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The biggest NFC South headlines from SB Nation blogs
Let’s take a look around the NFC South and check out the latest SB Nation news and notes revolving around each team, starting with our Carolina Panthers.
Carolina Panthers
In Charlotte, the Panthers hired James Campen as offensive line coach. Campen spent 15 seasons with the Packers and was most recently with the Texans.
New Panthers OL coach James Campen is well-respected in league circles. Here’s an NFL Films piece on Campen, including some input from Aaron Rodgers.
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) January 31, 2022
The Panthers also promoted Kristi Coleman to team president. Coleman has been with the Panthers for eight years, previously serving as chief financial officer.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore was voted to the Pro Bowl and he’ll be one of two Panthers players in Vegas (Brian Burns). Interestingly, Pro Football Focus has tabbed Gilmore as the Panthers’ most indispensable free agent.
If that’s true, perhaps that would take steam out of the Ahmad Gardner to the Panthers train at sixth overall in the 2022 draft. We spoke about two mock drafts that were split over the Cincinnati cornerback Gardner and the Mississippi State left tackle, Charles Cross. The CSR comment section seems like it will explode should Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer take Gardner.
Also, are the Panthers a candidate for the next season of Hard Knocks?
Sign me up for more of this… https://t.co/Iroplwx53J pic.twitter.com/NDZoCfJKVd
— Dean Jones (@DeanJones_) January 25, 2022
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Over in Bucs land, quarterback Tom Brady, arguably the greatest player to ever play the game, is calling it quits after 22 years. You can check out the Buccaneers’ statements and tribute video following Brady’s retirement here.
Counting down @TomBrady‘s top plays of the 2021 season.
: @NFL pic.twitter.com/8zkfJeq8dY
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) February 2, 2022
Naturally, Bucs Nation is now focused on who could replace Brady at quarterback. Could it be Aaron Rodgers? Deshaun Watson? Jimmy Garoppolo?
Meanwhile, Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea was added to the Pro Bowl, while Bucky Brooks sent the Buccaneers cornerback Kaiir Elam of Florida with the No. 27 overall pick, helping bolster the team’s secondary.
Atlanta Falcons
In Atlanta, The Falcoholic was generous enough with their time to review the Sean Payton sports comedy ‘Home Team’, while writer Dave Choate argues that with Tom Brady officially retiring, suddenly any team can talk themselves into an NFC South title. I guess that includes the Panthers, too!
In hiring news, the Falcons are tabbing Michael Pitre as new running backs coach. Pitre is a 14-year coaching veteran who was in Chicago for a season after a prosperous stint with the Oregon State football program.
Meanwhile, the team released offensive lineman Matt Gono ahead of free agency and Falcons fans think quarterback is the biggest need heading into the offseason.
Choate also takes a look at some big decisions looming with Matt Ryan and Grady Jarrett’s contracts. To free up major cap space, he argues, Atlanta will have to touch up the contracts of two of their biggest stars.
“The only way to go around them entirely would be to trade Calvin Ridley (saving a little over $11 million), move on from Deion Jones ($14.7 million in a post-June 1 trade), and cutting Kendall Sheffield and Tyeler Davison (a combined $5.3 million), though it’s not clear whether that roughly $30 million will provide enough space for what the team wants to do this offseason.”
“If not, they’ll have to take a hard look at Ryan or Jarrett. Ryan’s contract can be extended for close to $20 million in savings, re-structured for $11 or so million and another big cap headache in the near future, or he could be cut or dealt for nearly $24 million in savings against another $24 million in dead cap.”
Meanwhile, the Falcons tipped their cap to an Atlanta legend on Tuesday.
Show some love to @BigBoi on his birthday! pic.twitter.com/f2yZlF79F2
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) February 1, 2022
New Orleans Saints
In the Bayou, the Saints have started interviews this week at the Senior Bowl for the vacant head coach position, after Sean Payton “retired”.
The #Saints HC plans this week:
— Interiew former #Dolphins coach Brian Flores tomorrow.
— Interview #Lions DC Aaron Glenn Wednesday.
— Interview current DC Dennis Allen on Wednesday or Thursday.
Perhaps one more, but as of now that’s it.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2022
Our pals over at DraftKings Sportsbook think they have a good idea about who will get the job. Current defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is considered the overwhelming favorite to become the next head coach for the New Orleans Saints (+150).
Meanwhile, Andrew Bell wonders whether the Saints should bring back Jameis Winston without Sean Payton, while Chris Dunnells makes the case that Cam Jordan might have had his best season ever in 2021, and not just on the field.