NFL Nation: Damione Lewis
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
Five nuggets of knowledge about this weekend's games:
New Orleans’ defense will look like the Steelers of the 1970s. There’s been a lot of hype about new coordinator Gregg Williams and all the new defensive personnel. We’ve seen glimpses of a new aggressive attitude in the preseason. But we really haven’t seen anything yet. This unit will be spectacular Sunday and that’s naturally going to raise hopes. But keep this one in perspective. The Saints are playing the Detroit Lions and rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford. Williams will go after him and you’re going to see sacks and turnovers -- things that were rare for this defense in the past -- and that’s great. But the Saints have to build from this game and show that this defense can dominate against teams that have won a game sometime in recent memory.
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| J. Meric/Getty Images | |
| Josh Freeman is No. 2 on the depth chart behind the injury-prone Byron Leftwich. |
If I’m Andy Reid, I’m turning into Joe Paterno: Yeah, I know the Eagles aren’t what anybody would call a power-running team. Brian Westbrook does most of his damage on the fringes and that’s been working nicely for almost a generation. But, if Reid takes a look at the middle of Carolina’s defensive line, he’s got to consider scrapping all that for a day. With Maake Kemoeatu lost for the season, the Panthers likely will start Damione Lewis, who isn’t a run stuffer, and Nick Hayden, who shouldn’t be an NFL starter. They’ll be backed up by two guys who just joined the roster this week. John Fox and Kris Jenkins despised one another when they were together in Carolina. But I’m thinking Fox would gladly swallow his pride and welcome back Jenkins, and all his antics, right about now.
Is Atlanta’s defense really that bad? There was panic in the preseason because the Falcons looked horrible on defense. Yes, there are reasons to be concerned, but don’t freak out about what you see in the preseason because it doesn’t show you the whole picture. The Falcons were cautious with veteran defensive end John Abraham, but they won’t hold him back in the regular season. Yes, they’ve got five new starters on defense and there may be some growing pains. But did you really think the aging Keith Brooking, Lawyer Milloy and Grady Jackson were that vital to a defense that wasn’t exactly great last season? There was a reason the Falcons let them go.
Fantasy advice: We’ve got other people on our site who specialize in this and take their word before mine. But I’ve got some random thoughts this week. If you’ve got a Saint -- any Saint -- start him. If you’ve got Drew Brees or Marques Colston, you’ve already won. Be careful if you’ve got a Tampa Bay running back -- Cadillac Williams, Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham are going to be splitting carries. With the possible exception of Brees, DeAngelo Williams is going to be the most solid fantasy player in the NFC South each week. Don’t let all the Tony Gonzalez and Jerious Norwood hype steer you away from Michael Turner.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
When faced with injuries in the past, Carolina coach John Fox usually tells his team that a rescue isn't coming from the outside.
The Panthers better hope their coach takes a different route this time around. The thing that was most obvious in Carolina's preseason debut on Monday Night Football against the Giants was that there's a gaping hole in the middle of the defensive line. We've known that since starting tackle Maake Kemoeatu went down with a season-ending injury on the first day of training camp.
Second-year pro Nick Hayden got the start in Kemoeatu's place Monday night. Let's face it, Hayden's a player the Panthers think can be a nice backup, but he's not the answer as a starter right now. The Giants ran right over the Panthers and they didn't even game plan for this one. Imagine what they would have done if this were the regular season and they wanted to exploit Carolina's problem?
Hayden's not a run stuffer and neither is fellow starter Damione Lewis. There aren't any other viable options on the roster, although the Panthers do believe rookie Corvey Irvin can develop into a decent player in a year or two.
If nothing else, Monday night provided final evidence that the Panthers need to go out and get a big body to put next to Lewis. They're not going to find a superstar this time of year, but Kemoeatu didn't fit that profile. He was just a very ordinary tackle who could take up a lot of space at 350 pounds.
The Panthers still can come out of this as good or better than they were before the Kemoeatu injury. They just need to go out and find somebody to rescue them.
Rams address clear need at defensive tackle
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Rams have addressed almost every need but receiver after selecting Clemson defensive tackle Dorell Scott in the fourth round (103rd overall).
A fourth-round defensive tackle generally has a chance to become part of the rotation in hopes of developing into something more. Scott appears to have the versatility to play inside or outside depending on the situation, based on what I've heard from scouts. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo was with the Giants in 2007 when they used a third-round choice for defensive tackle Jay Alford, who also showed versatility.
The Rams, with Billy Devaney serving his first full season as general manager, are hoping to reverse their horrible luck with defensive tackles in past drafts (Claude Wroten, Jimmy Kennedy, Damione Lewis). The chart shows every defensive tackle Devaney's teams have drafted since he broke into the NFL with San Diego in 1990.
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Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
Some random NFC South thoughts as we count down to the start of free agency:
- Keep an eye on the other three NFC South teams as a possible landing spot for wide receiver Ike Hilliard, who was released Wednesday by the Buccaneers. Atlanta and Carolina each may well be in the market for a reliable No. 3 or 4 receiver. Hilliard is far from spectacular, but he's as dependable as they come. Carolina coach John Fox was defensive coordinator with the Giants when Hilliard was with them, so there's some familiarity there. Speaking of familiarity, New Orleans coach Sean Payton was offensive coordinator with the Giants and has worked even more closely with Hilliard. The Saints have good group of young receivers with Marques Colston and Lance Moore as the starters, but it wouldn't hurt to have someone like Hilliard in case Robert Meachem doesn't come on like the Saints are hoping. Don't look for Hilliard to be signed immediately. He's an older receiver and teams have bigger fish to fry at the start of free agency, but I'm hearing the Saints, Panthers and Falcons will at least be keeping Hilliard in mind.
- I've speculated before that I don't think cornerback Domonique Foxworth is going to stay with the Falcons. I'll go a little further now and say I'm pretty certain he's not going to re-sign with the Falcons and will sign somewhere else pretty quickly. Sounds like the Falcons were hesitant to pay him starter money and it looks like he might get that somewhere else.
- Couple of housekeeping notes that I haven't had a chance to get to. The Bucs placed the highest restricted free agent tender on left tackle Donald Penn and the Panthers place lower tenders on tight end Jeff King and James Anderson. The Panthers also elected not to place a tender on defensive tackle Gary Gibson. That's enough on restricted free agents, because teams have done what they had to do there and it's rare for another team to try to sign a restricted free agent.
- More housekeeping: The Panthers extended the contract of defensive tackle Damione Lewis through 2014. Lewis had been under contract through 2010. He's carved a niche for himself in Carolina and deserves the boost, but this deal also was beneficial to the Panthers because it created some more salary-cap room -- and Carolina doesn't have a lot of that right now.
- Stay tuned throughout the evening and, probably even into the early morning, for more on the start of free agency.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
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| Greg Trott/Getty Images | |
| Julius Peppers' situation has made things complicated in Carolina. |
The problem is this isn't a perfect world. There's only one franchise tag and the Panthers could use it on Peppers at around $17 million or Gross at nearly $9 million. This gets even more complicated because Peppers has made it clear he wants out of Carolina and Gross has said he wants to stay.
The Panthers have to come out of this with something in return. They can get two first-round picks if they franchise one of these guys and another team signs him to an offer sheet. But it's more likely and realistic that they'll franchise one and turn around and trade him.
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Solution: The bottom line here is you might as well keep the guy who wants to be with you. Pay Gross his money before the start of free agency. Franchise Peppers and unload him for whatever you can get.
Secondary concern: No matter what happens with Peppers, the Panthers need to juice up their defensive line. A few years back, it was supposedly the best in the league when Peppers played with Mike Rucker, Kris Jenkins and Brentson Buckner. Those three are long gone and Peppers is about to join them.
The Panthers have some nice role players in guys like Maake Kemoeatu, Damione Lewis and Charles Johnson. But they don't have any cornerstones.
Solution: The Panthers need to get a first-round pick for Peppers and use it on a defensive end. The other option would be signing a high-priced free agent, but there's not a lot out there and the Panthers aren't flush with cap space. They've got to be aggressive in pursuing some midlevel defensive tackles in free agency.
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| G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images | |
| Jonathan Vilma (top) and the Saints have yet to agree on a deal. |
It's a little risky to let Vilma hang out there because another team could swoop in and steal him away. But you have to believe the Saints will make sure they keep Vilma. They need him to be the centerpiece of the defense for new coordinator Gregg Williams to succeed.
Solution: Hope they've already got a handshake deal in place with Vilma. The Saints have a bunch of other needs and they can't afford to let their one certainty get away.
Secondary issue: The Saints need to overhaul their secondary -- again. They've got a keeper in cornerback Tracy Porter, who missed much of his rookie year with an injury. Roman Harper is passable as a strong safety if the Saints can add some cover guys around him. Cornerback Mike McKenzie is 34 and coming off another major injury, and free safety Kevin Kaesviharn got beat far too often last year.
Solution: The Saints have to get at least one more quality cornerback and a free safety. The problem is they don't have a lot of cap room and have only four draft picks at the moment. But the good news is the Saints are pretty much set on offense. They need to use pretty much their entire draft and whatever cap space they can clear on getting some defensive help.
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| Dale Zanine/US Presswire | |
| Antonio Bryant was the Bucs' top receiver last year, but he's up for free agency. |
But the Bucs need to give McCown a fair chance and Jagodzinski's offense an opportunity to succeed. The best way to do that is with some downfield targets and the Bucs didn't have many of those last year. Veteran Joey Galloway is likely on his way out of Tampa Bay because of age and last year's injuries.
Antonio Bryant stepped up as the No. 1 receiver last year and he's scheduled to become a free agent. After Bryant, the Bucs got almost nothing out of their wide receivers last year.
Solution: With more than $40 million in cap space, the Bucs absolutely have to re-sign Bryant before free agency starts. But they can't stop there. There should be a good crop of free agents available and several more receivers could be available by trade. Tampa Bay's passing game was horizontal last season. Jagodzinski wants to make it vertical this year. But the Bucs need to get him some guys who can get open downfield.
Secondary issue: Much like the rest of the team, the defensive line fell apart at the end of last season. Kevin Carter and Chris Hovan started looking old. Defensive tackle Jovan Haye was hurt much of last season and not very effective when he was on the field.
Solution: With all that cap money, the Bucs almost have to make a run at defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth or Peppers. All they really have on the defensive line is end Gaines Adams, who is still a work in progress. They can let Haye walk as a free agent and it's not inconceivable that they might free up more cap room by cutting Hovan and Carter. The Bucs need to work on the line heavily in free agency and the draft.
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| Kirby Lee/US Presswire | |
| The Falcons will have to find a replacement for the aging Lawyer Milloy. |
The Falcons liked Coy Wire after he took over for Boley late last season. Wire and Boley are both scheduled to be free agents and Brooking presents a dilemma for the Falcons.
Brooking has spent his entire career with Atlanta, grew up in Georgia and played at Georgia Tech. He's been a good soldier through some good and bad times. But it's clear Brooking is near the end of his career. The Falcons found a good middle linebacker in Curtis Lofton in last year's draft. Now, they have to surround him with talent.
Solution: The Falcons might as well let Boley walk. The Brooking situation could work itself out. Brooking did some broadcasting after the season and it's possible he could decide to retire. That would end things gracefully. If that doesn't happen, the Falcons might have to release him. They should make a decent attempt to keep Wire, but linebacker has to be a priority in the draft and free agency.
Secondary issue: Safety Lawyer Milloy's experience was one of the reasons the secondary played beyond its talent level last season. He made guys like safety Erik Coleman and cornerbacks Chris Houston and Domonique Foxworth better than they really were. But Milloy is near the end of his career and it doesn't make a lot of sense to re-sign him to a long-term deal.
Solution: The Falcons will continue to try to help the secondary out by generating some pass rush from someone other than defensive end John Abraham. But, even with more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the Falcons need some younger legs in the secondary. They need a replacement for Milloy and it wouldn't hurt to get another quality cornerback, too.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One interesting thing to keep an eye on will be how Carolina's defense responds after a bit of a slump late in the season.
With defensive tackles Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis each missing some time with injuries, the Carolina defense wasn't nearly as good late in the season as it was earlier in the year. After 10 regular-season games, Carolina ranked No. 8 in total defense (17th against the run and fifth against the pass). But the Panthers allowed about 100 yards more a game over the final six games and ended up ranked 18th overall (20th against the run and 16th against the pass).
Carolina allowed 394 yards and 29 points per game over the last six contests.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
For months now, Marty Hurney and John Fox have been getting credit for some of their big moves (their handling of the Steve Smith-Ken Lucas fight in training camp and the drafting of Jonathan Stewart and Jeff Otah), but those weren't the only key moves the Carolina general manager and coach have made.
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| Kevin Terrell/Getty Images | |
| John Fox and the Panthers host the Cardinals Saturday night. |
Time for a look at four other (some subtle, some pretty major) moves Fox and Hurney have made to put the Panthers where they're at:
1. They blew up the offensive line and made it better. Drafting Otah was only one in a series of moves the Panthers made as they ended up with new starters at each of the five positions. They started by trying to play to strengths -- putting Jordan Gross at left tackle and Travelle Wharton at left guard, the spots where they're most effective. They plugged in Otah at right tackle, cleared the way for second-year pro Ryan Kalil to take over at center and let Keydrick Vincent arise from a handful of candidates for the right guard spot. It's all worked out with Carolina having the most physical offensive line in franchise history.
2. They didn't try to overdo it when the defensive line blew up. Mike Rucker retired and Kris Jenkins wanted out of Charlotte more than the Panthers wanted to get rid of him. Fox and Hurney didn't panic as a defensive line once filled with big names dwindled down to Julius Peppers. They stuck with defensive tackles Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis, who already on the roster and went out and signed end Tyler Brayton, who had been a bust in Oakland. Throw in second-year pro Charles Johnson and the Panthers found strength in numbers, instead of names. Of course, it also helped that Peppers bounced back from whatever slowed him last year.
3. They took a chance. Fox and Hurney are two of the most by-the-book guys in the NFL. That's why it was more than a little surprising when they burned a roster spot by keeping kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd. But that's turned out to be an excellent move. Lloyd set a record (at least in the K-ball era) with 30 touchbacks.
4. They went for the sure thing. Faced with the annual rite of finding a receiver to complement Smith, the Panthers reached back into their past and signed Muhsin Muhammad. Deduct a point for also signing D.J. Hackett, who's been worthless, but give them at least two points for bringing back Muhammad. He's been a solid possession receiver and has brought a strong veteran presence to the locker room.
Carolina's run defense crumbles without Kemo
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| Jim McIsaac/Getty Images | |
| New York's Derrick Ward ran for 215 yards as the Giants' ground game swarmed over Carolina's defense in the Giants' 34-28 overtime win. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Their brief reign as the NFC's best and hottest team is over - at least for the moment.
On a frigid night in Giants Stadium, the Carolina Panthers cooled off.
"Carolina was playing better football than anybody else the last eight weeks,'' New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.
The Panthers played good football for most of Sunday night, but it wasn't enough to knock off the defending Super Bowl champions or grab the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. If the Panthers are going to the Super Bowl, they'll probably have to come back through the Meadowlands in January.
Carolina's John Kasay missed a long field goal attempt at the end of regulation and the Panthers squandered a huge night by running back DeAngelo Williams in a 34-28 overtime loss to the Giants.
The Panthers (11-4) could have claimed the No. 1 seed with a victory, but now they enter a world of uncertainty. They have clinched a playoff spot, but nothing else. The Atlanta Falcons (10-5) remain in the NFC South picture and host hapless St. Louis in the regular-season finale.
The road isn't quite as easy for the Panthers. They have to travel to New Orleans, where the Saints will be playing for pride and a winning season.
Was it a case of opportunity lost for Carolina? We'll see in the next few weeks. The Panthers could still end up with the NFC South crown and the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
But this was the kind of loss that could end up hurting the Panthers. If Carolina crumbles, this may not be the kind of game that kills the momentum that was building the past two months. Losing in overtime to a team like the Giants could make the Panthers stronger.
If nothing else, they now know they can play with anybody on the road, and they did that without being able to do one of the two basic things that coach John Fox usually thrives on. Quite simply, the Panthers couldn't stop the run, and that's why they lost.
With a swirling wind blowing most of the night, the Giants were able to run for 301 yards. Derrick Ward ran for 215 yards on 15 carries. Oh, by the way, Brandon Jacobs, who was returning from an injury, chipped in with 87 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
Those numbers violate what Fox has preached since the day he was hired by the Panthers in 2002. In his hiring press conference at Bank of America Stadium, Fox said his teams would stop the run on defense and run the ball on offense, and he has been throwing out those lines, and not much else, since.
The Panthers did run the ball on offense. Williams gained 108 yards on 24 carries and scored four touchdowns and the Panthers had a 21-10 lead in the second quarter. Four touchdowns usually are enough for Carolina to win.
But this was far from a usual night for Carolina. You may never have heard of Maake Kemoeatu before now, but he ended up being one of the biggest story lines of the game. Kemoeatu didn't even play, and that had a lot to do with why the Panthers lost and Ward ended up with a rushing average (14.3 yards a carry) that looked more like a basketball scoring average.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
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| Paul Abell/US Presswire | |
| Julius Peppers had a sack and a forced fumble Sunday against the Saints. |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Observations from Carolina's 30-7 victory over New Orleans:
- For the first time in a long time, Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers dominated a game.
Peppers was the best player on the field, which is exactly what you need to be if you want to be the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Maybe not all the time, but at least part of the time.
What Peppers did against the Saints could make a lot of people forget he's been silent for most of the last year and a half. Peppers set up Carolina's first touchdown when he punched the ball out of the hands of New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey in the second quarter. Peppers used his quickness to run down Shockey and force the fumble.
Peppers also had a first-quarter sack and put the pressure on quarterback Drew Brees several other times. Brees had been playing like a most valuable player candidate through the first six weeks. On Sunday, he looked very ordinary.
That was mostly because of Peppers. He dominated left tackle Jammal Brown and threw the Saints off their game plan.
"Pep had a great game," defensive tackle Damione Lewis said. "He was constantly getting to the quarterback. He was unbelievable."
Yes, it was only one game, but it was a reminder of what Peppers is capable of doing.
If Peppers can do that a few more times, he'll have a big payday coming.
Fox's formula clicking for Carolina
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| Robert Benson/US Presswire | |
| For perhaps the first time ever, the Panthers are set up to play football exactly the way John Fox likes to coach. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
In the immediate moments after Sunday's victory against Chicago, the comparisons started for the Carolina Panthers. Maybe it was a television person or maybe it was a writer who asked the question first. Either way, a theme was born.
Is this the second coming of the Cardiac Cats? Are the Panthers about to repeat the 2003 season?
Stop it right there. Two games into a season, any comparison is premature. Besides, the comparisons to Carolina's lone Super Bowl team just aren't accurate.
The 2003 team was lucky at times. This year's team has a chance to be flat-out good all the time.
For the first time in a long time and maybe the first time ever, the Panthers are set up to play football exactly the way John Fox likes to coach. They're running the ball very well and they're playing very aggressive defense.
They've won two games by coming from behind, which was the signature of the 2003 team. But, with receiver Steve Smith returning from a two-game suspension, the comebacks may no longer be necessary.
That's because, after two very painful seasons, Fox and general manager Marty Hurney spent the offseason making sure the Panthers fit their mold and not the other way around. Smart move when you've got the shadow of Bill Cowher hanging over the Carolinas and every "hot seat'' list has your name on it.
So far, it's working perfectly. After coaching with smoke and mirrors the last few seasons, Fox has been able to get back to what he does best.
"I know that having your quarterback back helps,'' Fox said. "Until this season, we haven't had our quarterback in 14 of our last 20 games.''
Sure, the return of Jake Delhomme from elbow surgery is huge. The Panthers don't have to patch together Vinny Testaverde like they did last year, but the resurgence of this team goes beyond quarterback.
From the day Fox walked into George Seifert's mess in 2002, the coach said he wanted balance on offense and defense. But we've never truly seen what Fox was talking about.
Even in the Super Bowl season, the Panthers weren't able to play exactly to Fox's formula. They used a dominating defensive line to make up for an ordinary secondary and, on offense, pounded away with Stephen Davis behind a rapidly-aging line. The Panthers also caught lightning in a bottle and caught every break along the way.
Davis and the offensive line got old the next year and the Panthers haven't been the same on offense since. They did make it to the NFC Championship Game in the 2005 season, but that was different. That season, the Panthers got a bunch of running backs hurt and Fox and former offensive coordinator Dan Henning had to change philosophy and let Smith and the passing game carry the offense.
That worked great for one season, but not the last two.
That's why Fox and Hurney went out and overhauled the offensive line and drafted running back Jonathan Stewart in the first round. That's why they signed receivers Muhsin Muhammad and D.J. Hackett.
With those moves and coordinator Jeff Davidson making some adjustments to maximize the talents of DeAngelo Williams and the tight ends, the Panthers are finding more balance on offense than they've ever had. Williams and Stewart are giving the Panthers a backfield combination that features speed and power. Muhammad, Hackett and the tight ends are giving the Panthers weapons in the passing game beyond Smith.
"A lot of teams want to play that way,'' Delhomme said. "That's a blueprint of how to win in the National Football League and I think we have tried to do that in the last few years, but I think we [now] have the personnel to do that.''
The Panthers also have Fox's kind of personnel on defense and it's different than the 2003 team. That team was built around the front seven. This team is built around the back seven with middle linebacker Jon Beason and a talented secondary leading the way. The defensive front may not have the names (Mike Rucker and Kris Jenkins) that it once did, but Damione Lewis, Maake Kemoeatu, Tyler Brayton and Charles Johnson have been solid so far and the Panthers are waiting for the talented Julius Peppers to be spectacular.
That's all brought balance all around, which is precisely what Fox has wanted for a long time. He's always preached consistency, always told his players to "be the same guy" every week and, now, Fox just might have the tools in place to be the same coach every week and make his system work the exact way it's supposed to.
"You don't feel too good about yourself because this is a league where you can get humbled very quickly," Delhomme said. "You can be the talk of the town one week and fall on your face the next. That's just the way it is. So you want to be the same guy."
Around the NFC South: Bryant is Bucs' No. 2 WR
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
A quick trip around the NFC South before heading off to the airport. I'll check in from New Orleans late this afternoon.
FALCONS
Coach Mike Smith said the team still isn't sure who will start at right tackle. Tyson Clabo got most of the work there in the preseason. But veteran Todd Weiner is progressing after knee surgery and could take Clabo's place.
PANTHERS
Defensive tackle Damione Lewis had some pretty strong words on what the Panthers should do about a possible contract extension for defensive end Julius Peppers.
He said the Panthers should "break their neck to keep him here."
SAINTS
The company that runs the Superdome is expecting a full staff -- and possibly more -- for Sunday's game between the Saints and Tampa Bay. Most of the employees who evacuated before Hurricane Gustav are expected to be back in New Orleans. Some additional workers are being brought in from other cities.
BUCCANEERS
It looks as if the Bucs will start Antonio Bryant at receiver opposite Joey Galloway. Bryant, who was out of the NFL last year, had an outstanding preseason. His emergence means former starter Ike Hilliard will be used as the No. 3 receiver.
Around the NFC South: Looking for new starters
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
Time for a quick trip around the NFC South. This time, we're taking a look at a potential new starter for each team. In the case of the Falcons, we're bending the rules slightly.
Carolina Panthers
After spending the last two years in Carolina, defensive tackle Damione Lewis maybe be stepping into a starting role. Lewis could be one of the keys to Carolina's season. He didn't work out as a first-round pick in St. Louis, but played well as a backup for the Panthers. With Kris Jenkins gone, Lewis finally might be in the perfect situation. The Panthers want more speed on the defensive line and speed is Lewis' strength.
New Orleans Saints
Free safety Kevin Kaesviharn wasn't able to claim a starting job after signing with the Saints last year, but he seems destined for the starting lineup this year.
Atlanta Falcons
It's not quite a starting position, but nickel backs play almost as much as starters and the Falcons are looking to fill this role. With Von Hutchins lost for the season with a foot injury, rookie Chevis Jackson, Antoine Harris and Blue Adams are getting work at nickel back.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Defensive end Gaines Adams started some as a rookie. But the Bucs are counting on him to be a full-time starter this year. Adams said a change in diet has him ready for big things.
