2008 NFL Sneak Peek – NFC South

2008 NFL Sneak Peek – NFC South
By TD at Totals 4 You

 Welcome to week five of your 8-week series taking an off-season look at the National Football League. This week we head down to the nation’s southeast where the battle for attention from our country’s most rabid college football fans can be a bigger task than the foes they face on Sunday. Proud locals and snowbirds alike, let’s check out what’s shaking in the NFC South.

Tampa Bay (9-7, 0-1 playoffs) The Bucs offensive off-season moves have been groaners. At QB, Plummer is presumed retired, Simms wants out, Luke McCown (3 starts in ’07) and Bruce Gradkowski (11 starts in ’06) wait in the wings, a 5^th rounder grabbed D1-AA San Diego’s Josh Johnson, a 6^th rounder in 2009 brought back Brian Griese (CHI), while starter Jeff Garcia (2440 yards, 13 TD, 4 INT) wants more than the $2 million due in his final contract year after being held out the final 10 regular season quarters – supposedly for playoff health – costing him a $1 M bonus. After Cadillac Williams (still rehabbing) and Michael Pittman (free agency to Denver) fell early in 2007, RB Ernest Graham (222 for 898 and 10 TD rushing, 49 for 324 receiving) was a force but sits out off-season workouts while denied more than the 5^th year minimum $605,000 while FB Askew got a 4-year $8M extension, RB Bennett got $3.75 M over 3 years, and RB Warrick Dunn (FA-ATL) was purchased for $6 M over 2 years. TE’s John Gilmore (FA-CHI) and Ben Troupe (FA-TEN) were signed to compete with Alex Smith and Jerramy Stevens (yet unsigned) but little was done to address Tampa’s biggest need – wide receiver where Galloway and Hilliard are rehabbing injuries. 2^nd round selection Dexter Jackson memorably led Appalachian State past Michigan but did little else in 2007 and at 5’10” is limited to the slot while Eric Moulds, Eddie Kennison, and Bryan Gilmore were worked out – but not signed. The loss of centers Matt Lehr (FA-NO) and John Wade (FA-OAK) was filled by C Jeff Faine (FA-NO) and G Jeremy Zuttah (3^rd round, Rutgers) was a nice add. The NFL’s 3^rd-ranked stoppers needed little help but Tampa used their 1^st rounder on Kansas’s CB Aquib Talib and signed a slew of free agents including LDE Marques Douglass (SF) to replace Greg Spires (cut). Yahoo…

Carolina (7-9, missed playoffs) Zero offensive TD in 6 of their 2007 losses, determined the Panthers to get bigger up front. 80-straight game starter LT Jordan Gross re-signed, 6’4” 312 LG Travelle Wharton (re-signed) moves from right tackle to make room for 6’6” 340 pure mauler Jeff Otah (19^th overall, Pitt), C Ryan Kalil takes over for cut starter Justin Hartwig, and 6’5” 325 pickup RG Keydrick Vincent (FA-ARI) replaces cut starter Mike Wahle. OL’s Geoff Hangartner and Evan Mathis were re-inked plus Milford Brown (FA-STL) and Tonui Fonoti (street free agent) boost depth. Coach Fox vows to rush 500+ times this year and gets the draft’s best back RB Jonathan Stewart (13^th overall, Oregon) to pair with RB DeAngelo Williams while RB LaBrandon Toefield (FA-JAX) was added, FB Hoover and RB Haynes were re-signed, and RB DeShawn Foster was cut. David Carr (cut) and Vinny Testaverde (retired) are gone so it’s QB Jake Delhome’s show to run backed by Basenez and Moore while losses of #2 WR Drew Carter (FA-OAK) and #3 WR Keary Colbert (FA-DEN) are modestly filled by Muhsin Muhammad (FA-CHI) and DJ Hackett (FA-SEA) so it’s critical that WR Dwayne Jarrett shows up. Line was also a defensive priority where Carolina managed just 23 sacks last season. Starters DE Mike Rucker (retired) and DT Kris Jenkins (trade NYJ) plus backup DT Kindal Moorehead (FA-ATL) are replaced by RDE Tyler Brayton (FA-OAK) and re-signed RDT Damione Lewis supported by free agent DT’s Ian Scott (PHI) and Darwin Walker (CHI) plus returning DE’s McClover and Johnson who started at the end of 2007. The Panthers will be faster up front allowing LDE Julius Pepper slide from end to end pre-snap. WLB Landon Johnson (FA-CIN), CB Ricardo Colclough, and S Terrence Holt were also good adds plus keep your eye on 3^rd round Notre Dame pick ILB Dan Conner to crack skulls.

New Orleans (7-9, missed playoffs) Poor pass defense (257.6 yards per game, 32 TD, 7.87 yards per attempt) cost the Saints a 2007 post-season trip and GM Mickey Loomis made this his priority. RDE Will Smith (66 T, 8 S, 3 FR) wants a new contract and LDE Charles Grant (48 T, 2 ½ S) is fighting a baseless involuntary manslaughter charge but they return with DE Bobby McCray (FA-JAX) to bookend 7^th overall draft selection RDT Sedrick Ellis (USC) and re-signed LDT Young. Ellis has Warren Sapp quickness, power, and lateral ability plus New Orleans may have stolen 5^th round pick DT DeMario Pressley (NC State). Backup LB Simoneau re-signed and the acquisition of MLB Jonathon Vilma (trade-NYJ) is a huge impact upgrade while backers McCoy (FA-TB) and Simmons (cut) are done in the Big Easy. RCB Randall “Big Play” Gay (FA-NE) finally gets a real shot to start in this league opposite rehabbed LCB Mike McKenzie (knee), backed by CB Aaron Glenn (FA-JAX) and electrifying 2^nd round pick CB Tracy Porter (Indiana) who’s 4.41 40-yard time barely topped his 4 of 23 on the Wonderlich. Little was needed done for an offense that averaged 24.3 points on 368.1 yards per game plus gets RB Deuce McAlister back (ACL) to join Bush (581 yards/4 TD rushing, 417 yards/2 TD receiving) and re-signed Stecker (448 yards/5 TD rushing, 211 receiving). The re-signing of WR’s Cooper, Henderson, and Patten plus TE’s Johnson and Miller keeps the targets of all 440 of Drew Brees’s completions in Saints jerseys while 7^th round pick WR Adrian Arrington (67 for 882 and 8 TD for Michigan in 2007) is pure theft if he behaves. The loss of C Jeff Faine (FA-TB) from a line that surrendered 16 sacks hurts but a combination of C/G Jonathon Goodwin (re-signed), LG Jamar Nesbit (re-signed), and C/G Matt Lehr (FA-TB) should handle the middle. Laissez les bons temps roulez!

Atlanta (4-12, missed playoffs) With a new GM in Thomas Dimitroff, a new Head Coach in Mike Smith, and a new franchise QB in 1^st round selection Matt Ryan the Falcons want you to know that things in Atlanta are…well…NEW! Ok, so Boston College’s Ryan (25-7 as a starter) was a reach at #3 overall for a kid without a deep arm but we’re concerned with a defense that allowed 33.1 points per over their 1-6 finish. LCB DeAngelo Hall (trade-OAK) and FS Chris Crocker (FA-MIA) are gone in favor of LCB Von Hutchins (FA-HOU) and FS Eric Coleman (FA-NYJ) while 3^rd round picks CB Chevis Jackson (21 of 82 passes his way completed in ‘07 with LSU) and FS Thomas DeCoud (California) are fine grabs. SLB Micheal Boley re-signed while WLB Demorrio Williams (FA-KC) hit the bricks, allowing Keith Brooking to move back outside and opens up the middle for Big 12 Defender of the Year Curtis Lofton (2^nd round, Oklahoma) to battle Tony Taylor for the job. Needed defensive line overhaul (25 sacks, 4.2 yards per rush) was un-addressed. DT Tim Anderson (re-signed), DT Rashad Moore (FA-NE), DT Kindal Morehead (FA-CAR), DE Chauncey Davis (re-signed), and DE Simon Fraser (FA-CLE) fill the depth chart but starters Abraham (10 S), Babineaux (3 S), Lewis (0 S), and Jamaal Anderson (0 S) remain unimpressive. QB Leftwich (cut), RB Dunn (cut), TE Crumpler, and TE Anderson (FA-BUF) are gone from Atlanta’s offense while RB Michael Turner (FA-SD) adds beef to RB Jerious Norwood’s (5.95 yards per rush, 9.89 per catch) big play ability plus the addition of 3-time All-American T Sam Baker (1^st round, USC) and starting TE Ben Hartstock (FA-TEN) can’t hurt this rushing attack (95.0 yards per game). K Jason Elam (FA-DEN) and P Michael Koenen (re-signed) are worth a win or two alone. Atlanta had too much to do in one off-season.