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Let's take a look at the Tuesday morning headlines from around the NFC South.

The Atlanta Falcons reportedly got a salary-cap credit of around $3 million for money former quarterback Michael Vick owed the franchise before filing bankruptcy following a conviction on dogfighting charges. After signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick and the Falcons reached a settlement in which he would repay some of the $130 million contract he signed with Atlanta. The Falcons now are about $4 million under the salary cap.

John DeShazier writes that it’s time for the NFL to announce whatever player penalties are coming for the Saints’ bounty program. I couldn’t agree more. This thing has dragged on way too long. Wednesday will be two months since the NFL announced its first report on the bounty program. Penalties for the organization, coaches and general manager Mickey Loomis were announced more than a month ago. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that the investigation was in its final stages and I understand if the league didn’t want to make an announcement that would overshadow all the good publicity that comes with its college draft. But the draft is over. It’s time to let the Saints -- and potentially other teams -- know if they need to prepare to play without suspended players this season.

The Falcons announced Monday that tight end Ryan Winterswyk, who spent part of last season on the practice squad, has been placed on the reserve/retired list. If Winterswyk decides to return to football, the Falcons still hold his rights.

Undrafted free-agent receiver Brenton Bersin might have had a little advantage when he was signed by the Carolina Panthers. Bersin grew up two doors away from Panthers owner Jerry Richardson. Bersin also attended Wofford College. That’s where the Panthers have held training camp since coming into the league in 1995. Wofford also is Richardson’s alma mater and where team president Danny Morrison once worked as athletic director. But don’t accuse the Panthers of showing favoritism for a neighborhood kid. Bersin earned the right for a shot at the NFL. He had a great career at Wofford and also drew interest from several other NFL teams.

The arrival of rookies Mark Barron and Lavonte David could mean possible position switches for cornerback Ronde Barber and middle linebacker Mason Foster aren’t coming. There had been some talk of Barber moving to safety and Foster to outside linebacker. Barron should start immediately at strong safety and the Bucs have Cody Grimm at free safety. That could allow Barber to stay at cornerback. David projects as an instant starter at outside linebacker and the Bucs should be able to keep Foster at middle linebacker.

TAMPA, Fla. -- I just arrived at One Buccaneer Place, where I’ll be stationed for Thursday night’s draft.

I’m not sure about this, but it looked like LeGarrette Blount giving Trent Richardson a tour of the facility from a distance and a source just called from Charlotte and said Luke Kuechly and Jerry Richardson were having dinner together. Just kidding. Kuechly and (Trent) Richardson are in New York and we'll find out where they end up soon enough.

Anyway, we’ll start our Countdown Live chat at 7 p.m. ET.

Some other notes that will help you follow the draft. Check out Draft Tracker, which is our Insider pick-by-pick coverage. You can talk about your favorite team’s pick by going to the Team Talk page. And you can listen to ESPN Radio coverage by clicking here.

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 quick look at the early-Tuesday-morning headlines from around the NFC South. As you might expect, many of them include the New Orleans Saints and their various problems.

• Free-agent defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin, who spent last season with New Orleans, visited the Falcons on Monday. I’d say this one is just due diligence and, if anything is going to happen, it will come after the draft. Atlanta needs some depth in the middle of the defensive line, but isn't desperate. The Falcons have Corey Peters, Jonathan Babineaux and Peria Jerry. Peters has had a very nice first two seasons. Babineaux had a quiet 2011; Jerry has never come close to his potential since suffering a knee injury early in his rookie season. Franklin has some history with new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, so he could be an option if the Falcons aren’t satisfied with their situation at defensive tackle after the draft.

• The Saints and general manager Mickey Loomis are denying a report that he had the ability to eavesdrop on opposing coaches from 2002 through 2004. But, John DeShazier writes, the news causes another distraction for a franchise that already has plenty of them as a result of what the NFL says was a three-year bounty program.

• Here’s a statement from Loomis in which he emphatically denies the report.

• Jim Haslett, who coached the Saints during the period in which Loomis allegedly had the ability to listen to opposing coaches, said he had no knowledge of Loomis actually doing so.

• Mike Triplett writes that the news on Loomis probably won’t get the general manager fired. He might be right. Saints owner Tom Benson has stood by Loomis through the Vicodin scandal a couple years ago and through the bounty program that’s dominated the headlines for more than a month. There haven’t been any indications the latest allegations will change Benson’s mind.

• Ron Green Jr. writes that Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly could make an instant impact if the Panthers take him at No. 9 in the NFL draft. No argument here. Kuechly had a highly productive college career and comes with very few questions. It’s rare that you can say that about a prospect near the end of the top 10. Plus, Carolina owner Jerry Richardson and general manager Marty Hurney really like guys that come with no obvious questions.

• Tampa Bay’s coaching change affected more than the Bucs. It also affected the football team at Tampa’s Plant High School, which has been a state and national power in recent years. With former tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts joining the Colts, his son, Austin Roberts, a top college prospect at tight end, is leaving Plant’s program. But the Panthers are getting receiver/defensive back Tristan Cooper. His father, Ron Cooper, is the new defensive defensive backs coach for the Bucs.

Time for a look at the top headlines around the division.

• Chris Mortenson reports that the NFL Players Association had knowledge of the tapes of former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ now-infamous speech to his players the night prior to a playoff game with San Francisco before the recordings became public April 4. Filmmaker Sean Pamphilon, who released the tapes to the media, reportedly has been contacted multiple times by NFL security about providing the league with copies of the tapes. Gee, just a thought here, but shouldn’t Pamphilon have given tapes to the league before -- or at least at the same time -- they were given to the media?
• Some draft gurus are saying South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore has emerged as a likely top-10 draft pick and that he’s the second-best cornerback in the draft. LSU’s Morris Claiborne likely will be the top cornerback in the draft and he could go at No. 5 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But it wouldn’t be that surprising if Gilmore goes No. 9 to the Carolina Panthers. They need depth at cornerback and Gilmore is from Rock Hill, S.C., which is located just over the border from Charlotte. Carolina owner Jerry Richardson traditionally has shown eagerness to bring in players from the Carolinas.
• The Falcons have talked in a lot of general terms about what new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will bring to the offense. They’re not about to lay out specifics. But here’s some speculation that Atlanta could use the empty backfield more often, and it makes sense for a team that wants to have more of a downfield passing game.
• D. Orlando Ledbetter has the Falcons taking California offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz in his mock draft. Makes sense. The Falcons at least want someone to compete with Sam Baker for the starting job at left tackle. But I think a defensive end also is a possibility for the Falcons, who don't pick until the second round (No. 55 overall).
• Carolina quarterback Cam Newton saw a statue of himself unveiled at Auburn University recently. Newton attended the ceremony and read a poem that he said he wrote for the occasion.
• The Saints don’t have a pick in this year’s draft until the third round. General manager Mickey Loomis said there is virtually no chance the team will try to trade up to get a pick in the first two rounds.
• Here’s an in-depth look, complete with legal analysis, at the bankruptcy filing by former Tampa Bay defensive tackle Warren Sapp.

There's a big focus on New York on Thursday as the Saints appeal their suspensions and punishments for their bounty program and we'll stay on that all day. But let's take a quick run through some other NFC South headlines.

Although he was very close to former Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris, veteran cornerback Ronde Barber said it’s a good thing new coach Greg Schiano is running a tighter ship. He’s right. Morris was a nice guy and was well liked by his players. But it became painfully obvious last season that he wasn’t running a very structured program and at least some of his players were taking advantage of that. It quickly has become obvious that Schiano is running a much more structured program.

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan showed up at Augusta National. He wasn’t a spectator for the Masters. He was working as a caddie. Ryan will get back to his regular job April 16, when the Falcons begin their offseason program.

At a gathering to celebrate former Carolina receiver Muhsin Muhammad taking over a restaurant chain, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said it often is difficult for athletes to adjust to the business world. Muhammad might be wise to take some notes from his former boss. Richardson is the ultimate success story of a former player in the business world. Richardson had a brief career as a receiver with the Baltimore Colts in the Johnny Unitas days. He then started a fast-food franchise that grew into a restaurant empire that gave Richardson the resources he needed to start the Panthers as an expansion team in 1995.

In some non-bounty news involving the Saints, a federal judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit over whether the phrase “Who Dat’’ can be trademarked or is public domain. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this month.

Former Atlanta safety James Sanders has left for Arizona as a free agent. Sanders provided stability in Atlanta’s secondary as William Moore and Thomas DeCoud went through some growing pains. But Moore and DeCoud have progressed and that made Sanders expendable.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Atlanta’s Arthur Blank isn’t the only NFC South team owner supporting commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision to hit the New Orleans Saints with harsh penalties for their three-year bounty program.

Blank weighed in on the topic earlier Tuesday. Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer echoed some of Blank’s sentiments later Tuesday evening.

“Player safety and the integrity of the game are paramount,’’ Glazer said. “That’s what our fans expect of the NFL and from Day One, the commissioner has made that a priority of his -- player safety and the integrity of the National Football League. I think everybody agrees there’s no place for that in the National Football League. I think the commissioner’s actions were necessary for many reasons and I think everyone supports the commissioner and his decision-making process. You never want to see that type of thing happen. It was an important step to get that out of the game.’’

For the record, New Orleans owner Tom Benson has not publicly addressed the media on the issue. Carolina owner Jerry Richardson politely said he didn’t wish to discuss the situation publicly.

Time for a look at Monday's top stories from around the NFC South.

Here’s a good look ahead at what might happen with the New Orleans defensive line in the offseason. One interesting thing to watch is defensive end Will Smith, who is carrying a huge salary-cap figure. The Saints may have to restructure his deal because he is their best pass rusher up front and new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo counts heavily on generating most of his pressure straight from the front four.

A charge for marijuana possession against Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick has been dropped. Kirkpatrick’s name has been tied to the Carolina Panthers as a first-round possibility in some mock drafts.

University of Florida defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who has past experience as a defensive line coach in the NFL, reportedly turned down an opportunity to join Tampa Bay’s coaching staff. As of this moment, the Bucs have yet to announce any hirings of assistants by new coach Greg Schiano.

As he has been known to do, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson recently called a fan and revealed that the team’s helmets, but not uniforms, will be changing. The team already announced its first logo change since the franchise entered the league in the 1995 expansion.

Jeff Schultz writes that Atlanta’s first three priorities with its own free agents should be keeping cornerback Brent Grimes, linebacker Curtis Lofton and center Todd McClure. I definitely agree on Grimes and Lofton. I’m not so sure on McClure. He’s been a very nice player, but he’s about to turn 35. With changes at offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, it might be a good time to also get a fresh start at center.

Surprisingly, Friday’s NFC South stayed pretty much an NFC South chat and didn’t become a Super Bowl chat. That’s a tribute to the die-hard fans in the NFC South and I’m grateful for that.

Let’s take a look at the chat highlights:

Chris (Atlanta): Let’s incorporate the NFC South and Super Bowl in the same question. Since Thomas Dimtroff has been in Atlanta, he seems to be trying to create New England South here in Atlanta. What are the odds that Atlanta gets rid of high priced Michael Turner and becomes a heavy passing team like the New England Patriots?

Pat Yasinskas: Dimitroff is also the guy that brought Turner in in the first place. Smith and Dimitroff believe in having a solid running game. Turner could leave at some point, but they'd bring in someone else. I don't see them just giving up on running game.

Pabo (korea): Hey pat, any chance the bucs take a look at peyton manning, since the franchise hasn't been able to sellout any games. I think peyton will sellout games and get the bucs to the playoffs, they can trade freeman and try to get a quarterback in either this years or next years draft to sit back and learn from the greatest.

Pat Yasinskas: You serious??? That doesn't fit their plan at all. They're building with youth. You bring in Peyton and he plays for a year or two and that's it. Meantime, you'd be showing Freeman the door. He's a guy who could be your QB for the next 10 or 12 years.

Gary (Chicago): The Pro Bowl has to be one of the worst games to watch, ever. With this being said, what are your thoughts on changing the format to a NFL "Futures" game (ie. Senior Bowl) and recognize the all stars during halftime? Viewership would be huge with the draft junkies....

Pat Yasinskas: I'd be all for it. Might have to cut through some red tape with the NCAA, but it sounds like a great idea to me. Pro Bowl always has been a non-event and it got far worse this year.

CP (Brooklyn, NY): Falcons have to bring back Abe don't they? I mean there is no other pass rush on the roster and from the looks of Free Agency, there's nothing out there either, especially without a first rounder...Thoughts Pat?

Pat Yasinskas: Yeah, unless somebody else gets cut somewhere else, I don't think there's much choice. Abe is aging, but he's still their best pass rusher.

Steve A (Ventura CA): Pat! Love your blog, I check it daily. Whats your take on the big name free agents the Saints have next year? What do you anticipate the Saints doing with Will Smith, Robert Meachem, Tracy Porter, and the 2 big guys up front Franklin and Rogers? I think they should all be cut because none of them stepped up and really did anything this year. I agree that Colston, Nicks are must stays, and even Vilma should be given another shot, but everyone else should be left walking. Thoughts?

Pat Yasinskas: Obviously, Brees stays and I think they'll find a way to keep Colston and Nicks. Might be tough to keep Porter and Meachem. They might bring Franklin back for one more year. Will Smith has huge cap figure and they could clear up a ton of room by cutting him. But they don't have another pass rusher. So the answer there might be to restructure Smith. Vilma's a tough call. I know he's almost an icon. But he's making big money and his play slipped last season. The knee obviously was part of the reason for that. But, at his age, you have to worry that the knee could be a chronic thing.

ronde barber (one buccaneer place ( andy )): am i going to come back? retire? go to the redskins and play for raheem?

Pat Yasinskas: You tell us. A lot of it is up to you and if you want to continue playing or not.

Mike (Winston Salem): I sent you a letter about Jerry Richardson this morning. He called my cell phone yesterday after I wrote him a letter. I hope you got to read my letter. It was such a cool experience. The Panthers are so lucky to have him as our owner.

Pat Yasinskas: Will check out your letter. Mr. Richardson is one of the classiest people in the NFL. Heck, he's one of the classiest people I know, period.

Here’s the entire transcript of Friday’s NFC South chat.

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

• New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis is ready to get down to serious contract talks with quarterback Drew Brees. Loomis also is likely to try to attempt to keep guard Carl Nicks, receiver Marques Colston and some other free agents, but said it might not be easy. Loomis said figuring out how to stay under the salary cap will be like slicing up a pie.
• Former Saints’ player Steve Gleason, who has been diagnosed with ALS, writes an interesting column about how he’s become a fan. Gleason said he, and most players, don’t associate themselves to closely with a team while they’re playing because they often end up getting traded, cut or leaving via free agency. But Gleason said his illness has given him new perspective and allowed him to view the game like a fan.
• In this radio interview with "Mike & Mike," Carolina quarterback Cam Newton talks about his rookie season, his style of play and the spread offense.
• Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is expected to meet with city leaders soon to discuss possible funding for an overhaul of Bank of America Stadium.
• Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik revealed that most of the candidates the Bucs talked to during their recent coaching search pointed to quarterback Josh Freeman and the young talent on the defensive line as the team's biggest positives. Obviously, that had to include Greg Schiano, who got the job. Anyone looking at the roster objectively would have to start with those two areas as potential strengths. But there’s work to be done. Freeman is talented, but needs to bounce back from a disappointing 2011. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn had a nice rookie year and defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price have the potential to be forces inside, if they can stay healthy.

Let's take a look at the day's top headlines from around the division.

• New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees says he expects to have a new contract before free agency opens in mid-March. That would be a good idea. If Brees were to somehow hit the free-agent market there would be major unrest throughout the entire population of Louisiana.

• The Saints have hired Ken Flajole as secondary coach, James Varney reports. Flajole was defensive coordinator in St. Louis under former Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, who now is defensive coordinator for the Saints. Flajole also has some background in the NFC South. He spent some time as the linebackers coach in Carolina.

• Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez said 2012 probably will be his last season. I wouldn’t make too much of that. Gonzalez has hinted at retirement in past years, but keeps coming back.

• Carolina quarterback Cam Newton said he “failed’’ at the Pro Bowl as he played the entire second half and threw three interceptions. I think it’s nice that Newton’s critical of himself. But I don’t think anybody should be critiquing or celebrating the Pro Bowl performance. If you watched this year’s game all the way through, which wasn’t easy, it made you wonder why they even have an all-star game in football. Go ahead and name an all-star team, but, if the game is going to be played at half speed, why bother?

• Mark Cook takes a look at some possibilities to fill the job as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator. The early assumption was Butch Davis would fill that role because he has history with coach Greg Schiano. But there’s been no announcement of Davis’ hiring, which makes you wonder if it’s not going to happen. The name I like on Cook’s list is Green Bay defensive line coach Mike Trgovac. I covered Trgovac in Carolina, where he had a pretty successful run as a defensive coordinator. As a matter of fact, I believe Trgovac might have been a head coach by now if Carolina owner Jerry Richardson hadn’t seen the lockout coming and wasn’t offering any security to former coach John Fox and his assistants. Fox told assistants with families they should take other jobs if they could get them. That’s when Trgovac left for Green Bay. Although Trgovac certainly has a better résumé than a bunch of current coordinators, his family is content in Green Bay, so he might stay content in his current role.

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

It already had been reported that New Orleans offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael had been given permission to interview for the Raiders’ job as head coach. But reports also are surfacing that the Colts have interest in interviewing Carmichael after they fired Jim Caldwell. The Saints also have to find a defensive coordinator to replace Gregg Williams. The front-runner is Steve Spagnuolo, who either interviewed Wednesday or will interview Thursday (reports on his schedule have varied). They also need to find a receivers coach to replace Curtis Johnson, who has left to become head coach at Tulane.

New Orleans receiver Lance Moore missed the final three games, including the playoff loss to San Francisco, with a hamstring injury. Moore discusses his disappointment about the San Francisco result and on not being able to play in that game.

We told you Wednesday that new Atlanta defensive coordinator Mike Nolan plans to stick with the 4-3 scheme. But Knox Bardeen adds a little more to Nolan’s future plans. Nolan said the Falcons might use the nickel package more often, because offenses are passing more frequently.

The proposed budget by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal includes $15 million for a land purchase, and a local official says that money could be used to buy the land where a new outdoor stadium for the Falcons could be built.

The Bucs don’t have a new coaching staff yet, so they have only their scouting staff working the practices for the East-West Shrine Game. A general manager for another NFC South team said that’s not unusual, that these practices are generally watched by scouting staffs and a few general managers. But most coaching staffs attend next week’s Senior Bowl in their entirety. There’s no guarantee the Bucs will have a new coach before the Senior Bowl. Even if they do, it’s almost certain he won’t have his entire staff in place in time for the Senior Bowl. Stephen Holder points out the situation puts the Tampa Bay scouts in a bit of a unique position, because they don’t know what schemes the team will be using.

Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is a name that has been tied to the Panthers with the No. 8 or 9 (depending on a coin flip) in the upcoming NFL draft. But Kirkpatrick reportedly was charged recently with marijuana possession. Could that change his stock with the Panthers? For years, Carolina went out of its way to avoid players who had off-field problems. That changed a bit last season after the departure of coach John Fox. The Panthers took a chance on cornerback Brandon Hogan, who had some off-field issues, in the fourth-round last year. But there’s a big difference when you’re talking about first-round picks and fourth-round picks. As long as owner Jerry Richardson and general manager Marty Hurney are running the show, I doubt you’ll see the Panthers taking chances on guys who have been in trouble, unless they fully investigate the issue and decide it’s unfounded.

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

Jeff Schultz writes that the Falcons got it right when they hired Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator. I agree totally. Steve Spagnuolo was the other big-name coordinator candidate out there and he’ll end up doing a fine job somewhere else (maybe even New Orleans). But I think Nolan is a better fit for the Falcons.

Spagnuolo reportedly will interview with New Orleans today. Just like I think Nolan is the better fit for the Falcons, I think Spagnuolo would be an excellent fit in New Orleans. The Falcons and Saints are two very different organizations. I think Nolan’s personality will allow him to fit in perfectly with the Falcons. Spagnuolo has a different style that could fit nicely with the Saints.

The Carolina Panthers don’t know who they’ll play in the 2012 opener yet, but they know it will be on the road. Team owner Jerry Richardson said the team will open on the road because the Democratic National Convention will be taking place and some of the events will be held at Bank of America Stadium.

Roy Cummings writes that Tampa Bay’s lengthy search for a new head coach isn’t out of the ordinary. He’s right and he points to how it took the Bucs a good bit of time to hire Tony Dungy and trade for Jon Gruden in the past. I can think of a few others that dragged out but seemed to work out fine. Carolina’s hiring of John Fox in 2002 went late into January. Same for last year when the Panthers went through a methodical process before hiring Ron Rivera.

Time for a Thursday morning look at the top headlines from around the division.

Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey defended his offensive line against allegations of dirty play. Mularkey said the Falcons are physical but are not instructed to play beyond the whistle.

Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said that quarterback Cam Newton is capable of winning multiple Super Bowls. It’s possible, as long as the Panthers spruce up their defense.

Ndamukong Suh was suspended when the Lions played the Saints during the regular season. But Suh will be playing in Saturday’s playoff game and that should lead to a fantastic matchup. New Orleans has one of the best interior offensive lines in the league with guards Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans. This will be a classic case of strength on strength.

Gary Shelton writes that none of the available coaching candidates has much of a “wow factor.’’ That’s true. But the Bucs need something other than “wow." They need a coach who will come in and stabilize their franchise.

Atlanta director of player personnel Les Snead is getting some consideration for general manager’s jobs. Chicago and St. Louis are showing some interest. It’s only natural because Snead is good at what he does and is viewed as a rising star in league circles.

Twelve games into his rookie season, Cam Newton has made us all forget he is not the quarterback the Carolina Panthers wanted almost a year ago.

In the news conference to officially announce the departure of coach John Fox, team owner Jerry Richardson, without naming names, made reference to Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. The Panthers held the first overall pick in the draft and Richardson’s public statements made it clear the Panthers would go that route. Privately, team officials confirmed there was no doubt Luck was the guy -- as long as he decided to enter the draft.

In the early days of last January, the Panthers didn’t even know who their coach would be, but they already had Luck penciled in as their quarterback. Nearly a year later, Luck’s decision to stay in college is looking like it was a huge break for the Panthers.

Newton is a strong candidate for offensive rookie of the year. He threw for more than 400 yards in his first two games, already has more rushing touchdowns (13) than any quarterback in a season in NFL history and has brought life and hope to a franchise that had none.

"Honestly, is he exceeding our [expectations]?" said Ron Rivera, who ended up as Carolina’s coach shortly after Luck announced he was staying at Stanford. "Absolutely. We always felt the young man had something special about him. Just for it to start showing and going the way it has been has been tremendous."

Newton has exceeded all expectations, in part because expectations weren’t all that high. Although he was winning a Heisman Trophy and a national title at Auburn, he wasn’t viewed as a sure thing.

That’s why, once Luck said he wasn’t entering the draft, the world assumed the Panthers wouldn’t take a quarterback. It made sense because, over the past decade, the Panthers had built a well-deserved reputation as one of the NFL’s most conservative franchises. They simply didn’t take big gambles.

With Luck out of the picture, the common assumption was the Panthers would go the safe route and go with defense. Names like Nick Fairley, Da'Quan Bowers (before word spread about the condition of his knee) and Patrick Peterson were kicked around.

The Panthers looked hard at all those names. But, as February and March rolled around, I started hearing indications the Panthers were taking a long look at Newton. At first, I didn’t really believe that -- or at least I didn’t believe that, when push came to shove, they’d go through with it. Taking a big leap just seemed so out of character for the Panthers.

In late March, I talked with several Carolina officials at the NFL owners meeting. They confirmed what the rest of the world was refusing to believe. They were confirming that they were giving very serious consideration to taking Newton, even leaning in his direction.

That’s when I turned around and wrote this column, saying the Panthers needed to use the No. 1 overall pick on Newton. The logic I used was the logic the Panthers were using. First, they had come to realize the NFL had become a quarterback-driven league and they might only get one shot at a guy with the potential to be a franchise quarterback. Second, the more homework they did on Newton, the more they believed the knocks on him were unfounded.

Critics were saying Newton didn’t have a desire to be great and that he had played in a college offense that was so simple it would be hard for him to pick up an NFL system.

"I think the thing that a lot of people really kind of miss out on as far as Cam is concerned is his commitment to being a great player in this league," Rivera said. "The young man really does do the things that you would expect of a No. 1 pick [and] what you would expect of a leader. He is committed to the game [and] he is committed to this football team."

The Panthers also spent lots of time talking to Newton’s coaches and teammates at Auburn. They had offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula sit down with Newton for a lengthy film-room session. Chudzinski and Shula came back and told Marty Hurney and Rivera they had no doubt Newton could run their offense.

“I don’t think people really gave him enough credit for what they did or give them enough credit for what they do at Auburn,’’ Rivera said. “People always thought he was in a one-read offense. We went through the process learning about him and we came to learn that it really is not a one-read offense. There was a little bit more that he had to do as a football player.’’

That’s why the Panthers took the plunge on Newton. That’s why they’re not looking back regretfully at Luck’s decision. They’ve got their franchise quarterback.