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NFC South Offseason Recap (Post Draft)

Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:01 am
Posted by Suntiger
STG or BR or somewhere else
Member since Feb 2007
36237 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:01 am
Who is having the best and worst offseason so far?

Atlanta Falcons

Released
RB Michael Turner
DE John Abraham
CB Dunta Robinson
OT Tyson Clabo

Signed
RB Antone Smith
DE Osi Umenyiora
RB Steven Jackson
LB Brian Banks

Draft Choices
(22) Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
(60) Robert Alford, CB, SE Louisiana
(127) Malliciah Goodman, DE, Clemson
(133) Levine Toilolo, TE, Stanford
(153) Stansly Maponga, DE, TCU
(243) Kemal Ishmael, DB, Central Florida
(244) Zeke Motta, SS, Notre Dame
(249) Sean Renfree, QB, Duke



Carolina Panthers

Released
CB Chris Gamble
DT Ron Edwards

Signed
DT Colin Cole
CB D.J. Moore

Draft Choices
(14) Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
(44) Kawann Short, DT, Purdue
(108) Edmund Kugbila, OG, Valdosta State
(148) A.J. Klein, ILB, Iowa State
(182) Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon


New Orleans Saints

Released
TE David Thomas
CB Johnny Patrick

Signed
CB Keenan Lewis
TE Benjamin Watson
LB Victor Butler
LB Will Herringon
DE Kenyon Coleman
QB Luke McCown
S Jim Leonhard
OT Jason Smith
QB Seneca Wallace
LS Justin Drescher

Traded
RB Chris Ivory

Draft Choices
(15) Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
(75) Terron Armstead, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
(82) John Jenkins, DT, Georgia
(144) Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma
(183) Rufus Johnson, DE, Tarleton State


Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Released


Signed
CB Darrelle Revis
S Dashon Goldson
S Sean Baker
LS Andrew DePaola
TE Drake Dunsmore
LB Joe Holland
TE Zach Miller
DE Ernest Owusu
T Mike Remmers
CB James Rogers
DB Nick Saenz
QB Adam Weber
PK Nate Kaeding
DL George Selvie
DL Derek Landri
RB Brian Leonard
WR Steve Smith
QB Dan Orlovsky

Draft Choices
(43) Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
(73) Mike Glennon, QB, North Carolina State
(100) Akeem Spence, DT, Illinois
(126) William Gholston, DE, Michigan State
(147) Steven Means, DE, Buffalo
(189) Mike James, RB, Miami
Posted by Suntiger
STG or BR or somewhere else
Member since Feb 2007
36237 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:02 am to
Atlanta getting Steven Jackson is huge for them. I don't think they will be as good as they were last year though. They lost some big names like Abraham, Turner and Robinson, but replaced them with big names like Osi, Jackson and Trufant/Alford. I think Renfree will help them in the future as a trade piece. We'll have to wait and see on that though.

Is Carolina on vacation or something? They lost Gamble which won't help them, but drafted Star which will. Ehh offseason at best.

New Orleans has done as well as they can considering their cap situation. Butler and Lewis are good acquisitions and Jason Smith was a 1st round pick that hasn't found his place yet. The Saints absolutely killed the draft IMO though.

You could say that Tampa has made a few moves this offseason. Revis, Goldson and Steve Smith are probably the headliners. The draft is kind of ho hum. I'm worried Glennon actually becomes a good QB. I think Freeman is a decent QB, but I'm not scared of him.


Atlanta and Tampa did great in FA bringing in some big names, but I have to give the edge to Tampa because they upgraded where Atlanta replaced outgoing players. New Orleans did the best job drafting though. Carolina is asleep at the wheel.
Posted by bountyhunter
North of Houston a bit
Member since Mar 2012
7136 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:07 am to
Todd McClure, veteran Center for the Falcons also retired this year. I think that is going to be a huge factor for their offense this year.
Posted by mm2316
New Orleans Pelicans Fan
Member since Aug 2010
6942 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:17 am to
I think if you look at FAs lost too (Owens and Grimes, along with McClure retiring), Altanta has lost more than they have gained.

Jackson is an upgrade over Turner, but we'll see by how much- dude's gonna be 30 when the season starts.

Osi, to me, looks like a huge downgrade. Abraham had 10 sacks last year on an awful D-line, while Osi had 6, with one of the most talented D-lines in the league.
This post was edited on 5/1/13 at 10:19 am
Posted by AlexMSU
Lake Charles, LA
Member since Feb 2013
322 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:22 am to
I like what the saints did both in the draft AND in FA.. Filled every spot of need with great value picks and now we have excellent depth and competition for our new 3-4 defense and OT spots.

The Bucs did a lot in FA. Maybe too much? anyways they mainly addressed their Defense and on paper, look like an early front runner to snag the division.

Atlanta didn't really upgrade much. Steven Jackson has a little more in the tank than Turner for sure, but also lost a few OL starters. In addition, Osi just cancels out Abraham leaving + brings in another cry baby to the locker room. Two vet CBs out, two rookies in. All in all I don't see the falcons improving much.

Panthers went no where this off season.

All in all, could be a 3-team battle royale for the division, and I hope black &gold comes out on top!
Posted by Suntiger
STG or BR or somewhere else
Member since Feb 2007
36237 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:22 am to
quote:

I think if you look at FAs lost too (Owens and Grimes, along with McClure retiring), Altanta has lost more than they have gained.


Agreed. I couldn't find a good source for FA lost though.

quote:

Osi, to me, looks like a huge downgrade. Abraham had 10 sacks last year on an awful D-line, while Osi had 6, with one of the most talented D-lines in the league.


Osi isn't much younger than Abraham and he's had surgery on both knees too.


I think you can tell by everyone's offseason moves and draft that everyone is beefing up their defense.
Posted by LooseCannon22282
South Alabama Fan
Member since May 2008
36004 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:28 am to
quote:

Is Carolina on vacation or something?


they are several million dollars over the cap. They really didn't do much last year either because of this.

Posted by blueslover
deeper than deep south
Member since Sep 2007
22792 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:40 am to
It's May! So I think the Saints D is moving out of the lower quarter of the league rankings.

Want some kool aid? Drink this- How about last year? Most all here declared a distinct improvement in personnel. If ya wanna go all on Payton gone and Spags a failure then we might anticipate more return on investment this year from Bunkley, Hawthorne, & Lofton.

Solid draft but add more contributions from last year's class too. Every pick except Hicks ended up IRed.
Posted by BayouBengal0505
New Orleans
Member since Feb 2013
2687 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:57 am to
Who else! Saints!
Posted by DoubleDown
New Orleans, Louisiana
Member since Oct 2008
13321 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 10:59 am to
Good analysis and spot on actually. Strictly speaking Atlanta - the positions they lost (RB, DE, CB) I think they've greatly improved at. Maybe a lateral move at DE.

For Atlanta - the biggest question marks I have is OLine. McClure retiring along with letting a few other guys go could be terrible. Atlanta has been drafting OLine the last few years in preparation but those guys could never crack the starting spots, until now.
*IF* they play well, they will compete for the NFC South title. If they play like crap, Matt Ryan could be on crutches before the end of the season.
Posted by Brettesaurus Rex
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2009
38261 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:00 am to
Jackson to the Falcons is a little scary considering he runs wild on us everytime we play. Hopefully he doesn't have much left in the tank.
Posted by Patrick O Rly
y u do dis?
Member since Aug 2011
41187 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:06 am to
Not flaming, but where is your pass rush coming from? Osi was a good signing, but who else is there that's viable?
Posted by DoubleDown
New Orleans, Louisiana
Member since Oct 2008
13321 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:09 am to
It's a valid question. General thought is Kroy Beirmann is the other DE that starts, however, last year showed that he's simply not a starter. I personally think that the new guy we got in the 4th (Malliciah Goodman) will end up being the starter as weeks roll on.
It appears we'll be very "situational" at DE. Not the end of the world since that's what we were last year though. I just don't believe it'll get us over the hump.

ETA: Side note, but I actually think the Saints had the best draft in the NFC South. Followed up by Atlanta just slightly behind.
This post was edited on 5/1/13 at 11:11 am
Posted by Patrick O Rly
y u do dis?
Member since Aug 2011
41187 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:12 am to
How much cap room do you have? There's still a couple of veteran 4-3 DE's out there.
Posted by goatmilker
Castle Anthrax
Member since Feb 2009
76645 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:16 am to
I agree that if Osi doesn't go beast mode for you guys you may have to become a blitz happy bountygregg like defense. Your excellent secondary could be wasted.
Getting Jackson was far and above yalls best move dagnabit!
Posted by NorthGwinnettTiger
Member since Jun 2006
53304 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:16 am to
quote:

Not flaming, but where is your pass rush coming from? Osi was a good signing, but who else is there that's viable?


Falcons will re-sign Abe in a month. Him and the Beerman will platoon one side.
Posted by CBandits82
Lurker since May 2008
Member since May 2012
59147 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:19 am to
IF Osi pops off and Jackson plays to his capability Falcons could be upgraded from last season. As stated earlier in the thread, they have big question marks on the O-Line.
Posted by Patrick O Rly
y u do dis?
Member since Aug 2011
41187 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:19 am to
I'm surprised they haven't resigned him already.
Posted by NorthGwinnettTiger
Member since Jun 2006
53304 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:23 am to
quote:

I'm surprised they haven't resigned him already.


I think they're just waiting on June 1st to get here for salary cap reasons.
Posted by CocoLoco
Member since Jan 2012
29108 posts
Posted on 5/1/13 at 11:36 am to
What about Abraham resigning with the team, but for an obviously cheaper price? I could see them going that route in a couple of months. With he and Osi they'd have a very good pass rush, especially in the short term. But if no resigning happens, then they may really lack a pass rush. That, and the obvious potential weakness on the offensive line are the only true downfalls of the roster. I liked the pick of Trufant to help sure up the CB position, but I think the guy would've landed to the Falcons without needing to move up.

I don't see the Falcons not being as good as last season as much as I just don't see a repeat of the amount of success as last season. Saints fans can relate this to the 09 season, many breaks went our way, similarly to the Falcons last year. That happens when you have a good team, but it's also hard to maintain that. History seems to repeat itself, and the NFC South has yet to have a back to back champion. Falcons are still absolutely loaded (Jones, White, Gonzalez and Jackson is pretty damn ridiculous) and dangerous though, and one of the best in the NFC.
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