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NFC South Excerpts from ESPN Insider:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insid...ory?id=2543086

• Sources close to the Falcons tell us second-year DT Darrell Shropshire has been elevated to the starting role alongside Pro Bowl DT Rod Coleman. Last year's starter DT Chad Lavalais has fallen so far out of the picture, because he has been out of shape and shown little fight on the field, that he could have trouble even making the roster.

• While RB Cadillac Williams continues to dazzle at Tampa's training camp with his ability to run the ball, we hear his receiving skills could use some work. We're told head coach Jon Gruden wants to incorporate Williams more in the passing game, but Williams' dropped passes have drawn Gruden's ire.

• Our Buccaneers sources tell us backup RB Michael Pittman, a well-respected receiver out of the backfield, has been lining up as the X-receiver at times and is excelling. Gruden's offense is based on creating mismatches, and splitting the muscular 228-pound Pittman out wide certainly accomplishes that.

• Word out of Saints training camp is Adrian McPherson, drafted as a quarterback in the fifth round in 2005, is being used as a punt and kickoff returner and on the kickoff coverage unit. We hear head coach Sean Payton has referred to McPherson -- the No. 4 QB behind Drew Brees, Jamie Martin and Todd Bouman -- as the best athlete on the team, and there even has been some consideration of trying him at receiver.

• Despite missing the first week of the Saints training camp to stay home and care for his cancer-stricken wife, QB Martin is still the top choice to serve as Brees' primary backup in New Orleans. We hear Bouman, who was working with the second unit, has struggled in training camp, and his roster spot could be in jeopardy if Martin and McPherson come on strong.

• The abrupt retirement of WLB Anthony Simmons caught the Saints' brass by surprise. We hear Simmons retired because of personal matters and because the wrist injury that has kept him off the field for the past few years has resurfaced. Our sources tell us that before training camp, Simmons was penciled in as a starter because he looked good in offseason workouts, but now we hear former Ravens LB Tommy Polley is working with the first unit in place of Simmons.


• Our sources close to the Panthers are excited about what they've seen from free-agent acquisition DT Maake Kemoeatu. We're told Kemoeatu has been blasting offensive linemen backward in drills, and he has looked better than DT Kris Jenkins, whom he's expected to start next to.

Maake Kemoeatu
Defensive tackle
Carolina Panthers

Profile
2005 SEASON STATISTICS
Tot Solo Ast Sack FF
40 30 10 1 0

• WR Steve Smith gave the Panthers a scare when he suffered a left hamstring strain on the first day of training camp. We hear Smith's injury isn't considered serious, but the Panthers still will be very cautious with his recovery, meaning he likely will miss one or two preseason games and a couple of weeks of practice.

\"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.\"