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As we get ready for the start of free agency, let’s have some fun with numbers. Let’s turn to ESPN Stats & Information for some interesting nuggets on players that could be joining or leaving the NFC South.

• Houston defensive end Mario Williams is a player many are speculating could be a target of the Atlanta Falcons. Over the past five seasons, Williams has averaged 0.73 sacks per game. Only Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware (1.0) and Minnesota’s Jared Allen (0.99) have had better averages. Williams, who missed 11 games with an injury last season, has 13.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Ten of those have come when the Texans used four or fewer pass rushers.

• Williams’ ability to make things happen when a defense isn’t blitzing could fill a big hole in Atlanta. The Falcons likely will let veteran defensive end John Abraham depart as a free agent. Abraham’s been Atlanta’s only consistent pass rusher in recent years. Over the last two seasons, all 22.5 of Abraham’s sacks have come when the Falcons have sent four or fewer pass rushers. Only Allen (26 sacks) and Jason Babin (23.5) are ahead of Abraham in that category.

• New Orleans receiver Marques Colston can become a free agent. The Saints would like him back, but might not be able to afford him because they have limited salary-cap room. If Colston leaves, the Saints will be losing a lot. Last season, Colston came up with receptions on a league-high 76.9 percent of his targets. Since entering the NFL in 2006, Colston ranks ninth in receptions (449), eighth in receiving yards (6,240) and seventh in touchdowns (48). Colston has had five 1,000 yard seasons in his six years. Only Randy Moss has had 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons.

• Tennessee cornerback Cortland Finnegan, who has been mentioned as a possible target for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, played all 1,142 defensive snaps the Titans had last year. Finnegan has started 42 consecutive games, the fourth-longest active streak by a cornerback. His 13 interceptions since 2008 tie him for No. 15 in the league.

• Oakland running back Michael Bush, who also has brought speculation he could be pursued by the Buccaneers, had career highs in rushes (256) and rushing yards (977) last season. But Bush’s 3.82 yard-per-carry average was the lowest in the NFL among running backs with at least 200 carries. Bush, however, was effective in short-yardage situations. When needing three or fewer yards for a first down, Bush rushed for 34 first downs. Only LeSean McCoy (47) had more.

With Monday night’s news that wide receiver Randy Moss is going to the San Francisco 49ers, it appears as if the New Orleans Saints are turning back to Plan A.

That’s Marques Colston, who has been the No. 1 receiver since he arrived in 2006. Colston can become a free agent Tuesday afternoon, but there are reports Monday night that he and the Saints are trying to hammer out a deal.

If that happens, it’s good news for the Saints. Colston and quarterback Drew Brees have a strong chemistry and Colston is a respected figure in a locker room that likely will see a lot of change this offseason.

The downside to re-signing Colston, however, is that it probably will diminish the chances of the Saints re-signing guard Carl Nicks. The Saints are tight against the salary cap and a deal for Colston probably means there won’t be enough room to keep Nicks.

The Saints recently had Moss in for a workout, but that likely was Plan B, and Moss only would have been signed if the Saints lost Colston and Robert Meachem.

Reaction to the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program continues to dominate the headlines around the NFC South, although there is some other news. Let’s take a look at Wednesday morning’s top stories from around the division.

Doug Plank said that bounties for hurting players were never part of the system in Buddy Ryan’s famous defense in Chicago in the 1980s. Plank said there were small rewards for big plays or big hits, but said he was never aware of instructions to intentionally hurt an opponent.

Former Carolina safety Mike Minter said the Panthers had an incentive program among players during his career. But Minter said the rewards were for things like defensive players making interceptions or forcing fumbles and players making big plays on special teams. He said there were no incentives for causing injuries.

Randy Moss reportedly performed very well in his Tuesday workout with the Saints. It does not appear that New Orleans has offered the wide receiver a contract and he reportedly could be working out elsewhere in the coming days. But the Saints now have a gauge on what kind of shape the 35-year-old is in and it sounds like they’re impressed. If they lose Marques Colston or Robert Meachem in free agency, the Saints then may decide to make an offer to Moss.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers very quietly signed tight end Chase Coffman, who was out of the NFL last year. This might not turn out to be much of anything because Coffman has had an unproductive career. But signing him is worth a shot because Coffman appeared to have some upside when he was a third-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2009. Coffman also has a friendship with Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman.

Former NFL quarterback Erik Kramer, who played for Ron Turner with the Chicago Bears, had high praise for Tampa Bay’s new quarterbacks coach. Kramer said he thinks Turner will be a big help to Freeman. That’s exactly what the Bucs are hoping for. Despite a disappointing 2011 season, the Bucs still view Freeman as their franchise quarterback and want to get him back on track.

The news that Randy Moss is working out for the New Orleans Saints is big, simply because names don’t come much bigger when it comes to wide receivers.

But I don’t know that a 35-year-old wide receiver who was out of football last season is suddenly going to come in and carry the Saints to a Super Bowl title. I don’t even know if the Saints actually will sign Moss.

What’s happening here is the Saints are looking at possibilities. That’s not a bad idea because they could be losing top receiver Marques Colston when free agency starts next week. They also could lose Robert Meachem, who, while not as prolific as Colston, has become an important cog in the Saints’ rotation of wide receivers.

Moss is worth a look. If he has anything left, he becomes an option if Colston and/or Meachem depart. Like Colston and Meachem, Moss is a taller wide receiver and could pair nicely with shorter receivers Lance Moore and Devery Henderson.

But Moss isn’t a carbon copy of Colston. In his best days -- and it’s been a while since Moss was at the top of his game (2009 in New England was his last good season) -- he wasn’t the same style of receiver as Colston. Moss was a long-striding receiver who could get open deep. Colston has never been that kind of player. But Colston’s real value to the Saints has been in the midlevel passing game. He has dependable hands and his size has allowed him to make a big impact over the middle.

But the reality is that New Orleans’ cap situation could make it impossible for the Saints to keep Colston. Moss likely would come at a cheap price.

The question that’s always been associated with Moss has been, is he worth the trouble, at any price? As we all know, Moss’ enormous talent often has been overshadowed by his behavior. At just about every one of his stops, Moss has gained a reputation for being selfish and not a great influence in the locker room.

But if the Saints lose Colston and Moss shows in his workout that he has some physical skills left, I say go ahead and sign him.

The Saints have taken shots on guys with less-than-stellar reputations in the past and that often has worked out. That’s because the Saints have a different locker room than most teams. They have a locker room that’s run with an iron hand by quarterback Drew Brees.

There’s an unwritten rule in New Orleans that nobody messes with Brees, and everyone in the locker room is held accountable by the quarterback. A lot of people said tight end Jeremy Shockey would be a problem when the Saints brought him in a few years back.

Shockey had pushed Giants quarterback Eli Manning all around when the two were together in New York. But Shockey’s time in New Orleans was relatively peaceful. That’s because Shockey knew he wouldn’t be there long if he crossed Brees or didn’t work up to the standards expected by the quarterback.

It can work the same way with Moss.

Adam Schefter discusses the Saints bringing in former All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss for a workout.

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

Tom Sorensen makes a compelling case for the Panthers to sign receiver Randy Moss, who says he wants to come out of retirement. As Sorensen points out, the Panthers have shown a little more flexibility lately in being willing to take chances on players with reputations (see Cam Newton and Jeremy Shockey) and there’s no doubt Moss has had some issues in his past. But Moss always had the ability to stretch the field and that’s something the Panthers could use to take coverage away from Steve Smith. But they also think third-year pro Brandon LaFell might be ready to blossom and David Gettis will be returning from an injury.

Speaking of compelling arguments and veteran receivers, John Manasso makes a pretty strong case that the Falcons should sign Hines Ward if, as is expected, he is released by the Pittsburgh Steelers. My first reaction was that the Falcons really don’t need to add a receiver who is about to turn 36. But Manasso points to Ward’s strong roots to the Atlanta area, his reputation as a locker-room leader and his experience as a winner. It’s tough to argue that the Falcons couldn’t use a few more players who have experience winning in the postseason.

Speaking of the Falcons and receivers, Atlanta reportedly has denied Jacksonville’s request to interview receivers coach Terry Robiskie for the same job. Former Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey is now Jacksonville’s head coach and he brought quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski along with him as offensive coordinator. Those were steps up and weren’t blocked by the Falcons, but this would have been a lateral move for Robiskie and the Falcons don’t want to lose him.

Roy Cummings writes that new Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was noted for putting players through quirky drills when he was quarterbacks coach of the New York Giants. But the unconventional methods were used to get a conventional result -- sound decision making. That’s what Sullivan will be working to get out of quarterback Josh Freeman.

Wide receiver Randy Moss, who sat out last season, celebrated his 35th birthday Monday by saying he wants to play in the NFL in 2012.

Could he land in the NFC South?

It’s probably a long shot, but I wouldn’t say it’s completely out of the question. Let’s take a look at the possibilities.

Saints. It is possible the Saints could lose top receiver Marques Colston in free agency. If that happens, Moss could be a consideration. Of all the teams in the division, the Saints have shown a willingness to bring in veteran guys. At various times in his career, Moss has been viewed as a locker-room distraction. But that wouldn’t be a huge concern in New Orleans because quarterback Drew Brees runs that locker room with a firm hand and no one challenges him.

Falcons. Atlanta could lose third receiver Harry Douglas in free agency. That would leave the Falcons with a need to get someone to complement Roddy White and Julio Jones. The Falcons clearly are in a win-now mode. This is the kind of move I could not have seen them considering a couple of years ago, but it’s a different time for the Falcons.

Panthers. General manager Marty Hurney generally isn’t the type of guy who goes out and signs 35-year-old receivers with some baggage. But the Panthers are clearly trying to give franchise quarterback Cam Newton as many weapons as possible. I doubt Moss is the top priority and the Panthers do have some hope that Brandon LaFell will blossom in his third season and David Gettis will come back strong from an injury. Look for the Panthers to add a receiver in the draft or free agency. But, if they can’t find what they want and Moss remains available in the late spring or summer, he could become a possibility to complement Steve Smith.

Buccaneers. A 35-year-old receiver doesn’t fit Tampa Bay’s youth movement. Moss also doesn’t seem like the kind of guy new coach Greg Schiano would want as he tries to clean up a locker room that has had some issues and needs stronger leadership. But the Tampa Bay receivers struggled to get separation last season. Stretching the field is one thing Moss always has been able to do.

All indications are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t ready to end their search for a head coach. Monday will mark the three-week anniversary of Raheem Morris’ firing.

Since then, the Bucs seemingly have been talking to anyone (almost everyone), but don’t appear close to making a hire. They could be waiting to talk to more coaches that are still involved in the postseason. Or they soon could be narrowing their lengthy list and bringing a few candidates back for second interviews.

What we do know is that by the end of this week the Bucs will have interviewed at least eight candidates. We don’t know exactly how those candidates stack up in the team’s eyes.

But I’m going to give you my rankings of the candidates that are known to have interviewed or are expected to interview by the end of the week. I'm factoring in some insight on what it appears the Bucs are looking for in an ideal candidate. I’ve also talked to coaches and front-office types who have worked with some of the candidates as well as media members who have covered them.

So let’s take a look at my list:

1. Mike Sherman. Even before Morris was fired, Sherman’s name was tied to this job. Part of it was due to the fact Sherman uses the same agent as general manager Mark Dominik, who undoubtedly is going to have a big say in this hire. The Bucs want a cohesive relationship between their front office and the coaching staff and all indications are Sherman and Dominik would work well together.

But there are more reasons why Sherman remains No. 1 on my list. The first is that he’s almost exactly the opposite of Morris in just about every way and that appears to be what the Bucs want. Sherman is 57 with lots of experience. Although his most recent job was a lackluster tenure at Texas A&M, he has been an NFL head coach before. A lot of people tend to forget Sherman’s time in Green Bay was pretty productive.

He produced a winning record in five of his six seasons. He comes from an offensive background and I think that scores points with the Bucs. Tampa Bay needs quarterback Josh Freeman, who it wants to be the foundation of the franchise, back on track after a disappointing 2011 season.

Also, there’s the fact that Sherman is a strong disciplinarian, another thing Morris was not.

2. Mike Zimmer. Like Sherman, Zimmer is mature and would clean up the lack of discipline and accountability that plagued the Bucs under Morris. Zimmer hasn’t been a head coach, but he’s got a long résumé as a defensive coordinator -- he's currently working in Cincinnati with stints in Atlanta and Dallas before that. Zimmer is universally respected in league circles and the only potential knock against him for this job might be that he doesn’t come with an offensive background.

But Zimmer could end up with this job if he can convince the Bucs he can bring in a strong offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

3. Tom Clements. He’s 58 and has never been an NFL head coach and only did a two-year stint as a coordinator in Buffalo, but he still has pretty strong credentials. He’s been the quarterbacks coach of the Green Bay Packers for six seasons and you could say that coaching Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers is a lot like being the Maytag repairman. But those who know him well say Clements is a big part of the reason the Packers made such a strong transition from Favre to Rodgers.

Prior to joining Green Bay, Clements was quarterbacks coach in Pittsburgh, Kansas City and New Orleans. He also played quarterback at Notre Dame (back when the Notre Dame quarterback pedigree meant a lot) and was a Hall of Fame player in the Canadian Football League.

Clements, who also is an attorney, is known for his no-nonsense approach.

4. Marty Schottenheimer. If you based it only on experience, which obviously is a big factor, Schottenheimer would be the hands-down choice. He spent 26 years as an NFL head coach, with stints with the Browns, Chiefs, Redskins and Chargers. Schottenheimer’s career record is 327-200, which almost makes it easy to overlook his 5-13 postseason record. Freeman potentially could be better than any quarterback Schottenheimer ever worked with (and that includes Drew Brees only as he was in San Diego, not after he got to New Orleans).

But Schottenheimer is the one candidate who age could work against. He’s 68 and hasn’t coached in the NFL since 2006. He’s been a successful builder before, but can he do it again at this age?

5. Rob Chudzinski. At 43, he’s the youngest of the known candidates. He had a two-year stint as offensive coordinator in Cleveland and helped Derek Anderson (yes, that Derek Anderson) get to a Pro Bowl. But Chudzinsk’s a hot name right now almost entirely because of his work in his first season in Carolina.

Without an offseason program, he installed an entirely new offense and rookie quarterback Cam Newton had a record-setting season. If Chudzinski did that for Newton, the Bucs have to be imagining what he could do with Freeman. But Chudzinski also would have to convince the Bucs he could bring them a proven defensive coordinator.

6. Jerry Gray. He currently is the defensive coordinator in Tennessee and had a pretty successful run as coordinator in Buffalo when Gregg Williams was the head coach. Williams also has a strong background as a secondary coach.

Gray also had a good NFL career as a defensive back and finished his playing career with the Bucs in 1993. The fact that he’s a former player helps his candidacy because he can relate to players. But the fact that he is 49, means that unlike Morris, he would not be a contemporary to the players.

7. Joe Philbin. The offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, Philbin already has had a second interview for the job as Miami’s head coach. Philbin has led a very good Green Bay offense since becoming coordinator in 2007. But head coach Mike McCarthy has handled play-calling duties. Although Philbin had 19 years of experience in the college ranks, the Packers are the only NFL team he has worked for. His rise has been pretty rapid. Philbin joined the Packers (then coached by Sherman) in 2003 as an assistant offensive line coach and became tight ends coach the next year. He later became offensive line coach for one season before becoming coordinator.

8. Brad Childress. Yes, Childress had some success as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He had a winning record in two of his five seasons, but his tenure was marked by inconsistency and turbulence, including the fiasco in which Randy Moss returned to the Vikings. Some who have covered Childress say stability isn’t necessarily his biggest strength. In Minnesota, he seemed prone to go with the quick fix, bringing in Favre and begging him to stay for a second season. That’s the kind of approach that could remind the Bucs, who are going to remain committed to building through the draft, a little too much of the Jon Gruden era, in which there never seemed to be a long-term plan.

Before joining the Vikings, Childress was offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. But head coach Andy Reid called the plays. I do think there’s a chance Childress could be hired by Tampa Bay, but as the offensive coordinator for one of the other candidates.

Let’s take a look at some statistical highlights from the Atlanta Falcons’ 31-23 victory against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday:

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Bob Donnan/US PresswireAtlanta QB Matt Ryan said he's hoping that some added muscle will help him be more effective in late-season games.
• Running back Michael Turner gained 76 yards on 21 carries. That gives Turner 1,068 rushing yards for the season. Turner has run for more than 1,000 yards in three of his four seasons in Atlanta, including each of the past two seasons.

• Coach Mike Smith now has a 6-2 record against Carolina.

• The Falcons are now 17-3 (.850) following a loss since Smith arrived in 2008. In that time frame, only New England has a better winning percentage (.867) after a loss.

• The Falcons scored 24 straight points in the second half after trailing by as many as 16 points. This represents the fourth-largest comeback in franchise history.

• Matt Ryan now has 16 career game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime.

• Ryan tied a career high with four touchdown passes. Ryan is now second in franchise history with 89 touchdown passes. He passed Chris Chandler and Chris Miller, who each had 87 touchdown passes while with the Falcons.

• Ryan finished with a 120.5 NFL passer rating. It was the fifth time this season Ryan had a passer rating above 100. Since Ryan’s arrival in 2008, the Falcons are 21-0 when his passer rating is above 100.

• Ryan now has thrown at least one touchdown in 12 straight games and in 27 of his past 28 games.

• Rookie receiver Julio Jones caught three passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Jones is the second rookie in NFL history to twice have a 100-yard game with a 30-yard per catch average and two touchdowns in one season. The only other player to do that was Randy Moss in 1998.

• Tight end Tony Gonzalez had seven catches for 82 yards and now has 13,275 career receiving yards. Gonzalez moved into 11^th place on the all-time list, passing Andre Reed (13,198 yards). Gonzalez needs 108 yards to pass Torry Holt and move into the top 10.

• Receiver Roddy White caught his sixth touchdown pass of the season. White now has caught a touchdown in each of the past three games.

• White went over the 500-catch mark for his career. He now has 502 receptions and that puts him second on the franchise’s all-time list. Terance Mathis (573) is the team’s all-time leader.

• Rookie running back Jacquizz Rodgers caught the first touchdown pass of his career. Ryan has thrown touchdown passes to eight different receivers this season.

• Second-year linebacker Sean Weatherspoon continues to emerge as a standout. Weatherspoon had nine tackles, a sack and two tackles for losses. Weatherspoon leads the Falcons in tackles for losses with 13.

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

The Panthers are confident in Chris Gamble as their No. 1 cornerback. That’s a bit surprising because Gamble was benched late last season by former coach John Fox and appeared to struggle at times this preseason. But the new coaching staff said it’s comfortable letting Gamble cover the opposing No. 1 wide receiver. Gamble did a pretty decent job containing Larry Fitzgerald in the opener against Arizona. Then again, Gamble is taking up more than $9 million in salary-cap space, so he should be contributing.

It wasn’t exactly a prediction, but Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis did say the Panthers “should come away with a victory’’ Sunday against the Packers. Quick refresher, but the Packers won the Super Bowl last season and the Panthers went 2-14. It’s a long shot, but consider Davis’ optimism another sign of the fresh energy coach Ron Rivera has brought to the Panthers. At least this season's Panthers believe they have a chance to win.

New Orleans coach Sean Payton had a little fun with the media. There had been some reports that the Saints were pursuing Randy Moss after Marques Colston suffered a broken collar bone. Payton brought practice-squad receiver Montez Billings, who looks a little like Moss, over to the sideline and said he was available for interviews. The Saints say they’re not interested in Moss or any other receiver. They’re comfortable with their depth at the position.

Speaking of the Saints and receivers, Lance Moore, who has been sidelined with a groin injury, said he’s feeling better and is optimistic about playing Sunday.

Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris continues to try to explain why running back LeGarrette Blount was barely on the field when the team went to its two-minute offense in the season opener. "Right now, it would be tough to throw LeGarrette out there in those situations,’’ Morris said. “LeGarrette is a down hill, two back, dot-the-eye one back, running-the-power-stuff kind of guy. To ask him to go out there in those situations wouldn't be fair to him or our football team.'' Morris isn’t leaving a lot to be read between the lines. He’s flat-out saying Blount isn’t prepared to handle the pass-protection responsibilities the Bucs ask of their running back in the two-minute offense.

Tampa Bay defensive tackle Brian Price, who came back from surgery on his pelvis, drew high praise from Morris. Price played well in the opener and Morris said he will start next to Gerald McCoy on Sunday. Technically, Price also started the opener, but that was because of the defensive package the Bucs used to open the game. But Price’s rise up the depth chart signals his comeback is complete. It also allows the Bucs to line up McCoy and Price, the team’s top two draft picks from last year, together.

Jeff Schultz writes that Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan could get the biggest win of his career Sunday if the Falcons defeat Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. That might not be too far off, although I think Ryan’s win in New Orleans last season was pretty big. But Vick’s history in Atlanta adds to the hype of this game. Still, I’m not sure any Ryan victory firmly qualifies as a defining moment, unless it comes in the postseason.

CHICAGO -- As I head back to NFC South blog headquarters, let’s take a run around the NFC South.

Gene Wojciechowski writes about how Cam Newton’s record-setting debut is giving the rest of the Carolina Panthers hope.

Tom Sorensen said football is exciting and fun again for Carolina fans. That’s almost entirely due to Newton.

The agent for receiver Randy Moss said he hasn’t heard anything from the Saints. New Orleans will be without Marques Colston for a bit as he recovers from a broken collarbone. Lance Moore also was sidelined for the opener with a groin injury.

Jacquizz Rodgers got some playing time for the Falcons, but the rookie didn’t do a lot. That doesn’t matter in Oregon, where the debut of a late-round draft pick was such big news that the local paper sent a columnist to Chicago.

Although Aqib Talib did return an interception for a touchdown, Stephen Holder writes that Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson still got the better of the Tampa Bay cornerback.

Jeff Schultz writes about how the Falcons showed no explosiveness against the Bears. This wouldn’t be that big a deal if Atlanta hadn’t spent the entire offseason talking about being more explosive.

Martin Fennelley writes about Tampa Bay’s offense, supposedly the team’s bright spot, having a very disappointing day.

Let’s take a plunge into the NFC South mailbag.

Joshua in Canton, N.C., asks if the Panthers will pursue a wide receiver in free agency and wonders if they’ll go that route only if Steve Smith leaves.

Pat Yasinskas: With or without Smith, the Panthers are pretty high on young receivers David Gettis and Brandon LaFell. If Smith is gone, they’ll be the starters. If he stays, they’ve got a pretty good trio of receivers. While I could see Carolina adding a receiver if Smith leaves, I don’t think it will be a big name. The Panthers want Gettis and LaFell on the field as much as possible. They also have second-year pro Armanti Edwards. As a former college quarterback, Edwards is a project, but the team wants to give him a chance to contribute as a receiver this year.

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Richard in Arbor Mich., says that the possibility of a four-game suspension for Will Smith could force the Saints to keep Alex Brown.

Pat Yasinskas: True, Smith could be suspended and that increases the chances of the Saints keeping Brown. They added rookie Cameron Jordan in the draft, but they don’t know for sure what he’ll bring. Brown isn’t spectacular, but he’s a solid player. And while his $3 million cap figure is a bit high, the Saints will probably keep him.

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Wade in Chicago takes exception to Jerry Kramer’s comments that Drew Brees hasn’t faced any of life’s hardships.

Pat Yasinskas: I agree. Brees has endured plenty. He had a major shoulder injury and was forced out of San Diego. He also has had some family issues, including the death of his mother. Brees has endured all that as well as possible.

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Ryan in Durham, N.C., wonders about the possibility of Randy Moss landing with the Saints.

Pat Yasinskas: The Saints have been known to take chances on guys with baggage. Moss reportedly is in great shape and highly motivated. I wouldn’t rule this one out.

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Ned in parts unknown asks how good Atlanta linebacker Sean Weatherspoon can be.

Pat Yasinskas: Weatherspoon was starting to show some real promise before injuries slowed him down as a rookie. He should be starting off healthy this year, and the Falcons believe he can be the type of linebacker who makes big plays. I think you’ll see him have a much bigger impact this year.

We already have talked quite a bit about players from the NFC South who are expected to become unrestricted free agents. We’re going on the assumption that players not under contract who have at least four accrued seasons can become unrestricted free agents.

With that in mind, and with some help from ESPN Stats & Information, let’s take a look at some of the more prominent potential free agents from the rest of the league.

QUARTERBACKS: Marc Bulger, Kerry Collins, Rex Grossman, Matt Hasselbeck, Patrick Ramsey, Alex Smith, Billy Volek, Kellen Clemens, Brodie Croyle, Trent Edwards, Bruce Gradkowski, Tarvaris Jackson, Matt Leinart, Troy Smith and Tyler Thigpen.

RUNNING BACKS: Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, Kevin Faulk, Mewelde Moore, Sammy Morris, Clinton Portis, Dominic Rhodes, Tony Richardson, Kevin Smith, Darren Sproles, Fred Taylor, Brian Westbrook, Ricky Williams, Joseph Addai, Ahmad Bradshaw, Jerome Harrison, Brandon Jackson, Laurence Maroney and LeRon McClain.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Mark Clayton, Braylon Edwards, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Randy Moss, Santana Moss, Terrell Owens, Donte’ Stallworth, Steve Breaston, Malcom Floyd, Santonio Holmes, James Jones, Sidney Rice, Mike Sims-Walker, Brad Smith and Steve Smith (of the New York Giants, not the Steve Smith of Carolina).

TIGHT ENDS: Desmond Clark, Donald Lee, Randy McMichael, Bo Scaife, Kevin Boss, Owen Daniels, Daniel Fells, Zach Miller, Ben Patrick and Matt Spaeth.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: David Baas, Jammal Brown, Robert Gallery, Adam Goldberg, Kyle Kosier, Olin Kreutz, Matt Light, Sean Locklear, Casey Rabach, Chris Spencer, Langston Walker, Casey Wiegmann, Floyd Womack, Damien Woody, Chris Chester, Jeromey Clary, Daryn Colledge, Willie Colon, Doug Free, Jared Gaither, Charlie Johnson, Deuce Lutui, Samson Satele, Lyle Sendlein and Marshal Yanda.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES: Aubrayo Franklin, Tommie Harris, Chris Hoke, Chris Hovan, Kris Jenkins, Bryan Robinson, Gerard Warren, Jamal Williams, Pat Williams, Alan Branch, Barry Cofield, John McCargo and Brandon Mebane.

DEFENSIVE ENDS: Jason Babin, Dave Ball, Raheem Brock, Andre Carter, Shaun Ellis, Cullen Jenkins, Travis LaBoy, Trevor Pryce, Marcus Spears, Ray Edwards and Mathias Kiwanuka.

LINEBACKERS: Akin Ayodele, Keith Bulluck, Kevin Burnett, Dhani Jones, Kirk Morrison, Julian Peterson, Matt Roth, Takeo Spikes, Jason Taylor, Mike Vrabel, Stewart Bradley, Bobby Carpenter, Manny Lawson, Paul Posluszny, Ernie Sims and Stephen Tulloch.

CORNERBACKS: Nnamdi Asomugha, Phillip Buchanon, Chris Carr, Drayton Florence, Ellis Hobbs, Carlos Rogers, Lito Sheppard, Ike Taylor, Fabian Washington, Drew Coleman, Antonio Cromartie, Chris Houston, Johnathan Joseph, Dimitri Patterson, Josh Wilson and Eric Wright.

SAFETIES: Aaron Francisco, Ken Hamlin, Michael Lewis, Brandon McGowan, Quintin Mikell, Lawyer Milloy, Brodney Pool, Gerald Sensabaugh, Roy Williams, Gibril Wilson, Atari Bigby, Melvin Bullitt, Abram Elam, Dashon Goldson, Michael Huff, Dawan Landry, Danieal Manning, Bernard Pollard, Eric Weddle and Donte Whitner.

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.

Time for a quick leap into the NFC South mailbag.

Justin in San Francisco asks whether compensatory picks still will be issued in a lockout and what the Panthers might expect as compensation for losing Julius Peppers.

Pat Yasinskas: All indications are the compensatory picks will be announced, as usual, at the NFL meeting. That starts Monday in New Orleans, and I’ll be there. I’ll share the picks with you as soon as I get them. I think it’s pretty safe to assume the Panthers will get a third-round pick to compensate for Peppers. Just a reminder, teams can't trade compensatory picks.

Alan in Daytona Beach, Fla., asks whether the Bucs should make a play for Randy Moss and says he could help the development of Josh Freeman.

Pat Yasinskas: No, don’t do it! Alan’s question also mentioned the injury to Arrelious Benn as another reason the Bucs could look to Moss. But all indications are that Benn’s injury is healing well and that he should be fine for the start of the regular season. The Bucs also have some other young receivers, like Dezmon Briscoe and Sammie Stroughter, they like. Of course, Mike Williams already is established as the No. 1 guy. Moss comes with way more downside than upside. Yeah, he still might be able to make some plays, but the guy can disrupt a locker room. If you look at the way the Bucs approached last season, it sure looked like they wanted to surround Freeman with a group of young receivers and let them grow up together. That seemed to work very nicely. Why mess up a good thing? If the Bucs want to add another receiver somewhere later in the draft, fine. But they don’t need any more than that.

Bryson in Atlanta wonders whether the Falcons should make a play for Moss.

Pat Yasinskas: See the above answer and now we’ll tailor it to Atlanta’s situation. Coach Mike Smith is a big believer in chemistry in the locker room. Top receiver Roddy White is a unique character and he’s thrived in recent years. Like a lot of receivers, White has a personality that sometimes can push the envelope a bit. But Smith does a nice job keeping that in check. If you throw Moss into the equation, you push the chances of White or Moss really stepping into “throw me the ball’’ territory. Atlanta can get a speed receiver in the draft and still use Michael Jenkins and some other guys as decent role players. No need to do anything too dramatic here.

Dave in Valdosta, Ga., wrote to ask whether there is any chance of the Bucs trading backup quarterback Josh Johnson and picking up a veteran such as Marc Bulger.

Pat Yasinskas: I’d be all for it. If the Bucs could actually get any draft pick for Josh Johnson, I’d take that. I’d like to see them have a dependable veteran backup like Bulger, who seems to have the personality to handle such a role after being a starter much of his career. However, that’s just my opinion, and I don’t think you’ll see anything like this happen. Raheem Morris and his staff seem to be content with Johnson.

Zach in Peachtree City wrote to say he thinks the Panthers official website has been writing a lot about Patrick Robinson lately and asks whether that’s a sign Carolina could be looking to take the cornerback with the first overall pick.

Pat Yasinskas: Can’t speak for the team’s official website. But let’s just say that most teams are pretty controlling of their own sites. It’s highly unlikely any team is going to telegraph its draft plans, and I can assure you that doesn’t fit Marty Hurney’s profile. In fact, I’d be more inclined to say what you’re seeing is a smoke screen.