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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.

Can Josh Freeman bounce back?

The Tampa Bay quarterback had a dismal 2011 season. He threw 22 interceptions after throwing only six in a promise-filled 2010 season.

So which season is more indicative of what Freeman is capable of doing? The new Tampa Bay coaching staff seems to think the 2010 version was the real Freeman. Ever since Greg Schiano took over as head coach, he and every assistant have been raving about Freeman’s ability. I tend to agree with them, because I think Freeman has all the physical skills and intangibles.

Freeman certainly wasn’t without flaw or fault last season. But I think his problems were the result of the dysfunction all around him. Former coach Raheem Morris and his staff were unraveling, and the weak supporting cast around Freeman got exposed in a big way.

That’s why just about every move Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik have made this offseason seems aimed at making Freeman’s life easier. They got him a true No. 1 receiver in Vincent Jackson. They beefed up his protection by getting Carl Nicks, who might be the best guard in the league. Then, they drafted an all-purpose running back in Doug Martin.

The parts all seem to be in place. Now, it’s up to Freeman to make the most of them.

The sixth round of the NFL draft is over and each NFC South team made one pick. Let’s take a look.

The Buccaneers selected West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy. At this stage of the draft, it’s all about depth. With Aqib Talib’s future still uncertain and the possibility of Ronde Barber playing safety, Tandy gives the Bucs some more depth at cornerback and a likely special-teams player.

The Saints took Syracuse guard Andrew Tiller. This is one guy that you don’t write off as a career backup just because he’s a sixth-round pick. First off, Tiller has great size and some upside. Second, the Saints have a history of finding great guards later in the draft. They found Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks, although Nicks left this year via free agency. Oh, there’s one other factor here. Tiller’s college coach was Doug Marrone, who used to be New Orleans’ offensive coordinator, so Tiller should have some familiarity with the Saints’ offense.

The Falcons picked Mississippi State safety Charles Mitchell. He’s a little short, but he’s strong and powerful. As a three-year starter in the SEC, he has experience against good competition. He should provide some solid depth behind Thomas DeCoud and William Moore.

The Panthers used the final pick of the sixth round on Wisconsin punter Brad Nortman. This is significant. The Panthers released punter Jason Baker in a salary-cap move and needed a replacement. They found one in Nortman.

The best thing about living in much of the South is that you can leave the door open in December and January. The flip side is, you never know who’s going to walk in.

That’s been demonstrated repeatedly throughout most of the decade the NFC South has been in existence. Worst to first isn’t just a hokey slogan in this division. It’s been a reality.

Not counting the inaugural season (because there was no defending champion or reigning last-place team in a division that didn’t exist before 2002), there have been six NFC South teams that finished fourth in the division one season and ended up winning it the following year. The trend started with the Carolina Panthers and their miraculous run to the Super Bowl in the 2003 season.

The Atlanta Falcons pulled off worst to first in 2004. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did it twice -- in 2005 and 2007. So did the New Orleans Saints. They did it in 2006 and again in 2009, the season after which they won their only Super Bowl.

But the worst-to-first trend has stopped since then. The Saints and Falcons have stayed consistently good and managed only to flip back and forth between first and second place.

This could be the season in which things get back to normal. Let’s be clear that I’m not ready to write off the Saints, as long as they have Drew Brees at quarterback, or an Atlanta roster that’s loaded with talent and has the potential to click at any moment.

But you look at what has happened in New Orleans and what hasn’t happened in Atlanta this offseason and you have to wonder if it’s at least possible that new Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano is about to pull off a miracle on Dale Mabry Highway or if Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis knew what he was talking about when he said the Panthers are headed for the Super Bowl.

The Saints’ bounty program has left them without coach Sean Payton for the entire season and they have little chance of pulling anything off in the draft because they don’t have a pick until the third round. They lost some free agents, like Carl Nicks and Tracy Porter. Plus, there’s the very real possibility that multiple players could face suspensions for their roles in the bounty program. Maybe adversity becomes a rallying cry for the Saints and they stay atop the division. Or maybe the bottom falls out of what was a great three-year run.

If that happens, the Falcons would seem the logical choice to step up. They did go 10-6 last season, although you could say they underachieved slightly throughout the regular season and tremendously in their playoff loss to the New York Giants. And what have the Falcons done to improve their roster this offseason?

Ladies and gentlemen, I present linebacker Lofa Tatupu and guard Vince Manuwai, two guys who didn’t play in the NFL last season.

Yeah, I know how the Falcons like to point to their roster continuity and changes at offensive and defensive coordinator as reasons they’ll be better this season. Those are valid points. But, still, the way last season ended, you have to at least wonder if the Falcons have already started their downhill slide.

Then, you look at the Buccaneers and Panthers and you see two teams that almost have to be on the rise. In the case of the Bucs, that’s mainly because they can’t go any lower.

Tampa Bay ended last season on a 10-game losing streak. Raheem Morris left for London at 4-2 last October, looking like the NFL’s next great coach. That guy hasn’t been seen since. But Schiano is in his office now and he seems to be saying and doing all the right things. He got rid of safety Tanard Jackson and coaxed safety Ronde Barber into coming back for one more year. Plus, Schiano has one luxury Morris didn’t last year -- a free-agent class.

A year after punter Michael Koenen was their big addition in free agency, the Bucs went out and made one of the league’s biggest splashes. They signed receiver Vincent Jackson, Nicks and cornerback Eric Wright.

Mix those guys in with some young talent (Josh Freeman, Gerald McCoy, Adrian Clayborn and some others), let Schiano restore a little order in the locker room and on the practice fields and worst to first at least seems like a possibility.

But, even if the Saints and Falcons slip, the Panthers could be ahead of the Bucs. They only won six games last season, but it might have been the most positive six-win season in NFL history. With Ron Rivera taking over for John Fox, the Panthers suddenly realized the NFL became a passing league a few years ago and started playing catch-up. They used the No. 1 overall draft pick on Cam Newton and suddenly had one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses.

The problem was the Panthers couldn’t do the one thing they always did under Fox -- play defense. That was largely because defensive tackle Ron Edwards was lost to injury in training camp and linebackers Jon Beason and Davis quickly followed. All three are expected back and that instantly should give Carolina a better defense. It only needs to be a little better, because Newton and that offense are going to score enough points for the Panthers to stay in the game with anyone.

Can the Panthers and/or the Bucs pass the Saints and Falcons?

We’ll see. It’s only April and the NFC South door looks to be wide open. Let’s see if it's still ajar -- or maybe even off the hinges -- in December.

Matt Williamson, of Scouts Inc., handed out grades to the AFC teams after the first wave of free agency. It's an Insider piece, but I will share a small portion for each of the AFC North teams:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Williamson's grade: B-minus. While I am a proponent of not overspending on other teams' castoffs, and bearing in mind that the Bengals have a great opportunity to add quality talent in the draft with two first-round picks, I can't help but feel that the Bengals let a great opportunity slip through their hands this offseason. I would have attacked a high-end free agent or two such as Carl Nicks or Cortland Finnegan.

Hensley's grade: B. The Bengals upgraded at running back and left guard while bringing back their top free-agent priority in safety Reggie Nelson. The biggest knock against the Bengals is they didn't make a splash by signing a high-profile free agent like guard Ben Grubbs or wide receiver Robert Meachem.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Williamson's grade: D. The biggest crime of the offseason was the Browns allowing the Redskins to outbid them for the second overall pick in the upcoming draft, but even after losing out on the right to draft Robert Griffin III, the Browns didn't add nearly enough to consider them as anything but a bottom feeder for yet another year.

Hensley's grade: C. The Browns desperately needed to improve at quarterback, wide receiver and right tackle. But Cleveland's offense came out of the initial wave of free agency empty-handed. The Browns did improve their run defense by signing Frostee Rucker and their pass rush by adding Juqua Parker.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Williamson's grade: C. The Ravens lost several starters to other clubs over the past few weeks and will need younger players to step up in their place, but this remains a very strong roster.

Hensley's grade: D. The Ravens lost three starters (Ben Grubbs, Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding) from last season's AFC North champion team and have yet to add anyone to replace them. The toughest part of free agency was when the Ravens failed to sign Evan Mathis, who re-signed with the Eagles, after Baltimore had just lost Grubbs.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Williamson's grade: C. Pittsburgh was greatly handcuffed by its salary-cap situation. But even though the Steelers released quite a few older brand name players, they sit in good shape for the 2012 season.

Hensley's grade: D. The Steelers avoided a failing grade because they've lost only two starters from last season's playoff team. James Farrior was cut in the team's salary-cap purge, and William Gay left as an unrestricted free agent. What Pittsburgh really lost in trimming $25 million to get under the cap was veteran depth and leadership.

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Atlanta Falcons

Key additions: LB Lofa Tatupu, G Vince Manuwai

Key losses: LB Curtis Lofton, WR/KR Eric Weems

Keeping their own: Much to the chagrin of their fans, the Falcons chose not to pursue defensive end Mario Williams or any other big-name free agent. Instead, they focused hard on keeping their own guys. That started before the season ended with tight end Tony Gonzalez re-signing and continued into free agency as the Falcons made it a point to lock up guys like receiver Harry Douglas, defensive end John Abraham and running back Jason Snelling. They also protected cornerback Brent Grimes with the franchise tag.

The only loss that really hurt was Lofton. The Falcons liked him, but new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan didn’t view him as a three-down player. The Falcons still made an effort to keep Lofton, but weren’t willing to pay big money. They brought in the veteran Tatupu, who could be a short-term answer. But there’s a hope within the organization that second-year pro Akeem Dent can step forward and win the job immediately because he’s the guy that’s going to end up there for the long term.

What’s next: Don’t completely rule out the addition of a minor or mid-level free agent or two, but the Falcons are focusing mainly on the draft. Even with Abraham back, they’re still looking to improve their pass rush and defensive ends could be in play. But the Falcons also could add a defensive tackle because Jonathan Babineaux and Peria Jerry are coming off sub-par seasons. Some depth in the secondary and a kick returner also are possible targets.

Key additions: RB/FB Mike Tolbert, G Mike Pollak

Key losses: G Travelle Wharton

The splash came last year: The Panthers haven’t been very active in free agency. That’s largely because they made their big moves coming out of the lockout last year. They signed defensive end Charles Johnson, running back DeAngelo Williams, linebacker Jon Beason, defensive tackle Ron Edwards and linebacker Thomas Davis to huge deals, and that’s why they had very little salary-cap room to work with this year.

But the Panthers didn’t really reap the rewards of some of those signings because Beason, Davis and Edwards all suffered early injuries. That took a toll on the defense. But all three of those guys are back and healthy and that should improve the defense immediately. Carolina developed an explosive offense last season and a strong defense could turn the Panthers into playoff contenders.

What’s next: The Panthers have very little cap room and don’t figure to make many more moves in free agency. They’re focused in on the draft and there needs have been narrowed. They’re likely to address cornerback and defensive tackle early in the draft. But don’t be surprised if they take a linebacker somewhere in the first three or four rounds, and it’s even possible they could target one in the first or second. Davis is coming off his torn ACL and the Panthers don’t know if he’ll be anything close to what he was before the injuries.

New Orleans Saints

Key additions: LB Curtis Lofton, DT Brodrick Bunkley, G Ben Grubbs

Key losses: G Carl Nicks, CB Tracy Porter

Miracle workers: Faced with an extremely tight salary-cap situation and some bizarre off-field events, it’s somewhat amazing the Saints were able to keep as much as they did. They didn’t want to lose Nicks, who might be the best guard in the league and is in his prime. But that’s the price they had to pay to make sure they kept quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Marques Colston, as well as adding players like Lofton, Grubbs and Bunkley.

The Brees situation remains complicated. He's still carrying the franchise tag. The Saints need to get him signed to a long-term deal quickly. Even more than ever, the Saints need Brees’ leadership abilities. They need him signed and happy before their offseason program starts April 16.

What’s next: With the possibility of multiple defensive players facing possible suspensions as a result of the bounty program, the Saints still could be looking to make significant moves. It will be hard to draft players that will make an instant impact because the Saints are without picks in the first two rounds. That means they might have to pull some more help out of free agency, even with limited cap space. They could use another pass-rusher to complement Will Smith. Even after adding Lofton and Bunkley, the Saints still could use depth at linebacker and defensive tackle.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Key additions: WR Vincent Jackson, G Carl Nicks, CB Eric Wright

Key losses: C Jeff Faine

Locking them up: Part of the reason the Bucs didn’t lose much of anything in free agency is because they’ve done a nice job of locking up some core players in recent years. They made it a point to make sure offensive linemen Donald Penn, Davin Joseph and Jeremy Zuttah never got close to leaving. Add Nicks to that group and the Bucs have a chance to have one of the league’s better offensive lines. As the season gets going, some other young players will be rewarded with contract extensions as they show they fit in coach Greg Schiano’s system.

What’s next: After making the initial splash, the Bucs said they’re done with free agency and are focused on the draft. That’s largely true, although the team is keeping a close eye on what remains on the market. This is a team that still is building and will still have needs after the draft. The Bucs have a big need at running back, where they have to find at least one player to complement LeGarrette Blount. The cornerback position could be an early target in the draft even after Ronde Barber decided to return for a 16th season. There also is some uncertainty about Aqib Talib's future. Even if he remains with the team, the Bucs need depth at the position. There also is uncertainty at linebacker and a need for depth at safety and tight end.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- After surgery to repair a broken foot last summer, Detroit Lions nose tackle Nick Fairley couldn't run. He was told to stay off his feet if he watched practice. So with nothing better to do, he hit the weight room with a vengeance.

Over the next two months or so, according to Lions coach Jim Schwartz, Fairley packed an additional 18 pounds of weight on this frame. Speaking Wednesday at the NFC coaches breakfast, Schwartz said it was muscle, not the result of inactivity, and used it as an illustration of the kind of drive outside observers might not have seen in him last season.

"It's very difficult to gain a high ratio of muscle," Schwartz said. "And he did it."

We've spent plenty of time discussing the Lions' successful effort to keep their core together this offseason. But I would imagine they're no less excited about the prospects of a full and healthy season from Fairley, their first-round draft pick last year. Fairley pushed himself through 10 regular-season games after his foot healed, but provided only glimpses of what the Lions hope they'll get regularly in 2012.

A perfect example: Fairley started the Lions' Week 13 game against the New Orleans Saints. In 17 plays, he had four tackles, including two for a loss, and one sack against the Saints' pair of All-Pro guards, Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans. But soreness in the foot forced him to the sideline thereafter.

"I think that was probably our best glimpse of him," Schwartz said. "But he did something just about every day in practice that makes you turn your head and say, 'Holy Mackeral.' There's a big difference between being healed from the standpoint that he wasn't going to go out and break his foot again and re-injure, and being completely healed. …

"There's going to be some residuals from that. The good news is in my experience in players that have had those in the past, you get through a season and then it's behind you."

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just announced two transactions.

The first is no big surprise. We told you last week that cornerback Ronde Barber had agreed to terms on a one-year deal that would bring him back to the Buccaneers for a 16^th season. That deal now officially has been signed, the team said.

The Bucs also announced that reserve offensive lineman DeMar Dotson has agreed to a two-year contract. Dotson had been tendered as a restricted free agent.

Dotson’s signing enhances the depth on a Tampa Bay offensive line that has a chance to be very good. Dotson, who appeared in 13 games last season and started two, is viewed as a young player with high upside. He and the recently-signed Jamon Meredith likely will be the two backups behind starters Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood at tackle.

After adding guard Carl Nicks in free agency, the Bucs appear loaded in the middle of the line. Nicks and Davin Joseph will be the starting guards and Jeremy Zuttah, who has played both center and guard, will become the full-time starter at center.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- We’ll find out in the fall if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ signings of free agents Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright will help the team on the field. But that trio already has made an impact at the box office.

That’s significant for a team that’s struggled to sell tickets in recent years. Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting the team has seen an increase in ticket sales since the free-agency splash.

“Definitely,’’ Glazer said. “First of all, our season-ticket holders from last year, we’ve seen the enthusiasm through the renewals. In new sales, we’ve had a great response. You just sense it in the community. There’s an excitement and a connection going on and a re-engagement that maybe hasn’t been there the last couple of years. We’re going to build on that in a lot of different areas to get our fans more engaged.’’

That should be nothing but good news for a team that has sold out only two home games in the past two seasons. Glazer wouldn’t go into specifics about the team’s season-ticket base and he wasn’t ready to say local television blackouts of home games will permanently end just yet.

“That’s our goal,’’ Glazer said. “That’s extremely important to us, but we have work to do there. We’re rolling up our sleeves. For the fourth year in a row, we’ve lowered our ticket prices. We’ve created ticket pricing for all fans and it’s very important for us to be accessible to all fans.’’

But committing more than $140 million to the three free-agents wasn’t a move designed to be a publicity stunt to create traffic at the box office. It’s part of a much larger plan.

“People question why this didn’t happen two or three years ago,’’ Glazer said. “Well, when we settled on this plan a few years ago, the plan was draft, develop and, at the appropriate time, add veterans. To bring in veterans early on to us just puts you on the wrong path. This was the appropriate time. Not only was it the appropriate time, you had some unique players out there, the kind of players that we could add that could add something to our football team and in the locker room. I think the complement was fantastic, the timing was as we always expected. We’re excited. It’s energized our fans. It’s energized our organization.’’

We’ve talked about the Bucs’ plan here many times in recent years. There’s a misconception by some out there that ownership simply was cheap for a few years and made a huge shift in organizational philosophy this offseason. That’s not at all true. The Glazers and general manager Mark Dominik simply are following a plan that has a proven history of success in the modern NFL.

That’s to build through the draft, keep your key players and add appropriate free agents at the right time. In the NFC South alone, I’ve seen similar plans work in Atlanta and Carolina, to varying degrees and at different times (the Saints have had success with a plan that involves the draft, but also relies a good deal on free agency). I’ve seen similar plans work elsewhere in the league – think New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, who have won recent Super Bowl teams.

Then, I think about the teams that have spent tons in free agency in recent years. Dallas and Washington haven’t accomplished all that much in recent years. Philadelphia’s “Dream Team’’ turned into a bit of a nightmare last year.

I think the Bucs are on the right path. These things don’t happen overnight. But if the Bucs stay on the path they’re on, they’ll get back to a point where Raymond James Stadium isn’t filled with empty seats on Sundays.

Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman led his team through offseason workouts during the lockout last year. That involved arranging for the use of practice fields, setting the schedule and keeping his teammates informed.

Freeman won’t have to do all that this offseason. He simply will be able to concentrate on football.

In this radio interview, Freeman sounded like a quarterback who is more than a little eager to get on the practice field. He even expressed a bit of disappointment that new rules have shortened the offseason program and pushed its start back until the middle of April.

“It’s kind of an interesting predicament with the new CBA,’’ Freeman said. “We’re not allowed to really meet with our coaches until April 16. But we’re allowed to go in and start hitting the weights and things of that nature on April 2.’’

The Bucs have a new coach in Greg Schiano and a new offensive coordinator in Mike Sullivan. Freeman already has done some scouting on Sullivan and the offense he was involved in previously as an assistant with the New York Giants.

“I had the opportunity to talk to Eli Manning and ask him a little about coach Sullivan and a little about the offense,’’ Freeman said. “At the end of the day, football is football.’’

Freeman said he looks forward to getting to work in the new offense. He also is excited about the arrival of Tampa Bay’s two big free-agent signings on offense: receiver Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks.

“I remember going in for the press conference,’’ Freeman said. “Both guys were in the building, just having that feel like it was Christmas, like you just got some new toys and you couldn’t wait to go out and play with them.’’

Check out this Insider post by Gary Horton, which explores how much the Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved in the first week of free agency.

Horton goes as far to suggest the Bucs could be the “Cinderella team" of 2012. I think that’s at least possible. There’s no doubt the Bucs improved themselves with the signing of receiver Vincent Jackson, guard Carl Nicks and cornerback Eric Wright.

As we’ve discussed before, Jackson should help quarterback Josh Freeman and the rest of the receiving corps with his proven ability to stretch the field. Horton also suggests Jackson might be the best seam-route runner in the NFL.

Horton said Nicks is the most dominant inside player in the NFL and I agree with that. I think Nicks can be even more dominant in Tampa Bay than he was in New Orleans because he’ll get to do a lot more run blocking. That’s what Nicks really likes to do, although he’s just fine as a pass-blocker. With Nicks joining guard Davin Joseph and center Jeremy Zuttah, Horton suggests the Bucs could become the best interior line in the NFL. That’s entirely possible. Nicks is outstanding and Joseph is very good, but I think if the Bucs really are going to be dominant in the middle, they’ll need Zuttah to elevate his game. There are indications he can do that. He’s played mostly guard in the past, but has experience at center. He’s just entering his prime and he’ll be playing for his former college coach, Greg Schiano.

On Wright, Horton said he’s a cornerback who can play man or zone. That’s good because, with the new coaching staff, the Bucs may be playing more of a combination of defensive coverage schemes than they have in the past. I also like the signing of backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky. I’m not saying he’s anything special, but I think he’s the kind of traditional drop-back passer who could go in and give the Bucs a chance to win if he has to play in place of Freeman. Former backup Josh Johnson was a nice player to use in gimmicks, like the Wildcat formation, but he was not the kind of quarterback you wanted to see taking snaps under center for any extended period of time.

You could make a case that the Bucs’ moves have closed the gap between them and the rest of the NFC South. There’s no doubt they’ve improved their personnel, but there’s still more work to be done (mainly at running back and linebacker) in the later waves of free agency and the NFL draft.

Evan Mathis went out and did the free-agent thing. He got another team interested (the Baltimore Ravens) and forced the Philadelphia Eagles to pay up if they wanted him back. Mathis is a 30-year-old guard who's coming off his best season, and he wisely realized this was probably the best chance he'd ever have to really cash in. The Eagles ponied up a five-year contract that, Adam Schefter reports, has a value of $25.5 million with $7 million guaranteed. And on Saturday they announced that Mathis would return to Philadelphia for 2012 and possibly beyond.

The Eagles were wise to pay whatever it took to retain Mathis. Say what you will about their disappointing 2011 season and their decision to bring back more or less the same group to try to redeem themselves in 2012, but the offensive line was an unquestioned strength — one of the very best in the entire league. Mathis, who signed last summer as an insurance or backup plan but won a starting job in training camp, was a huge part of the reason why.

Our friends at ProFootballFocus.com, who grade every player on every play, rated Mathis the No. 1 guard in the NFL last year. No. 1 overall, ahead of Carl Nicks and Ben Grubbs and all those free-agent guards who got all of the headlines earlier in the week. Mathis graded out as the ninth-best guard in the league in pass blocking with a grade of +10.6. (New England's Brian Waters led that category with a +17.7, and Nicks came in second at +16.6). But in run-blocking, Mathis graded out as a +20.4. The next-highest run-blocking grade among guards from PFF was Baltimore's Marshal Yanda, at +6.9.

So Mathis, along with his Eagles linemates, was clearly a big reason for LeSean McCoy's stellar season. And as the year went along, the line did better in pass protection as well. Continuity is vital to an offensive line, and the fact the Eagles will keep their 2011 starting five together is a good harbinger for 2012. Mathis took right away to the complex blocking schemes of first-year offensive line coach Howard Mudd, and he and the rest of that crew should thrive together in Mudd's second year.

You can guarantee McCoy was excited to hear about this signing. Whatever backup plan the Eagles may have had at guard, it would have represented a significant downgrade in the quality of their run blocking. And it would have been a new guy who would have had to learn Mudd and the guys on either side of him. The Eagles haven't been very active in free agency, so far focusing most of their efforts on contract extensions for their own players. But saving room in the budget for Mathis was a wise move and prevents a potentially major headache.

The Ravens lost free-agent guard Ben Grubbs, who signed a five-year $36 million deal with the New Orleans Saints that included a $10 million signing bonus (according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter).

That means Baltimore can't allow Eagles guard Evan Mathis to leave its team facility without a signed contract today. There are other guards available like Steve Hutchinson and Robert Gallery, but Mathis is the best immediate answer to losing Grubbs.

If the Ravens can't sign Mathis, there would be a major drop-off at the interior of the offensive line. Baltimore has other options, such as drafting Wisconsin center Peter Konz in the first round and playing him at guard for a season, or moving offensive tackle Jah Reid to left guard. But Mathis represents the best choice in terms of experience and powerful run blocking.

As far as Grubbs, it looks like a no-brainer for him to move on to the Saints. He signs a deal that is slightly better than the one signed last summer by the Ravens' Marshal Yanda (five years, $32.5 million with $10 million signing bonus) and joins another Super Bowl contender. It does make you wonder whether the Ravens, who attempted to keep Grubbs from becoming a free agent, offered him the same deal as Yanda. And, if the Ravens did make that offer, why didn't Grubbs take it?

The free-agent guard market could set up like dominoes this year. The Saints lose the best free-agent guard (Carl Nicks) and signed the second-best one (Grubbs). The Ravens lose the second-best one and now have the third-best inside their building.

The New Orleans Saints weren’t able to keep the best guard on the free-agent market -- Carl Nicks. So, they went out and got the second-best guard on the market in former Baltimore standout Ben Grubbs.

The Saints agreed to terms with Grubbs on Thursday morning on a five-year deal worth $36 million. Grubbs was viewed by fans in Baltimore as not living up to the expectations that came when he was a 2007 first-round pick for much of his time with the Ravens. But he suddenly became much more appreciated last season when he missed six games with a toe injury and the offensive line struggled without him. The Ravens wanted to keep him, but didn’t have more money to invest in the offensive line after giving Marshal Yanda a big contract last year.

Grubbs will cost the Saints about $2.5 million less per season than Nicks got from the Buccaneers. Grubbs might not be the superstar that Nicks was, but he’s a powerful blocker, and should help keep the interior of the offensive line strong.

Grubbs will be paired with Pro Bowl guard Jahri Evans. Brian de la Puente, who played surprisingly well after taking over as the starting center, will return in the middle.

It’s impossible to say the Saints are better off without Nicks. But they aren’t in bad shape at guard, now that they’ve added Grubbs.

No big surprise here. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released veteran center Jeff Faine.

The move came on the same day the Bucs signed guard Carl Nicks from New Orleans in a move that will change the dynamics of the offensive line. Nicks and Davin Joseph, both Pro Bowlers last season, will be the starting guards. Jeremy Zuttah, who recently signed a new contract, will move from guard to center to take Faine’s place.

Faine’s release frees up just under $6 million in salary-cap room for the Buccaneers. Faine had a solid four-year run in Tampa Bay, but his age (he'll turn 31 next month) was working against him. Faine started 15 games last season, but missed a total of 16 games in the previous two seasons with injuries.

"I appreciate the leadership Jeff has provided to our franchise, both on and off the field," general manager Mark Dominik. "He has been a true professional during his time here. We wish him all the best and are confident he will have continued success in the future."