May 3, 2013; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; A general view as Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookies work out during rookie mini camp at One Buc Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Looking back on the Saints draft, we can infer why some picks were made. Kenny Vaccaro, S, helps the Saints attack a position of weakness last year with one of the draft’s best prospects. Terron Armstead, T, is a potential starter but, if nothing else, provides great depth and security at a position where there is much to worry about. Jonathan Jenkins, DT, and Kenny Stills, WR, both have a chance to contribute and could even win major roles on the defense and offense, respectively. Finally, Rufus Johnson, DE/OLB, while an intriguing pick, would be a great pick even if he ends up as depth at outside linebacker or defensive end.

Oct 27, 2012; Lawrence, KS, USA; Texas Longhorns safety Kenny Vaccaro (4) comes onto the field for the game with the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium. Texas won the game 21-17. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

In addition, free agents Victor Butler, OLB, Keenan Lewis, DB, and Benjamin Watson, TE, all vastly improve areas of need. Butler helps bring much needed pass rushing ability as well as familiarity with Rob Ryan’s defensive system. Lewis instantly becomes the Saints’ best cornerback and his potential as a shutdown corner will be tested. Finally, Watson not only brings some veteran presence to the offense but is a great complement to Jimmy Graham and will help to take some pressure off of him and the rest of the receivers.

Dec 23, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Victor Butler (57) in action against the New Orleans Saints at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

These picks attack areas of need and paint a picture of how the Saints want to improve for next season. But, there are thirty-two other teams in the NFL that got better through free agency and the draft. Who Dat Dish is taking the offseason to show you each team in the NFC South and the other 2013 Saints opponents who got better this offseason. We will review their additions, do some analysis on how these players improve the team, and whether the Saints have a great deal to worry about. This week, we highlight the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With a pass defense that was worse than the Saints last year, the Bucs had to find some answers in their defensive backfield. After their additions of Dashon Goldson, to pair with rookie safety sensation Mark Barron, and Darrelle Revis, the Bucs got even better with the selection of Johnathan Banks, DB. These four may team up to give the Bucs a dangerous defensive backfield for years to come. Ronde Barber may have been a sad loss but the Bucs were preparing for this day with the addition of Goldson and Banks. Mike Glennon, QB, gives the Bucs security at quarterback behind Josh Freeman, who likely has one last chance to prove he is the franchise quarterback. Even if Glennon doesn’t steal the job, the NFL is a brutal league and having great depth cannot be overstated.

Jan 26, 2013; Mobile, AL, USA; Senior Bowl north squad quarterback Mike Glennon of North Carolina State (8) throws against the Senior Bowl south squad during the first half of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

William Gholston, DE, and Akeem Spence, DT, give the team great depth with a shot at starting roles. Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers are set at the end positions but Gholston may find some chance to leapfrog one of them if injuries or production becomes a concern. Spence plays a similar position to Gerald McCoy but, due to injury concerns about McCoy, could be a great fallback option or rotational player. Steven Means, DE/OLB, has a steeper hill to climb, as he needs some coaching and has a now crowded situation in front of him. His upside, especially as a pass rusher, might be worth the investment. Mike James, RB, provides the Bucs a chance to have a short-yardage rusher, especially with dealing LeGarrette Blount to the Patriots. If nothing else, he would be a great special teams contributor.

November 5, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Jonathan Casillas (52) against the Philadelphia Eagles prior to kickoff of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Considering the other Buccaneer offseason additions, Tom Crabtree, TE, Jonathan Casillias, LB, and Wide Receivers Steve Smith and Kevin Ogletree all have a chance to make significant impacts opening day. Crabtree is better known as a blocking TE but may have something to offer in the passing game. The Bucs will be counting on him after losing Dallas Clark in the offseason. Casillas comes hungry after being starved behind the rotation at LB with the Saints. He may or may not be a significant upgrade to Quincy Black but he will get his chance to prove it. Smith and Ogletree are great depth after the trade of Arrelious Benn to the Eagles. Benn never met the high expectations given to him after his rookie season. Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson will need at least one of these two receivers to step up and help take the pressure off of them. Not to mention both have great special teams experience.

Worry or Stay Cautious?

Worry. Tampa Bay had a great talent base but was held back by their awful pass defense and issues with Josh Freeman. Now, the defense will be better in pass protection and more solid in the pass rush and Freeman has a few more options to throw to. This year will truly show if Tampa Bay is back on the rise or still needs some work. Greg Schiano is only in his second year but will have many questions to answer if his new team doesn’t improve from last season. This season seems to ride on Freeman and his ability to improve. The selection of Glennon helps to light a fire under Freeman and the Bucs are counting on one of these quarterbacks taking the team to the playoffs.

The Saints biggest worry? Finding the weak spot in an improved pass defense. One thing they have going for them is Josh Freeman. This is way premature but, If they can improve their pass rush, the Saints might be able to rattle Freeman and tip the scales in the Saints favors. Needless to say, the Saints have some homework to do on these guys before they go to Raymond James Stadium on September 15.

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December 9, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Ronde Barber (20) against the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

For quite some time, the New Orleans Saints have been terroized by cornerback Ronde Barber of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the course of a career that may land him in the Hall of Fame.

Today, Barber hung up the cleats.

The news was first broke by Fox’s Jay Glazer:

Just got off the phone w Ronde Barber who told me he is officially retiring. “I’ve had a better run than I ever could’ve dreamed of having.”

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) May 8, 2013

Saints fans should be very familiar with Barber. He played in 241 games with the Buccaneers and failed to miss a game in 15 seasons. In those impressive years he racked up 47 interceptions and 28 sacks—making him the only defensive back in NFL history to join the 40/20 club.

Barber’s retirement should not come as a surprise to many. He had said in the past he would not play anywhere else but Tampa Bay, and clearly the team was ready to move on from him in free agency thanks to the additions of Darrelle Revis, Dashon Goldson and Johnathan Banks via the 2013 NFL draft.

In a sense the announcement is great news for Saints fans. After all, Barber ranked as the No. 10 overall safety in the NFL last season despite his age according to ProFootballFocus (subscription required). Of course, it doesn’t help the Buccaneers still potentially have the best safety combo in the NFL thanks to Dashon Goldson and Mark Barron.

At the end of the day, it’s always a relief to see a great rival hang up the cleats. In this scenario, Saints fans should salute Barber. He was a thorn in the side for sure, but a class act and a rare player headed to Canton.

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Click here for part 1. 

Here’s the breakdown:

• Ronny Hurd - Blogging Dirty (BD)
• Chris Roling - Who Dat Dish (WDD)
• Leo Howell – The Pewter Plank (TPP)

In regards to the Buccaneers, how big of an impact do you believe Dashon Goldson will have on their pass defense? 

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson celebrates a play by teammates against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

BD: Dashon Goldson did receive a lot of money for a safety, but he certainly improves the Buccaneers pass defense. Goldson and a second year Mark Barron opposite of him, alone, should help a pass defense that ranked last in the league last year in opponent passing yards.

WDD: It’s almost hard to put into words what a difference the addition of Goldson makes for the Bucs’ secondary. Paired with second-year man Mark Barron, Tampa Bay could have the best one-two punch at safety in the NFL.

In regards to the pass defense, the difference will be night and day when compared to last season. Goldson is a Top 10 cover safety in the NFL according to ProFootballFocus and the difference he makes on each play will allow the Bucs to keep up with the high-flying aerial attacks of the division.

TPP: I have stated previously on Twitter that I think adding Goldson alone is enough to bring the pass defense up ten spots in the overall rankings. Adding Goldson to free safety, along with the shifting of Mark Barron to be the safety closer to the line of scrimmage, means the Buccaneers have two athletic, hard-hitting safeties in roles in which they are very comfortable and competent. The tutoring Goldson will provide Barron will also be key.

As it pertains to the Saints, what one move stands out as most impactful? Is the loss of Jermon Bushrod more important than the addition of Keenan Lewis?

November 18, 2012; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis (23) celebrates a tackle against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of the game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

BD: The money that Jermon Bushrod received from the Chicago Bears makes him expandable for the New Orleans Saints, given their cap situation. The addition of Keenen Lewis will shore up a secondary that was ranked second to last, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in opponent passing yards.

WDD:  The loss of Jermon Bushrod has been blown out of proportion. Each year, Drew Brees makes various linemen into Pro-Bowlers thanks to his stunningly quick releases. It’s how the Saints’ passing attack operates—get rid of the ball as fast as possible, which in turn means his linemen don’t have to work for an extended period of time.

TPP: I am not completely convinced that Lewis is going to be a top corner in the NFL, but I think he’s good enough. That said, I don’t think the loss of Bushrod is going to have a negative impact on the Saints, or at least not a very big one. Drew Brees makes the offense what it is, and the loss of an offensive tackle isn’t going to change that.

The Panthers made some moves despite being in less than ideal salary cap condition. Do you believe they have significantly upgraded their team this offseason?

Oct. 29, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver (19) Ted Ginn Jr against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

BD: I do like what the Panthers did with signing Ted Ginn Jr. He will help immediately in the return game, but I expect the Panthers to use him as a receiver more then the San Francisco 49ers did. It should be interesting to see if he has grown as a receiver with his experience as a returner.

WDD: Nope. Ted Ginn and Domenik Hixon aren’t going to see much time on offense, although the former will have a massive impact on special teams.

TPP: “Meh.” That’s really how to best describe the Panthers’ offseason. They didn’t have much to work with, and it shows. They’ll have to use the draft well if they want to see more than 6 or 7 wins in 2013.

Which team do you believe has done the best this offseason in the NFC South? Which has done the worst? Why?

October 21, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive end Jason Osi Umenyiora (72) celebrates after sacking Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (not pictured) during the fourth quarter of an NFL game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

BD: Every team in the NFC South was fairly quiet. Each team made at least one relevant move in free agency and that was about it. However, I do like what the Falcons did with the additions of Steven Jackson and Osi Umenyiora. More than anything though, I like what they did with locking up Sam Baker and William Moore long-term. They also succeeded with convincing Tony Gonzalez to come back for another year.

WDD: Atlanta has done the best this offseason based on efficiently filling needs. Steven Jackson was a big get for the offense and a hole that could have ruined the team’s chances next year. Landing Osi Umenyiora to replace John Abraham was another huge move that not only saved money for the future, but kept the team on track for a Super Bowl.

TPP: I feel like the Falcons and Buccaneers have tied for the “best” offseason thus far, as I believe the additions of Dashon Goldson and Tony Gonzalez will both be key for their respective teams in the upcoming season. The addition of Steven Jackson puts the Falcons slightly over the top for now (if I have to pick one winner), but the Buccaneers still have a potential Darrelle Revis trade to turn the tides.

The Panthers have had the worst offseason, but that’s to be expected. They are in a difficult spot financially, and really didn’t have any options this spring.