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The Seattle Seahawks lead the NFL in suspensions for performance-enhancing drugs since Pete Carroll became coach in 2010, research by ESPN Stats & Information shows.

Defensive end Bruce Irvin's four-game suspension, announced Friday, was the fifth during that span, according to research ESPN's Steve Martinez conducted using STATS PASS.



The total does not include the 2012 suspension implicating cornerback Richard Sherman, who overturned a four-game ban on appeal. The botched handling of a leaky collection cup proved critical to the successful appeal.

Seven other teams have incurred three or four substance-abuse suspensions for PEDs over that span, including the Denver Broncos and New York Giants with four apiece, according to STATS PASS. The San Francisco 49ers are among 10 teams with zero.

Since 2010, the NFL suspended Seattle's Irvin, Brandon Browner, Winston Guy, Allen Barbre and John Moffitt for PED usage under its policy on anabolic steroids and related substances.

Moffitt said he took Adderall, a psychostimulant prescribed for attention-deficit disorders, under a doctor's prescription without knowing he needed a special exemption from the NFL.

Sherman, who denied violating the policy, has suggested doctor-approved Adderall use is widespread. He called for the NFL to lift its ban on the substance.

The chart ranks NFL teams by most PED-related suspensions since Carroll arrived as the Seahawks' head coach on Jan. 12, 2010.

Carroll and the NFL denied a 2009 report linking former USC players to positive steroid tests. One of the players named in that disputed report, Brian Cushing, later served a four-game NFL suspension for violating the policy on anabolic steroids and related substances.

First-time violators of the policy receive four-game suspensions. The penalty doubles for second-time violators. Third-time violators face suspensions of at least 12 months, subject to reinstatement at the commissioner's discretion. Players suspended under the policy for any length become ineligible for the Pro Bowl or any other NFL or NFL Players Association honors.

NFL policy requires annual testing for steroids and related substances when training camps begin or whenever a player reports to the team after camps begin. Preseason and regular-season protocol calls for 10 players per team to be tested at random each week. That protocol continues into the postseason for playoff teams. Players under contract can be tested up to six times during an offseason, subject to increases following a positive test.

Good morning, NFC West. Here's hoping you made it through the weekend without testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.



Alas, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin's four-game suspension remains the No. 1 topic for conversation around here.

The timing of the announcement -- Friday afternoon on the West Coast -- appeared straight from the old public-relations handbook for minimizing a negative story. It also provided time over the weekend to dig a little deeper. I'll be back in a bit with a piece providing context for the sizable list of PED-related suspensions affecting the Seahawks in recent seasons.

For now, let's take a walk on the lighter side with Michael Crabtree of the San Francisco 49ers. David Fucillo of Niners Nation recently found on 49ersspin.com and re-posted video showing the NFC West's leading receiver from 2012 getting taken for a ride -- in a good way.

This is pretty funny stuff from Crabtree and host Dave Dameshek of NFL.com. Crabtree hasn't always seemed comfortable in interview settings. Dameshek's light, irreverent approach had Crabtree laughing along. Crabtree sang portions of the theme song from "The Jeffersons" at one point while riding along in a car driven by Dameshek.

Kent Somers' piece about NFL rookies combining to start more games than in the past caught my attention Friday.

I wanted to know how many games NFC West players have started as rookies in recent seasons. I wanted to break down the numbers by team and position.

The charts provide answers on those fronts. Weaker teams select earlier in the draft order and should have more openings in their lineups, inflating their numbers. That has been the case to a degree in the NFC West, one reason quotation marks surround the word "leads" in the headline above.

Seattle is an interesting study, however. The Seahawks have been pretty competitive while amassing more rookie starts than any team in the division, with those starts distributed rather evenly across offense and defense. That affirms perceptions about Seattle drafting well recently despite using relatively few early picks. Of course, the 16 starts Seattle got from rookie quarterback Russell Wilson last season were disproportionately valuable. Having two first-round picks in 2010 helped the overall numbers.

The San Francisco 49ers have fielded a dominant, veteran defense. They've gotten -- "needed" might be a better word -- only seven starts from rookies on defense over the past three seasons. While Aldon Smith played in a situational role, the 49ers rank a distant fourth among NFC West teams in defensive snaps played by rookies. Seattle leads with 4,536 snaps, followed by Arizona (3,090), St. Louis (2,965) and San Francisco (1,565).

The 49ers could get rookie starts from 2013 first-round pick Eric Reid, a favorite to start at safety.

The Rams have gotten 4,593 snaps from offensive rookies over the three seasons. The Cardinals are next with 3,568, followed by the Seahawks (3,280) and 49ers (2,858).

Offensive linemen have made the most starts as rookies. That makes sense because there are at least five of them on the field every snap. NFC West teams have also drafted four offensive linemen in the first round over that span, plus one with the first pick of the second round. The Cardinals relied heavily on rookie tackles last season out of necessity.

The Rams' rookie starts are distributed more evenly across the specific positions in the chart below. That makes sense. They've had the weakest roster. They've had earlier picks.

Each team in the NFC West has had two rookies start all 16 games: Patrick Peterson and Bobby Massie for Arizona; Wilson and Earl Thomas for Seattle; Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis for San Francisco; and Sam Bradford and Rodger Saffold for St. Louis. Bobby Wagner (15 starts for Seattle) and Janoris Jenkins (14 for St. Louis) were the only others with more than 12 starts as rookies.

K.J. Wright (Seattle), Michael Brockers (St. Louis), Chris Givens (St. Louis), Daryl Washington (Arizona), Sam Acho (Arizona), Richard Sherman (Seattle), Okung (Seattle) and Lance Kendricks (St. Louis) started between 10 and 12 games as NFC West rookies since 2010.

Jonathan Cooper (Arizona), Kevin Minter (Arizona), Jesse Williams (Seattle), Tavon Austin (St. Louis), Alec Ogletree (St. Louis) and T.J. McDonald (St. Louis) appear best positioned among NFC West rookies to start in 2013. Cardinals cornerback Tyrann Mathieu could figure prominently in sub packages if he does not start.

Earlier: Late-round picks with a shot at playing in 2013.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at key players for each NFC West team who are coming back from injuries:

Arizona Cardinals: Levi Brown, left tackle. A torn triceps sidelined Brown last season, but the Cardinals expect him to be at full strength for 2013. A healthy Brown makes a happy Bruce Arians, it appears. Former coach Ken Whisenhunt was always quick to defend Brown from critics who expected more from a player drafted fifth overall. Arians, entering his first season as the Cardinals' coach, has taken the pro-Brown rhetoric to another level, calling the seventh-year tackle an "elite" player. Arizona improved its depth on the line. The team could conceivably get through the upcoming season with Nate Potter at left tackle. However, the Cardinals don't want to merely "get through" the season. They want Brown to play a key role on a line that now features first-round pick Jonathan Cooper.

St. Louis Rams: Jake Long, left tackle. The Rams ran Long through a thorough physical examination before signing the Pro Bowl left tackle in free agency. They are banking that a return to health will restore Long to his previously dominant ways. Long, like Brown in Arizona, is coming off triceps surgery. Injuries have slowed Long the past couple of seasons. The Rams think a healthy Long can stabilize their line, putting quarterback Sam Bradford at ease after three often-difficult seasons for the offense. Having Long in the lineup would allow incumbent left tackle Rodger Saffold to play on the right side, upgrading two positions. That's important for the Rams in a division featuring top defenses.

San Francisco 49ers: Justin Smith, defensive end. The 49ers' defense sagged considerably once Smith suffered a partially torn triceps during a late-season game against New England. Smith, who had surgery this offseason, has worked well in tandem with outside linebacker Aldon Smith. Both were hurting late last season, and the defense suffered as a result. The 49ers tried to address the issue in the draft by loading up on front-seven players. That made sense for the long term. More immediately, the team could use one more season of dominance from Justin Smith, one of their most important players on either side of the ball.

Seattle Seahawks: Chris Clemons, defensive end. The Seahawks' defense wasn't the same in the playoffs after Clemons suffered a torn ACL against Washington in the wild-card round. Seattle addressed the issue this offseason by adding Cliff Avril in free agency from the Detroit Lions. Avril's addition could put the Seahawks in position to bring along Clemons at a measured pace. Whatever the case, Seattle will want -- and possibly need -- Clemons near full strength for a playoff run, if not sooner. No other defensive end on the roster plays the run and pass as well as Clemons plays both. He's been a big part of Seattle's defensive success.

Good morning, NFC West.

We've spent more time this week discussing St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford than we've spent discussing his NFC West counterparts at the position. It's been a refreshing change, frankly, and the discussion has carried over elsewhere as well.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch generally defends Bradford in his "Breakfast with Bernie" video, while also acknowledging the high stakes in 2013.

D. Hawkins at Turf Show Times questions whether "make-or-break" seasons exist at all. They're often imaginary, but not always. Kevin Kolb's situation comes to mind. He just had his make-or-break season in Arizona, with "break" prevailing over "make" by several million dollars. The situation in St. Louis is different, and as we discussed here Wednesday, Bradford would have to play horrendously bad -- way worse than he has played to this point -- for anything drastic to happen after the 2013 season.

Hawkins' teammate, 3k, makes a few additional points while linking to additional resources.

We'll continue this discussion through the blog, hopefully advancing it from time to time. I'll close by passing along one of the key variables when it comes to Bradford: the Rams' obvious belief in him. I've gathered the following quotes through offseason interview transcripts:

• Jake Long, newly signed tackle: "Watched him from afar these last few years in the NFL, just a big fan of his. Big guy, strong guy, tough, has a rocket for an arm and I’m really excited to play for him. He’s a hell of a quarterback and young. He’s only going to get better and just a tough guy. I’ve heard a lot of great things about him."
• Jared Cook, newly signed tight end: "He’s a great quarterback. He has a great arm, great accuracy. What more could you want?"
• Tavon Austin, newly drafted receiver: "As soon as I came into the building, [Bradford] came in and met me and just said he was happy to meet with me. I said, 'No, I’m happy to meet with you.' He’s a taller quarterback. He’s a little bigger than (West Virginia quarterback) Geno (Smith). I’m just proud that I’m here and he took me in. I’m just ready to come now."
• Coach Jeff Fisher on Austin's small stature: "It’s not [a problem] when you’re dealing with a quarterback like Sam. Sam’s got excellent vision, he’s got a quick trigger and he’s very accurate. That creates opportunities for a receiver with that kind of quickness and stature. A shorter quarterback’s going to have a little more difficult time getting the ball to him on time."
• Stedman Bailey, newly drafted receiver: "I know that Sam Bradford is a very good quarterback and I’m looking forward to getting up there whenever we have to report and just working with him. I understand that he’s a young, great quarterback in this league. I feel that I can get with him and probably try to develop into his favorite target, just grow with him."
• Barrett Jones, newly drafted center: "I know Sam Bradford, obviously, is a good, up-and-coming quarterback, but other than that I don’t have a ton. I’m excited. Ask me in a few weeks and I will have a lot of familiarity with them."

The St. Louis Rams have added six and subtracted four in remaking their personnel department heading into their second season with Les Snead as general manager.

The chart lays out the changes in personnel and titles for the scouting department.

National scout Ted Monago is the highest-profile addition. He spent the past 12 years with the Chicago Bears and scouted the southeast.

The Rams have a southeastern flavor. Snead played in the Southeastern Conference, at Auburn, and came to the Rams from the Atlanta Falcons. The Rams have 16 players from the SEC, just above the NFL average. That includes three undrafted rookies from Auburn, 2013 first-round choice Alec Ogletree and 2012 first-rounder Michael Brockers, plus 2013 fifth-rounder Zac Stacy and recent free-agent addition Jared Cook.

Via the NFC West mailbag, Ryan from Montreal sees parallels between Eli Manning and Sam Bradford through their first three seasons.

Both quarterbacks were drafted No. 1 overall in their classes. Both endured criticism during some rocky stretches. Both also flashed the talent that made them highly drafted players.

We know how the story has played out for Manning. He moved past the early struggles, becoming a top starting quarterback (most of the time) and winning two Super Bowls.

"I could be wrong," Ryan writes, "but I feel like some of the rhetoric Bradford is experiencing existed with Manning. Though Manning had a better record, a quick look at their stats reveals they are not too dissimilar."

Good idea, Ryan. The chart shows statistical similarities. We do not yet have Total QBR figures before 2008, but the traditional stats line up pretty closely in areas such as yards per pass attempt.

Manning did enjoy one tremendous advantage. The New York Giants organization has been among the most stable in the league. Manning has had the same head coach, Tom Coughlin, and offensive coordinator, Kevin Gilbride, for the duration of his career. Bradford has had two head coaches and three offensive coordinators in his first three seasons.

Manning and the Giants broke through with a Super Bowl victory in Manning's fourth season. Manning finished that 2007 regular season with 23 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions. The ratio was 6-1 in the playoffs as the Giants won road games against Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay before upsetting New England in the Super Bowl.

The Giants went from 8-8 in Manning's third season to 10-6 in his fourth. Bradford and the Rams were 7-8-1 last season. Conventional wisdom says the Rams will be the third-best team in the NFC West. The 2007 Giants finished second to Philadelphia in the NFC East. Before that season, 16 of 16 ESPN analysts picked someone other than the Giants to win the NFC.

Rolando McClain's early retirement from the NFL comes three years after the Oakland Raiders made him the eighth overall choice in the 2010 draft.

While McClain is inviting derision, I wondered whether he was even the most disappointing choice from the first round of that 2010 class. He would fit right in with the 2009 group, for sure.

A quick check of games started by 2010 first-rounders showed four players with 48 starts in 48 possible regular-season games. Three of those four players were from the NFC West: Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis of the San Francisco 49ers, and Earl Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks.

Tyson Alualu, the player Jacksonville controversially selected 10th overall, rounds out the quartet.

St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford (42) and Seattle Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung (37) were relatively close behind. Dan Williams, chosen 26th overall by the Arizona Cardinals that year, ranked 26th on the list with 21 starts over the past three seasons.

All starts aren't quality starts, of course. McClain ranks relatively high on the list with 38 starts despite his bust status. Anyone familiar with the NFL would rather have Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas (23 starts) than Alualu, who has struggled with knee trouble and generally been just OK.

First-round picks from 2010 have combined for 21 Pro Bowl honors.

Maurkice Pouncey leads the way with three. Thomas is one of five players with two. Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul, Eric Berry and Jermaine Gresham are the others.

Iupati and Okung are part of an eight-man grouping with one Pro Bowl. Ryan Mathews, Thomas, Devin McCourty, Gerald McCoy, C.J. Spiller and Trent Williams are the others.

Iupati, Pouncey, Suh, Thomas and Pierre-Paul have been first-team Associated Press All-Pro once apiece.

Bradford was offensive rookie of the year. Suh won defensive rookie of the year.

Some of the complications associated with evaluating St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford also apply to the team's offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer.

A weak supporting cast bears some responsibility for each man's struggles, but how much responsibility? That can be a difficult question to answer. My feel is that Schottenheimer got what he could from quarterback Mark Sanchez when the two were together with the Jets, and that Sanchez's limitations were more responsible for the offensive decline precipitating Schottenheimer's firing from the team.

Matt Williamson, NFL scout for ESPN.com, touched on the subject as part of our recent Bradford discussion.

"How much was Schottenheimer limited by his quarterback, the Jets' lack of weapons and a defensive-minded head coach?" Williamson asked. "A lot. One thing he did well with Sanchez, I thought, was get pretty good production in the red zone, from what I recall. He should get much more from the Rams as St. Louis improves its weapons for Bradford."

Sanchez had 21 touchdown passes with three interceptions and a 75.0 Total QBR score in the red zone during the 2011 season, Schottenheimer's final one with the Jets. That red-zone QBR score ranked eighth in the NFL. Sanchez was at 68.5 (ninth) in red-zone QBR for the 2010 season.

In 2011, an injured Bradford ranked 33rd out of 34 qualifying quarterbacks -- only Curtis Painter was worse -- with a 6.0 QBR score in the red zone. His 37.3 QBR score in the red zone last season ranked 25th -- still not anywhere close to where a quarterback with Bradford's talent should rank. Bradford had a 21.2 QBR score (28th) in the red zone as a rookie in 2010.

There are more ways to measure quarterbacks and coordinators, of course. But if the Rams have succeeded in upgrading their talent around Bradford, those figures in the red zone should improve markedly.

Good morning, NFC West. This is your four-hour warning to drop everything and head on over to our next chat, set for 1 p.m. ET.

We can continue discussing what's at stake for St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, how teams from this division approach the draft, what's gone right (and wrong) for each team this offseason or whatever else might occur to us on this third Thursday in May.

The video above features Tank Johnson, Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless discussing Tavon Austin's recent comments about friends and family reaching for the freshly minted first-round draft choice's wallet. That subject is fair game as well. The eighth overall choice a year ago, Ryan Tannehill, received more than $12.5 million in guaranteed money. Austin stands to collect a similar payout. He certainly isn't the first NFL player to feel those around him changing in the presence of a pending financial windfall.

You might recall our March discussion from the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference regarding NFC West team-building strategies.

St. Louis Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff, addressing conference attendees, noted that his team expected to stock its roster with young, affordable talent.



"When we did the RG III trade a year ago, we looked out and said, 'In 2014, we will have 12 players who were first- or second-round picks under the new rookie wage scale,' " Demoff said at the conference. "Twelve of our best players will make less than $25 million combined in 2014, which meant on the remainder of our team, we could overpay a few guys in free agency, we could make a few mistakes here or there and we would have a pretty good nucleus."

The thinking is sound. And as the chart shows, the Rams have selected eight players in the first two rounds since the wage scale went into effect for 2011. That figure ranks tied for the NFL lead with the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots.

The Rams' plan to have 12 such players on their roster in 2014 requires a slight revision. The team is scheduled to have 11 such players on its roster after trading its 2013 second-round choice to the Buffalo Bills in the move to acquire Tavon Austin with the eighth overall choice.

I find it interesting to see the Seattle Seahawks listed so low in the chart, with only four players selected in the first two rounds since 2011. They're known for building effectively through the draft, but they have selected players with only two first-round picks and two second-rounders under the new labor agreement.

Seattle has used a league-high 26 picks in the final five rounds during the period in question. Richard Sherman, K.J. Wright and Russell Wilson were among the players they selected with those choices.

Can a team beat the system by stockpiling later-round picks? I don't know if that's a sustainable strategy. It might not even be a strategy in this case. The trades Seattle made could have appealed to the team for unrelated reasons. Either way, it's pretty tough to question the Seahawks' drafting results.

Whatever the case, the contrast between Seattle and two of its division rivals, St. Louis and San Francisco, has been pronounced.

The 49ers have still managed to use 21 picks in the final five rounds over this span, allowing them to have it both ways, in some respects. The Rams have used 17 picks and the Arizona Cardinals 19 of them over the final five rounds since 2011.

Seattle traded its 2013 first-rounder to the Minnesota Vikings in the Percy Harvin deal. The Seahawks traded their 2011 second-rounder to Detroit with the 157th and 209th picks for the 75th, 107th, 154th and 205th choices. They took John Moffitt, Kris Durham, Sherman and Pep Levingston with those selections.

We'll think through this one a little more. First, though, a diversion courtesy of Sherman, who has outlived his fifth-round status on the field and on Facebook.

The 2013 narrative for St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford is predictable. It is plausible. It is also probably overstating things for dramatic effect.

The narrative says the clock is ticking loudly for Bradford entering his fourth NFL season. It says Bradford faces a make-or-break season now that the Rams have surrounded him with young weapons. It suggests Bradford, with a contract scheduled to balloon in the absence of guaranteed money beyond 2013, could be vulnerable to release following the season if he doesn't finally break out.

The truth: Bradford faces an important and possibly pivotal 2013 season, but the team has options if Bradford's longer-term outlook remains ambiguous one year from now.

"To say this is a make-or-break season is rather strong," ESPN scout Matt Williamson said, "but it is certainly a 'prove it' season or a 'no more excuses' season."

Let us examine some of the dynamics, beginning with the contract.

Bradford is set to collect $9 million in salary this season, $8 million of which is guaranteed. His deal counts about $12.6 million against the cap. The salary jumps to $14 million in 2014, with a $17.6 million scheduled cap hit. That's the type of money top quarterbacks earn. What, then, if Bradford is not one of them? What if he's merely decent or pretty good, but not someone worth nearly $18 million a year?

The Rams could release Bradford, but that wouldn't make much sense unless he played horrendously -- something he has never done to this point. Remember, too, that the team would need an obviously better option at the position. Good luck finding one of those.

More likely and a lot less dramatically, the Rams could buy another year for evaluation. They are building for the long term with their own draft choices and those acquired from the Washington Redskins last offseason. The Rams already have drafted eight players in the first and second rounds under the team-friendly rookie wage scale, tied with Cincinnati and New England for most in the NFL. That figure is scheduled to grow by three in 2014. Their window is still opening. Time is on their side.

If there's no definitive verdict on Bradford in a year, the Rams could stay the course, or they could convert some of that $14 million base salary for 2014 into a signing bonus, keeping the cap hit relatively flat from 2013 into the next season. Bradford would still get his money. The team would get some relief.

The cap charge for 2015 would jump from $16.6 million into the $20 million range under such a scenario, deferring until then a decision on whether Bradford deserves what top quarterbacks command. One potential downside: raising the franchise-tag price for Bradford through an inflated cap figure in 2015.

Of course, all of this is premature from a Rams standpoint. The team likes Bradford now and expects more from him this season, the first one since Bradford's days at the University of Oklahoma that he will not be learning a new offense from a new coordinator. Speaking of those college days ...

"The Rams are tailoring things to resemble what he ran at Oklahoma, where he was so successful," Williamson said. "Three-wide and four-wide, shotgun formation, spread the field horizontally. It looks that way in St. Louis from the bodies they are bringing in."

Those bodies can move, and fast.

Eighth overall choice Tavon Austin and free-agent addition Jared Cook bring different types of speed to the offense.

Austin, at 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds, can accelerate and elude. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds at the NFL scouting combine.

Cook, 6-5 and 248, is a straight-line threat at tight end. He has 4.5-second speed and posted a 41-inch vertical at the combine in 2009. Like Bradford, he's making big money more on potential than for what he has accomplished to this point.

The Rams' intentions seem clear.

"We've got exceptional speed on offense," coach Jeff Fisher said during the draft.

The evidence suggests Bradford is improving. His 2011 season was forgettable, but the Rams in general and Bradford in particular were unusually injured that season. Bradford went 7-9 as a starter in 2010, his rookie season. He went 7-8-1 last season, setting career highs for yardage (3,702), yards per attempt (6.7), touchdown passes (21), NFL passer rating (82.6) and Total QBR (51.6).

"He hasn't done enough yet to say I trust him no matter what like I do with Colin Kaepernick or Russell Wilson," Williamson said. "But if I was starting a team right now, I wouldn't be against starting it with Bradford. I would not say he is a bust. ... I still see why he was the first overall pick."

There is little not to like about Bradford except for the results. He throws the ball accurately and with authority. He proved sufficiently mobile last season as his health improved. His demeanor suggests he's sufficiently invested. Former teammates such as Steven Jackson have testified to Bradford's toughness.

And it's not like all the results have been negative.

Bradford made positive plays in critical situations last season, helping him rank fourth behind Peyton Manning, Kaepernick and Jay Cutler in Total QBR during fourth quarters and overtimes. The chart ranks quarterbacks last season by the total clutch-weighted expected points they added per game through rushing, passing, sacks, penalties and fumbles during fourth quarters and overtimes, adjusted for the importance of each situation.

What we haven't seen, to this point, is strong evidence Bradford can make those around him perform at a higher level. It's possible too many of the players around him to this point were irredeemable from a talent standpoint. A weak supporting cast has, by all accounts, dragged down Bradford.

To what extent can Bradford maximize Austin, Cook and others with obvious raw talent? The Rams should find some answers this season.

"It does feel like this is a make-or-break year for Bradford even though the Rams have options," Williamson said, "and if I were to bet, I bet he would make it."

Reports from the Arizona Cardinals' organized team activities point to an expanded coaching staff as one difference from the recent past.



"Bruce Arians has 21 coaches on his staff, so it makes sense to put them to work," Kent Somers writes. "In full-team drills, the 90-man squad was divided into two. Part of the staff, including Arians, stayed with the first- and second-team players. Other coaches went to the other field with the other group."

If and when the Cardinals enjoy sustained on-field success, they probably will point to quarterback play, not staff size, as the primary reason. But with every head coach seeking even the slightest advantage wherever he can get it, staff size is worth some consideration.

The Cardinals and St. Louis Rams each have 19 assistants, plus two coaches assigned to strength and conditioning. The San Francisco 49ers have 17 assistants and two strength coaches. The Seattle Seahawks have 20 assistants and three strength coaches.

With Arians directing the offense and calling plays, offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin coaches the offensive line. Larry Zierlein serves as assistant line coach, giving Arizona two coaches for the line, a change from last season. Every other team in the division has two coaches assigned to handle the offensive line.

The Cardinals under Arians have closed the numbers gap with other staffs in the division. We'll take a closer look at other staff considerations another time.

The NFL released dates and times for 2013 exhibition games, pushing back the final entry in our series examining NFC West offseasons. A few thoughts:

• Rams: The opener at Cleveland carries one big what-if scenario. What if the Browns had succeeded in their efforts to outbid Washington for the second pick in the 2012 draft? The Rams wound up trading that pick to the Redskins for a package that continues replenishing their roster. The Browns, meanwhile, missed out on Robert Griffin III. Later, on Aug. 29, former Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo returns to the Edward Jones Dome as a member of the Baltimore Ravens' staff.
• 49ers: They face Peyton Manning and Alex Smith in the first two weeks of the preseason. They also have only four days between their third and fourth exhibition games. That could affect playing-time allotments.
• Seahawks: Manning, who ignored the Seahawks' advances in free agency last offseason, can expect a few postgame questions regarding his thinking. The situation worked out pretty well for all involved, as things turned out.
• Cardinals: Former coach Ken Whisenhunt, fired after six seasons with the team, visits University of Phoenix Stadium on Aug. 24 as the San Diego Chargers' offensive coordinator.

A look at the St. Louis Rams' offseason to this point ...

What went right: The team was able to sign left tackle Jake Long without much apparent competition from other teams, keeping the price more reasonable. ... The first round of the draft went to script for the Rams. They wanted Tavon Austin and traded up to select him before any other team selected a skill-position player. The team then snagged its other first-round target, Alec Ogletree, after trading back to recoup picks. ... The Rams kept together their offensive staff, allowing quarterback Sam Bradford to remain in the same system. Bradford had played under a different coordinator in each of his first three NFL seasons. ... The Gregg Williams saga went away when the NFL reinstated the Rams' would-be defensive coordinator, allowing Williams to take a job with Tennessee. ... Steven Jackson left the team without any evidence of hard feelings. ... The NFL scheduled the Rams for "Monday Night Football" in the Edwards Jones Dome, a first since 2006. ... The Rams were "pleased" with an arbitrator's decision regarding stadium upgrades. ... The Bradford-has-no-weapons storyline took a hit with Austin, Stedman Bailey and Jared Cook arriving. ... Defensive end William Hayes, a key to the pass rush in coach Jeff Fisher's eyes, re-signed for what seemed like a reasonable price. That kept together a strength of the team.

What went wrong: Authorities in Montana arrested cornerback Trumaine Johnson on suspicion of drunk driving, not his first brush with the law. ... Strong safety Quintin Mikell refused to accepted a pay reduction. Releasing Mikell absolved the Rams from paying his $9 million salary for 2013, but the team still must account for $6 million in cap charges. ... The price for keeping receiver Danny Amendola was higher than the Rams were willing to pay, removing from the offense one of Bradford's preferred targets. ... Versatile offensive lineman Robert Turner left in free agency.

The bottom line: What went right outweighs what went wrong. I was reaching to find items in the latter category and resisted adding a note about the team being unable to keep Jackson at a reduced salary. My feeling was that the Rams valued Jackson, but they were also ready to move forward with younger players. The Rams have made the NFL's youngest roster even younger, so there are some short-term uncertainties surrounding this team. However, the longer-range plan is proceeding on schedule.

Your turn: Any significant omissions here?