The major wave of free agency has come and gone, but what changes to the Falcons' rivals in the NFC South did it bring?
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The moves made so far this offseason haven't been highlighted by superstar players, as is the case in previous years. Instead, there seem to be more notable departures than big-name signings.
Below is a rundown of the signings the Buccaneers, Panthers and Saints had during the first week and a half of free agency as well as the players they lost to other teams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers additions:
| Player | Position | Former team |
|---|---|---|
| Peyton Barber | Running back | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Shaquile Barrett | Linebacker | Denver Broncos |
| Kentrell Brice | Safety | Green Bay Packers |
| Deone Bucannon | Linebacker | Arizona Cardinals |
| De’vante Harris | Cornerback | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Kevin Minter | Linebacker | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Rakeem Nunez-Roches | Defensive tackle | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Breshad Perriman | Wide receiver | Cleveland Browns |
| Bradley Pinion | Punter | San Francisco 49ers |
| Cairo Santos | Kicker | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Earl Watford | Guard | Cleveland Browns |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers departures:
| Player | Position | New team |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Adams | Safety | Detroit Lions |
| Kwon Alexander | Linebacker | San Francisco 49ers |
| Vinny Curry | Defensive end | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | Quarterback | Miami Dolphins |
| Adam Humphries | Wide receiver | Tennessee Titans |
| Josh Shaw | Safety | Arizona Cardinals |
| Adarius Taylor | Linebacker | Cleveland Browns |
Analysis: The Buccaneers had very little money to work with, so they had to find players on the lower end of the price scale. Many of the players they've signed have come on the defensive side of the ball, which has been a priority for Tampa Bay in past offseasons. There were a few notable moves for the Bucs, though. Bucannon was with coach Bruce Arians in Arizona and was a decent starting linebacker, while Watford was also a starter for the Cardinals. The biggest departures for the Buccaneers were DeSean Jackson (via trade), Kwon Alexander and Vinny Curry.
Carolina Panthers additions:
| Players | Position | Former team |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor Heinicke | Quarterback | Carolina Panthers |
| Bruce Irvin | Defensive end | Atlanta Falcons |
| Matt Paradis | Center | Denver Broncos |
| Daryl Williams | Tackle | Carolina Panthers |
Carolina Panthers departures:
| Player | Position | New team |
|---|---|---|
| Kenjon Barner | Running back | Atlanta Falcons |
| Chandler Catanzaro | Kicker | New York Jets |
| Thomas Davis | Linebacker | Los Angeles Chargers |
| Devin Funchess | Wide receiver | Indianapolis Colts |
| Matt Kalil | Tackle | N/A |
| Ryan Kalil | Center | Retired |
| David Mayo | Linebacker | San Francisco 49ers |
Analysis: Like the Falcons, the Panthers have not made many moves this offseason. Their most important newcomers are center Matt Paradis, who will take over for retired Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil, and defensive end Bruce Irvin who spent the second half of last season with the Falcons. It will be interesting to see how Carolina handles the departures of Ryan Kalil and Thomas Davis, two beloved veterans and team leaders.
New Orleans Saints additions
| Player | Position | Former team |
|---|---|---|
| Teddy Bridgewater | Quarterback | New Orleans Saints |
| Malcom Brown | Defensive tackle | New England Patriots |
| Nick Easton | Center | Minnesota Vikings |
| Mario Edwards Jr. | Defensive tackle | New York Giants |
| Latavius Murray | Running back | Minnesota Vikings |
| Craig Robertson | Linebacker | New Orleans Saints |
New Orleans Saints departures:
| Player | Position | New team |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Ingram | Running back | Baltimore Ravens |
| Alex Okafor | Defensive end | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Max Unger | Center | Retired |
