson.

Roy Cummings looks at five key issues facing the Bucs as they report to training camp. The first two deal with a defensive line that’s going to be very young.

As just about everyone expected, the Atlanta Falcons have told running back Jerious Norwood they don’t plan to re-sign him. Norwood showed a few flashes of brilliance through the years, but never was able to stay healthy.

Time for a run through the headlines around the NFC South.

Atlanta receiver Kerry Meier, who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, said he’s nearly back to full health. I think the Falcons have plans for this young receiver, who is big and versatile, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they bring him along slowly. Look what they did with receiver Harry Douglas and defensive tackle Peria Jerry as they came back from injuries in recent years.

During his recent workout at IMG Academies in Florida, Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton was dropping back on virtually every snap. In college, he operated almost entirely out of the shotgun formation.

Carolina’s Jimmy Clausen said he’s not ready to hand over the starting job to Newton without a fight.

D. Orlando Ledbetter’s been running a series on if the Falcons should re-sign a long list of players not currently under contract for 2011. The latest is return man/receiver Eric Weems. I cast my vote and said the Falcons need to keep him. The reason is simple: The guy had a very nice year as a returner last season and also has potential as a wide receiver.

A spokesman for Wofford College’s athletic department said the Carolina Panthers are expected to inform officials at some point this week if they’ll be coming to Spartanburg for training camp. The lockout already has forced several teams to decide to hold training camp at their regular-season facilities. It would be a shame if the Panthers don’t train in Spartanburg for the first time since the team came into the league. Wofford is one of the nicest training-camp venues in the league and it also helps the team’s presence in South Carolina. Remember, when owner Jerry Richardson got his expansion team he named it the Carolina Panthers because he wanted to represent North and South Carolina.

Jerious Norwood doesn’t think the Falcons are interested in re-signing him. Gee, wonder how he figured that one out? The guy’s been a non-factor due to injuries the past few years and Jason Snelling has emerged as Michael Turner’s backup. The Falcons also used a fifth-round draft pick on running back Jacquizz Rodgers.

Charlie Campbell predicts the Bucs won’t re-sign free-agent running back Cadillac Williams. I think he might be right. Some effort might be made to keep Williams, but I think he’ll test the market and might get a better offer elsewhere. If he leaves, Tampa Bay will have to go out and get someone who can be a backup to LeGarrette Blount and handle some third-down situations.

ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said the New Orleans Saints are one of the top four or five teams in the NFL.

Although Tiki Barber has been throwing out the Bucs as a possible landing spot as he attempts an NFL comeback, his brother Ronde, who plays for Tampa Bay isn’t so sure it’s realistic that his twin will be joining him. Ronde Barber’s right on this one. The Bucs are committed to their youth movement and a 36-year-old running back doesn’t fit their profile.

Atlanta Falcons

Coming out of the lockout, the Falcons should be favorites to win the NFC title and go to the Super Bowl, writes macon.com's Daniel Shirley.

AtlantaFalcons.com continues its tournament-style bracket to decide fans' favorite Falcons legacy player is. Today's matchup: No. 3 Deion Sanders vs. No. 14 Scott Case.

D. Orlando Ledbetter weighs whether the Falcons should re-sign Jerious Norwood.

Carolina Panthers

Kerry Collins, the first player drafted in franchise history, announced his retirement Thursday after 16 seasons in the NFL.

New Orleans Saints

Defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove is still mourning the death of his brother, who died from stab wounds two weeks ago.

The Saints are highly motivated this season following their first-round playoff loss to a Seahawks team that finished the regular season with a losing record.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Quarterback Josh Johnson, who grew up a 49ers fan, would like to re-connect with his former coach, Jim Harbaugh, in San Francisco. "I'd get to come home, be with my family, play for a coach that changed my life and play for a team that I grew up loving," Johnson said.

Bucs Nation takes a close look at where the team stands at the center position.

Some headlines from around the NFC South.

Scott Reynolds has a good overview of how the lack of formal workouts with coaches has impacted the Bucs. The Bucs have a three-day minicamp scheduled this week.

Running back Jerious Norwood said he’s healthy after suffering several injuries the last few seasons. But he’s not sure he’ll end up re-signing with Atlanta.

Atlanta punter Michael Koenen put together a long list of NFL players to help with his annual youth football camp in Washington.

D. Orlando Ledbetter has a wrap-up of Atlanta’s players-only workouts, which ended last week.

Joe Person has five suggestions of things the Panthers need to do coming out of the lockout.

Morten Andersen was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday. It still remains to be seen if the former kicker for the Saints and Falcons will make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s very difficult for kickers to get selected for that. But Andersen is the best-qualified kicker out there and just might have a chance.

Stephen Holder reports that there’s been some talk of allowing teams to use the franchise tag when the league year opens, even though the normal deadline for that is February. He says it’s possible the Bucs could take middle linebacker Barrett Ruud. Possible, but probably a long shot. Tagging Ruud would mean the Bucs will have to pay him about $10 million this season. I’m thinking it’s more likely the Bucs will either sign Ruud to a long-term deal or let him walk in free agency.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson examines the state of the running back corps for each NFC South team.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about Michael Turner. Atlanta loves to use heavy run-oriented offensive personnel groupings and very much wants to be the more physical team with a power rushing attack. Turner fits that mold very well. He is a load to bring down and can batter a defense. Turner is also excellent in short yardage and near the goal line. He takes and dishes out a lot of punishment.

But on the other hand, I see a back whose best days might already be behind him and someone who will never be an asset in the passing game. And Atlanta is sure to feature its passing attack more and more as Matt Ryan continues to rapidly develop. Turner needs a lot of carries to flourish. He ran for over 100 yards six times last season, but also failed to reach the 50-yard barrier on five other occasions. So, in the end, I now see Turner as an above-average starting NFL running back, but not a guy who is as valuable as he once was. And the arrow is probably going down.

Turner’s backup is Jason Snelling. Depending on the collective bargaining agreement, Snelling could hit the open market. This is a very good all-around player who probably views himself as a starter somewhere in this league. Snelling is a big-bodied running back who also fits Atlanta’s scheme very well, but he offers much more in the passing game than Turner. Snelling caught 44 passes in 2010. But Snelling isn’t quite the sledgehammer that his measurables would suggest. And Snelling also has very little wear on his tires.

Jerious Norwood will become a free agent, but the drafting of Jacquizz Rodgers seems to have sealed Norwood’s fate as playing for someone else next season. Rodgers is a much more physical runner than Norwood. He is built very low to the ground and has some power in his short frame. Rodgers is extremely quick and tough to lay a good hit on, while also having the skill set to be a prominent member of the Falcons’ passing attack. He doesn’t have Norwood’s long speed, but Rodgers was a steal in the fifth round.

One player to keep an eye on if Turner were to go down is Gartrell Johnson. Johnson very well could end up not making this roster, but if he were to stick and be thrust into a prominent role, this hard-nosed power back might surprise.

The Falcons also have one of the better run-blocking offenses in the league -- and that extends to every position on the field. Julio Jones also fits the mold of a big physical wideout who can help spring running backs for long runs with perimeter blocks. But there could be some reshuffling of the offensive line during free agency.


Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com. Follow Matt Williamson on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.

The NFL draft and its busy aftermath prevented me from getting a look at the NFC South mailbag for a bit. But it's time to catch up on the mailbag. I tried to pick questions that seemed to be on the minds of multiple readers.

Brian in Surprise, Ariz., wrote to say he knows I don’t like the Atlanta Falcons’ pick of Julio Jones or any of the team’s draft picks and goes on to explain how he sees Jones and running back Jacquizz Rodgers fitting into the offense.

Pat Yasinskas: Brian, I’ve got a surprise for you. I do like Atlanta’s draft. I like it very much. The only thing I can surmise as to why you think I didn’t like the draft was that I mentioned the cost of trading up to get Jones was steep. There’s no denying that. But Jones is a very talented receiver, and he’s coming to a team that wanted to add an explosive receiver. Rodgers should be a great fit in an offense that hasn’t really had a speed back the past few years. He should be what Jerious Norwood was supposed to be. I don’t see a true weakness on this offense.

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Matt in Camden, N.J., wrote to ask why we’ve made such a big deal about Drew Brees organizing workouts with the Saints while there has been only casual mention about Josh Freeman and some of the Buccaneers working out together in Tampa.

Pat Yasinskas: Excellent question, so let me explain the difference. Brees assembled roughly 40 Saints at Tulane University and opened the first day to the media. It was a large-scale event, magnified by the fact that the Saints truly are the only thing that matters in New Orleans. (I know the Hornets are there, but they exist in the hefty shadow of the Saints.) Freeman’s been doing things a little more quietly and not on nearly as large a scale, and I salute him for going about his business quietly. Freeman’s gone out to the University of South Florida and worked out with some receivers and a few running backs. He’s also gone down to a private training facility with some teammates near Bradenton. The Tampa Bay media’s been kind of tied up with NHL’s Lightning and MLB’s Rays, so Freeman’s workouts haven’t been a huge local story. Some members of the Panthers and Falcons also are working out in smaller groups. But like the Bucs, they’re not getting as much attention because they didn’t bring in most of the roster and open up a whole session to the media.

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Will in Middletown, Conn., asks what the Saints must do differently this season if they’re going to get back to winning the Super Bowl.

Pat Yasinskas: There were two big differences I saw between the 2009 season and the 2010 season for the Saints. In 2009, the defense produced turnovers in bunches and capitalized on them. That didn’t happen nearly as often last season. The other difference was on offense. The running game in 2010 just wasn’t as consistent as it was in 2009. Injuries played a big role in that. In theory, the Saints addressed both issues with their first two draft picks. Defensive end Cameron Jordan should bring more pressure up front, and pressure on quarterbacks should lead to more turnovers. Adding Mark Ingram to the backfield also should give the Saints more depth and consistency in the running game.

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Michael in Perry, Ga., asks what I think about the Carolina Panthers possibly bringing back Jake Delhomme to serve as a mentor to Cam Newton.

Pat Yasinskas: On the surface, there are some merits to that suggestion. Delhomme’s a good guy to have in your locker room and he has plenty of experience. I respect and like Delhomme as much as any player I’ve ever covered. But I think fans get a little too caught up in the “mentor’’ role. Like just about any athlete, Delhomme’s a competitive guy and he’s going to do his best to try to get on the field. I’m not saying he would do anything to undercut Newton, and he could provide some help. But the Panthers are moving far away from their past, and I don’t think it would be productive to bring back Delhomme. In fact, I’ll say I don’t think the Panthers need to add a veteran quarterback at all. They’ve got Newton, Jimmy Clausen and Tony Pike. Adding a veteran would mean they’d have to unload a young guy with upside. I think the “mentor’’ thing is overrated. The Panthers have Rob Chudzinski as their offensive coordinator and Mike Shula as their quarterbacks coach. They can be the mentors. I know everybody's talking about how young the Panthers are at quarterback, and that's true. But the fact is, their current group of quarterbacks has more career starts (10 by Clausen last season) than last year's group. The Panthers opened last season with Matt Moore, Clausen and Pike as the three quarterbacks on the roster. Moore had eight career starts entering the season, and Clausen and Pike were rookies.

To all those who think the four NFC South teams are so set at running back they don’t need to touch that position in the upcoming draft, I give you DeShawn Wynn.

In the second half of the New Orleans Saints' playoff loss to Seattle, Wynn was getting much of the playing time and serving as the last-resort blocker for Drew Brees as the Saints tried to come from behind and keep their dream of back-to-back Super Bowls alive. It didn’t happen, and that’s largely because the Saints simply ran out of running backs.

Wynn, who had been with the Saints earlier in the season, had been re-signed in the week leading into the game. Same for Joique Bell, who didn’t make the active roster that day, but the Saints could have used him. They went into the game with Julius Jones and Reggie Bush as their running backs.

Jones was a retread from coach Sean Payton’s Dallas days and was with the Saints only because there already were problems at running back. Bush spent much of last season on the sideline, but was healthy enough to at least set foot on Qwest Field. That’s more than can be said for Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory, who weren’t available because of injuries.

Jones and Bush quickly got banged up by a Seattle defense that didn’t scare too many people last season. That left the Saints with Wynn and a loss.

There’s a lesson in that for the entire NFC South. No matter how set you think you are at running back, you’re probably not as well off as you think. As they head into the draft, the Falcons, Buccaneers and Panthers all seem to have at least an immediate feature back, and the Saints look to have plenty of options in an offense that relies on playing a variety of running backs.

But none of the NFC South teams can afford to ignore running back in this draft. Here’s a team-by-team look at why:

Falcons. Michael Turner's coming off a season in which he ran for 1,371 yards and 12 touchdowns and Jason Snelling's a solid backup with the ability to function as a power runner and catch passes out of the backfield. But that’s not enough.

The Falcons got only two games out of Jerious Norwood before he went down with a season-ending injury. Norwood is the guy the Falcons always have envisioned as their speed back, but he’s never been able to stay healthy, and his time in Atlanta looks to be over.

The Falcons could look for a pure speed back like Kentucky’s Derrick Locke or North Carolina’s Johnny White in the middle rounds. But there’s been talk in mock-draft circles that Alabama running back Mark Ingram could be available when the Falcons pick at No. 27. There are seemingly larger needs at defensive end and wide receiver, but would the Falcons be wise to pass on Ingram if he’s available?

Ingram’s not a pure speed back and he’s not a true power back. He’s somewhere in between, and he’s the closest thing to a surefire feature back in this year’s draft. The Falcons have been pushing their luck with Turner. He carried 334 times last season and 376 times in 2008. He missed five games because of injury in 2009. There were times last season when Turner seemed to lack the pop he showed early in his Atlanta days, and you have to wonder if he’s starting to wear down.

It might be time to get an heir apparent in Atlanta. Even if Turner stays healthy, the Falcons could use someone to pick up some of his carries or else they might end up with an empty backfield like the Saints in Seattle.

Buccaneers. Tampa Bay fans are excited about LeGarrette Blount and rightfully so. The undrafted rookie was cut by the Titans in training camp, and Tampa Bay took a shot by picking him up. By midseason, Blount was Tampa Bay’s feature back. He ran for 1,007 yards on just 201 carries.

Blount’s role and statistics should only continue to improve next season. But it’s tough to look objectively at Tampa Bay’s backfield situation and say the Bucs are just fine. Cadillac Williams is a potential free agent. If he returns, it will be only in the role of third-down back he filled the second half of last season. There’s a chorus of fans in Tampa Bay who believe Kareem Huggins is the perfect complement to Blount.

He might be. Huggins is one of those guys who flashes promise in the preseason. But he has only four regular-season carries in his career and he’s coming off a major knee injury. Before the lockout, the Bucs weren’t overly optimistic Huggins would be ready for the start of training camp.

Then, there is Blount. His physical style and habit of trying to hurdle defenders could leave him open to injury. Also, Blount went undrafted for a reason. He had a violent altercation with an opponent after a college game, and questions remain about his ability to keep his emotions in check over the long haul. Maybe that’s why the Bucs had Ingram in for a pre-draft visit earlier this week.

Panthers. On paper, they’ve got the best backfield in the division. They’ve got DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, and either one could be the feature back for most teams. They also have Mike Goodson, who emerged last season when there were injuries in the backfield.

But, depending on how the labor situation plays out, Williams will be either a restricted or unrestricted free agent. Stewart came into the league with foot problems and rarely has been completely healthy. If Williams goes, the Panthers suddenly are on thin ice. They’d be one Stewart injury away from having to use Goodson, who is ideal as a part-time player, as their full-time running back.

Saints. This circle started and will end with New Orleans. The Saints re-signed Thomas before the lockout. They’ve given indications they plan to extend Bush’s contract and keep him. All signs are that Thomas, Bush and Ivory should be recovered from their injuries. Promising young running back Lynell Hamilton also is coming back from injury.

The numbers say the Saints are just fine at running back. But recent history tells another story. The Saints also had Ingram in for a visit, and he has to be a consideration if he’s available at No. 24. Even if it’s not Ingram, the Saints need to add a running back somewhere in the draft.

Of all the NFC South teams, the Saints know best that you never can have enough good running backs. If they had one more last year, they might have gone back to the Super Bowl.

With the scouting combine officially starting Thursday, let’s go ahead and take a look at team-by-team needs around the NFC South. We’ll go in alphabetical order and start with the Atlanta Falcons.

1. Defensive end. John Abraham is coming off a big season, but he’s nearing the end of his career. Even if Abraham continues to play well, the Falcons could use another pass-rushing threat to take some blocking attention off Abraham.
2. Wide receiver. The Falcons have one of the best in the game in Roddy White. Fellow starter Michael Jenkins is a complementary player and not really a big-play threat. The Falcons had hoped Harry Douglas would emerge as a playmaker in the slot last season. It might be time to get a deep threat for Matt Ryan.
3. Running back. The Falcons have been riding Michael Turner hard, and Jason Snelling has established himself as a quality backup. But Jerious Norwood has been injured much of his career and never really has produced. The Falcons need a speed back to work into the rotation with Turner and Snelling.
4. Offensive line. This remains a question mark because we don’t know exactly what will happen with free agency. But the Falcons could end up losing several starters. They prepared for that by drafting two offensive linemen last year, but this position could be in play. Much of the talk is about the interior of the offensive line, but we don’t know if the Falcons are thinking it’s time to replace Sam Baker at left tackle. If they are, this position could move up a few spots on the list.
5. Linebacker. Mike Peterson is aging and Stephen Nicholas could leave through free agency. The Falcons have Sean Weatherspoon and Curtis Lofton as two long-term starters, but it might be time to get a third guy.

As with just about everything else in the NFL, there is huge uncertainty when it comes to the use of franchise tags.

Get ready to start hearing a lot more about this. According to the league and its teams, franchise tags can be assigned starting Thursday. According to the NFL Players Association, franchise tags cannot be used – at least until there is a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in place, which could take months.

You’re probably going to see the two sides fight this one out and some teams will probably cast the first stone by announcing Thursday, or soon after, that they are assigning franchise tags. We’ll see how that plays out in the long run. But, at very least, we can take a look at guys who could get franchise tags in the NFC South.

I just went through all my contract stuff and I’m seeing three prime candidates. Again, there is some uncertainty here because there is no labor agreement and the way any potential deal is structured could play a big role in deciding if some players are restricted or unrestricted free agents.

But the three guys that could come into play are Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams, Tampa Bay offensive guard Davin Joseph and Tampa Bay linebacker Barrett Ruud. Each team can only use a franchise tag on one player, if they chose to use it at all.

We don’t know the price of 2011 franchise tags, but we can look back to 2010 as a reference point. The tag for a running back was $8.2 million. For an offensive lineman, it was $10.7 million. For a linebacker, it was $9.7 million.

Let’s take a look at the significant players for each team who currently are not under contract for 2011 and see how this might play into the situation with franchise tags. Again, some players may fall into the category of restricted free agents, depending on how a potential labor agreement is structured.

Atlanta: Mike Peterson, Tyson Clabo, Harvey Dahl, Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling, Brian Williams, Justin Blalock, Brian Finneran, Matt Bryant, Michael Koenen, Stephen Nicholas, Brent Grimes and Eric Weems.

Summary: Grimes is coming off a breakout season and likely will be classified as a restricted free agent. Most of the veterans on this list are role players and wouldn’t be considered for the franchise tag. The two long-shot exceptions could be kicker Bryant and punter Koenen. The Falcons used the franchise tag on Koenen in 2009 and let him play for the restricted free agent tender last year. The 2010 franchise tag for punters and kickers was $2.8 million. I have a tough time seeing general manager Thomas Dimitroff using a franchise tag on a punter or kicker. The Falcons don’t really have any need to use the tag.

Tampa Bay: Ronde Barber, Barrett Ruud, Cadillac Williams, Davin Joseph, Stylez G. White, John Gilmore, Maurice Stovall, Jeremy Trueblood, Quincy Black, Tim Crowder and Adam Hayward.

Summary: The Bucs should have a ton of cap room to work with, so they should be able to handle a franchise tag easily. But it remains to be seen if they want to use it on either of the two realistic candidates: Joseph or Ruud. Joseph is a guy they want to keep in the middle of their offensive line, but they might be able to work a long-term deal that would be a lot more cap friendly. Ruud has made it clear to the Bucs for two years that he would like a long-term contract. That’s never happened. Maybe he’s just not in their long-range plans.

New Orleans: Jonathan Goodwin, Scott Shanle, Roman Harper, Darren Sharper, Jimmy Wilkerson, Lance Moore, Jermon Bushrod, Pierre Thomas, Anthony Hargrove, Courtney Roby, David Thomas, Remi Ayodele, Heath Evans and Carl Nicks.

Summary: The Saints have more than 20 potential free agents and even the guys I singled out above aren’t huge stars. Nicks is probably the best player on the list. But he has three years of service in and almost certainly would qualify as a restricted free agent in any new agreement. Goodwin’s a good player, but I think the Saints would rather take their chances on working a new deal with him than using the franchise tag on a center.

Carolina: Thomas Davis, Matt Moore, DeAngelo Williams, Jeff King, Richard Marshall, James Anderson, Ryan Kalil, Charles Johnson and Dante Rosario.

Summary: Kalil and Johnson are key players, but they could end up as restricted free agents. Williams is the key guy. The Panthers have depth at running back with Jonathan Stewart and Mike Goodson. But Stewart has had durability issues and Williams is a playmaker on a team that needs all the offense it can get. Maybe the Panthers try to work a long-term deal with Williams, but they might try to protect him in the short term by using the franchise tag.

With the Super Bowl over, it’s time to reach into the mailbag and see what’s on your mind.

Ian in New Orleans asks about the possibility of the Saints and Packers playing in the 2011 regular-season opener.

Pat Yasinskas: It certainly would be intriguing to pair the past two Super Bowl champions in a Thursday night game at Lambeau Field. In ordinary circumstances, I think it would be a strong possibility. It still might be, even in the unique circumstances the NFL is facing right now. There’s talk of an 18-game season, and that might lead to some creative scheduling. We’ll have to wait to see, but your idea makes sense.

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Ron in High Point, N.C. asks how much it would cost the Panthers to place the franchise tag on running back DeAngelo Williams, and if such a move is likely.

Pat Yasinskas: Well, let’s start with the easy part and give you a ball-park figure on the cost of using the franchise tag on a running back. In 2010, it was $8.2 million. My guess is the number would go up slightly in 2011. Now, here’s where it gets complicated. As you know, there’s no labor agreement for 2011. There also appears to be a brewing dispute over whether the franchise tag can be used before a labor agreement is in place. The league is saying it can use the franchise tag. The NFL Players Association says teams cannot use the franchise tag at the current time. My guess on Williams is that the Panthers will try to sign him to a long-term contract as soon as a labor agreement is in place. I know they’ve got Jonathan Stewart and Mike Goodson. But you can’t have enough good running backs, and durability has been an issue for Stewart.

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Dana in Beverly Hills, Fla. asks if there has been any talk of the Falcons drafting running back Mark Ingram.

Pat Yasinskas: Like all other teams, the Falcons are just getting seriously into the process of preparing for the draft, and player rankings will be sorted out more with the combine and individual workouts. The early stuff I’m seeing has Ingram going before the Falcons pick at No. 27. But, if he somehow lasts to that point, I think it’s something the Falcons would have to consider. Yes, they might have more glaring needs (defensive end, perhaps), but, as I said in the above question about Carolina, it’s important to have several quality running backs. Michael Turner certainly is a good one, but he’s had a ton of carries the past few years. Jason Snelling is a solid backup, and I don’t anticipate Jerious Norwood staying with Atlanta. I wouldn’t mind seeing Ingram landing with the Falcons.

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Joseph in Tallil, Iraq asks about the possibility of the Buccaneers pursuing New England guard Logan Mankins in free agency.

Pat Yasinskas: Well, until there actually is a free-agency period, all we can do is speculate about what might happen, and the possibility of Mankins with the Bucs comes up from a lot of readers. Let’s assume he makes it to free agency. The Bucs certainly are going to have plenty of salary-cap room to work with, and a good offensive line is essential. They have their own potential free-agent guard in Davin Joseph and I think they want to keep him. Can you really afford to invest a fortune in two guards? When they’re standing in front of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman, I’m all for it. Put those two guys with left tackle Donald Penn and sprinkle in some of the young talent Tampa Bay has and the Bucs could have a stellar offensive line. Be safe over there, and thanks for all you do.

Somewhere in Hawaii, Atlanta Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner is probably waking up right about now. But the good news for Turner is he can roll over and go back to sleep. Pro Bowl practices don't start until Wednesday and there is another bit of news that isn’t going to cause Turner to lose any sleep.

Herschel Walker says he wants to make a football comeback and he wants to play for the Atlanta Falcons. I’m not sure how serious Walker was when he made those comments during a conference call to promote an upcoming MMA event, but … come on, Walker is 48 years old.

Yes, Walker always has been an athletic freak and he claims his MMA training has him in better shape than ever. I don’t question that, but the fact is Walker last played in the NFL in 1997.

Could the Falcons use another running back to go with Turner and Jason Snelling? Sure, they could use a speed back to fill the role they always wanted Jerious Norwood, who is about to become a free agent, to fill. But they can do that in the college draft.

The Falcons don’t need a side show, even though Walker is a Georgia native and played at the University of Georgia. Speaking of that, there was a time in the early 1980s when a lot of people said Walker was the greatest college football player ever. Then, in his last college game, Walker ran into Joe Paterno and Penn State and he never really looked the same after that (Paterno and Penn State did the same thing to Vinny Testaverde a few years later).

Walker went on to have a nice professional career in the United States Football League and the NFL, but he never quite was the dominant player he was through much of his college career. Yeah, all this talk about a return is going to bring Walker some attention.

But he should stick to the MMA thing. Paterno’s got more football left in him than Walker does.

When the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers meet in the Georgia Dome on Saturday night, the most important man in the building might be Falcons running back Michael Turner.

Take a look at his numbers through his history with Atlanta and they usually are a pretty good gauge of how the Falcons are going to fare. Turner has been virtually Atlanta’s entire running game since his arrival in 2008, and the Falcons are 19-2 in games where they’ve had a 100-yard rusher in that span.

If you want something more recent and even more directly relevant, just look back to the Week 12 meeting between the Falcons and Packers. Turner carried 23 times for 110 yards and a touchdown in that game and the Falcons won 20-17.

There is a lesson to be taken from that.

“That we can be successful against them,’’ Turner said. “The game’s probably going [to be] tougher next time we play against them. They’re probably going to adjust and do some things differently. We expect that. We just have to be on our toes and be ready for whatever they bring.’’

The formula is very simple: When the Falcons are able to run the ball, they have success. But there are a couple of things that could complicate that and the Packers know it. In Atlanta’s three losses this season, Turner didn’t top the 50-yard rushing mark.

“Green Bay’s front seven is playing much better than it was when they met the first time,’’ Scouts Inc.’s Matt Williamson said. “In fact, Green Bay’s front seven, particularly [defensive tackle] B.J. Raji, is playing at a very high level right now. I don’t like this matchup for Atlanta’s running game.’’

Turner has had only one other 100-yard running game since the previous Green Bay game and that was a 112-yard performance against a struggling Carolina team in Week 14.

“In some ways, I think Atlanta’s running game is overrated,’’ Williamson said. “They don’t have the long runs and they don’t give you a lot of yards per carry. But, on the flip side, it is the foundation of their offense. They’re dedicated to it and they rarely stray from it.’’

The Falcons didn’t stray from their running game this year, even with Jerious Norwood, Atlanta’s speed back, going down early with a season-ending injury. When backup Jason Snelling missed some time in the middle of the season with an injury, the Falcons simply kept giving the ball to Turner. He responded with 1,371 yards and 12 touchdowns. But his 334 carries were probably about 30 more than the Falcons wanted to give him.

Turner averaged 4.1 yards per carry, which is down from the 4.9 he averaged in 2009 and the 4.5 he averaged in 2008 when he rushed for a career-best 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns on 376 carries.

“A lot is made of the 'curse of 370 carries,' but I think there is something to that,’’ Williamson said. “Turner is not quite what he was when he first got to Atlanta. Back then, he might have been one of the top three or four backs in the league. Now, I’d put him seventh or eighth. He’s starting to lose that pop and he doesn’t give you many big runs. I tend to say his arrow is pointing down now.’’

But the Falcons need that arrow going up if they plan on going deep into the postseason. They need Turner to produce in order to open things up for a passing game that features quarterback Matt Ryan, receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez.

The long season might have put some more wear and tear on Turner’s body. In the regular season, Turner ranked fourth in the league with 23 broken tackles and 694 rushing yards after first contact. But the biggest advantage the Falcons may have Saturday might be the fact Green Bay had to play a tough, physical game against Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs while the top-seeded Falcons had a bye.

That gave Turner some rest and that might be the best thing that could happen for Atlanta’s offense.

“It was a chance for my body to heal up a little bit more than usual,’’ Turner said. “I’m ready to roll this week.’’

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

Marcus (Concord, NC): Hey Pat, do you think that the Panthers are even gonna look at a guy like Josh McDaniels for the OC job? Also will they shop around their pick and try to pick up either Kyle Orton or Vince Young in a trade down?

Pat Yasinskas: I suspect whoever the Panthers hire as OC might be a bigger name than their head coach. They've got to get the offense right. Not sure if McDaniels would be the guy, but somebody like him. As far as QB, they've got to get someone who is at least a viable alternative to Clausen. With Luck out of the picture, that will have to come through free agency or a trade.

John (Mission, TX): Why does the Bucs win over saints not get any praise. All you hear is Ssaints had injured players. So did the Bucs and they had many rookies starting. Why does this happen? Bucs will be a team to look out for in the next year..

Pat Yasinskas: No argument here. Bucs went out and showed they can beat a good team. They're going to be good going forward. Heck, with Freeman, they should be good for the next decade.

redzonejones (NY): Do you think the Bucs will do what they did last year and grab two bookend DE?

Pat Yasinskas: Yep, in some way, shape or form. Might not be first and second picks like it was with DTs. But they may get a couple throughout the draft or draft one and sign one as a free agent. It's an obvious need and they know they have to take care of that.

Matthew (Mississippi): Pat, will Jerious Norwood ever be a factor in ATL? He has shown flashes but can't seem to shake the injury bug.

Pat Yasinskas: No, I think they'll let Norwood go and look for a speed back in the draft.

JP (Inverness, FL): Who are you more impressed with Ryan after a season and a half, or Freeman? I know Ryan developed a little differently, but it was not that long ago he was about where Freeman is now and since I think they may be the next great division QB rivals, now is a great time to speculate.

Pat Yasinskas: Excellent question. I really like them both. They're two different guys in two different offenses, so it's hard to compare them. But I think their presence means Falcons and Bucs should be good for the next decade or so. And Brees still has some good years left, so the NFC South is going to be strong for a long time to come.

Here's the complete transcript of the NFC South chat.