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Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from Friday’s NFC South chat.

Free (Pittsburgh): Hey Pat, sort of glad tampa got rid of Winslow because he developed the Antonio Bryant, me first syndrome. I know that we are suppose be a run first team as we always say, but I am expecting big thing from Freeman and Mike Williams. Do you think that both can return to the 2010 form?

Pat Yasinskas: Possible on both. I definitely think Freeman can bounce back. Williams might have been humbled by last year and might come back better. He also might be helped by having Vincent Jackson taking up defensive attention.

Scott (Maine): If the falcons give matt ryan full control of offence I believe with the talet he has he could throw over 4500 yards your thoughts?

Pat Yasinskas: If they let him throw enough, I think that's certainly possible. He's got some great targets in Roddy, Julio and Gonzalez and they might even get some pass receiving yards out of Jacquizz Rodgers this year.

Tom Cruise (Crazy Town): If Cam throws for 4,500 years, but misses the playoffs, will critics still praise him so highly? Personally, I see Alex Smith's point. Stats look great on paper, but wins mean more.

Pat Yasinskas: I see his point too. But why say that publicly if you're Alex Smith?

Eric (Paris, Fr.): Do you feel it's Doug Martin's job to lose or shall we see Blount have the same amount of carries in bucs backfield?

Pat Yasinskas: Blount will still play a role, but my guess is his total carries will drop.

J. White (Georgia): Lots of negative stuff on Atlanta paper's website about Coach Smith being Falcon's problem. That's a pretty big turnaround isn't it?

Pat Yasinskas: Well, he lost his layer of insulation when the coordinators left. The pressure is squarely on him until he wins a playoff game ...or two.

Ryan (Raleigh NC): Pat are the Saints waiting for the bounty gate blow to over then sign Drew Brees to a long term contract to start the season off on a positive note

Pat Yasinskas: I don't think there's any big conspiracy or plot behind it. I think both sides simply just can't agree on a contract -- yet.

Ben (Atlanta): Pat after Kuechly, who would you rate as the most exciting pick the panthers have gotten in 2012?

Pat Yasinskas: Joe Adams because he seems to have the potential to be explosive as a receiver and return man.

Brandon (Lafayette,La) [via mobile]: Are the Saints moving Martez Wilson to de full time or just situationally and is this year that Scott Shanle is moved to his rightfull spot as a back up ?

Pat Yasinskas: They say they're experimenting with Wilson. My guess is he'll be at DE. They've got a whole bunch of LBs now. I think Shanle could end up as backup even if Wilson is at DE.

Sean (NO): What?s the deadline for signing Brent Grimes to a long term deal? That could definitely help out the cap in signing salary cap casualties later.

Pat Yasinskas: July 16 for all franchise players.

Mort (Rural Hall, NC): Any guess who will ultimately win the #2 corner job in Carolina?

Pat Yasinskas: Munnerlyn for now. But, like I said earlier, don't be surprised if Brandon Hogan becomes a factor.

Dale ( Union, MS ) [via mobile]: Who's probable to replace Will Smith, has there been any talk of trying to sign ir trade for defensive line and when abouts will you be covering some of the Saints workouts/camps? Thanks.

Pat Yasinskas: Think they're serious about giving Wilson and Romeus good looks and that might be the answer. Believe I'll be at Saints minicamp June 5 and 6.

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

» AFC Scenarios: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Buccaneers in 2012.

Dream scenario (10-6): This will only happen if coach Greg Schiano makes the transition from college to the NFL more like Jim Harbaugh than Nick Saban or Bobby Petrino. Harbaugh isn’t the norm in this category, but it’s possible Schiano could follow in his tracks. The cupboard isn’t bare, it just needs organizing. The Bucs have assembled a lot of young talent in recent drafts -- Josh Freeman, Gerald McCoy, Brian Price, Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Adrian Clayborn, Mark Barron, Doug Martin and Lavonte David -- and Schiano showed he can build during his time at Rutgers.

The key to it all is Freeman. Is he the quarterback who threw 25 touchdowns and six interceptions in a 10-6 season in 2010 or the guy that threw 22 interceptions and looked awfully anxious last season? Schiano and his staff firmly believe the 2010 version was the real Freeman and they’ve done everything possible to upgrade his supporting cast. They brought in Vincent Jackson to be the No. 1 receiver and guard Carl Nicks to bolster an offensive line that has a chance to be very good. They also drafted Martin and plan to use him as an every-down running back.

If Freeman is for real, he should bounce back strong from last year’s debacle. Lots of coaches and scouts around the league still believe in Freeman, but we’ll soon find out if he still believes in himself or if last year forever shattered his confidence. But even if Freeman improves, the Bucs must be a lot better on defense than they were last season when they allowed more points (494) than any team in franchise history.

Nightmare scenario (4-12): As demonstrated by the likes of Saban and Petrino, NFL players don’t always respond well to hard-charging college coaches. There’s no doubt this team needs some order after the Wild West days of Raheem Morris, but Schiano must get his players to buy into the new order in their worlds or he could be in for trouble. Although ownership showed a willingness to spend in free agency and the Bucs have had some early draft picks in recent years, this job is far from paradise.

Few, if any, of those early draft picks have shown that they are the real deal. Maybe all they need is better coaching, but maybe the Bucs just haven’t drafted very well. If Freeman struggles again, the Bucs suddenly have a quarterback quandary on their hands. If they struggle on offense, there’s no way they can win games in the NFC South. You don’t win a lot of games with defense in the modern NFL and, at least on paper, Tampa Bay’s offense is much more talented than its defense.

If Freeman doesn’t take a step forward and the defense doesn’t show improvement, it will become last season all over again. This is not a franchise that can handle a lot more misery. Attendance has been lacking in recent years, and the Bucs aren’t going to fill up their stadium until they escape obscurity and win consistently.

A look at the top Monday morning headlines from around the NFC South.

Although the Saints have been preaching an “us-against-the-world’’ mentality, Jeff Duncan writes that they risk turning it into “us against us’’ the longer the Drew Brees contract situation drags on. This thing has been lingering for a long time and Brees has started showing some displeasure. The Saints have the upper hand that comes with the franchise tag. But Brees isn’t going to be happy if he has to play for the franchise tag. There are a lot of unhappy people in New Orleans these days. The Saints don’t need the leader of their team going through an entire season in a bad mood.

With Brees staying away from the team’s offseason program, backup Chase Daniel is expected to work with the first team when the Saints hit the field Tuesday. Daniel said he’s ready to try to take advantage of the work with the first team.

Despite the wishes of their fans, the Carolina Panthers haven’t added a veteran receiver to go with Steve Smith. That may be because the Panthers want Brandon LaFell in the No. 2 job. Coach Ron Rivera said he’s encouraged by what he saw out of LaFell last season. But Rivera also made it a point to say LaFell hasn’t arrived. I think that’s a pretty clear message to LaFell that he has to continue to grow.

A league expert said the goal of Jonathan Vilma’s lawsuit against Roger Goodell isn’t so much to technically win as it is to compel the NFL to produce evidence of a bounty program.

New Atlanta linebacker Lofa Tatupu says he has to earn the respect of his new teammates as he attempts to win the starting job in the middle. Tatupu has a big challenge in front of him. He hasn’t played since the 2010 season in Seattle and, in a perfect world, the Falcons would like second-year pro Akeem Dent to win the job. But Tatupu had some very productive years with the Seahawks. If he can get back to that form, he could end up in the starting job.

Mike Williams said that free-agent pickup Vincent Jackson quickly has become the leader of Tampa Bay’s receiving corps. That’s a good thing because Jackson is a proven player and has been productive for a long time. The rest of Tampa Bay’s receiving corps has some potential. But Williams and the other receivers are very young and desperately need a leader to follow.

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

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

OFFENSE

• QB Josh Freeman

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

• FB Erik Lorig

• WR Vincent Jackson

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

• TE Kellen Winslow

• LT Donald Penn

• LG Carl Nicks

• C Jeremy Zuttah

• RG Davin Joseph

• RT Jeremy Trueblood

DEFENSE

• DE Adrian Clayborn

• DT Gerald McCoy

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

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

• OLB Lavonte David

• MLB Mason Foster

• OLB Quincy Black

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

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

• FS Cody Grimm

• SS Mark Barron

SPECIALISTS

• K Connor Barth

• P Michael Koenen

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

• PR Sammie Stroughter

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.

There are pretty common assumptions among Tampa Bay and Carolina fans that the Bucs will take either LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne or Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the fifth overall pick in the draft and Carolina will take a defensive player at No. 9.

That’s all logical and very possible. But I think there’s a wild-card scenario that could play out for either team.

That’s Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. He generally is viewed as the top receiver in the draft and I think the Bucs and Panthers would consider him, if he’s available.

It looks like the Bucs and Panthers apparently are doing their homework on Blackmon. He reportedly will visit both teams prior to the draft.

Although receiver might not be the top need for the Bucs or Panthers, it’s at least a consideration and I could see Blackmon landing with either team.

Tampa Bay added free agent Vincent Jackson. But the Bucs, who want to improve the talent around quarterback Josh Freeman, could be looking to add an upgrade because Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn didn’t have big seasons in 2011.

Carolina has Steve Smith as its No. 1 receiver. Although Smith hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, he is aging. The Panthers need to find an heir apparent. The team has high hopes for David Gettis and Brandon LaFell, but they might not be anything more than No. 2 receivers. Blackmon could be a No. 2 receiver right away and be the heir apparent to Smith as the No. 1 receiver.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just about everywhere you look or listen there is speculation the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be in hot pursuit of wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

It makes sense on many levels, starting with the facts that the Bucs need a true No. 1 receiver and Jackson probably is the best available in free agency. There’s likely to be competition from Chicago and Washington and perhaps some other teams. The San Diego Chargers are also holding out a bit of hope that they can re-sign Jackson.

But the Chargers will only do that if his price tag is somewhere around $11 million a season. If it gets higher than that, he likely will walk and Tampa Bay’s a very logical place for one of the top members of this free-agent class.

The Bucs have about $43 million in salary-cap space and it’s become increasingly clear the Bucs want to do everything possible to put quarterback Josh Freeman in position to succeed. Jackson certainly would help in that regard.

At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Jackson may not sound like the deep threat so many think the Bucs need. But Jackson is a bit of a freak of nature when it comes to his speed, plus he uses his strength to get separation.

Just look at his numbers when it comes to yards per catch. Last season, Jackson averaged 18.4 yards per catch. That’s the second-highest total of his career and the highest (19.7) came in his rookie season when he was used as a third receiver.

That shows Jackson isn’t losing a step, which is a concern for a receiver who just turned 29. It looks like Jackson has several good years left and the Bucs shouldn’t let their infamous history of bringing in receivers scare them off. Jackson’s not Alvin Harper or Bert Emanuel, guys that were No. 2 receivers elsewhere that the Bucs thought could emerge as No. 1 guys. Jackson also isn’t Keyshawn Johnson, Joey Galloway or Antonio Bryant, guys who produced in the short term, but, for various reasons, didn’t last in the long term.

Jackson is a proven No. 1 receiver. Although he had some off-field problems, those appear to be behind him and teammates and media members who have covered him say Jackson doesn’t have the “diva’’ personality so many receivers do. He’s described as very quiet and always has been liked by his coaches.

If the Bucs are going to get Jackson, it likely will cost them around $12-$13 million a year. That’s a lot, but the Bucs have indicated they’re ready to spend money after going lightly in free agency in recent years.

Jackson is the one guy out there that seems like a sure thing. Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace is a restricted free agent and I don’t think the Bucs are looking to give up draft picks. New Orleans Marques Colston isn’t a speed guy and he’s been banged up at times in the past.

If the Bucs don’t get Jackson, then they need to look in a different direction.

Robert Meachem (Saints), Mario Manningham (Giants) and Laurent Robinson (Cowboys) are guys that can stretch the field, but none of them is a true No. 1 receiver, although they'd come at a much lower price tag than Jackson. But even adding a speed guy could make it easier for Tampa Bay’s current group of receivers – Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Dezmon Briscoe, Preston Parker and Sammie Stroughter — to get open.

Tampa Bay sometimes gets a rap as a region that doesn’t care all that much about the Buccaneers. You can point to attendance to back that up. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.

It’s late February and one little bit of news has caused a pretty major buzz in these parts. With Mario Manningham saying he doesn’t expect to return to the New York Giants, there’s suddenly a lot of speculation that he’ll end up in Tampa Bay. I heard a couple guys talking about it at my gym earlier Monday and it’s making the rounds on sports radio.

In one regard, it makes sense. Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was the quarterbacks coach for the Giants the past two years. Before that he coached receivers. He knows Manningham and Sullivan’s offense is likely to be somewhat similar to what the Giants run.

Manningham to Tampa Bay certainly could happen, but I don’t think this is the kind of move that’s going to solve all the Bucs’ problems. Manningham is a good, but not great, receiver. He did play well in the postseason, but he never has caught more than 60 passes in a year.

He might be a good No. 2 or No. 3 receiver, but it’s not a good idea to project a guy like that into the No. 1 spot. The Bucs did that years ago with Alvin Harper and Bert Emanuel and neither worked out all that well.

Plus, Manningham’s style isn’t dramatically different from what the Bucs have in Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn. He could compete with them, push them and maybe share playing time with them. But what the Bucs really need at wide receiver is someone who can stretch the field.

Manningham could be a nice piece in Tampa Bay’s receiving corps. But the Bucs may have their eye on something bigger -- or at least faster -- in free agency. Adding someone like Mike Wallace, Vincent Jackson or DeSean Jackson -- if they hit free agency -- could give the Bucs a piece they need even more.

With the NFL combine kicking off, let’s take a look at several of the potential story lines involving the NFC South during the draft-preparation event:

Double dipping again? Last year, Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik used his first two picks on defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers. The year before that he used his first two picks on defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price. In that same draft, Dominik also took two receivers almost in succession, with Arrelious Benn coming in the second round and Mike Williams in the fourth. If there’s a position where I can see Dominik doubling up this year, it’s cornerback. It’s unclear what the future holds for Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib.

Sitting it out: The Saints and Falcons don’t have first-round picks. But their scouts and coaches should be paying close attention to all the top prospects. You never know who might fall out of the first round, like Bowers did last year. More importantly, there’s no guarantee the Saints or Falcons stay out of the first round. They both have aggressive front offices and both are in a win-now mode. I can see either one trading back up into the first round.

Flip a coin: That literally is what it will come down to in deciding who gets the No. 8 pick and who gets the No. 9 pick between Carolina and Miami. The coin flip will be held Friday in Indianapolis. Carolina general manager Marty Hurney is an extremely superstitious guy and I’m guessing he’s carrying some sort of coin that he thinks is lucky. By the way, Hurney is so superstitious that he’s hoping for the No. 8 pick for another reason besides the fact it’s one spot higher than No. 9. In the 2003 draft, the Vikings failed to turn in their pick on time. The Panthers wound up jumping ahead of them and taking offensive tackle Jordan Gross. He’s had a pretty nice career, so Hurney probably is hoping for a repeat.

In need of a hit: Like coach Mike Smith and quarterback Matt Ryan, Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff is under a bit of pressure if the Falcons don’t advance deep into the playoffs next season. Owner Arthur Blank has said simply making the playoffs isn’t good enough. He wants to contend for the Super Bowl. Dimitroff has had mixed success with his first-round picks. Ryan and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon have worked out pretty well and Julio Jones looks like he can be an elite player. But defensive tackle Peria Jerry and offensive tackle Sam Baker have had their careers stall. Dimitroff is going to be busy in free agency, but he needs to pull a starter somewhere out of this draft and it would be especially nice if that guy was a defensive end or a left offensive tackle.

In need of a pass rush: The problem with new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnulo’s scheme is that the Saints don’t have the personnel to run it effectively yet. Spagnuolo likes to generate almost all his pressure from the front four. Outside of veteran defensive end Will Smith, the Saints don’t have any real pass-rush threats on the line. The Saints almost certainly will address that in the draft.

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

In the aftermath of Tampa Bay’s disastrous 4-12 season, there’s been some media talk that work ethic was a problem for quarterback Josh Freeman, running back LeGarrette Blount and receiver Mike Williams. Charlie Campbell talked with former members of Tampa Bay’s coaching staff. They unequivocally denied there were any issues with Freeman’s work ethic. That’s something anyone who spent any time around the Bucs could have told you. But they didn’t dispute there were problems with Blount and Williams. Those same former coaches complained about an overall lack of talent on the roster in 2011. Funny, but those were the same coaches that were pounding their chests and talking about how they got the Bucs to overachieve when they went 10-6 with a similar roster in 2010.

D. Orlando Ledbetter runs through Atlanta’s list of potential free agents. We all know it includes defensive end John Abraham, linebacker Curtis Lofton and cornerback Brent Grimes. But he also points out wide receiver Harry Douglas, who might be tricky to keep. With Roddy White and Julio Jones clearly the top two receivers in Atlanta, Douglas could end up leaving. He’s stuck as the third receiver in Atlanta, but could have a chance to start elsewhere.

For the first time since coming into the league in 1995, the Carolina Panthers are refining their logo. The colors are staying the same, but there are some minor changes.

Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton was intercepted three times in Sunday night’s Pro Bowl.

You rarely see the drop kick used in the NFL. But the Pro Bowl isn’t a very serious game, so it’s open to experimentation. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees attempted a drop kick Sunday and didn’t come close to making it.

Ira Kaufman has a to-do-list for new Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano. It starts with assembling a coaching staff. That’s a good starting point. Schiano has to act quickly here. Most NFL teams have filled their staffs, and there might not be a lot of experienced NFL coaches out there. Schiano has said he probably will bring some assistants from Rutgers. But he also needs to look long and hard and get some quality NFL assistants.

His 2011 season wasn’t as spectacular as his 2010 rookie campaign, but Tampa Bay’s Mike Williams still was on the field more frequently than any other NFC South wide receiver.

Williams took part in 94.5 percent of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps. He was on the field for 965 of Tampa Bay’s 1,021 offensive plays.

Carolina’s Steve Smith and Atlanta’s Roddy White each played more snaps, but came up short of the percentage of plays Williams was in for. Williams’ percentage of playing time ranked No. 4 in the NFL.

Smith ranked No. 7 in the NFL, taking part in 91.4 percent of Carolina’s snaps. He was on the field for 956 of Carolina’s 1,046 plays. White was involved in 90.5 percent of Atlanta’s offensive plays. He was on the field for 1,020 of Atlanta’s 1,227 offensive snaps.

Let’s take a look at some other NFC South receivers and the playing time they got in 2011:

• Legedu Naanee, Panthers: 70.8 percent.

• Brandon LaFell, Panthers, 65.9 percent.

• Robert Meachem, Saints, 64.4 percent.

• Devery Henderson, Saints, 62.8 percent.

• Julio Jones, Falcons, 62.6 percent.

• Marques Colston, Saints, 57.2 percent.

• Harry Douglas, Falcons, 55.4 percent.

• Arrelious Benn, Buccaneers, 49.2 percent.

• Dezmon Briscoe, Buccaneers, 46.6 percent.

• Preston Parker, Buccaneers, 45.6 percent.

• Lance Moore, Saints, 36 percent.

• Eric Weems, Falcons, 24.1 percent.

• Sammie Stroughter, Buccaneers, 6.66 percent.

• Micheal Spurlock, Buccaneers, 4.7 percent.

• Seyi Ajirotutu, Panthers, 4.59 percent.

• Adrian Arrington, Saints, 4.51 percent.

• Kerry Meier, Falcons, 3.02 percent.

• Armanti Edwards, Panthers. 2.39 percent.

• Kealoha Pilares, Panthers, 2.01 percent.

Stephen Holder raises a very good question that will come into play now that a deal reportedly has been finalized to make Rutgers coach Greg Schiano the new coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- who will be his offensive coordinator?

That, without doubt, will be the most important hire Schiano will make for his staff. He’s a coach with a long defensive background and he needs an offensive coordinator with strong skills to straighten out an offense that wasn’t very good last season, but does have some talent.

The talent starts with quarterback Josh Freeman, who was impressive in 2010, but took a step back in 2011. The new offensive coordinator’s first order of business will be to get Freeman back on track. Same for receiver Mike Williams and running back LeGarrette Blount, who each slumped after strong rookie seasons in 2010.

Tampa Bay has some talent on the offensive line with guard Davin Joseph, center Jeff Faine and left tackle Donald Penn, but could use some other upgrades on the line. The Bucs also have tight end Kellen Winslow, but there are no guarantees he’ll remain in the team’s plans. Winslow also slumped in 2011, has chronic knee problems and is carrying a relatively hefty $4.8 million salary-cap figure for 2012. But the Bucs do have some built in protection if Winslow’s knee problems worsen. Instead of structuring his deal with a hefty base salary, the Bucs included an incentive clause where Winslow is scheduled to receive a bonus of $34,375 for every game he’s active.

It was a big year for offense in the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints set all sorts of records. The Carolina Panthers lit up scoreboards and, when the Atlanta Falcons were on, they sometimes were spectacular.

That made for some difficult choices, but here’s my All-NFC South offense.

Tackle: Jordan Gross, Panthers. He’s getting along in years, but Gross is still the best tackle in the division.

Tackle: Jermon Bushrod, Saints. This was a really tough call because Tampa Bay’s Donald Penn seemed destined for this spot, but his play slipped as the Bucs collapsed and lost their last 10 games. I refuse to put any offensive lineman from Atlanta on this team, so I’m going with Bushrod almost by default. I know he made the Pro Bowl, but I’m not convinced Bushrod is anything more than an ordinary left tackle. But he’s better than any other tackle the NFC South had to offer.

Guard: Carl Nicks, Saints. He might be the best guard in the NFL.

Guard: Jahri Evans, Saints. If Nicks isn’t the best guard in the NFL, then Evans is.

Center: Ryan Kalil, Panthers. He’s becoming a Pro Bowl regular and might be the best center in the league.

Wide receiver: Steve Smith, Panthers. Rookie quarterback Cam Newton came along and revitalized Smith’s career. But I also think Smith deserves a lot of the credit for Newton’s success.

Wide receiver: Marques Colston, Saints. I went back and forth on this one between Colston and Atlanta’s Roddy White and Tampa Bay’s Mike Williams also got some consideration. I’m joking. Williams didn’t get one bit of consideration. White’s numbers were slightly better than Colston’s in terms of catches and receiving yards. But Colston missed a couple games with a broken collarbone and still had very nice numbers in an offense where there are a ton of other options. White had nice numbers, but he didn’t look like the dominant receiver he was a year ago. White led the league in drops.

Tight end: Jimmy Graham, Saints. This one was easy. Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez had a very nice season and is the best tight end in history. But Graham had one of the most prolific seasons ever by a tight end in only his second season. Graham should only continue to get better and, if he stays healthy, he could eventually pass Gonzalez as the best tight end ever.

Fullback: Jed Collins, Saints. In his first real NFL season (Collins was with Cleveland in 2008), he emerged as a steady role player in the league’s best offense. Collins didn’t have much in the way of numbers, but his blocking was a key factor in the offenses’ success. If Atlanta’s Ovie Mughelli hadn’t gotten injured, he’d be in this spot. But Collins is a worthy replacement.

Running back: Darren Sproles, Saints. Sproles ended up with an NFL record for all-purpose yards. Out of the backfield, he contributed as a runner and receiver and created enormous matchup problems for opposing defenses.

Running back: Michael Turner. Yeah, I'm going with two running backs because it's my team, I can want and there are two guys that deserve to be on here. Turner looked slow for most of the second half of the season. But he still rushed for 1,340 yards and 11 touchdowns. That's not a bad season by any measure.

Quarterback: Drew Brees, Saints. He threw for a league-record 5,476 yards and also passed for 46 touchdowns. Brees has been great for a long time, but he took his game to another level. He’s the reason the Saints won 13 games without a defense.

We have a tie when it comes to the best hands in the NFC South.

New Orleans’ Marques Colston and Tampa Bay’s Preston Parker each had a 97.6 catch percentage during the regular season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the catch percentages for wide receivers around the division:

• Brandon LaFell, Panthers, 97.3

• Dezmon Briscoe, Buccaneers, 97.2

• Legedu Naanee, Panthers, 95.7

• Steve Smith, Panthers, 95.2

• Robert Meachem, Saints, 95.2

• Harry Douglas, Falcons, 95.1

• Lance Moore, Saints, 94.5

• Devery Henderson, Saints, 94.1

• Julio Jones, Falcons, 93.1

• Mike Williams, Buccaneers 89.0

• Roddy White, Falcons 87.7