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In reality, the New Orleans Saints traded Reggie Bush to the Miami Dolphins for a compensation package that we aren’t fully aware of yet. In theory, the Saints traded the running back straight up for Darren Sproles.

He’s the running back/return man the Saints agreed to a contract with just hours after agreeing to the Bush deal.

“You look at Reggie’s athleticism and the match-up problems that he provided for us. Sproles is that same guy,’’ quarterback Drew Brees said Friday. “I would say that Sproles’ experience, he has been in the league for six years, he’s been a part of some very good football teams in San Diego, he’s played in some clutch games and come up with some clutch plays in those games. Here is a guy who has been there and done that and is in the prime of his career. I think he maybe even adds an element that we haven’t had.’’

Brees knows more than a little about Sproles. Brees’ final season with the Chargers was Sproles' rookie season. They trained together in San Diego this offseason. As the Saints began their pursuit of Sproles, Brees was enlisted as a recruiter. He called and texted the running back several times and the message was clear.

“We need you baby, come join us, you’ll fit in great, win a championship, lets break some records, let’s do something special, let’s go,’’ Brees said he told Sproles. “I pulled out all the stops. I think that what we have built here, our organization, is a culture that guys want to be a part of.’’

A lot of players don’t like to compare one guy to the next. But Brees was happy to compare Sproles to Bush.

“When you look at those (two) guys’ skills, I think they are very similar in a lot of ways,’’ Brees said. “As I look at our offense and the way that we would plug him in, we will plug him in the exact same way we would Reggie and even be able to do more things.’’

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.

Hopefully, this will be the last update of the night, but it’s a fairly significant one.

According to multiple reports, the New Orleans Saints have agreed to terms with former San Diego Chargers running back/return man Darren Sproles. Reportedly, it’s a four-year deal worth $14 million.

That came only hours after the Saints agreed to trade Reggie Bush to the Miami Dolphins. It’s no coincidence. Sproles is an ideal replacement for Bush. Although undersized, he has the ability to run outside, catch passes out of the backfield and help in the return game.

Sproles is likely to take on many of the same roles Bush had as he shares backfield time with rookie Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory.

Mike Triplett reports that the New Orleans Saints have expressed interest in San Diego free-agent running back Darren Sproles.

After working out a pending trade of Reggie Bush to the Miami Dolphins, the Saints could use someone like Sproles. With rookie Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory, the Saints would seem to have a crowded backfield.

But Ingram, Thomas and Ivory aren’t as versatile as Bush and can’t do nearly as much as he did as a receiver. They also don’t have Bush’s ability to make things happen in the open field or in the return game.

Sproles has all that. He’s sort of a miniature version of Bush and could be a perfect fit in New Orleans’ offense. If he can be had for a miniature portion of Bush’s old schedule salary of $11.8 million or even the $5 million a year Bush reportedly will get in Miami, that could make this deal a reality.

You can’t pay a third-down back/return man $5 million a year. But, if you can get him for somewhere around $3 million a year, there’s good value.

One of the worst things about the lockout was that I didn’t hear very much from my friends at ESPN Stats & Information. Well, they’re back at it now and going full blast.


They just passed along some really interesting stuff on Reggie Bush, who is being traded from the New Orleans Saints to the Miami Dolphins. Whether you thought he was a bust or not, I think we’d all have to agree Bush, at least at times, played a significant role in New Orleans’ offense.

But some of the numbers that were passed along to me suggest the Saints can be just as good -- or better -- without Bush. They already have been.

Since joining the team in 2006, Bush missed 20 games. In those games, the Saints went 13-7. That’s a .650 winning percentage. In games Bush played, the Saints went 36-24 (.600).

But we have much more than that. In games with Bush since 2006, the Saints averaged 25.9 points. Without him, they averaged 29.8. In games Bush played, the Saints averaged 377.4 yards per game. When he didn’t play, they averaged 419.8.

The Saints completed 66.5 percent of their passes when Bush played. When he didn’t, they completed 67.6.

As we try to stay on top of the frenzy, let's take another run through the latest headlines around the NFC South.

Carolina defensive end Greg Hardy will miss at least the first two weeks of training camp after suffering injuries in a recent motorcycle accident in Tennessee. Don’t be surprised if there are more stories similar to this around the league as players report to training camp. Teams couldn’t have contact with players during the lockout, so it’s possible there are other unknown injuries out there.

Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman briefed offensive coordinator Greg Olson on what the team accomplished in players-only workouts while dining with a group of players and coaches. Also at the dinner were free-agent offensive linemen Davin Joseph and Jeremy Trueblood, which would indicate the Bucs want to re-sign both.

Jeff Duncan writes that part of the reason Reggie Bush left New Orleans for Miami is because he wants to be “the man’’. Time will tell if Bush can handle that role after being a role player and often injured in New Orleans. Duncan also reports that Tampa Bay was in the mix in trade talks about Bush.

Although many assume the South Beach scene might be another reason Bush wanted to go to Miami, he told Lynn Hoppes that’s not the case. Bush said he’s not into partying.

In this Insider post, Football Outsiders ranks the Buccaneers as the league’s No. 1 organization. That’s based on talent that’s under 25. Freeman is 23, so that’s about 80 percent of the reason the Bucs are No. 1.

National Football League Players Association president Kevin Mawae said players are still fighting for amnesty for off-field incidents during the lockout. He said that’s one of the final pieces in play as the final edition of the new labor agreement is being worked out. Players don’t want to be subject to the league’s personal conduct policy during the time they were locked out. If they get their way, that could be good news for Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib, who was charged with aggravated assault in Texas in March.

We still don’t know exactly what the Saints will be getting from the Dolphins in exchange for Reggie Bush. But we do know that safety Jonathon Amaya is at least part of the package, according to ESPN’s John Clayton.

Although veteran safeties Roman Harper and Darren Sharper are free agents, I wouldn’t go reading too much into the Amaya acquisition. He might have some upside, but he appeared in only 10 games as a backup last season. At best, he can begin his time with the Saints as a backup safety and special-teams player.

In other Saints news, defensive tackle Remi Ayodele has agreed to terms with the Vikings. Ayodele became expendable with the signing of Shaun Rogers prior to the lockout

The Saints also reportedly have agreed to terms with seventh-round draft picks Greg Romeus and Nate Bussey.

Reggie Bush is leaving the New Orleans Saints for the Miami Dolphins. The teams reached an agreement on a trade Thursday morning.

That wraps up Bush’s time with the Saints. Some say the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 draft was a bust. I disagree with that. Although he never lived up to the hype associated with his draft status, Bush had a big impact at times.

He wasn’t the traditional running back. He did a lot of different things, running to the outside, catching passes out of the backfield and getting lots of work as a return man. At times, he was dynamic. At other times he was a non-factor.

Does that make him a bust?

Time for your opinion. Take a look at our Call It poll to the right and cast your vote.

The Reggie Bush era in New Orleans is over.

Adam Schefter reports Bush has agreed to a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, a deal that clears the way for the Saints to trade the player they drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2006. We don’t know all the details of what the Saints will receive as compensation yet (Miami defensive back Jonathon Amaya reportedly is part of the deal), but anything they get is better than nothing, which is what they would have received if they simply cut Bush.

Also of significant importance, the Saints don’t have to pay Bush the $11.8 million he was scheduled to make in base salary this season. Throughout the offseason, the Saints implied they would like to keep Bush with a restructured contract. But Bush began throwing out mixed signals about his desires from the moment the team drafted running back Mark Ingram in the first round.

Although some people have called Bush a flat-out bust, I don’t think that’s an accurate portrayal of his time in New Orleans. He never put up the kind of huge numbers that you would expect from a running back drafted so early.

Part of that was due to injuries. Part of that was because Bush just wasn’t big enough to handle 25 carries a game between the tackles.

But it’s unfair to say Bush’s time with the Saints was a waste. He had his moments. He made some game-changing plays and his presence on the field always drew the attention of defenses. He had an impact, but it just wasn’t as big as you’d expect from someone with his draft position.

Now, the Saints will move on. Bush’s departure clears room in what was a very crowded backfield. The Saints have Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory.

It has been 22 hours since we’ve heard anything close to an update from Reggie Bush on his verified Twitter account, which seems to be the running back’s preferred method of communication.

“I hate this …’’ Bush wrote. Then, he followed that up with “So stressful."

We’ve heard nothing out of the Saints and there haven’t been any media reports on what’s going to happen with Bush. But something has to give pretty soon. There’s no way the Saints are going to keep Bush at his $11.8 million base salary and $16 million cap figure. He either has to agree to a new contract that would be cap friendly or the Saints will release him and let Bush take his chances in free agency.

As we wait for something to happen, let’s take a look at some stuff on Bush from ESPN Stats & Information. If Bush is cut by the Saints, he will earn a spot in history. If he is cut by the Saints, Bush’s 2,090 rushing yards would be the fifth fewest by a running back drafted in the top two while with the team that drafted him. Cincinnati’s Ki-Jana Carter (747 yards) holds the record.

On the plus side, Bush has been one of the top receiving threats among running backs since entering the league in 2006. Even while missing significant time with injuries, Bush has 294 receptions, which is the most by any running back in that span, and his 35.7 receiving yards per game also ranks first among running backs. His 12 touchdown receptions rank second among running backs.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

A look at the free-agent priorities for each NFC South team:

Atlanta Falcons

1. Sign a pass-rushing defensive end: This move has been telegraphed since the draft, when the Falcons jumped up to add an explosive offensive player in wide receiver Julio Jones rather than a pass-rusher. It’s no secret the Falcons want to add an edge rusher who can complement John Abraham in the short term and replace him in the long term. The Falcons showed last year when they signed cornerback Dunta Robinson that they’re not afraid to spend big money in free agency. They’re poised to do it again, and Minnesota’s Ray Edwards and Carolina’s Charles Johnson are two pass-rushers just entering their prime who will be on the market. The Falcons can offer big money and the chance to be the last piece of a Super Bowl puzzle. That should be attractive.

2. Figure out what the offensive line will look like: The Falcons have three starters on the offensive line who are likely to be free agents, and they’ll allow one or two of them to walk. That’s not as scary as it may sound, because none of those free agents is dominant, and the Falcons have stockpiled some promising linemen in the last few drafts. But center Todd McClure is near the end of his career, and left tackle Sam Baker is still a question mark. That means the Falcons can’t afford to let all their free-agent linemen walk. They need to maintain some continuity on the line to make sure quarterback Matt Ryan stays upright. Keeping right tackle Tyson Clabo is the major priority.

3. Re-sign kicker Matt Bryant: The veteran has revitalized his career since coming to Atlanta. He’s come through consistently in the clutch. The Falcons are a team on the verge of great things, and they don’t need to suddenly go young or cheap at kicker. They need a veteran who can help them win some big games.

Top five free agents: Bryant, LB Mike Peterson, T Tyson Clabo, G Harvey Dahl and G Justin Blalock.

Carolina Panthers

1. Re-sign DeAngelo Williams: The running back is sure to be a hot commodity on the open market, but the Panthers can’t afford to let him get away. Yes, Jonathan Stewart looked very good at times last season, and Mike Goodson made the most of his playing time after Williams was injured. But the Panthers don't want to put too much pressure on a young starting quarterback, whether it's Cam Newton or Jimmy Clausen. They need to have two or three strong running backs, and Williams is the most versatile member of the backfield.

2. Make a decision on Steve Smith: Other than the drafting of Newton, speculation about Smith’s future has been the dominant story out of Carolina this offseason. There have been conflicting reports about whether the veteran wide receiver wants to be traded from the only team he’s ever played for. The speculation was a moot point because no trades could be made during the lockout. Now, Smith and the Panthers will have to show their hand. If he truly wants out, the Panthers will try to trade Smith. But they’re not simply going to give him away. Even if he’s unhappy, Smith still might be the best player on the roster. The Panthers aren’t letting him go without getting a good draft pick or a decent player in return.

3. Sign a veteran quarterback: New coach Ron Rivera has said several times that he wants to add a veteran quarterback to serve as a mentor to Newton and Clausen. Heck, he might even need that veteran to start the first few games of the season so Newton and Clausen can catch up on all the missed offseason work. The Panthers want someone who can help the development of the two young quarterbacks. Someone like Marc Bulger or Jake Delhomme could fit, if either is willing to accept a backup role.

Top five free agents: Williams, DE Charles Johnson, LB James Anderson, LB Thomas Davis and CB Richard Marshall.

New Orleans Saints

1. Decide what to do with Reggie Bush. The running back/return man is scheduled to make almost $12 million and count $16 million against the cap. That’s not going to happen, but the Saints have indicated they’d like to keep Bush if they can work out a contract extension that would spread money around. The Saints drafted running back Mark Ingram in the first round, but Bush still could play plenty of roles with this team. Sean Payton has been creative with the ways he’s used Bush, who has been productive when healthy. Last year’s injury problems at running back showed the Saints can’t have enough depth at the position.

2. Make some key secondary decisions. Safeties Darren Sharper and Roman Harper are both potential unrestricted free agents, so the Saints have to make some choices. Sharper’s past his prime and is a free safety. That position now belongs to Malcolm Jenkins. Harper has been the starting strong safety and has been solid. Harper shouldn’t command huge money on the open market, and the Saints would be wise to re-sign him. If they do, they should have one of the league’s better secondaries.

3. Shore up the outside linebacker spots. Scott Shanle is an unrestricted free agent and may or may not return. The other position is up for grabs. Martez Wilson was drafted in the third round, and the Saints have a few other promising prospects at outside linebacker. But this is a veteran team with a realistic chance to contend for the Super Bowl, so it might be wise to go out and get a proven veteran and let the young linebackers develop behind him.

Top five free agents: Sharper, Harper, WR Lance Moore, FB Heath Evans and TE David Thomas.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. Re-sign Davin Joseph. The guard is very much in his prime and is strong as a run blocker and pass blocker. Along with Donald Penn, he’s the anchor of an offensive line that may be working in some young players. Quarterback Josh Freeman is the franchise in Tampa Bay, and the Bucs need to do whatever it takes to keep him protected.

2. Decide on a defensive leader. Middle linebacker Barrett Ruud is an unrestricted free agent and may bolt if a decent offer comes from elsewhere. Ruud’s been asking for a new contract for about two years, and the Bucs haven’t given it to him. They drafted Mason Foster in the third round and are high on his potential. But this is a very young defense, and putting a rookie at middle linebacker could be a risky move. Buffalo’s Paul Posluszny is a free agent, and there are reports that Green Bay could be looking to trade or release Nick Barnett. Either of those guys could come in and be an immediate leader on this defense.

3. Spend some money. The Bucs have had one of the league’s lowest payrolls in recent years. Still, they’ve made progress in a youth movement that won’t be abandoned. It might be time to start locking up some young players to longer deals. It might also be time to go out and get just a few free agents to keep the youth movement headed in the right direction.

Top five free agents: G Davin Joseph, LB Barrett Ruud, RB Cadillac Williams, DE Stylez G. White and Maurice Stovall.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

Readiness factor: The Saints got a lot of media attention during the players-only workouts. This team did as good a job of handling the lockout as any team in the league. The workouts were well attended, and quarterback Drew Brees and linebacker Jonathan Vilma were running the offense and defense, respectively. The coaches weren’t around, but Brees and Vilma have basically been coaches on the field for the past few years, so the Saints probably weren’t getting away with too many mistakes while working on their own. It also helps that the Saints are largely a veteran team. They also have a coaching staff that’s remained mostly in place. The lockout wasn’t ideal for any team, but the Saints are probably in better shape than most as they come out of it.

Biggest challenge: That’s going to come more off the field than on it. General manager Mickey Loomis and the personnel department are going to have some busy days ahead of them. The Saints have a bunch of free agents, and they want to keep some of them. You can bet Loomis, coach Sean Payton and the rest of the staff already have a good idea of whom they want to retain and whom they might want to target in free agency. The Saints aren’t afraid to bring in guys from the outside, and even after filling some holes in the draft, the Saints still may be looking for help at outside linebacker. If they lose some free agents they want to keep, they might have some other holes to quickly address.

The Reggie Bush factor: It’s clear something has to give when it comes to the running back’s future. He’s scheduled to make nearly $12 million in base salary and count $16 million against this year’s salary cap. The Saints can’t afford to let those numbers stay the same. They either have to release Bush or try to sign him to a contract extension that would make this year’s cap figure more manageable. The presence of Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and Lynell Hamilton gives the Saints plenty of alternatives at running back.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Safety Darren Sharper, linebacker Scott Shanle, fullback Heath Evans, safety Roman Harper and tight end David Thomas.

Joel Segal, the agent for New Orleans running back Reggie Bush and safety Darren Sharper, was just on NFL Network and was asked about the future of those two clients.

Segal said he expects to talk to New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis as soon as the lockout is officially lifted.

In the case of Bush, Segal said he’ll listen to what Loomis has to say, report back to his client and proceed from there.

“I think there are a plethora of scenarios that could go on with Reggie," Segal said.

Bush currently is under a contract that is scheduled to pay him $11.8 million in base salary this year and count $16 million against the salary cap. The Saints have implied repeatedly they would like to keep Bush, but would have to re-work his contract. If that doesn’t happen, they likely would release Bush.

Segal made it sound like Sharper probably will end up elsewhere. Sharper had a huge influence as the Saints made their Super Bowl run in 2009. But Sharper had a knee injury that sidelined him at the start of last season. That allowed Malcolm Jenkins to firmly establish himself as the starter at free safety. Although it’s possible the Saints could offer Sharper a chance to stay as a backup, he might have opportunities to start elsewhere.

“Knowing 'Sharp' the way I do, he wants to play," Segal said.

Time for a Sunday plunge into the NFC South mailbag.

Ben in Suwanee, Ga., asks about the health of Tampa Bay defensive tackle Brian Price.

Pat Yasinskas: He’s recovering from a very complex surgery on his pelvis. He showed up at the players-only workouts the Bucs had in June, but wasn’t able to participate. He said he had only recently started running. I don’t see any way Price is ready for the start of training camp. I don’t know if he’ll be ready for the start of the season. The Bucs will probably have to open the year with Gerald McCoy and Roy Miller as their starters and they have some other young players who can provide depth. But it looks like it might be some time before the Bucs see any return from their second-round draft pick from a year ago.

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James in Kings Mountain, N.C., asks what I meant when I said Jerry Richardson’s comment about Steve Smith not being on the forefront of his mind might have been made by design.

Pat Yasinskas: Obviously, Richardson’s been very busy with the labor negotiations and I think that was at least part of what he was referencing. However, Smith is a very sensitive personality. Richardson’s also a very smart man, who usually thinks before saying something. I think it’s at least possible Richardson was sending a message to Smith to be prepared as soon as the lockout is over to let the team know if he wants to be traded or not. Things are going to move very quickly once the labor situation is resolved and the Panthers don’t want drama hanging over them.

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Justin in San Francisco commented on my “commissioner for a day" piece on putting a team in London and wonders if Mexico City might make more sense.

Pat Yasinskas: Although I think Roger Goodell has a strong desire to put a team in London, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Mexico City. The NFL has had some games there and the interest level has been high. The Texas teams already enjoy strong popularity in Mexico. Like London, it’s an untapped -- and very large -- market. I could see the NFL ending up there at some point. Heck, maybe the next expansion teams could be London and Mexico City.

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JB in Valdez, Texas, asks how I can say that none of the Atlanta offensive linemen are stars.

Pat Yasinskas: Mainly because they’re not stars. Tyson Clabo’s probably the best of the bunch and scouts and coaches won’t tell you he’s a star. Justin Blalock and Harvey Dahl are solid guards, but they’re far from spectacular. Todd McClure is a very reliable veteran center, but he’s nearing the end of his career. Left tackle Sam Baker hasn’t lived up to his status as a first-round pick. All that said, I think that group of linemen has done an excellent job of playing together as a unit the last few seasons. I think offensive line coach Paul Boudreau deserves a ton of credit for getting the most out of what he has to work with.

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Sam in Norman, Okla., asks if Reggie Bush would rather take more money elsewhere or stay with the Saints and have a shot at more championships.

Pat Yasinskas: I’m not even going to attempt to read Reggie Bush’s mind. There have been athletes through the years who have been willing to take less money to play for a team they think has a chance to be great. There also have been others who have gone straight for the money. Once the labor situation is resolved, we should find out very quickly which category Bush falls into.

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Shane in Hickory, N.C., wonders what kind of contract offer the Panthers might make to keep linebacker Thomas Davis.

Pat Yasinskas: That’s an interesting one because Davis is a fantastic player. But he’s coming back from two major knee injuries. If he were fully healthy, the Panthers -- and a lot of other teams -- would be willing to pay him big money. But he’s a huge question mark. Davis has said he wants to stay in Carolina and I’ve gotten inklings from the Panthers they would like to keep him. Obviously, nobody is going to offer Davis a huge contract with lots of guaranteed money. I suspect the Panthers might try to get a little creative and offer him a contract that’s heavy on incentives. That way, if he comes back as the player he was before the injuries, he’ll be well-compensated.

Toward the end of Friday’s NFC South chat, loyal reader Richard from Ann Arbor, Mich., brought up an excellent point.

“Any explanation for why Reggie Bush, the 'overhyped, injury-prone bust' keeps getting brought up as a highly desirable free-agent?’’ Richard wrote.

Yep, it’s highly ironic that Bush, who is viewed by many as a “bust," suddenly seems like a superstar as people speculate that he could part ways with the New Orleans Saints. I’ve heard from a lot of Tampa Bay fans who seem to think Bush could help put the Bucs over the top. I’ve heard from a few Carolina fans who say Bush might be a good addition if DeAngelo Williams leaves. I’ve yet to hear any Atlanta fans pleading for Bush, but it’s still early.

First off, Bush remains property of the Saints. Although Bush made some early noise about wanting out when the Saints drafted Mark Ingram, he’s made more recent comments in which he has said he would like to stay in New Orleans.

That, of course, would require something to happen with Bush’s contract. He’s scheduled to make almost $12 million in base salary and count $16 million against this year’s salary cap. The Saints can’t afford that, and they’ve hinted many times they’d like to restructure Bush’s contract. That could happen shortly after the lockout ends.

But let’s get hypothetical and say the Saints somehow decide to release Bush. Would he fit in Carolina?

Yeah, I could see Bush serving as a change-of-pace back to Jonathan Stewart. But that’s only if Williams leaves. And let’s make it clear: I think that would be a downgrade. Bush has some good aspects, but he’s not the all-around back Williams is.

What about Tampa Bay?

I definitely could see a fit there. But before Tampa Bay fans get too carried away with this one, let’s go back to Richard’s point about Bush. His time in New Orleans has showed he’s never going to be the player many thought he would be when he came into the league as the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2006.

Bush has had some injury problems and it’s pretty well established he’s never going to be a guy who is going to give you 20 or 25 carries a game. He’s a role player. He can give you some carries, he can catch some passes out of the backfield and he makes a defense react to his presence. He also can help you as a return man.

Use him as a change-of-pace back and a third-down back behind LeGarrette Blount and the fit makes sense in Tampa Bay. If Bush comes available and the price tag isn’t too steep, he’d be an upgrade on Cadillac Williams, who can become a free agent. Bush also would be a much better alternative than Tiki Barber, who many are linking to the Bucs.