Knox Talks: NFC South Mailbag, 4/6 Edition

Every Friday I'll ask for NFC South questions to be submitted via e-mail or twitter. I'll post the best ones here, and answer the rest in a personal response. So, like Pat Benatar so wonderfully said, "Hit me with your best shot."

News from around the NFC South has been overshadowed this week by the Saints appeals to Roger Goodell, and by the Gregg Williams audio released by Sean Pamphilon. But there's still other stuff going on.

Here's what's on your mind:

Joseph,

You're right, the Buccaneers have a ton of team needs. With holes at offensive tackle, linebacker, and even possibly running back, it's not a certainty that Tampa Bay will fill its hole at cornerback with Morris Claiborne at pick No. 5. However, I think you may be dreaming if you think Claiborne will fall to the Panthers at Pick No. 9.

I did a quick polling of five mock drafts at random (yeah, I work hard to answer these questions for you) just now and found the following:

Mock No. 1: Claiborne to the Bucs at No. 5

Mock No. 2: Claiborne to the Bucs at No. 5

Mock No. 3: Claiborne to the Bucs at No. 5

Mock No. 4: Claiborne to the Rams at No. 6

Mock No. 5: Claiborne to the Bucs at No. 5

I think you'd better get used to seeing Claiborne go much before your Panthers can get a crack at him.

Jordan and Stan,

I'll lump both your questions together because they're similar. I hope you don't mind.

With everything that's going on with the Saints right now (Who's going to coach? Are players going to be suspended? When's Drew Brees going to sign?) this question is almost impossible to answer. And I reserve the right to change this answer at a later date.

That said, I consider the Saints and the Falcons to be at the top of the division. The Panthers and Buccaneers could be better in 2012, but New Orleans and Atlanta are still the big dogs. Both New Orleans and Atlanta have been cash strapped in free agency, but the Saints have done more with less.

Last season showed us that the Falcons were a step behind the Saints, and I don't think enough has changed in the offseason to upset that balance of power. This is still the Saints' division.

Jordan, I feel that the Falcons MUST address the defensive end position in the draft this year. It probably won't be with its earliest pick, but you will see a defensive end come off the draft board to Atlanta.

Jon P,

There are a lot of things Carolina can do with Jonathan Stewart, who's entering into a contract year with the Panthers. But before I get into those options, let me start by saying this:

1. Having two backs like Stewart and DeAngelo Williams can be frustrating for the two players involved, and don't get me started on how to set a fantasy football lineup with one of those guys on your team. But it's also frustrating to opposing coaches who have to game-plan for both backs. Don't discount the fact that if both backs can coexist, and the Panthers can afford it, the team will find a way to make it work.

2. Mike Tolbert is new to this now-crowded backfield, but everything thus far—and this is before any of these players has stepped onto a practice field in 2012—screams that Tolbert will be a fullback and special teams player. Will that be enough for Tolbert? That's the million-dollar question.

Those two items aside, let's imagine (we're talking hypothetically now) that Carolina wants to move Stewart because it feels like it needs to get something out of him before he bolts via free agency next year, and that Tolbert can handle the load left behind by Stewart.

Carolina could look to move Stewart before the draft. The trade value for running backs has diminished lately because of the pass-happy nature of offenses in the NFL. But the Panthers might be able to nab a second-round pick for Stewart from someone like the Packers, who need the help at running back.

The Panthers can also wait until the season gets started and use Stewart and Williams in their normal platoon until some other team around the league has its starting running back go down with an injury. At that point, Stewart's trade value might be at its greatest.

But right now, head coach Ron Rivera is on record telling Williams and Stewart not to worry about carries because of the addition of Tolbert. That's what I'm going to stick with until some team that has an injury at running back in Week 5 comes calling.

Kasy,

Boise State running back Doug Martin is a draft prospect whose star is on the rise. I like that you're thinking of finding some insurance for LeGarrette Blount in the draft, but it's almost too close to call on whether or not Martin will be there for the Bucs in the second round.

I've seen mock drafts with Martin going in the first round to San Francisco, but most have him in the second round to places like Pittsburgh or San Diego. In both of those cases Martin would be around for Tampa Bay to take him.

My question is would they? I think it's more likely that Tampa Bay addresses a need like linebacker with its second pick.

Karim,

Amobi Okoye's name has been in the news lately in the NFC South as a possible Tampa Bay target. If those talks get serious, there's no way Atlanta has a chance because of the current salary cap situation.

The latest figures have Atlanta with just at $1.4 million to spend in the offseason. Tampa Bay still has just under $16 million to spend. If Okoye is looking for money, he has to lean towards the Buccaneers.

I agree with you that Atlanta would like to have some depth behind Corey Peters and Jonathan Babineaux, but I think they may have to address that in the draft.

Prof,

Confident is a strong word as we haven't seen Day 1 of any kind of OTAs or mini-camp. However, unlike Mike Mularkey, new Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is known for his vertical attack, and he told the media on a conference call shortly after he was hired that vertical passing and screen passes would be a big part of his offense in Atlanta.

I know you didn't ask about screen passes, but that's an area of Mularkey's Atlanta offense that was non-existent. If Koetter can bring that into play and bring the defensive backs up a step or two, his vertical attack has a better chance of flourishing.