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Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Panthers and why.

There probably isn’t a defensive coordinator in the league who has faced more criticism than Sean McDermott the past two seasons. He was fired by Philadelphia after the 2010 season, and his defense was dismal in his first season in Carolina.

McDermott got a bit of a pass because Carolina had a bunch of injuries on defense, it was the first year for a new coaching staff and rookie quarterback Cam Newton and a suddenly explosive offense gave fans a nice distraction. But, no matter how many points Newton and the offense scored, the Carolina defense had enormous trouble protecting leads in a 6-10 season. The excuses won’t fly this time around.

Linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis and defensive tackle Ron Edwards are returning from injuries and the Panthers added linebacker Luke Kuechly in the first round of this year’s draft. McDermott has the personnel necessary to put together a respectable defense. The injured players and Kuechly join a nucleus that includes defensive end Charles Johnson and cornerback Chris Gamble, and the pressure is squarely on McDermott to put a good defense on the field.

If he can do that, Carolina could be a legitimate playoff contender. If not, McDermott could be on the hot seat.

There’s a sensitive story out there about a player who could be one of the top prospects on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ draft list.

According to reports, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a four out of a possible 50 on the Wonderlic Test that was given to prospects at the scouting combine in February. That’s a very low score, but should it impact Morris’ status in the draft?

"This should not have an impact,’’ ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “Not to minimize his position, but this isn't a quarterback, this isn't a middle linebacker, this isn't a guy that needs to memorize a dozen reads. He needs to react. Assuming he was fine in interviews -- and all I've heard is he's a good kid -- it shouldn't change the way teams view him. I will have him as the No. 5 pick to the Bucs. These things pop up now and then and teams do a quick check, and they do their own evaluations, and they move on. Besides, not all teams trust everything they hear anyway."

I’m with Kiper. I don’t think this works against Claiborne at all. If the Bucs (or another team) like Claiborne as a player and person, I say go ahead and draft him.

A bad Wonderlic score by itself isn’t reason to stay away from a prospect. I’ve seen a similar situation in the NFC South before.

When the Carolina Panthers drafted Chris Gamble back in 2004, there were reports that the cornerback also had a low Wonderlic score. The Panthers did their homework on Gamble and drafted him. It’s worked out pretty well. Gamble’s been starting for the last eight seasons and has 27 career interceptions.

Defense wasn’t a strength in the NFC South in the 2011 season. In fact, it was a big problem for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and only an occasional strength for the Atlanta Falcons.

But there were some solid individual performances. With that in mind, let’s roll out the All-NFC South defense.

Defensive end: Charles Johnson, Panthers. He got his huge contract in the summer, but didn’t take the money and disappear. Johnson came through with nine sacks and also played the run fairly well.

Defensive end: Adrian Clayborn, Buccaneers. Yes, I’m taking the rookie over Atlanta veteran John Abraham. I know Abraham ended up with 9.5 sacks, but 3.5 of them came against Jacksonville and rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Abraham was ordinary most of the season and was on the field for only 13 percent of Atlanta’s defensive snaps. Clayborn finished with 7.5 sacks. He also was on the field for about 80 percent of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps, showed he can rush the passer and played the run well. Not much went right for the Bucs in the 2011 season. But they hit on their first-round draft pick.

Defensive tackle: Corey Peters, Falcons. He started in 2010, but was only a run-stuffer then. Peters emerged into a complete defensive tackle in his second season and showed signs he can generate a pass rush in the middle.

Defensive tackle: Brian Price, Buccaneers. Off the top of my head, I was preparing to go with Atlanta’s Jonathan Babineaux or New Orleans’ Sedrick Ellis. Then I looked at their statistics and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’m going with Price, who quietly put together a nice season. He finished with three sacks and was one of the few Bucs who played the run well. More importantly, Price made a nice comeback from surgery on his pelvis and played through the pain of an ankle injury for most of the second half of the season.

Linebacker: Curtis Lofton, Falcons. In a year in which Carolina’s Jon Beason was hurt and New Orleans’ Jonathan Vilma slowed down, Lofton emerged as the NFC South’s best middle linebacker.

Linebacker: Sean Weatherspoon, Falcons. The second-year pro might now be the division’s best all-around linebacker. Weatherspoon is a playmaker and plays with an attitude that the rest of Atlanta’s defense needs to copy.

Linebacker: James Anderson, Panthers. With Beason and Thomas Davis going down early, Anderson was the bright spot in Carolina’s linebacker corps.

Cornerback: Jabari Greer, Saints. He often gets overlooked, but this guy is the best cover corner in the division.

Cornerback: Chris Gamble, Panthers. Gamble got benched by coach John Fox at the end of the 2010 season and his career appeared to be on the downside. But Gamble got a fresh start with coach Ron Rivera and bounced back with a strong season.

Safety: Malcolm Jenkins, Saints. He didn’t make as many big plays as I think he’s capable of, but Jenkins is an enormous talent. If the Saints can add a pass rush, the big plays will flow for Jenkins.

Safety: Thomas DeCoud, Falcons. He was benched briefly early in the season, but DeCoud seemed to get the message that he needed to play better. He finished the season with four interceptions and 86 tackles.

Check out this Insider post in which ESPN’s Mel Kiper has his first mock draft for 2012.

Kiper has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the No. 5 overall pick. Kiper also cautions that fans shouldn’t assume the Bucs won’t take a running back here because they already have LeGarrette Blount. If anything, the 2011 season showed that Blount probably never will be an every-down back. He simply isn’t a pass-catcher and never could pick up the pass protections well enough for the previous coaching staff to leave him on the field as a pass-blocker. I’m not sure the Bucs are going to be willing to lock up Blount with any sort of long-term deal. Blount still could have a role because he is a good power runner. But drafting Richardson makes plenty of sense because he’s an all-around running back. Also, drafting an offensive skill-position player usually generates a lot of excitement. I’m not saying the Bucs would simply draft a player to generate excitement, but this is a franchise that could use anything that might generate a little positive interest.

Kiper also has another Alabama player going to the only other NFC South team with a first-round pick this year. That’s cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. That move would make plenty of sense because the Panthers are looking to upgrade a defense that wasn’t very good in 2011. Put Kirkpatrick opposite Chris Gamble and Carolina instantly would have a better secondary than it did last season.

At the moment, Atlanta and New Orleans don’t have first-round picks in 2012. The Falcons gave up their pick last year in the trade to get Julio Jones. The Saints did the same thing to acquire Mark Ingram. It’s still possible, but not likely, the Saints and Falcons could trade for first-round picks.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers' 33-20 victory against the Washington Redskins at Bank of America Stadium:

What it means: The Panthers didn’t let this one slip away. The team that’s had problems holding leads until the end finally got it done. This was a significant win for the Panthers because the Redskins came in with a winning record. It also was significant because the fan base was starting to get a bit frustrated with moral victories. This was a real victory and a real stride for a young team.

What I liked: Carolina’s defense. It was far from perfect and the Panthers were going against John Beck, who entered the game with an 0-4 record as an NFL starter. But the defense, which had been hit hard by injuries, did some things it had not been doing, like getting the Washington offense off the field and making some big plays.

What else I liked: Cam Newton. This was the first time I’ve seen the rookie quarterback in person in game circumstances. He might be even more impressive in person than on television. I knew Newton could run and throw, but didn’t fully appreciate his arm strength, accuracy and ability to shrug off hits from defenders.

What I didn't like: The Panthers had successive plays at the end of the first half where Olindo Mare kicked the ball through the uprights, but the field goal didn't count. Mare got pushed back and finally was successful from 45 yards. But you can't get away with mistakes like that every week.

In the record books: Chris Gamble recorded the 25th interception of his career in the fourth quarter. That ties Gamble with Eric Davis for the franchise record.

Still going strong: Carolina receiver Steve Smith continues to look like the Smith of the middle of the last decade. He had seven catches for 143 yards and was full of energy. People talk a lot about how Newton has revitalized Smith. But it also needs to be noted that Smith is doing a lot to make the rookie quarterback look good.

What’s next: The Panthers host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.

The Friday injury reports are out for the Falcons, Saints and Panthers. The Buccaneers don’t have to put out statuses yet because they don’t play until Monday night. So let’s take a look at the most significant injuries for Atlanta, New Orleans and Carolina.

The Falcons are listing Roddy White (thigh) as questionable. This is one to keep an eye on. If White can’t play against the Seahawks, the Falcons are going to have to juggle Harry Douglas, Kerry Meier and Eric Weems opposite Julio Jones. As expected, the Falcons also declared defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (knee), linebacker Stephen Nicholas (calf) and running back Jason Snelling (concussion) out for Sunday’s game.

The Panthers listed cornerback Chris Gamble (concussion) as doubtful. Coach Ron Rivera said he expects Darius Butler to take Gamble’s place in the starting lineup. Right tackle Jeff Otah (back) is probable.

The Saints have the NFC South’s longest and most significant injury list. The team said tight end David Thomas, linebacker Will Herring, right tackle Zach Strief, center Olin Kreutz and linebacker Martez Wilson will be out for Sunday’s game with Jacksonville. Charles Brown is expected to start in Strief’s place and Brian De La Puente is expected to start at center. The Saints also are listing linebacker Jonathan Vilma and receiver Marques Colston as questionable.

The final injury reports are out, so let’s check on the most significant injuries around the NFC South.

Carolina safety Charles Godfrey (concussion) is listed as doubtful and coach Ron Rivera said he doesn’t expect any miracles. That likely means Jordan Pugh will move into the starting lineup. Cornerback Chris Gamble tweaked an ankle in Thursday’s practice, but took part on a limited basis in Friday’s practice. Rivera said he expects Gamble to play against Jacksonville.

Tampa Bay linebacker Quincy Black (ankle) missed his third straight day of practice and is listed as doubtful. That likely means Dekoda Watson will start in Black’s place on the strong side. Middle linebacker Mason Foster is expected to wear the radio helmet, which Black had been wearing. Foster will call the defensive signals and is expected to remain on the field for passing downs.

New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma (knee) is listed as doubtful and cornerback Tracy Porter (calf) is questionable. If Vilma can’t go, Jo-Lonn Dunbar likely will get the start, but the Saints have been rotating their linebackers steadily this season. Patrick Robinson is the likely starter if Porter doesn’t play. The Saints went ahead and ruled receiver Marques Colston and kicker Garrett Hartley out for Sunday’s game with Houston.

There’s positive news on the injury front out of Atlanta. Center Todd McClure, who missed the first two games with a knee injury, is probable and participated fully in Friday’s practice. If he’s able to go, McClure’s experience and leadership should only help an Atlanta offensive line that’s struggled in the first two games. Also, quarterback Matt Ryan (knee) is probable and practiced fully on Friday after being limited Wednesday and Thursday. As expected, defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux will be out with a knee injury. The Falcons also declared cornerback Kelvin Hayden out with a hamstring injury. That likely means the Falcons will turn back to Chris Owens as the nickel back.

I’m not sure if Cincinnati rookies Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are going to be the NFL’s next great quarterback and receiver or if Carolina cornerback Chris Gamble is totally washed up.

I’m leaning toward the latter after watching Gamble get beat badly twice by Green in Carolina's 24-13 loss in Thursday night’s exhibition game. It got so bad that Cincinnati broadcaster Anthony Munoz joked that Gamble was seen being escorted to the locker room to have aloe applied to his burns.

I’m starting to think the Panthers have a big problem on their hands. It actually might have first surfaced last season, when former coach John Fox took Gamble’s starting job away. Fox may have been going through a catastrophic season, but the man always has known what he’s doing when it comes to defense. The Panthers shrugged it off as a conflict with Fox and decided to keep Gamble while not really addressing cornerback early in the draft or free agency.

Green first beat Gamble on a deep ball in the first quarter. Gamble caught a break when officials reviewed the play and decided that Green didn’t make the catch in bounds, but it was still worrisome because the receiver got open with ease.

Gamble wasn’t nearly as lucky the next time around. Dalton threw deep for Green in the second quarter and the rookie caught the pass easily in the end zone. It doesn’t get much worse than that, and I’m wondering what the Panthers are going to do.

For a lot of years, Gamble was a pretty good cornerback, but he was never great. Last season and this preseason have shown that he might be in sharp decline.

Gamble is 28 and scheduled to make $6.24 million in base salary and count $9.24 million against the salary cap. Those are the kind of numbers you associate with a No. 1 cornerback. Gamble doesn’t look like a No. 1 cornerback anymore.

Captain Munnerlyn is the other starting cornerback and he’s never going to be a No. 1 guy. In fact, he’d be a No. 3 or 4 on a lot of other teams. Beyond Munnerlyn, the Panthers don’t have much else at cornerback.

The Panthers may have to make a move to get some help at cornerback before the regular season starts. Maybe that comes off the waiver wire or maybe via trade. The Panthers have $8 million in salary-cap room and they also might want to add some help at defensive tackle (yeah, I know they got Kentwan Balmer off waivers, but is he really the answer?) and receiver. But cornerback seems to have moved to the top of the shopping list.

If the Panthers go into the regular season with Gamble as their top cornerback and he continues to play like he did Thursday night, they’re going to have major problems.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- You’ve heard plenty about the lockout over the past few months, but it actually was in effect in Charlotte since 2008.

The moment owners opted out of the previous labor agreement, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson realized there were tough financial times ahead. He immediately decided he wasn’t going to spend big money on long-term deals for players or coaches (the Panthers didn’t add a single unrestricted free agent in 2009 or 2010) because Richardson wanted to protect everyone else who worked for his franchise during the tough times.

That’s why defensive end Julius Peppers was allowed to walk in free agency last year. That’s why John Fox was allowed to be a lame-duck coach entering a 2010 season that turned into a nightmare. Despite having a roster filled with a reasonable amount of individual talent, the Panthers went 2-14 and fan apathy reached an all-time high.

But Richardson’s entire philosophy changed the moment the labor situation was resolved. He took the lock off his checkbook and began paying huge money to keep players such as defensive end Charles Johnson, running back DeAngelo Williams, linebackers Jon Beason, James Anderson and Thomas Davis, add free agents such as kicker Olindo Mare and trade for tight end Greg Olsen. Including rookies, Richardson already has written checks for more than $100 million in signing bonuses.

Throw in the fact that Ron Rivera has replaced Fox and the Panthers chose quarterback Cam Newton with the first pick of the draft and there suddenly is optimism the Panthers can quickly escape the label of being one of the league’s worst teams.

“That’s the one thing I’ve learned from being a Carolina Panther for going on nine years is that you never know what kind of a team we’re going to field from year to year,’’ veteran left tackle Jordan Gross said. “Things can change dramatically, and I think they are going to here. I love Coach Rivera’s philosophy and the staff he’s put together. They’re committed to winning, and the organization has shown that as well with what it has done with getting new guys and re-signing our own guys. I think we can be as good as we want to be.’’

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Will Newton be savior of this franchise? It’s way too early to even have a clue if the guy who only played one full season at Auburn will succeed in the NFL. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that the Panthers aren’t asking Newton to be their savior -- at least not right away.

The hope in Carolina is that Newton will get a reasonable grasp of the offense in training camp and show it in the preseason games. If he does, he’ll be the opening-day starter. The Panthers don’t want to prolong the inevitable and start the season with Jimmy Clausen because Newton clearly is their future.

The playbook can expand as time goes on, but the organization believes that Newton can step right in behind an offensive line that should be good and can take advantage of a strong running game, very good tight ends and wide receiver Steve Smith.

2. What will the new offense look like? The popular thing to do in Carolina is assume that the departure of Fox and offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson means the Panthers are suddenly going to start throwing the ball all over the field.

They will throw more, but the Panthers won't pass as often as people think. That would be foolish with a rookie quarterback and it would border on insanity to keep the ball out of the hands of running backs Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Under new offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, there will be significant differences from the Fox/Davidson era.

Chudzinski came from San Diego and plans to use an offensive scheme that’s based on what the Chargers do. You’ll see more passes to the tight ends, a big reason the Panthers brought in Olsen and Jeremy Shockey. You’ll see plays designed to get Smith away from double coverage. But don’t expect Newton to step right in and immediately be Philip Rivers.

3. What will the defense look like? Rivera has a defensive background. His coordinator is Sean McDermott, who spent time in Philadelphia. Some personnel changes in the middle of the defensive line will allow Beason, Anderson and Davis to again become play-making linebackers. That’s going to make this defense look a little like Fox’s defense of a few years back. But the real change will be a new philosophy that involves taking risks and being aggressive. The Panthers didn’t blitz much last year and didn’t have much success when they did. That’s going to change. McDermott’s going to use those athletic linebackers as blitzers and, with Johnson and Greg Hardy already up front, Carolina suddenly could have a dynamic and disruptive pass rush. The secondary is not loaded with big-time talent, but it could look a lot better if quarterbacks are forced into mistakes.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Granted, it’s early, but the Panthers are hopeful receiver/return man Armanti Edwards will make an impact. A second-round pick last year, Edwards was a non-factor as a rookie. That was largely because Fox believed the former college quarterback did not belong in the NFL. He barely let Edwards on the field as he made a statement to an owner and front office that wanted the lame-duck coach to embrace a youth movement. But Fox is gone and there’s sudden optimism about Edwards. The team didn’t know it until after the lockout ended, but it was delighted to find out that Edwards reached out to veteran punter Jason Baker during the offseason. The two worked out together frequently and Edwards made dramatic improvement in his ability to catch punts. There’s a good chance he could be the main punt and kickoff returner this season. He also could be involved in certain packages as a wide receiver.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The perception is the Panthers have done just about everything they’ve wanted to in free agency. But that’s not quite reality. According to a league source, the team made a strong play for free-agent receiver Santana Moss, offering him a three-year deal worth $15 million. Moss took the deal back to the Redskins, who matched it, so he elected to stay in Washington. That one shook the Panthers a bit. Although they have high hopes for young receivers Brandon LaFell and David Gettis, they want to pair a proven veteran with Smith to start the season. Look for them to bring in another veteran at some point before the start of the regular season.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Keep your eye on the cornerbacks who remain on the market or come available over the next few weeks. The Panthers let Richard Marshall leave via free agency. They still have Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn, but a team that has been so aggressive this offseason isn’t going to sit still at this position. The Panthers will sign a cornerback with starting experience at some point. They’re just waiting for the right guy at the right price.
• The Panthers pushed veteran kicker John Kasay out the door and handed Mare a $4 million signing bonus. Kasay, 41, remained accurate on field goals, but the feeling was that he no longer had the leg strength to make long kicks. Mare’s 38 and still can make long field goals. But the biggest reason the change was made wasn’t about field goals. It was about kickoffs. The Panthers carried a kickoff specialist the past few years and didn’t want to waste a roster spot by doing that again. With the league moving kickoffs up 5 yards this year, the team believes Mare can produce a lot of touchbacks.
• Don’t overlook running back Mike Goodson. As long as Williams and Stewart are healthy, he’s not going to get a bunch of carries. But Goodson was one of the few bright spots from last season and the new coaching staff noticed him on film. He can do a lot out of different things out of the backfield, and the coaching staff believes there's a role for Goodson. Think of a scaled-down version of what New Orleans did with Reggie Bush and plans to do with Darren Sproles.
• Perhaps the most unsung move the Panthers made all offseason was hiring Mike Shula, the son of legendary coach Don Shula, as quarterbacks coach. He's had ups and downs as an NFL coordinator and college head coach at Alabama. But Shula has grown from it all and is a very good quarterbacks coach and teacher. If Shula can develop Newton or Clausen into a big-time quarterback, the world finally might give this guy his due.
• The return of right tackle Jeff Otah is more significant than many realize. Otah missed all last season with a knee injury but is fully healthy now. That’s going to have a huge impact on the running game.
• Ryan Kalil signed his $10 million franchise tender and the team hasn’t talked to him about a long-term deal. But that’s simply because the front office has been so tied up making other moves. This team realizes Kalil is still young and already considered one of the best centers in the game. As soon as things settle down a bit, expect Kalil to be offered a big long-term deal.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Carolina Panthers don’t practice until late Monday, but they’re already making news.

One potential move might excite you and the other will probably come as a bit of a disappointment. Let’s start a Monday morning by getting the news that’s not likely to be well received by fans out of the way.

The Panthers are bringing in free-agent quarterback Derek Anderson for a visit and probably will sign him, barring any problems with a physical exam or contract talks. The Panthers had said they were looking for a veteran to help mentor Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen.

They’re about to give you Anderson, who didn’t do all that much in his Cleveland days. Not sure about you, but I think the Panthers would have been just as well off keeping Matt Moore and I don’t even think Moore’s that good. I think they would have been even better off bringing back Jake Delhomme, who recently was released by Cleveland.

But, as often is the case, you have to look at ties to the coaching staff when a player is brought in. Anderson had his one decent season (2007) in Cleveland, when Carolina offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski was with the Browns.

Now, onto the news that probably will go over well with fans. The Panthers are showing interest in veteran cornerback Carlos Rogers, who has spent his entire career with the Washington Redskins and been a starter most of that time.

After letting Richard Marshall go in free agency, the Panthers are looking for a cornerback to start opposite Chris Gamble.

ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio just reported that the Carolina Panthers have not shown any interest in trading for Philadelphia cornerback Asante Samuel, despite reports to the contrary.

Samuel seemingly is on the trading block after the Eagles signed free-agent Nnamdi Asomugha and traded for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. A league source said the Panthers are not interested in taking on Samuel's large contract and the Eagles are looking for at least a third-round draft pick or a starting offensive lineman as compensation.

The Panthers are a bit thin at cornerback after losing Richard Marshall via free agency. Chris Gamble was benched by former coach John Fox last season, but is looking for a fresh start under new coach Ron Rivera.

Captain Munnerlyn has nine starts in his first two seasons and could be the top candidate to start opposite Gamble. But the Panthers still could target a free agent with a cheaper price tag than Samuel's.

The NFL draft is long over and all we have to look forward to now is free agency, though we don't know when or how it will come or exactly what it will look like.

But if there is a 2011 season, it will have to be preceded by some sort of free-agency period, one last window for teams to fine-tune their rosters with what they couldn't get in the draft.

We’ll spare you most of the boring details of the labor negotiations, but we do have to point out that the rules for a potential free-agency period aren’t set. They could be determined if a new labor agreement is reached and that probably would include some tweaks to past rules. It has long been assumed that if the lockout is lifted before an agreement that free agency rules will be the same as they were in 2010. But word has started to trickle out in the past few days that might not be the case.

At this point, we only can look at hypothetical situations -- all you can do is dream and you might as well dream big. With that in mind, let’s take a look at one free-agency dream scenario for each NFC South franchise.

Atlanta Falcons -- This is the easiest call in the division because you can see it coming like a slow-moving storm or Arthur Blank strolling to the sideline late in a game. Let’s go ahead and make Atlanta’s dream move signing Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards.

Some of our coming moves are pie-in-the-sky scenarios that probably won’t happen, but this one has serious potential. Edwards has five seasons in the league, which could make him a restricted or unrestricted free agent, depending on the rules of free agency. If at all possible, I think the Falcons will pursue a player who had eight sacks in 14 games last season and 8.5 the season before that.

Edwards is just hitting his prime and sure looks like the one missing link between the Falcons being a team that exits the playoffs early and one that can challenge for the Super Bowl. Blank and general manager Thomas Dimitroff already put most of their chips on the table when they traded up on draft night to get wide receiver Julio Jones. He’s the explosive player they wanted on offense.

Edwards can be the explosive guy on defense. Carolina’s Charles Johnson, a probable restricted free agent, and Green Bay’s Cullen Jenkins could be fall-back options. But the Falcons already have shown strong signs this offseason they’re not interested in falling back.

Carolina Panthers -- Let’s imagine for a moment that Carolina owner Jerry Richardson opens his free-agent checkbook for the first time in several years to bring in cornerback Johnathan Joseph, who has been playing with Cincinnati and is another five-year player.

If Joseph is a free agent, this move would make all sorts of sense. He's a local product, from just over the border in Rock Hill, S.C. He also has nine interceptions the past two seasons. Carolina has Richard Marshall and Chris Gamble, but their futures are very uncertain.

Richardson has had some success in the past bringing local products home -- Stephen Davis, Kevin Donnalley, Ricky Proehl -- and Carolina has invested a lot in its young defensive line and has a good group of linebackers. Joseph could solidify the secondary and new coach Ron Rivera suddenly could have a nice defense. By the way, I know there’s speculation about defensive tackle Tommie Harris ending up with the Panthers because of his Chicago ties to Rivera. That could happen. But I don’t view Harris as a dream scenario. I view him as a guy with questions about his knees, who could be a decent pickup if he can stay healthy.

New Orleans Saints -- This one’s tough because the Saints have a bunch of young and talented, but totally unproven players at outside linebacker. Plus, veteran outside linebacker Scott Shanle can become an unrestricted free agent. The list of players at outside linebacker who definitely will be unrestricted is pretty thin. You could take a veteran such as Detroit’s Julian Peterson and gamble that he’ll regain some of his early-career magic the way some other veterans have with the Saints in recent years. The Saints have shown willingness to gamble on injured guys in the past and Carolina’s Thomas Davis has huge upside.

But Peterson’s no long-term solution and Davis is a total unknown because he’s had two major knee injuries. In a best-case scenario, the Saints will re-sign Shanle. Then, they’ll go after Buffalo’s Paul Posluszny. He’s a four-year player and could end up being restricted. But hey, we can dream.

Put Posluszny with Shanle and Jonathan Vilma and the Saints would be better off at linebacker than they were in 2009, when Shanle and Vilma were joined by Scott Fujita.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- The Bucs spending big money in free agency? Well, they haven’t done it in some time unless you count Derrick Ward, and that didn’t work out. But there’s one sure-fire move that could excite a fan base that wasn’t buying tickets during a 10-6 season in 2010 and put this team over the top: sign cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

Asomugha’s the one true gem we know will be in this free-agent class and his price tag is going to be astronomical. But if there is a salary cap, the Bucs will have more room under it than any team in the league. The Bucs showed a willingness to spend big money once before, offering more to defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth than the Redskins did before Haynesworth went to Washington. There are strong rumors Asomugha will end up in the NFC East, but Tampa Bay can use the lack of a state income tax in Florida, a great natural-grass field, the weather, a team on the rise and coach Raheem Morris (a former defensive backs coach) as selling points.

The future of Aqib Talib is unsure because of off-field problems. Sign Asomugha and the Bucs have a corner more talented than Talib who doesn’t come with the headaches. Put him out there with veteran Ronde Barber, who still plays at a high level, and younger players such as E.J. Biggers and Myron Lewis. If the pass-rushers taken in the draft (Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers) work out, Tampa Bay’s corners suddenly could be dominant.

Remember, it’s all hypothetical. But wouldn’t the NFC South be a better and more exciting place if these dream scenarios actually came true?

The ESPN.com Power Rankings for cornerbacks are out and the NFC South has been shut out.

Not a single cornerback from the division made the top 10 and only three even received votes. Two of those votes came from me. I had New Orleans’ Jabari Greer at No. 7 and Atlanta’s Dunta Robinson at No. 9. Those were the only votes those two guys received.

In a bit of a surprise, AFC South colleague Paul Kuharsky put Atlanta’s Brent Grimes at No. 8 on his ballot and AFC North partner Tim Graham had Grimes at No. 9. Their votes put Grimes as the highest-rated NFC South cornerback, finishing in a tie for 12th place.

I can’t speak for Graham and Kuharsky but, heck, I’ll offer up my theories on their votes. I’m thinking Graham looked at Grimes’ 11 interceptions over the last two seasons and based his vote on that. Kurharsky, like Grimes is a bit vertically challenged, so I think he might have felt a bond with this vote.

Is Grimes the best cornerback in the NFC South? No. He’s pretty good and he makes up for his lack of size with incredible athleticism. But he gets beat at times and teams throw at him frequently because they usually try to throw away from Robinson.

In his first season after signing a big contract with the Falcons, Robinson had only one interception. But he did a solid job in coverage overall and that helped Atlanta’s defense. I’d rank Robinson as the second-best cornerback in the division.

Greer is definitely No. 1 in my eyes. He’s had some durability issues. But, when healthy, he and Tracy Porter form the best cornerback tandem in the division.

Would I put Grimes at No. 3 in the division? Probably not. I’d probably drop him down to No. 5 and put a couple of Tampa Bay guys at third and fourth.

I’ll put Aqib Talib at No. 3. In terms of pure physical talent, he’s at least on par with Greer and Robinson. But Talib missed one game last season with a suspension and suffered a season-ending injury. He’s also had some off-field troubles and that doesn’t help his stock. He’s talented, but part of what makes for a good cornerback is being dependable and Talib has yet to do that over the long haul.

His teammate, Ronde Barber, has done it over the long haul and that’s why I would rank him as the fourth-best cornerback in the division, even at a very late stage in his career. If we were doing these rankings a few years earlier when Tampa Bay’s defense was in the middle of its glory days, Barber probably would have made the top 10 with ease. Speaking of guys who might have made the top 10 in previous years, let's at least touch on Carolina's Chris Gamble. There was a time when I thought this guy was real close to making it big. But Gamble fell out of favor with former coach John Fox last year, was even benched for a time and now has to redeem himself.

» NFC Draft Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: history in that spot.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills' top pick is No. 3 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: DT Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers)

2009: DE Tyson Jackson (Chiefs)

2008: QB Matt Ryan (Falcons)

2007: T Joe Thomas (Browns)

2006: QB Vince Young (Titans)

2005: WR Braylon Edwards (Browns)

2004: WR Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

ANALYSIS: Some sexy picks have been made in this spot. None of the players have been out-and-out busts, although character concerns have overshadowed a couple. Only McCoy and Jackson haven't been selected for at least one Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald is an elite receiver, arguably the best in the business. Edwards can be a dangerous playmaker when not dropping passes, which he didn't do last year. Ryan is an emerging star. Young has been a lightning rod, but he did win rookie of the year and has gone to a pair of Pro Bowls. Thomas is a star blocker with four Pro Bowls on his résumé already.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins' top pick is No. 15 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants)

2009: LB Brian Cushing (Texans)

2008: G Branden Albert (Chiefs)

2007: LB Lawrence Timmons (Steelers)

2006: CB Tye Hill (Rams)

2005: LB Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)

2004: WR Michael Clayton (Buccaneers)

ANALYSIS: This is a region of the first round where picks can break either way. There have been solid players drafted here, but no superstars. Cushing was a rookie of the year, but his career has been tainted by performance-enhancing drug usage. Clayton made an immediate impact with 80 catches for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, but hasn't caught more than 38 passes since. Johnson has been a solid linebacker for Kansas City, while Timmons has been an influential member of Pittsburgh's defense the past two seasons. Hill has been the biggest disappointment. He has been with four teams, starting 25 games.

New England Patriots

The Patriots' first-round picks are Nos. 17 and 28 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in those spots, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: G Mike Iupati (49ers) and DE Jared Odrick (Dolphins)

2009: QB Josh Freeman (Buccaneers) and G Eric Wood (Bills)

2008: T Gosder Cherilus (Lions) and DE Lawrence Jackson (Seahawks)

2007: DE Jarvis Moss (Broncos) and T Joe Staley (49ers)

2006: LB Chad Greenway (Vikings) and TE Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars)

2005: LB David Pollack (Bengals) and DE Luis Castillo (Chargers)

2004: LB D.J. Williams (Broncos) and CB Chris Gamble (Panthers)

ANALYSIS: Results have been mixed with these slots, but the 28th pick actually has found more starters than the 17th in recent years. Freeman showed signs of developing into a future star last year, and Cherilus has started 40 of his 43 games at right tackle. Williams and Greenway have been regular starters. But Moss and Pollock didn't work out. In the 28th slot, Odrick is the only one who hasn't been a regular starter. Injuries detonated his rookie season.

New York Jets

The Jets' top pick is No. 30 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: RB Jahvid Best (Lions)

2009: WR Kenny Britt (Titans)

2008: TE Dustin Keller (Jets)

2007: WR Craig Davis (Chargers)

2006: RB Joseph Addai (Colts)

2005: TE Heath Miller (Steelers)

2004: RB Kevin Jones (Lions)

ANALYSIS: What strikes me is that all seven selections not only are offensive players, but also ball handlers. Perhaps teams in the back of the draft feel they can gamble a little bit and try to hit big on a skill position. Whatever the reasoning, it seems to have worked. This has been a successful spot. Jones and Addai rushed for 1,000 yards as rookies. Best appears to be the Lions' running back of the future. Miller and Addai have gone to Pro Bowls. Britt was the Titans' leading receiver last year. Keller is one of the NFL's better tight ends.

Let’s go ahead and agree on the expert witnesses' credentials and swear them in as we begin the case of Patrick Peterson vs. the National Football League draft.

Peterson is challenging the age-old law that you simply don’t take a cornerback with the first pick in the NFL draft. It’s never been done before, at least not in the modern era. In fact, case law shows that a cornerback never has been chosen earlier than Shawn Springs when Seattle picked him at No. 3 in 1997.

But the people at Peterson’s table can put any number of guys on the stand and make a case that it’s time to change the law.

“I honestly think he’s the best player in the draft,’’ said Scouts Inc.’s Matt Williamson, a former NFL front-office worker. “He’s as clean a prospect as there is coming out in this draft. There are no character flaws or physical problems. I don’t know that there is a single thing you can put down about him that’s a negative.’’

“Peterson is the best player in this draft, period,’’ said Tony Softli, who worked as a high-ranking personnel official for the Carolina Panthers and the St. Louis Rams. “There’s nobody who’s even close.’’

Plenty of draft gurus agree and consider Peterson the best player in the draft. But those same guys are putting out mock drafts, and almost none of them puts Peterson as the first pick.

That pick belongs to the Panthers, and they’ll be the ultimate judge on whether it’s time to rewrite the draft rules to say it’s not a crime to draft a cornerback first -- especially one with the ability to return kickoffs and punts.

Will they do it? That’s anybody’s guess. The Panthers, coming off a 2-14 season and beginning the tenure of Ron Rivera as coach, are methodically working their way through the process. Rivera has said there are as many as eight players being looked at as options with the pick.

It’s safe to assume that defensive linemen Da’Quan Bowers, Nick Fairley and Marcell Dareus are under Carolina’s microscope. Same goes for quarterbacks Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert, and they’re being examined under a more powerful lens. But what about Peterson, the guy you can look at from 50 yards away and see is basically flawless?

That’s where Rivera, general manager Marty Hurney and even owner Jerry Richardson are going to have to make one of the most interesting calls in recent draft history. There’s no doubt the Panthers need a quarterback, but Newton and Gabbert come with questions. There’s a big need for help in the middle of the defensive line, and Fairley or Dareus could fix that. Even though the Panthers have talent at defensive end, they almost have to give some consideration to Bowers, who is a game changer at a position where teams aren’t afraid to use high draft picks. But each of the defensive linemen comes with some questions.

Peterson doesn’t.

“Why would you not take this kid?’’ Softli said.

Well, that answer is buried deep in minds around the NFL, and traditions can be hard to break.

“The logic is that if you have one of those guys at one corner, he’s going to be marginalized because people are just going to attack the other corner all day,’’ Williamson said.

Softli echoes that and points to baseball, where the theory is you build up the middle with good pitching, a catcher, shortstop and center fielder. In other words, you don’t build a baseball team around a left fielder or a first baseman.

“The philosophy is that you build from the inside,’’ Softli said. “On defense, you build around the defensive line or the linebackers. On offense, you start with the quarterback or the running backs or the guys that block for them. The last piece you put in an offense is a wide receiver or a tight end. The last piece you put on a defense is a cornerback. It’s because those guys are on the outside.’’

We’ve heard all the glowing testimony on Peterson, and we’ve heard why the current law is in place. Everyone seems to agree on all of that. But ask what the Panthers should do with the first pick, and that’s where reasonable minds disagree.

“They have to get a quarterback,’’ Williamson said. “I take Gabbert over Newton because there’s less downside. Look at the rest of Carolina’s roster. They’ve got running backs and I like their young wide receivers, Brandon LaFell and David Gettis. They’ve got a good offensive line. This isn’t the Houston offensive line when David Carr was coming in. They need a quarterback and this is an exceedingly friendly time to do it. Apologies to Patrick Peterson, who I think the world of, but they have to go with a quarterback.’’

Richardson and Hurney are traditional guys, but Softli has some advice for his former bosses.

“They can get a transition guy at quarterback,’’ Softli said as he pointed to quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb, who might be available via trade or free agency. “They can get their quarterback in another year or two when there’s more of a can’t-miss guy. Why not just take the best player in the draft? You can’t go wrong on that.’’

Carolina already has cornerbacks Richard Marshall and Chris Gamble, who have played at high levels in the past. Captain Munnerlyn also has shown signs he can be a solid starting cornerback. Marshall got into the bad graces of the front office last year, and Gamble fell out of favor with former coach John Fox last season. It’s possible one of those guys could go, but the other could stay and team with Peterson as the starters and Munnerlyn as the nickel. That would leave the Panthers with second and third cornerbacks who aren’t all that easy to pick on.

That might help bend the law in the Panthers’ eyes, and Softli points to the franchise’s past for more support. He remembers 2002, when defensive end Julius Peppers was in a draft class that featured Carr and Joey Harrington. The Panthers held the second pick in that draft and Softli remembers sitting in pre-draft meeting rooms with Hurney, Fox and college personnel director Jack Bushofsky.

“We were all sitting there hoping that Houston wouldn’t take the best player,’’ Softli said. “They took Carr and we could have had Harrington, but we wanted the best player. Peppers was the best player, and history has shown that. Harrington’s out of the league and Carr’s a third-string quarterback.’’

The verdict won’t come until the Panthers make their pick in late April. But they have to at least look at Peterson and wonder whether the guy with no questions would make it worthwhile to break the law.