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We’re up to second place (we're going in reverse order) in our NFC South predictions and I’m going with the Atlanta Falcons.

Here’s the link to their complete preview page.

This was the toughest call of all. A big part of me wanted to go with the Falcons to win the NFC South. They were 13-3 last season and, on paper, they’ve gotten better. I think the Falcons will make the playoffs, but I think New Orleans will win the NFC South.

Here’s what I wrote about Atlanta.

Five things you need to know about the Falcons:

1. Julio Jones is going to be the real deal: The Falcons paid a hefty price to trade up for the rights to draft the receiver from Alabama. But this was a very well-researched decision. Last season's playoff loss to Green Bay showed the Falcons needed a receiver who could stretch the field and take some of the defensive attention away from Roddy White. Former starter Michael Jenkins was not a downfield threat and defenses knew that. Jones' speed means defenses have to account for him on every play. That's going to help White enormously, and Jones' presence is also going to have a trickle-down effect that will help quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner.

2. Harry Douglas will have a big year: The undersized wide receiver finally will get to enjoy a full season playing the position where he's best. That's slot receiver and Douglas can thank Jones for allowing that to happen. The Falcons wanted to use Douglas exclusively in the slot last season, but Jenkins was hurt early in the season. That forced Atlanta to play Douglas outside, where he's not nearly as effective. With White and Jones on the outside, Douglas should be able to get some favorable matchups against third corners, safeties or linebackers.

3. The gloves are coming off Ryan: His first three seasons have been very nice, but Ryan has yet to win a playoff game. That's something the Falcons are painfully aware of and all of their offensive moves this season were designed to help make him more dangerous. The lockout also might have been a blessing in disguise. It gave the coaching staff more time to evaluate its decisions and one of the realizations was it's time to allow Ryan to do more. The Falcons have openly admitted they're going to look to throw downfield more often, and you also might see more of the no-huddle offense.

4. It all starts up front: The Falcons repeatedly used the word "explosive'' when they added Jones, but they also wanted to add an explosive player on defense. In their eyes, they did with the signing of defensive end Ray Edwards. They first made a run at Carolina's Charles Johnson, but backed off because the price was too high. Edwards has never been a dominant pass-rusher. His career high in sacks was 8.5 and that came while he was playing on a defensive line with Jared Allen, Pat Williams and Kevin Williams. Can he suddenly become a double-digit sack guy? Maybe, but that's not absolutely necessary. The Falcons simply want a decent pass-rusher to line up opposite John Abraham. If Edwards can take a little blocking off Abraham, the Falcons would be happy if he produces somewhere around 8.5 sacks.

5. This finally might be Mike Smith's defense: It's a bit ironic that Smith is a coach with a defensive background, but he's never been able to fully play the aggressive style of defense he wants. In 2008, the team was focused on building an offense first. In 2009 and '10, some parts were added, but injuries got in the way of big results. Defensive tackle Peria Jerry, a first-round pick in 2009, and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, last year's top pick, are healthy now and cornerback Dunta Robinson should have more passes thrown his way now that Brent Grimes is established as a solid starter. Smith might have the pieces now to truly play his style of defense.

DIVISION FINISH: 2 Drafting Jones and signing Edwards show the Falcons believe they were only a few players away from contending for a Super Bowl title. They might be right, but I'm not picking the Falcons ahead of the Saints until they win a playoff game.

If you think the Atlanta Falcons player who will benefit most from the arrival of rookie receiver Julio Jones will be quarterback Matt Ryan, you might be wrong.

It could end up being Harry Douglas. If you didn’t see the Falcons' 15-13 preseason loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night and don’t know what I’m talking about, catch a replay of the game.

There’s a second-quarter play that demonstrates exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a 76-yard touchdown pass from Ryan to Douglas.

It’s the kind of play the Falcons didn’t have nearly enough of last season. In fact, Douglas probably couldn’t have made the same play last season. The difference is the presence of Jones.

With Jones and Roddy White lined up at wide receiver, Douglas lined up in the slot. He ran a slant route and never really was covered. He caught it in the middle of the field and headed for the sideline. He never was touched. But, just in case he needed help, Jones was downfield and ready to throw a block. That wasn’t needed.

Douglas was with the Falcons last season, but he didn’t supply the kind of big plays the Falcons wanted. That’s partly because former starter Michael Jenkins was hurt early in the season and Douglas had to play his position. Douglas isn’t a big guy and isn’t the kind of receiver who can help you as a run blocker and he really isn’t a possession receiver.

The Falcons believe he’s a natural slot guy. That’s where Douglas is playing now and the difference is significant. With White and Jones on the outside, there are going to be plenty of times when Douglas doesn’t draw much coverage. If he makes a few big plays, he’ll get more coverage and that will mean less attention on White.

That will mean more big plays and that’s exactly what the Falcons want.

A few other observations on the Falcons.

• Defensive end Ray Edwards, who is coming off knee surgery, sat out his second straight preseason game. Without him, the Falcons still got some pressure on the quarterbacks. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux stood out.
• Scary moment in the first half when defensive tackle Peria Jerry had to leave the game after colliding with teammate Trey Lewis. Jerry missed most of his rookie season with a knee injury and wasn’t at full strength last season. But the good news is Jerry was just shaken up and returned to the game a bit later. He had one play where he got good pressure on Blaine Gabbert in the second half.
• Cornerback Brent Grimes continues to have a strong preseason. He had an over-the-shoulder interception deep in the end zone in the first half. He took it out and made several athletic moves before getting stopped around midfield. Although undersized, Grimes might be the best natural athlete to come through Atlanta since Deion Sanders.
• With cornerback Dunta Robinson sitting out, Chris Owens and Dominique Franks, who are competing for the starting job at nickel back, each got a lot of playing time. Although I was also keeping a close eye on Cam Newton in the Carolina-Miami game, I also kept a watch on Owens and Franks. I saw some good coverage from both at times. Franks did fall in coverage once. But he also knocked down a pass near the line of scrimmage.
• Second-year linebacker Sean Weatherspoon had a very active outing, highlighted by his fumble recovery in the first quarter. He also looked good in pass coverage several times.
• Outside linebacker Stephen Nicholas also looked good and may have a chance to take the starting job from veteran Mike Peterson. That’s a bit ironic because Nicholas was playing in his hometown and against a team that many speculated he’d jump to as a free agent.

This Jeff Schultz column really caught my eye this morning. Schultz writes that it’s time for the Atlanta Falcons to turn quarterback Matt Ryan loose.

I couldn’t agree with Schultz more, and I’ve been saying the same thing all offseason and, as best as I can recall, all of last offseason. There no longer is any reason to place any limitations on Ryan. It’s time to take the gloves off.

The kid came into the league in 2008 looking like Peyton Manning when the Falcons let him run the no-huddle offense. I thought they’d let him run it more and more the past two seasons, but that hasn’t been the case. That needs to change.

Ryan also can throw the deep ball, but the Falcons really haven’t let him do that. Instead, he spent too much time last year dumping off passes to tight end Tony Gonzalez and that wasn’t generating much after the catch.

Ryan’s got three years of experience now and, although he’s won a lot of regular-season games, he’s yet to win a playoff game. There’s a reason for that. The Falcons haven’t let him win a playoff game because they went against Arizona in his rookie season and against Green Bay last year with game plans that didn’t really give Ryan a chance to shine.

In talking with people on the coaching staff and front office this offseason, I’ve gotten the impression they realize it’s time to make some slight changes. Coordinator Mike Mularkey doesn’t have to blow up his playbook and start from scratch. He just needs to make some strategic tweaks and, more than anything, some slight philosophical changes.

He needs to let Ryan throw downfield more often and the Falcons have set the wheels in motion for that. They drafted receiver Julio Jones and sent Michael Jenkins, who couldn’t get downfield unless it was as a pass-blocker, packing. Jones should be able to be the kind of “explosive’’ player the Falcons talked about so much during the offseason. And they’ve got a proven explosive receiver in Roddy White.

Let Ryan chuck the ball downfield to those two guys. Keep Gonzalez as a safety valve, but don’t use him as a crutch. Run Michael Turner a reasonable amount because he’s good, but work rookie Jacquizz Rodgers into the lineup. He can catch passes out of the backfield and could also fit the profile of an explosive player.

Mularkey also needs to scrap the rollouts. Ryan doesn’t really like them and isn’t all that great at them. Let Ryan simply drop back and throw downfield.

If the Falcons handle this thing right, they’ll have added another explosive player. That will be Ryan and, if he’s allowed to do more, he just might be the most explosive Falcon of all.

It’s been a wild start to free agency across the NFC South. All four teams already have made major moves and there likely are more on the way.

The Carolina Panthers have done a nice job of keeping their own – Charles Johnson, DeAngelo Williams, James Anderson and Thomas Davis. They’ve also gone out and traded for Greg Olsen.

The New Orleans Saints let Reggie Bush go in a trade with Miami. Then, they turned around and replaced him with Darren Sproles. They’ve also agreed to deals to keep some of their own key free agents, such as Lance Moore, Scott Shanle and Jermon Bushrod.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept guard Davin Joseph with a huge contract and also went out and got punter/kickoff specialist Michael Koenen.

The Atlanta Falcons made it a point to keep tackle Tyson Clabo, kicker Matt Bryant and linebackers Mike Peterson and Stephen Nicholas. They also parted ways with former first-round picks Jamaal Anderson and Michael Jenkins.

With all that (plus a few other moves here and there), we ask you to take a look at our Call It poll to the right and cast your vote for the team you think has done the most to help itself so far.

In moves that shouldn’t come as a surprise, the Atlanta Falcons cut two former first-round picks Friday morning.

Defensive end Jamaal Anderson and wide receiver Michael Jenkins reportedly have been released. First and foremost, these moves are about money. The Falcons freed up nearly $8 million in salary-cap space with these releases. Could they be clearing the way to acquire a high-priced defensive end?

But these moves also say a lot about the state of the Falcons and how coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have built their team. Anderson, a 2007 pick, and Jenkins, a 2004 pick, were taken by prior regimes and neither player fit very well in the current system.

The Falcons tried to shop Jenkins for a trade, but found no takers. That’s probably because the rest of the league knew he would be released. Jenkins became expendable when the Falcons drafted Julio Jones in April.

Although he was a dependable starter for most of his career and considered one of the league’s top run-blocking receivers, Jenkins was not a downfield threat and rarely made things happen in the open field. The Falcons wanted more explosiveness in their passing game and that’s why they went out and drafted Jones.

Jenkins’ tenure can’t be considered a disappointment. He did some good things, but no longer fit the system. The same can’t be said for Anderson, who was drafted in Bobby Petrino’s one year as coach.

Anderson had only 4.5 sacks in his career and never became the pass-rushing force the Falcons hoped for. He did find a bit of a niche, rotating inside to play defensive tackle in the last two seasons under Smith, but the Falcons weren’t going to keep a backup defensive tackle with a salary-cap figure over $5 million.

As we get closer to what sounds like the end of the NFL’s labor lockout, it’s time to start thinking about some real football.

Let’s focus on the field and bring back the NFC South Stock Watch.

Falling

1. Corey Peters, defensive tackle, Atlanta Falcons. He wound up starting as a rookie last season and played fairly well. But Peters was getting playing time out of necessity because Peria Jerry wasn’t fully healthy. The Falcons used Jerry as a backup. But Jerry’s expected to be healthy and the Falcons are going to give their No. 1 pick from 2009 every chance possible to get on the field.

2. Stylez G. White, defensive end Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When you’re a starting defensive end and your team goes out and uses its first two draft picks on defensive ends, it’s generally not the sign of a bright future. White is an unrestricted free agent and the only way he’ll return to the Bucs is if he accepts a contract somewhere near the minimum and is willing to accept a backup role. But even that may be a bit of a long-shot. White’s never been a good practice player and the Bucs don’t want rookies Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers picking up his habits.

3. Jermon Bushrod, left tackle, New Orleans Saints. He’s been a starter each of the last two seasons, but the Saints know Bushrod is never going to be a top-notch left tackle. They drafted Charles Brown last year and are hoping he shows some promise in training camp. If Brown shows much of anything, he’ll start.

Rising

1. Kellen Winslow, tight end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’ve seen Winslow a couple of times this offseason and he looks better than ever. He’s always been a workout warrior, but he seems to have taken things to extremes this year. Part of the reason for that may be that a sore knee that bothered him most of last season has healed. Winslow has spent much of his offseason in Tampa, working with quarterback Josh Freeman. They already had good chemistry, but it should be even better.

2. Harry Douglas, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons. The drafting of receiver Julio Jones was not good news for Michael Jenkins. Jones probably will replace Jenkins in the starting lineup. But Jones’ arrival is actually good news for Douglas, who was asked to fill in as a starter when Jenkins was hurt early last season. Douglas is not an every-down wide receiver. He’s perfectly suited to playing the slot. With Jones around, Douglas should be able to focus on what he does best.

3. Charles Johnson, defensive end, Carolina Panthers. There might not be an NFC South player in better position coming out of the lockout. Johnson is 25 and coming off a breakout season in which he had 11.5 sacks. He also is expected to be an unrestricted free agent. The Panthers are going to do everything possible to keep him. But other teams, perhaps even the Falcons, are going to come after Johnson hard. Wherever he ends up, Johnson will be making a lot of money.

There have been numerous reports that the NFL's salary cap will be somewhere around $120 million.

All four NFC South teams are well below that figure in what they currently have committed to the 2011 cap. But Atlanta's got some decisions to make on re-signing some of its own free agents and is likely to pursue a big-name defensive end. That could put the Falcons close to the cap. New Orleans is in a similar situation because the Saints want to re-sign a bunch of their free agents and could need to create some room.

That could lead to some cap casualties once the league year opens. Tampa Bay and Carolina both have plenty of cap room, but there are some moves those teams could make that would free up even more space. Let's take a look at some possible cap casualties around the NFC South.

Atlanta. With the addition of Julio Jones, Michael Jenkins' job as a starting wide receiver is in jeopardy. Maybe the Falcons look to keep him as a very expensive backup or maybe they look to trade him because he should have some value on the market. But maybe the Falcons simply release Jenkins, who is scheduled to count $4.1 million against the cap. The Falcons would only be on the hook for $1.2 million. In terms of true value compared to salary, defensive linemen Jamaal Anderson and Chauncey Davis are guys who don't measure up to their salary-cap space. Anderson is scheduled to count $5.8 million against the cap, but the Falcons would take a $3.1 million hit if they release him. Davis is scheduled to count $3.75 in cap space and the Falcons could free up $2.25 million by letting him go.

Tampa Bay. This first scenario might be a long shot because the Bucs don't really need to free up cap space, and Jeff Faine is viewed as a reliable veteran center. But Faine is 30 and has missed parts of the past two seasons with injuries. He's scheduled to count $4.575 against the salary cap and the Bucs wouldn't have to absorb a dime if they cut him because Faine's contract was structured in a way that his $12 million in bonus money was absorbed in the first two years of his deal. It remains to be seen if the Bucs or the NFL will take disciplinary action against cornerback Aqib Talib for an off-field incident. But if the Bucs decide they've had enough of the troubled cornerback, it would be easy and cost effective to cut him. Talib's scheduled to count $1.95 million against the cap, and the Bucs could free up $1.35 million by releasing him. Another guy to keep an eye on is fullback Earnest Graham. He's 31 and missed some time with injuries last year. More importantly, Graham is scheduled to count $3.105 million against the cap. If he were still playing tailback, that wouldn't be a bad figure. But a fullback counting more than $3 million against the cap is a luxury and the Bucs wouldn't have to absorb any cap hit if they release Graham. Long-snapper Andrew Economos tore his Achilles tendon during the offseason and may not be able to play this year. The Bucs could reach an injury settlement with Economos. But they also could cut him and free up $680,000 in cap space.

New Orleans. We all know the Reggie Bush situation. He's scheduled to count $16 million against the cap. If the Saints release him, they'd only be responsible for $3.5 million in pro-rated bonus money. But it sounds like Bush and the Saints will try to work out a new contract to keep him. It's unknown if cornerback Randall Gay has been medically cleared after suffering a concussion early last season. If he has, the Saints easily could release him. They'd free up more than $4 million in cap space and they have plenty of other cornerbacks. Wide receiver Devery Henderson also has a relatively high cap figure ($3.225 million) and the Saints could clear up $1.5 million by releasing him. Defensive end Alex Brown is probably safe because the Saints don't know yet what they have in rookie Cameron Jordan. But Brown is scheduled to count for $3 million and it wouldn't cost the Saints anything to cut him.

Carolina. The one bright spot of the youth movement the Panthers went to in recent years is that there aren't many veterans who are obvious candidates to become cap casualties. In fact, I'm looking at the roster and contract information and seeing only one possibility: defensive end Tyler Brayton. He's scheduled to take up $3.8 million in cap space and the Panthers would only take a $666,000 hit if they cut him.

The NFL lockout has prevented trades this offseason. But there’s talk of progress toward a labor agreement and that could open the door for some trades.

Let’s take a look at some NFC South players who could be on the trading block.

Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith. There have been reports Smith cleaned out his locker and the game-day suite his family uses before the lockout started. There also have been reports Smith has asked for a trade. He has said that hasn’t happened, but has been non-committal about his future.

This one is complicated because Smith might be the best player in franchise history and he still has some good years ahead of him. But Smith clearly was unhappy on a struggling young team last year. There has been a coaching change, but the team remains committed to the youth movement. That means things aren’t going to turn around overnight.

If Smith doesn’t want to go through the growing pains, the team is willing to try to move him. But the Panthers aren’t going to simply just give away a valuable offensive weapon. If they’re going to part with Smith, the Panthers would want a decent draft pick (probably no worse than a third-round choice) in return. If they can’t get that, Smith could end up sticking around.

Atlanta wide receiver Michael Jenkins. He became expendable the moment the Falcons drafted Julio Jones. The Falcons wanted a playmaker to pair with Roddy White. Jones fits that profile. Jenkins doesn’t.

But Jenkins could have some value in the trade market. He’s a solid possession receiver, who also is one of the league’s best blocking receivers. Other teams could view him as a starter.

The Falcons have plenty of other depth beyond White and Jones with Harry Douglas, Kerry Meier and Eric Weems and Jenkins could be used to help bring a draft pick for the future or a player for the present.

New Orleans running back Pierre Thomas. Yes, the Saints signed him to a new contract after last season. But it’s not the kind of deal other teams wouldn’t be willing to take on. After drafting Mark Ingram, the Saints have an abundance of running backs. Reggie Bush, Chris Ivory and Lynell Hamilton also are in the stable.

Bush has a huge salary that makes him untradeable. The Saints will either sign him to an extension that spreads out his money or cut him. Ivory and Hamilton don’t have much trade value. Thomas has shown enough that some other team might be willing to make a decent trade offer.

We started the NFC South chat early Friday and, despite the lockout, you came up with all sorts of great questions. Let’s run through some of the highlights.

Rohil Prathap (Atlanta, Ga.): Hey Pat, what do you think are the falcons chances of bringing in Chad Ochocinco? Because ive been hearing alot of rumors that Bob Bratkowski wants to bring him in.

Pat Yasinskas: Bob Bratkowski's the QB coach. Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff make decisions. I know Bratkowski and Ochocinco have history, but Falcons don't have a need. They've got Roddy White, Julio Jones, Michael Jenkins, Harry Douglas, Eric Weems and Kerry Meier. They kind of let Roddy push the envelope a bit with the "diva receiver" personality, but Roddy doesn't have it as bad as most. You bring in Ochocinco and you could lead Roddy down a bad road and ruin what has been very good team chemistry. I don't see this one happening.

Doug (Charlotte, N.C.): Do you think Brandon Hogan can mature and become a shutdown corner for Carolina?

Pat Yasinskas: Understandably, people are questioning his background. But people might not know his whole story yet. Panthers did their homework on him and they obviously think he's a kid who can straighten things out. I'll try to shed more light on this one in the coming weeks.

Ryan (Wilmington N.C.): Pat, even if the lockout lingers..Cam is working hard with Weinke and Dorsey and learning the playbook already.. Do you really think the lockout will affect his chances to start that much?

Pat Yasinskas: You really think Weinke and Dorsey know the current Carolina playbook that well? I'm sure they can help him with some basics, but I think he needs at least a pretty-close-to-full training camp to be ready to start the opener.

Josh (Canada): Pat, if you were running a franchise, would you want to appear on Hard Knocks?

Pat Yasinskas: Depends, if I were the owner, the ticket people or the marketing people, I'd be all for it. If I was the coach, no way.

Jay (St. Pete, Fla.): Any word on Arrelious Benn? I really thought he was coming on strong opposite Mike Williams last year.

Pat Yasinskas: Yep, go back and read post on Rudy Carpenter from a couple days ago. Carpenter's been working out with Benn in California and says he's running well. Said they've also been working on helping Benn get a better grasp of the offense.

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

Time for an evening look at the NFC South headlines.

Carolina linebacker Jon Beason scored a victory in court Thursday. A man had filed a civil suit for damages, saying Beason had hit him in a Charlotte nightclub. Beason countersued and won. He was awarded $1 in damages, which, at the moment puts him on the same pay scale as Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith.

Add the Denver Broncos to the list of teams to decline to be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.’’ Not really surprising because Carolina fans know how Denver coach John Fox is about keeping his team out of the public eye. By the way, we already know the Tampa Bay Buccaneers declined “Hard Knocks.’’ I don’t think any of the other three NFC South teams are in the running. According to officials from each of those teams, they either are not interested in being featured or have not been approached by representatives of the show.

The speculation continues about Chad Ochocinco landing with the Atlanta Falcons. Most of the speculation seems to be centered on the fact Atlanta quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski used to be with Cincinnati and is close to Ochocinco. But I don’t see this one happening. The Falcons just drafted Julio Jones. They’ve already got a top receiver in Roddy White and have some other talent (Harry Douglas, Michael Jenkins, Eric Weems and Kerry Meier) at the position. Besides, Ochocinco has a strong dose of the diva personality that comes with many receivers. White has a touch of that, but the Falcons do a nice job of keeping him in check. Coach Mike Smith is a no-frills guy and I doubt there’d be any reason he would think it would be a good idea to put Ochocinco and White in the same locker room.

Once again, the agent for Tampa Bay rookie defensive end Da’Quan Bowers said his client will be ready for training camp. The agent also disputes reports about Bowers’ knee possibly limiting him to a very short career.

I haven’t met Julio Jones yet and probably won’t until the lockout is lifted and I get up to Flowery Branch, Ga., for minicamp or training camp. But I’m already starting to like the wide receiver the Falcons traded up to get at No. 6 overall in last week’s draft.

I’m basing that entirely on one answer Jones gave in this radio interview with Atlanta’s 790 The Zone. Jones was asked if he’s the typical “diva’’ wide receiver.

“No, not at all,’’ Jones said. “But I didn’t grow up as no diva, either. I used to play running back, so I guess I have that mentality -- just hard-nosed.”

Hard-nosed is good and “diva" receivers can bring lots of headaches. Just look around the league and at recent history. Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, Randy Moss, Keyshawn Johnson -- they all have come with major headaches. In the NFC South, Steve Smith and Roddy White certainly fit the profile, although White generally does it in a relatively harmless and playful way.

In fact, with the exception of New Orleans’ Marques Colston, I don’t think I’ve ever met a wide receiver who was any good that didn’t at least have a pretty strong touch of the “diva personality." I can think of two NFC South receivers in recent years, who showed no similar traits. One was former Carolina receiver Keary Colbert and he played his way right out of town.

The other is Atlanta’s Michael Jenkins. He’s a nice, unselfish role player. But that might be part of the reason the Falcons drafted Jones. Let’s be real honest here: Jenkins still will have a role with the Falcons this year. But if Jones turns out to be anything like what the Falcons envision, Jenkins will be gone in a year or two. The Falcons drafted Jones to take Jenkins’ place.

As much as I rip on “diva" wide receivers, I’ve got to be fair and honest. To be a good wide receiver in the NFL, you need at least a touch of that type of personality. If you’re going to get the ball a lot, you have to want the ball. So we’ll leave a little bit of room for Jones to develop some “diva" tendencies and White can serve as his mentor.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

As three division teams were winning 10 or more games last season, we often discussed the possibility that the NFC South is the best division in the NFL. That topic is always going to be open for debate.

But here’s one thing I think we can say with certainty. The NFC South had a more exciting and interesting 2011 draft than any other division. From the Carolina Panthers' decision to take Cam “Mr. Love Him or Hate Him" Newton to the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints making big trades to get Julio Jones and Mark Ingram to Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers tumbling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round, this draft was filled with huge storylines and intrigue all around the division.

Let’s take a look at the highlights of the NFC South draft:

BEST MOVE

The Saints played it safe with their first-round pick and took defensive end Cameron Jordan. That filled a big need that could become bigger if Will Smith eventually has to serve the four-game suspension that has been hung up in the legal system for a couple of years. But what the Saints did next was the real key to their draft.

They traded back into the first round to take Ingram. The cost was steep. The Saints gave up their second-round pick this year and their first-round choice in 2012. But next year’s first-round pick could be deep in the 20s or 30s if things work out the way the Saints envision.

They already had a trio of role-playing running backs in Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory. Each of those players has certain things he can do well, but none of them is really a complete back. There also are durability concerns because all three were hurt at different parts of the past season, and the Saints ran out of running backs in their playoff loss to Seattle.

Ingram is a do-it-all back and history has shown that, unlike rookie quarterbacks and wide receivers, first-year running backs usually can step right in and make an impact from the start. Ingram already is drawing comparisons to former New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister, and I don’t disagree at all.

RISKIEST MOVE

Although I knew for about a month that the Panthers were pretty much set on Newton, I had my doubts that general manager Marty Hurney actually would pull the trigger when it came right down to it. Hurney and the Panthers have a long history of playing it safe and have taken the conservative approach for the past decade.

There’s nothing conservative about choosing Newton. He’s the classic boom-or-bust prospect. There were character and background questions, but the Panthers looked into that and didn’t see anything that made them back off Newton. There also are questions about Newton being able to adapt to an NFL offense after playing only one year at Auburn in an offense that’s nothing close to a pro-style scheme.

Even the Panthers aren’t sure how Newton will adjust to the pro game. But they’re so sold on the athletic ability and Newton’s upside that they were willing to step totally out of character and take a leap. If Newton is what the Panthers hope, they’ll be able to compete again in the NFC South. If not, this is the kind of move that can get a general manager, who survived a 2-14 season, fired a few years down the road.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

The rumors started flying a few days before the draft that the Falcons were looking to jump into the top 10 and get a receiver. But most people, myself included, kind of dismissed that notion because moving that far up from No. 27 would be too expensive.

The cost was incredibly high, but the Falcons did it because they wanted an explosive receiver like Jones. They gave up their first-round pick this year, along with their second- and fourth-round picks. They also had to include their first- and fourth-round picks in 2012. That got them to No. 6, where they gladly took Jones.

The stunner here was the cost. But it appears the Falcons are going for broke, which isn’t a bad move when you’re coming off a 13-3 season. Atlanta added Jones to a passing attack with Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Matt Ryan, and Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglas as role players. By the way, the Falcons also traded up in the fifth round for Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers. He’s the kind of speed back the Falcons need to pair with Michael Turner and Jason Snelling. I don’t see how this offense can add much more to get better.

Go out and get a pass-rushing defensive end in free agency, and the Falcons truly could be a Super Bowl contender.

FILE IT AWAY

Of all the later-round picks, I think Tampa Bay’s selection of Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker (the Bucs traded up to get him in the fourth round) is the one that could have the most impact. On the surface, the Bucs have a very good tight end in Kellen Winslow. He’s got knee issues, and the Bucs do a nice job of resting him most of the week and getting him on the field on Sundays. But there’s not a lot of depth behind him.

Jerramy Stevens was released last season after his latest off-field incident, and role player John Gilmore probably will depart as a free agent. That means Stocker has a chance to get some playing time pretty quickly. He’s not the receiving threat Winslow is, but Stocker can catch some passes. More important, he’s a strong blocker.

His presence should allow the Bucs to pick and choose their spots for putting Winslow on the field. Stocker can handle some of the obvious running downs and could even prompt the Bucs to use more two-tight end sets, which could add another dimension to the passing game for Josh Freeman.

More than anything, Stocker provides a nice insurance policy in case Winslow’s knees really flare up. He’s a guy who can do a little bit of everything that a tight end should. Yes, the early part of this draft was about defense and that was the correct move for the Bucs. But this franchise is built around Freeman, and this is another example of the Bucs doing everything they can to make sure their young quarterback has a strong supporting cast.

Time for an Easter trip through the NFC South mailbag.

Owen in Chapel Hill, N.C. asks if the Panthers might try to trade for or sign a veteran quarterback as a free agent even if they draft Cam Newton.

Pat Yasinskas: I don’t know for sure, but I think that’s a possibility. When I asked Marty Hurney what kind of support system the Panthers would put in place around Newton, he said he didn’t want to go into any detail until if or when the Panthers draft Newton. But Hurney admitted he’s given a lot of thought to how the team could make Newton’s life easier. One way to do that might be to add a veteran. That guy could even start the season or end up as the starter for the whole season, allowing Newton some time to get comfortable. There are different schools of thought on this. Atlanta threw Matt Ryan into the mix from the start. Tampa Bay made a decision early on that Josh Freeman wouldn’t even get on the field until at least the midway point of his first season. You can’t argue with the results in either of those situations.

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Russell in Asheville, N.C. asks me to name one quarterback who has won a Super Bowl that has a playing style similar to Newton’s. He also said Newton’s a run-first quarterback.

Pat Yasinskas: I’ll give you two – Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers. Now, I’m not saying Rodgers and Newton are the same guy. Rodgers isn’t as big and his style of running is based more on elusiveness, but his feet are a big part of the reason for his success. Talk to scouts around the NFL and ask them to compare Newton to a current quarterback and the name you hear most often is Roethlisberger’s, although you’ll also hear Freeman’s from time to time. Those are both big strong guys and it’s not easy for them to get hurt when they’re running in the open field. But they’re not just runners. They’re very good passers who use their feet to open things up even more in the passing game. Besides, I don’t think Newton will be a run-first quarterback in Carolina’s offense. The Panthers are putting in a scheme similar to San Diego’s and there are no plans to install the Auburn offense. They’re not going to ask Newton to come in and be Michael Vick.

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Robert in Sterling, Va. asks which receivers the Falcons might be interested in early in the draft.

Pat Yasinskas: A lot of people keep throwing out the names of Jerrel Jernigan and Titus Young. Jernigan is 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds. Young is a little taller, but at least 10 pounds lighter. Both guys can fly, but I just have a hard time seeing the Falcons taking an undersized slot receiver in the first round. Those guys, or guys like them could be considerations in the second round or later. If the Falcons go with a receiver in the first round, I think it will be Maryland’s Torrey Smith or Pittsburgh’s Jonathan Baldwin. Both have good size and eventually could develop into upgrades over current starter Michael Jenkins. If you take a receiver in the first round, he better be a guy you think can be a starter in a year or two. Also, I’ve been hearing the names of Smith and Baldwin connected to the Falcons a lot in the past week or so.

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Gur in Edgware, United Kingdom wrote to ponder if Raheem Morris on Twitter might be more entertaining than Roddy White on Twitter.

Pat Yasinskas: Hmm, good question. Morris is a highly entertaining guy and so is White. But the difference is White is a player and Morris is a coach. As much as I’m sure some high-ranking members of the Falcons would like to throw White’s Twitter account in Lake Lanier, he’s a player and he does have certain rights to express himself. Morris is an NFL head coach, which, at least in theory means, he should have a filter and use some discretion. As a member of the media, I really appreciate the fact Morris is entertaining and a good quote because that makes my job more fun. But there are certain times he might be wise to tone things down just a bit.

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Matt in Miami wonders if defensive tackle Phil Taylor would be a good move for the Saints and asks if drafting him would allow the team to move Sedrick Ellis to defensive end.

Pat Yasinskas: I’ve seen the Baylor defensive tackle tied to the Saints in some mock drafts and it wouldn’t surprise me if he landed in New Orleans. But I don’t think the Saints would be drafting him with their main intention being a move of Ellis to defensive end. Ellis is becoming a very good defensive tackle. They also signed Shaun Rogers just before the lockout. Even with those two, the Saints could use another solid defensive tackle. Like most teams, they like to rotate their defensive linemen and Taylor would give them the chance to have a high-quality rotation.

Atlanta Falcons

UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers will have a private workout with the Falcons. Nevada tight end Virgil Green is slated to visit the Falcons this week, too.

Will Michael Jenkins be the No. 2 receiver again this upcoming season? Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com weighs in.

Carolina Panthers

USA Today's Jim Corbett looks at the most likely candidates for the Panthers' first-round pick.

Free-agent running back DeAngelo Williams told a Miami radio station that he needs to know the Panthers' quarterback situation is vastly improved if he is to stay with the team.

New Orleans Saints

With three outside linebackers set to be unrestricted free agents, the Saints could look to address the position in the draft.

Steve Bennett of Canal Street Chronicles recounts his first-ever trip to watch a Saints game in the Superdome.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Miami linebacker Colin McCarthy will work out for the Buccaneers on Monday.

Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times looks at the possibility of the 49ers acquiring Bucs backup quarterback Josh Johnson, who has ties to new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.

The Tampa Tribune looks at 12 emerging stars with dynamic futures, including Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman.

If you know anything about Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith, you know these guys aren’t the types to show a lot of excitement.

They’re calm, methodical and live firmly in a world where public expectations almost always are toned down in a calculated attempt to avoid disappointments. So why was it every time Kerry Meier’s name came up during the NFL owners meeting in New Orleans earlier this week, Dimitroff and Smith sounded -- by their standards -- giddy? They sounded like the clock had been pushed ahead a month and they had just drafted Meier. Or they sounded like they did last year when they really did draft Meier.

Two very mature and understated men couldn’t help themselves from sounding like kids with a new toy when they talked about the guy they drafted in the fifth round (No. 165 overall) last year. Their eyes lit up and their voices carried an extra decibel of excitement when they talked about their hopes for Meier this year.

“He’s a guy who has a really large number of the attributes that translate into success in the NFL,’’ Smith said.

Meier has yet to do a thing in his NFL career, but Smith and Dimitroff expect that to change quickly. They drafted Meier as a wide receiver out of Kansas last year, but they believe they drafted much more than a wide receiver. Meier is one of those guys who can do just about anything on the football field.

He played some quarterback in college. He also made a quick and smooth switch to receiver and put up some huge numbers. He even held for extra points and field goals and served as a backup punter. When the Falcons drafted Meier last year, there was even some talk about him having the ability to play some at H-back or tight end.

All that potential is still there, but the Falcons have yet to have the chance to see it in an NFL game. Drafted only a week after his older brother, Dylan, died in a hiking accident on a family outing, Meier’s rookie season ended before it started. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the preseason and spent the season on injured reserve.

The Falcons aren’t getting regular reports on Meier during the lockout because teams aren’t allowed to have contact with players. But the last medical update on Meier is a big part of the reason Smith and Dimitroff are so excited about his prospects for the upcoming season.

“Kerry has done an outstanding job with his rehabilitation,’’ Smith said. “When we had our end-of-year physicals, Kerry was way ahead of schedule.’’

The mere fact Smith is giving injury updates in March is hugely significant. This is a guy, who like most coaches, usually talks about injuries only in the broadest of terms and the fact he’s saying Meier is way ahead of schedule must mean the receiver could step onto the field at whatever moment the lockout ends.

“I don’t want to lay out any timetable right now, but, yes, Kerry is way ahead of schedule,’’ Dimitroff said. “This is an individual who we are so proud to have on our team because his approach to everything is so top-notch. He’s a quality guy. He’s an intelligent guy and he has the skill set that we’re looking for as the next bigger receiver.’’

Yes, the next bigger receiver could be the next big thing in Atlanta’s offense. Let’s make it clear the Falcons aren’t looking at Meier as the speed receiver so many people think they need. That’s not his game.

He’s 6-foot-2 and 224 pounds and never has been known for his downfield speed. The Falcons can fill that role with Harry Douglas, if the receiver continues to progress from the knee injury that kept him out for the 2009 season or they can go out and draft a speed guy.

Meier’s role isn’t nearly as one-dimensional. The Falcons view him as the jack-of-all-trades receiver veteran Brian Finneran has been. Finneran’s a potential free agent and isn’t likely to be offered a contract to return. That’s because the Falcons believe Meier can do all the things Finneran did and more.

In the short term, the Falcons want to use Meier in a receiver group in which Roddy White is the total package, Michael Jenkins is a complementary player who excels as a possession receiver and blocker and Douglas, Eric Weems and whoever might come in the draft, will compete for the slot-receiver spot.

The plan is to let Meier play a variety of roles to maximize his versatility. Smith isn’t about to give away the playbook, but it’s not hard to imagine Meier getting some time at receiver on running downs or lining up at H-back or tight end. He’s also likely to be a regular on special teams. Heck, it’s not anywhere near a stretch to picture Meier taking on another of Finneran’s former roles -- lining up on defense at safety and using his height to knock down Hail Mary passes or his strength to make an open field tackle in a pinch.

“Kerry and his family went through such a difficult time last summer and then he got hurt,’’ Smith said. “In that kind of situation, a lot of guys would have gone into a shell and just disappeared. Kerry never did. He just threw himself into his rehabilitation and he’s been absolutely hammering it.’’

The long-term plans for Meier could be even more significant. The Falcons believe he can be much more than just a Finneran clone. They view him as a guy who, over time, could develop into a starter because he can do many of the same things Jenkins can do.

But that’s down the road. For now, the Falcons just want to get Meier back on the field and into their offense.

“We got a look at his skill set in training camp and in the preseason games he played in last year,’’ Dimitroff said. “This is a guy we think can really help us in a lot of ways. We want him back. We want him back because we think he can be a very integral part of our offense.’’