NFC South roundtable: Which team has improved the most?ESPN.com staffMay 15, 2015With free agency and the NFL draft in the books, the rosters are mostly set for training camp. Which NFC South team has improved the most during the offseason?NFL Nation reporters Vaughn McClure (Atlanta Falcons), David Newton (Carolina Panthers), Mike Triplett (New Orleans Saints) and Pat Yasinksas (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) are here to debate.You might be surprised that three of the four agree.
Most of the NFC South reporters agree that new Falcons coach Dan Quinn has markedly improved Atlanta's team this offseason. Daniel Shirey/Getty ImagesMcClure: I think the Falcons have improved the most, and not just because I cover them. First and foremost, they hired a no-nonsense coach in Dan Quinn, who is ready to fix the defense and commit to the run game. Second, the Falcons drafted six players capable of contributing immediately as rookies, led by pass-rusher Vic Beasley and running back Tevin Coleman. Other new faces worth keeping an eye on are receiver Leonard Hankerson and rookie defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. If Hankerson is healthy coming off a knee injury, he'll be a nice complement to Julio Jones. And the high motor Jarrett plays with on every possession will not only help put heat on opposing quarterbacks, it will also put pressure on the veteran defensive linemen around him to step up their games. Overall, the Falcons improved on both sides of the ball, but defensively is where they need to make tremendous strides -- and they should, thanks to Quinn's fast, physical philosophy.Newton: I'm going with Atlanta, too. It's not so much the addition of players. It's the addition of Quinn, who brings a new mentality. The Falcons already had strong offensive talent in quarterback Matt Ryan and Jones, to name a few. Hiring Quinn, the coordinator of the league's top defense (Seattle) the past two seasons, was the first step in shoring up a unit that has been dreadful -- 27th in 2013 and 32nd in 2014. Atlanta becomes the biggest threat to end Carolina's two-year reign as division champion if Quinn can elevate the Falcons to top 15 in that area. The addition of Beasley is a clear message Quinn is building this unit to pressure quarterbacks, to be fast and to be aggressive, just as he did at Seattle. I like the addition of linebackers Brooks Reed and Justin Durant in free agency. Quinn's commitment to the run game on offense also is a positive step. I love the addition of Coleman in the third round. Quinn's blueprint isn't much different than Carolina's.Triplett: Although I expect the Saints to bounce back and predict a 10-6 record for them, I'm going with the Falcons as most improved. We know the Falcons' offense will be potent, and they've made major strides to improve a defense that was every bit as problematic as New Orleans' D last season. Quinn and Beasley are the biggest names among Atlanta's newcomers. But I also think the Falcons made several quality second-tier free-agent signings, such as defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and O'Brien Schofield and linebackers Reed and Durant. They also got good value in Round 2 with cornerback Jalen Collins. The Saints' defense should also be markedly better -- how can it not be? -- but it remains to be seen if New Orleans' new additions to the defense and the offensive line came at the expense of too much offensive firepower (trading away Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills).Yasinskas: That's an easy one. I say it's the Buccaneers. First off, the bar is low after a 2-14 season. Second, and more importantly, the Bucs added a potential franchise quarterback in Jameis Winston. He should be an upgrade over Josh McCown, and we should see immediate results because Winston is inheriting a receiver corps that includes Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. The Bucs realized this is a quarterback-driven league, and they went out and got a quarterback who could end up being on a par with Drew Brees, Ryan and Cam Newton. Tampa Bay ranked 30th in total offense last season, and the problems went deeper than quarterback. The offensive line was terrible, allowing 52 sacks and not blocking well in the running game. The Bucs addressed the offensive line heavily by using a pair of second-round picks on left tackle Donovan Smith and guard Ali Marpet. They're expected to start right away and should make the offensive line a lot better.
