ESPN NFL

A look at the San Francisco 49ers' offseason to this point ...

What went right: The 49ers kept together one of the NFL's best defenses by re-signing Ahmad Brooks and Carlos Rogers, and by naming Dashon Goldson their franchise player. ... The coaching staff also returns pretty much intact, a relief after the team finished 13-3 and reached the NFC Championship Game. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman's name did come up in relation to the Penn State opening. Reports suggested special-teams coordinator Brad Seely could become a candidate for the head coaching job in Indianapolis. ... Alex Smith did not leave in free agency despite visiting the Miami Dolphins. ... The 49ers secured funding for their new stadium and broke ground on it last month, a huge step forward for the organization. ... The team attempted to address perceived shortcomings at receiver and on offense in general. ... Bringing back Ted Ginn Jr. was an underrated move given the value he can provide in the return game.

What went wrong: The 49ers could not keep secret their interest in Peyton Manning, creating an awkward moment as Smith considered his options in free agency. ... Manning signed with Denver. Adding Manning to the 49ers arguably would have made San Francisco the Super Bowl favorite from the NFC. ... The team did not resolve its situation at right guard in a decisive manner. ... The Washington Redskins paid a premium for free-agent receiver Josh Morgan, a player the 49ers ideally would have retained. ... Blake Costanzo, a tone-setter on special teams, left in free agency. The team got older by adding Rock Cartwright, 32, to fill some of the special-teams void.

The bottom line: The positives outweigh the negatives. The team used free agency to address immediate needs at low cost (Randy Moss, Mario Manningham) while using the draft to build for the longer term (A.J. Jenkins, LaMichael James, Joe Looney). Adding Manning would have been an unexpected bonus. The 49ers' offseason never hinged on making that move. The 49ers essentially stayed the course following a 13-3 season. That was the goal. No complaints here.

Your turn: Any significant omissions here?

The San Francisco 49ers posted a 5-1 record in the NFC West last season while winning the division by a five-game margin.

Their division rivals did make up ground as the season progressed.

The 49ers outscored Arizona, Seattle and St. Louis by a combined seven points in rematches last season, down from a 58-point gap the first time around. The Cardinals defeated the 49ers in Week 14 while winning seven of their final nine games. Two weeks later, Seattle led San Francisco with three minutes remaining in an eventual two-point defeat.

The question this offseason was whether the 49ers' rivals could do enough to close the gap. That quest will continue with the draft, where the 49ers will be picking much later than the rest of the West.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. joined the conversation Tuesday with a look at what NFC West teams have done and the possibilities that await. We begin with the Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals

Best move: Using the franchise tag for Calais Campbell was smart, but also an easy call once the sides failed to reach agreement on a long-term deal before free agency. Williamson: "After that, picking up William Gay was probably their best move. Not that he is great, but he does not embarrass himself, the coordinator is very familiar with him, he can start and he is a solid nickel. I would rather have Richard Marshall, but not by leaps and bounds. Both are low-end starters. Signing Gay stops the bleeding a little bit. It means you don't feel the need to take a corner super high in the draft."

Worst move: Failing to buy insurance at tackle stands out as the obvious one. Demetress Bell was one option, but Philadelphia signed him for what amounts to a one-year deal with an option for more. Levi Brown's return to a cap-friendlier deal made some sense without upgrading anything. Williamson took issue with the team's decision to sign guard/tackle Adam Snyder from San Francisco for a deal including a $5 million signing bonus. Williamson: "The worst move would be an inability to upgrade on the offensive line. I don't like Snyder at all. I watched him and thought, 'Man, he is awful.' I can live with him as maybe the sixth guy because he can play multiple positions, but even then, I'm not thrilled. And the Cardinals played against him twice a year. I'll bet their defensive linemen are rolling their eyes."

Williamson's ideal first-round scenario: "I don't love where they sit based on their needs. They are a good candidate to trade down, and without a second-round pick, that makes more sense for them. They would jump on Michael Floyd, but I think he goes in the top 10. He would fit given their need for a solid receiver opposite Larry Fitzgerald, but it almost has to be offensive line. I don't love the tackles who are likely to be available in this spot. I would live with Riley Reiff, but he might not be there and he looks like just an average starting offensive tackle. They would be reaching on Mike Adams there. He can work out fine. David DeCastro would be great, but that is not really the need. They need tackles more than inside guys."

San Francisco 49ers

Best move: We could single out re-signing Carlos Rogers or franchising Dashon Goldson or even making sure Ahmad Brooks did not reach free agency. Or we could focus on the collective, as Williamson chose to do. Williamson: "I was extremely impressed in their ability to bring back the best defense in the league. They had guys who easily could have left in free agency. You would expect them to take a hit or two. Instead, the 49ers kept their guys. That was the home-run move of the Niners this offseason."

Worst move: We won't take issue with the 49ers' inability to land Peyton Manning. They tried, but in the end, they could not force Manning to make what arguably would have been the best football decision for him. While there was much to like about the 49ers' offseason, Williamson questioned Brandon Jacobs' signing: "I just don’t think he is all that good of a football player. He needs room to operate and isn't a very good receiver. I would rather use a third-round pick on back than sign Jacobs. He is not consistent. If you just watch his highlights, he's great. But he gets hit in the backfield, it takes him a while to get going and the Giants started using Ahmad Bradshaw, a much smaller back, more as the goal-line guy a lot of the time."

Williamson's ideal first-round scenario: "Addressing the offensive line, I think. They are another team that could trade up or down. I don't see a wonderful fit for them. The guard from Midwestern State, Amini Silatolu, might be a really nice player to plug in at right guard. I'll bet Jim Harbaugh is high on Coby Fleener and I would understand that. Delanie Walker is entering the final year of his contract. Fleener would be one more weapon to make Alex Smith's life easier. Maybe a Rueben Randle type of guy would work, too, but all of a sudden you can't keep all these receivers on the roster."

St. Louis Rams

Best move: Easy call here. The Rams got good value for the second overall choice, sending it to the Washington Redskins for the sixth and 39th choices this year, plus first-round selections in 2013 and 2014. They've got a veteran first-year head coach with the job security to use those selections over the next few seasons. With Sam Bradford already in place at quarterback, the Rams were not interested in taking Robert Griffin III second overall, so moving out of that spot made sense.

Worst move: While the draft choices acquired from Washington help for the long term, the Rams still haven't done much to improve the odds for Bradford in 2012. Williamson and I could not point to any one example of the Rams failing to add a specific player. The team did not have obvious options, in other words. Williamson: "They did not screw up in one instance, but collectively, not doing anything at tight end, receiver or running back beyond signing Steve Smith was not good. They will probably use some high picks in the draft on offense, but is that going to help this year? You have to get a guy or two to make Bradford's life a little easier. It wouldn't kill them to get a Jerricho Cotchery, a chain-moving veteran. But it is a deep receiver draft and they probably want to go young."

Williamson's ideal first-round scenario: "Matt Kalil will be gone, but I sit there and take Morris Claiborne, Justin Blackmon or Trent Richardson. I probably would take Claiborne first considering their needs, but he is probably not there. Blackmon would be my last choice because he is not as good as those other guys, but he certainly would address the biggest need. Richardson is the best prospect and has the Jeff Fisher mentality. He could be his Eddie George for years and years. I love where the Rams sit. I do not want them to trade back. They should not trade to No. 10 and lose one of those stud players. They need studs. They have so many picks in the coming years. They have to stay in the top six and get one of those three players I mentioned. There's a drop after that."

Seattle Seahawks

Best move: The Seahawks made a few good ones, from keeping Red Bryant to re-signing Marshawn Lynch before free agency. Adding quarterback Matt Flynn at a reasonable price (for a quarterback) stands above the others. Williamson: "I don't love Flynn, but I don't know how you can't commend a team when they get better at quarterback. They are not leaps and bounds better, but they are better and it's such an important position. Of all their moves, I cannot come up with an unimpressive one. Jason Jones will be a really good fit as well."

Worst move: The team did not improve its outside pass rush, watching Mario Williams and Kamerion Wimbley sign elsewhere. But Williams in particular was not a serious consideration. Williamson pointed to David Hawthorne's departure as potentially the worst move. Williamson: "Letting Hawthorne go was probably a mistake. They made a desperation signing with Barrett Ruud in the meantime because they need bodies. It is a position you can find in the draft and free agency. It's better than being light at tackle or wideout. Ruud is a very overrated player and I said it a year ago when he left Tampa. He is a decent tackler, but he is not physical, he lacks range and makes a lot of plays chasing guys eight yards downfield. He is a backup now, but people probably look at him as a starter. I just don't agree with that."

Williamson's ideal first-round scenario: They have to be looking at Luke Kuechly. He would be a leader of your defense and a great fit. They have to consider the rush end from USC, Nick Perry, if Pete Carroll likes him. He could be the next Chris Clemons and line up opposite him on passing downs for now. Carroll would know. You add Jason Jones with a hand on the ground at defensive tackle and Brandon Mebane or whoever next to him, and suddenly the front four can get after people. The draft will probably work out well for Seattle. Someone better than Perry will fall to them, whether it's David DeCastro, Kuechly, Michael Floyd or even Ryan Tannehill. I think they would jump on Ryan Tannehill if he is there at No. 12 and maybe even consider moving up to seven to get him. To me, he is a franchise quarterback and they do not have one on their roster, even though they got better at the position."

Ahmad Brooks' previous contract with the San Francisco 49ers counted $2.425 million against the salary cap last season.

Brooks' new deal, worth $37 million if he remains on the roster under this deal through 2017, will count $2.85 million against the cap in 2012, according to Matt Maiocco.

Consider this yet more evidence showing how teams usually control the salary cap, not the other way around. While it's natural to wonder whether a team can afford a certain player, the salary cap generally isn't a primary barrier. Teams find cap room to sign the players they really want to sign.

As Maiocco notes, Brooks' deal carries higher cap figures in future years. In quite a few cases, teams are happy if they get three good seasons from a player signed to a relatively lucrative deal (and in this case, as PFT notes, the 49ers can easily bail after one season). At that point, they can usually move on from the player with minimal financial considerations if performance is a concern.

The 49ers have sought to reward their own players. They know what they're likely to get from Brooks. They know how he fits in their locker room. They know how he fits in their defensive scheme. They can feel better about giving him a $7.5 million signing bonus than they might feel paying a similar talent from another team.

Tigre from "South of the Border" asks about new provisions allowing NFL teams to carry over unused salary-cap space to future years. He wonders why a team would ever decide against carrying over some of the unused allotment.

Mike Sando: NFL teams have, for years, tried to push unused cap space into future seasons. They previously did this by writing into players' contracts "likely to be earned" incentives that were, despite the label, very unlikely to be achieved. John Clayton explained the practice in detail back in 2004.

The new labor agreement legitimizes how teams carry over unused cap space. Teams simply tell the league how much unused cap space they would like to carry over.

Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt recently explained some of the particulars. Clayton provided numbers as they pertain to the 2012 season in this update.

Any team failing to carry over unused space might appear cheap, but carrying over the maximum would not necessarily make a team less cheap. It would not affect spending, only the amount a team could spend.

Salary-cap machinations are not always straightforward. A team could conceivably decide against carrying over unused room to accommodate late-hitting incentives, a contract option or the acceleration of guaranteed money.

---

Charlie from St. Louis asks whether the Rams might be wise to "secretly" make Sam Bradford available to teams intending to draft Griffin. "Don't get me wrong," Charlie writes, "I think Bradford will be a good player. But given how expensive he is, the new regime in St. Louis could make a shrewd move by starting over with Robert Griffin III."

Mike Sando: The Rams are on the record saying they will not trade Bradford. The rest of us are free to debate the merits of that stance, so here goes.

First, would such a move even be doable? I think it would be.

The Browns might logically prefer Bradford to RG3. Browns coach Pat Shurmur already has a strong background with Bradford from Shurmur's time as the Rams' offensive coordinator. As impressive as RG3 has been to this point in the process, the Browns would know with greater confidence what they were getting with Bradford, a player they know well. Bradford also has a verifiable track record in the West Coast offense Cleveland is running, a selling point for Shurmur and also for Browns president Mike Holmgren.

There would be risks. The Rams have already said Bradford is off-limits. Dangling him as trade bait would damage the new regime's relationship with Bradford if such a trade fell through. Also, Bradford's traded contract would count nearly as much against the Rams' salary cap as it counts right now.

What could the Rams get for Bradford? Could they get the fourth overall pick from Cleveland, or would they have to settle for a package worth less? That is tough to know, and pivotal to any imaginary deal.

---

Craig from Knoxville has a theory as to why the Cardinals did not offer more power to Todd Haley, letting Haley go to Pittsburgh. He thinks adding Haley would have made it tougher for the team to bring on another strong personality in Peyton Manning. "I know Haley and Kurt Warner were a good mix," Craig writes, "but that was because they grew together. If we signed Haley, I think that would have been negative toward Manning."

Mike Sando: Interesting point. Ultimately, I think coach Ken Whisenhunt wasn't comfortable rearranging his offensive staff and essentially demoting the current coordinator, Mike Miller. It would have been a bit awkward. The team did make a Manning-friendly move by adding Manning's former position coach, Frank Reich, as receivers coach.

---

Ryan from Atlanta wants to know what Ahmad Brooks' new contract with the San Francisco 49ers means for teammate and fellow outside linebacker Parys Haralson.

Mike Sando: Haralson and Brooks played on opposite sides. The plan was for Aldon Smith to take Haralson's starting job no matter what happened with Brooks. Haralson is scheduled to earn $2.45 million in base salary and $300,000 in offseason bonuses. The combined number is not prohibitive for a part-time player or backup. We can safely say Haralson's playing time will decline and his future with the team is in some question.

---

Fox from San Jose says New Orleans' Marques Colston and Carl Nicks could hit the market if the Saints use their franchise tag for quarterback Drew Brees. Under that scenario, he wonders whether Nicks could fit for the 49ers in free agency.

Mike Sando: Doubtful, in my view. Nicks would cost a lot of money. The 49ers drafted Daniel Kilgore with the thought Kilgore could grow into the starting role at right guard if needed. San Francisco has not been a team that overspends in free agency, at least of late. Signing Nicks would go against their recent approach.

---

Joey from Hawaii asks whether Brock Osweiler would be a good second-round choice for the Seahawks. Would he be better than current third-stringer Josh Portis? Or should the Seahawks keep building their roster, then do what it takes to land Matt Barkley in 2013?

Mike Sando: The Seahawks have been 7-9 twice while rebuilding. They probably aren't going to finish with a poor enough record in 2012 to position themselves for Barkley or another top quarterback. They cannot put off the decision simply because Barkley could be an option next year. Osweiler does have the mobility Seattle's Pete Carroll values in quarterbacks. Todd McShay says Osweiler is highly competitive, another must for Carroll. Based on those things, then, Osweiler might be an intriguing prospect.

---

Jason from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho thinks Seattle should try to acquire the second overall pick from the Rams, then shop it around. They could always take RG3 in that spot. Jason thinks Matt Flynn or Peyton Manning will go to Miami, leaving Washington and Cleveland desperate. He does not think the Seahawks can "out-Alex Smith" the 49ers with Tarvaris Jackson behind center.

Mike Sando: The Rams most likely will not trade the second overall pick to a division rival. The Seahawks most likely will not give up what it would take to get into that No. 2 spot. Those are my opinions. Why would the Rams arm a division rival with a potential franchise quarterback?

---

Nick from Salt Lake City asks whether teams with interest in Robert Griffin III might "call the Rams' bluff" in the 2012 draft. Instead of acquiring the No. 2 overall choice from St. Louis, these teams might trade into the third spot, figuring the Rams weren't going to take a quarterback, anyway. Nick asks whether the Rams might get more value by drafting Robert Griffin III, then trading his rights.

Mike Sando: The question shows why the Rams will want to trade the pick before the draft and possibly before free agency. There's no use taking undue chances when getting value for the choice is the most important thing. The Rams do not need to get a huge bounty in return. They need a fair trade.

Any team trading into the third spot to select Griffin would have to worry about the Rams trading the second pick to another team with the same intentions. But if the Rams wait around, some teams will have addressed their quarterback situations, perhaps in ways that diminished their appetite for Griffin. That could lower the price for the second pick.

---

Fabian from Germany asks whether the Rams should trade the second overall choice, plus the first pick of the second round.

Mike Sando: Depends what they could get in return. They would not want to give away too much quality just to acquire additional picks.

The Washington Redskins have selected 33 college players in the first four rounds since 2000, their first draft with Daniel Snyder as team owner.

That is 10 fewer than any other team, 29 fewer than league-leading Tennessee and 17.6 fewer than the other 31 teams have averaged over the same period.

What better team than the Redskins to fork over premium draft choices to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the second overall choice in the 2012 draft?

There is none.

Mike Jones of the Washington Post says the Redskins "are prepared to" give the Rams two first-round picks, plus other selections, for the second overall choice in the 2012 NFL draft. Jones: "The Redskins believe (Robert) Griffin, who last fall won the Heisman Trophy after passing for 4,293 yards, 37 touchdowns and only six interceptions while leading Baylor to a 10-3 record, is worth that price." Noted: The Rams should pounce if the Redskins make such an offer formally, in my view. They would emerge with the sixth overall choice, which might be just as valuable to them as the second pick, given their commitment to Sam Bradford at quarterback.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at the Rams' cornerback needs. Thomas: "By season's end, six of the 16 Rams players on injured reserve were cornerbacks. Among the top five cornerbacks from a year ago, Al Harris has retired, Justin King is an unrestricted free agent, and Ron Bartell (neck), Bradley Fletcher (knee) and Jerome Murphy (ankle) are coming back from season-ending injuries."

Also from Thomas: a chat in which he repeatedly says the Rams are not trading Bradford.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News passes along thoughts from 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers after Ahmad Brooks' new deal. Rogers: "That’s good. I'm happy for him. It's surprising, but get what you can get. He's a big-time player for this team."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle has this to say about Brooks: "Before the 2008 season, the nightlife-loving Brooks was waived by the Bengals after two disappointing years. His exit from Cincinnati made the former third-round pick and All-American at Virginia begin to re-examine his life and career."

Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com says the 49ers' deal with Brooks affects the Cowboys' negotiations with Anthony Spencer. Archer: "Using the same press box stats for fairness to compare the players, Spencer has 266 tackles, 21.5 sacks, one interception, 10 pass deflections and 10 forced fumbles in 53 starts. Brooks has 139 tackles, 20 sacks, one interception, nine pass deflections and seven forced fumbles in 24 starts." Noted: Stats for tackles are unofficial.

Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710ESPN Seattle debate whether the Seahawks should sign Mario Williams in free agency. Huard likes the match and thinks Seattle should make Williams a priority if the team does not invest heavily in a quarterback.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald says Leroy Hill's career with the Seahawks is "almost certainly over" after the linebacker's most recent arrest. Noted: I think Hill's ability to command a lucrative deal has suffered more than his chances for returning to Seattle.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic considers dynamics for the Cardinals relating to Peter King's report that at least two unnamed teams would be willing to add Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne this offseason. Somers: "First, the two players are old, by NFL standards. Manning turns 36 next month. We all know of his neck and arm issues. Wayne is still a productive player but he turns 34 in November, and he wants to make a considerable amount of money. It's one thing for a team to invest heavily in Manning. Teams are willing to take gambles on quarterbacks because of the importance of the position."

Certain former San Francisco 49ers coaches thought Ahmad Brooks the linebacker could not learn their defense.

"A few coaches said that and told me that personally," Brooks said Tuesday. "That has always been a lie."

Brooks would not name the coaches Tuesday, and the story was not about them, anyway. The story was about the 49ers' new staff liking Brooks enough to sign him through 2017.

"I feel like this is where I should be," Brooks said. "These are the people that gave me a chance to go out there and get this contract."

Brooks had been a situational pass-rusher under the previous staff. He grew into that role and performed it well, but it was not clear whether Brooks would remain effective if asked to become an every-down player. The current staff, led by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, was obviously happy with the results after Brooks collected seven sacks in 16 starts.

"I just feel comfortable playing in this system," Brooks said. "(Fangio) doesn't ask for a lot. It is just easy to me."

That is a sign of good coaching. To suggest that Brooks hasn't changed would be unfair to his previous coaches, however. If Brooks is like most people, he's more mature now, at age 27, than he was in his early 20s. Still, there is some risk in handing millions to a player with Brooks' history. He was kicked off the team at Virginia after two failed drug tests, entered the supplemental draft and lasted only two seasons with Cincinnati.

The Bengals released Brooks in 2008.

"I felt like a girl broke up with me and broke my heart," he said. "It can also be a blessing in disguise. I didn't see it at the time. It paid off. I continued to work, came in here and worked hard."

The 49ers claimed Brooks off waivers, released him when they needed room on the roster for a receiver, then brought him back. Brooks made an immediate impact as a situational pass-rusher, tackling Minnesota's Percy Harvin for an 8-yard loss in Brooks' first game with the 49ers. He had a three-sack game against Arizona on "Monday Night Football" later in that 2009 season. He became a full-time starter for the first time last season.

Playing with some of the most talented defensive players in the NFL has helped, of course. Brooks took note of that.

"When you are (with) guys like Ray McDonald, I can roam around," Brooks said. "I can mess up, but Ray can make me look good, like I didn't mess up. That lets me do things I could not do if with another team."

Brooks' deal, announced by the team, firms up the left side of the 49ers' defense. It comes about seven months after the 49ers signed McDonald to a five-year deal that signaled McDonald's ascension into the starting lineup at left defensive end.

Brooks and McDonald will be playing together for some time, it appears.

"Me and Ray communicate on every play, especially when it is third down," Brooks said.

Ahmad Brooks' new deal with the San Francisco 49ers, announced by the team as through 2017, comes as no shock given what we know now. It's still remarkable in relation to where Brooks stood a few years ago.

Consider that the 49ers once released Brooks to make room on their roster for receiver Chris Hannon, a player they were signing from the practice squad during the 2008 season.

Consider that the 49ers had claimed Brooks off waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals, then left him on their bench for the first eight games of that 2008 season. The developed him into a situational pass-rusher eventually, but even then, there were concerns Brooks would be less effective if the team asked him to become an every-down player.

Brooks, 27, played better than 90 percent of the snaps last season. His re-signing means the 49ers will likely go into the 2012 season with Brooks and 2011 first-round choice Aldon Smith as their starting outside linebackers.

I'll check back with thoughts from Brooks in a bit.

Five of the San Francisco 49ers' projected unrestricted free agents for 2012 played right around 1,000 snaps or more last season, easily the highest figure in the NFC West.

Re-signing quarterback Alex Smith appears likely. Smith accepted the Associated Press' coach of the year award on Jim Harbaugh's behalf Saturday, the latest indication Smith remains firmly in the fold.

Cornerback Carlos Rogers has said he wants to return. His value spiked after earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. The franchise tag remains available, but the price would be lower if San Francisco used it for free safety Dashon Goldson instead. Either way, the 49ers have decisions to make in their secondary.

The charts below expand upon Brian McIntyre's lists. I've added offensive and defensive snap counts from ESPN Stats & Information. The final column shows what players earned per year on their most recent contracts.

Some players, notably Blake Costanzo and C.J. Spillman, played extensively on special teams. The charts show offensive and defensive snap counts only.

.

The second chart shows restricted free agents. Teams can retain rights to RFAs by making one-year qualifying offers.

INDIANAPOLIS -- St. Louis Rams Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk has been on a roll this week, questioning the team's choice of offensive coordinator.

Faulk even wondered aloud whether Jeff Fisher would last long enough to fulfill his contract.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch passes along this comment from Faulk on Fisher: "We'll see. That's all I can say. We will see. Jeff had a long and illustrious tenure in Tennessee and Houston. How long is (owner) Stan Kroenke going to wait? Will they give him all five years regardless of how bumpy it is? If Jeff hits three of those 8-8 seasons, what do you do? That's a lot of money to be mediocre. You've got to deliver." Noted: I think the Rams would be quite pleased with three 8-8 seasons from Fisher after going 10-38 over the past three seasons. I can also see why Faulk might be skeptical. Faulk won big in St. Louis within a high-powered offense. Fisher prefers a more conservative approach.

Matthew Hathaway of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC) made its proposal to upgrade the Edward Jones Dome Wednesday, the deadline to do so. Hathaway: "The CVC plan to retain the Rams is such a closely guarded secret that even the Dome's owner -- the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority -- has been largely out of the loop. Officials with the authority have said they don't know what the CVC will propose should be done with the facility, and Ratcliffe said last week that it was not necessary for the authority's board to approve the CVC's offer to the Rams. The Rams, too, have indicated that the franchise likely will keep mum after receiving the CVC proposal today."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says former Raiders assistant John Fassel is the Rams' new special-teams coach. Thomas: "The Raiders had some of the league's best special teams units in 2009 and '10, leading the NFL in special teams takeaways and turnover differential in each of those seasons. In 2010, Oakland's Jacoby Ford had a breakout rookie season with three kickoff returns for touchdowns. Ford also had a 101-yard kickoff return for a score in 2011. But the Raiders' coverage units struggled in '11, yielding three returns for TDs and finishing last in punt coverage and 27th in kickoff coverage."

Jeff Fedotin of National Football Post says former Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu hopes to play in 2012 after resting a knee injury last season.

Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press profiles former Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy. Reynolds: "He’s still a fan favorite in Seattle, and spends a good chunk of time during the season around the New Orleans Saints, for whom some of his closest friends and confidants work. His home is in a well-to-do community, with neighbors including U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, golfer Ian Poulter and famed coach Lou Holtz — someone Kennedy tormented at the height of the Miami-Notre Dame rivalry. Holtz got over it, apparently: He wrote the letter asking that Kennedy be approved to move into the gated community he now calls home."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers could have interest in DeSean Jackson if the receiver encounters a skeptical market and becomes available for a modest contract over the short term. Maiocco: "Jackson might not be in the mold of the big, physical receiver that coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke seem to like. And Jackson might not fit the blue-collar image that Harbaugh stressed. But I don't believe Harbaugh cares about reputation. He'd be open-minded about acquiring an exceptional talent who can help the team."

Also from Maiocco: a look at how the 49ers' linebackers fared in 2011. On Ahmad Brooks: "He played just about every snap this season at left outside linebacker, as he seemed to grasp Vic Fangio's defense well enough to handle his responsibilities against the run and the pass. Brooks recorded seven sacks and was third on the team with 46 quarterback pressures. Brooks typically moved to left defensive end in nickel situations when the 49ers would convert to a four-man line. He was also pretty solid against the run. He had 12 tackles for losses on the year."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic expects receivers coach John McNulty to remain with the Cardinals after Arizona prevented Tampa Bay from interviewing him for their vacant offensive coordinator's position.

Also from Somers: Former Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner offers thoughts on Peyton Manning's situation. Warner: "I don't think there's any question in mind, if there's a guy who can do something similar to what I did -- resurrect their career and go somewhere else and play at a higher level -- it's a guy like Peyton. Because you know he's going to work and you know he's going to set a standard. It's hard to do. You don't see many quarterbacks do it."

More from Somers: Ex-Cardinals receiver Roy Green was a two-way player long before New England's Julian Edelman attempted the feat. Somers: "Other guys would jog off the field and get a chance to go sit on the bench and get a chance to gather their thoughts. I was playing 30 to 35 plays on defense, then playing special teams, then you're right back in it (the game)."

Turns out the $7,500 fine against Seattle's Adrian Moten for a late hit on San Francisco's Kyle Williams was a slap on the wrist compared to other penalties levied from the NFL office this week:

• $30,000 against Dockett: The league levied two $15,000 fines against Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett. One was for striking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton below the knee area. The other was for a horse-collar tackle.
• $15,000 against Sherman: Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was penalized for a horse-collar tackle when bringing down 49ers running back Frank Gore.
• $10,000 against Lynch: Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch wore specially designed Skittles cleats. The league protested, according to Brian McIntyre.
• $10,000 against Davis: The 49ers' Anthony Davis was not penalized by game officials for blocking Seattle's Anthony Hargrove across the back of the legs during Kendall Hunter's 24-yard run. The league fined him, determining Davis had unnecessarily rolled up on Hargrove's legs.

There was no fine against the 49ers' Ahmad Brooks or Seahawks right tackle Breno Giacomini for scuffling after a play I noticed when watching the game on replay.

Five things I noticed while watching the Seattle Seahawks' most recent game, a 19-17 home defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16:

• No idea how that deep ball succeeded. The 49ers had to like their chances on the Seahawks' second offensive play. Their Pro Bowl defensive end, Justin Smith, beat left guard Robert Gallery to the inside and was bearing down on quarterback Tarvaris Jackson right away. The 49ers had two about-to-be-minted Pro Bowlers, cornerback Carlos Rogers and free safety Dashon Goldson, shadowing an undrafted rookie receiver making his regular-season NFL debut. There is simply no way Jackson-to-Lockette should beat three Pro Bowlers for a 44-yard gain. Jackson gets credit for hanging tough and delivering the ball just as Smith was about to blast him. Lockette gets credit for catching a ball Rogers contested well. This was exactly the type of play Seattle needed early against a tough defense.
• Leroy Hill's knee packs a punch. Hill was pursuing Frank Gore when his right knee inadvertently struck the left side of tight end Delanie Walker's helmet while Walker sat on the turf after missing a block on linebacker K.J. Wright. Fox microphones captured the grotesque sound of a collision that left Walker with a broken jaw. The impact launched Walker's helmet four yards downfield.
• Weak excuse for busted goal-line play. Jackson wound up scrambling for no gain on third-and-goal from the 1 with 1:41 left in the first half. Coach Pete Carroll said some Seattle players thought the play was dead because left tackle Paul McQuistan jumped early. There was no penalty, however, and the Seahawks appeared confused after the snap. Fullback Michael Robinson hardly moved. Jackson slowed and decided against handing off to Marshawn Lynch. McQuistan had barely moved a half-tick before the snap. This was not a blatant false start. The Seahawks should be coached to play through a whistle in that situation. Settling for a field goal in a game the team lost by two points wound up being the difference in the game. This wasn't the first time Seattle botched a critical red zone possession right before halftime.
• Anthony Hargrove was lucky to avoid injury. The 49ers' Kendall Hunter broke into the secondary on a third-and-1 run from a shotgun formation right before halftime. Hargrove, the Seahawks' defensive tackle, had a chance to make the tackle at the line of scrimmage, but 49ers right tackle Anthony Davis chopped him down at the legs from behind. The block forced Hargove's body into a contorted position. He appeared vulnerable to injury on the play. Hunter broke out for a 24-yard gain. This game was packed with physical confrontations that threatened to violate rules or obliterated them entirely, which leads to the next item.
• The penalty that was not called. Seahawks right tackle Breno Giacomini gets on opponents' nerves with his trash talk and aggressiveness, both at practice and in games. Against Washington in Week 12, Giacomini drew a roughness penalty when he threw himself into a pile after the play. Against the 49ers, officials flagged Giacomini for illegal use of the hands. Later in the game, however, Giacomini was on the receiving end of a blatant blow to the face that drew no penalty. He and 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks were tangling during and after the play. Both players and Brooks in particular appeared to have their hands on or near the opponent's facemask. Giacomini delivered one last shove as the play was ending. Brooks retaliated by swinging the palm of his right hand into Giacomini's face, driving back Giacomini's head violently. A penalty in that situation would have moved Seattle to the 49ers' 37-yard line with 1:25 remaining. The team would have run the ball to set up a field goal. Instead, Jackson scrambled and the 49ers forced him to fumble.

The "five observations" files are back following a one-week holiday. I was out of town following Week 15 and did not produce them for those games.

» NFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South » AFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South

Perfect sense: Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Wilson, Andy Lee, David Akers, Justin Smith and Patrick Willis are past Pro Bowl selections enjoying strong seasons. Their selections made perfect sense. No St. Louis Rams made it. Steven Jackson was worthy of consideration, but the team's 2-13 record made his exclusion understandable.

Patrick Peterson's four touchdowns on punt returns made him an extremely worthy if somewhat surprising choice over Devin Hester, whose reputation figured to count for something.

It was good to see voters recognize the NFC West's talent on special teams and in the secondary. Wilson and Seattle's Earl Thomas are the starting safeties. Carlos Rogers is a starting corner, and Seattle's Brandon Browner, a first alternate, could very well join him in the game itself because at least one of the NFC starters, Charles Woodson, could be playing in the Super Bowl.

Made it on rep: From the NFC West? Are you kidding? This division usually fights for whatever it can get. Wilson made it on reputation last season, but he was very much deserving this time, even though it came at the expense of Seattle's Kam Chancellor, a first alternate. None of the players selected made it on rep, in my view.

We could debate the worthiness of a few, including 49ers free safety Dashon Goldson. But he didn't have much of a rep. He made big plays for a 12-3 team and got noticed despite some inconsistencies in his game. The 49ers' success cleared the way for Goldson and another first-timer, left tackle Joe Staley.

Frank Gore always deserves consideration, and his numbers say he did not make it strictly on reputation, but a case can be made that other backs were producing at a higher level more recently. Gore's dropped passes have been a problem as well.

Got robbed: Seattle's Marshawn Lynch, San Francisco's Aldon Smith, St. Louis' Chris Long and Arizona's Calais Campbell come to mind immediately.

Lynch has arguably run more impressively than any other back in the conference of late. He ended the 49ers' streaks without allowing a 100-yard rusher (36 games) or a rushing touchdown (15 games). Lynch was named a second alternate. He has a chance to earn a spot given that Matt Forte is injured and might not play in the game. I'm not sure which NFC back is first alternate, but Lynch would move up the list if Minnesota's injured Adrian Peterson held that distinction.

Aldon Smith has 14 sacks as a rookie, but he didn't make the Pro Bowl. In fact, Smith did not even show up on a list of 49ers alternates featuring NaVorro Bowman, Ahmad Brooks, Blake Costanzo, Vernon Davis, Ted Ginn Jr., Jonathan Goodwin, Mike Iupati, Ray McDonald, Bruce Miller and Donte Whitner.

Long has 13 sacks for a team that almost never faces favorable pass-rushing situations, but with multiple high-profile sack artists in the NFC, he did not make it. The Cardinals' Campbell gets overlooked playing defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, but he's been a dominant player. At least teammate Darnell Dockett was named an alternate.

Click here for the complete 2012 Pro Bowl roster.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 20-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on "Monday Night Football" at Candlestick Park in Week 15:

What it means: The 49ers improved to 11-3 and stayed just ahead of 11-3 New Orleans for the second seed in the NFC playoffs, based on a tiebreaker (superior conference record: 8-2 for the 49ers, 7-3 for the Saints). The top two seeds get first-round playoff byes and home games in the divisional round. By winning, the 49ers joined the Saints in keeping pressure on 13-1 Green Bay to continue winning. That could eventually help Seattle and Arizona; both teams' playoff chances would improve if Green Bay's Week 17 opponent, Detroit, lost its final two games. The 49ers' victory gave NFC West teams a 3-1 record outside the division in Week 15.

What I liked: The 49ers became the third team since Miami in 2007 to shut out the Steelers in a first half. Cornerback Carlos Rogers and free safety Dashon Goldson picked off Ben Roethlisberger in the first half. Cornerback Tarell Brown picked one off late. Linebacker Larry Grant, subbing for Patrick Willis, leaped high to break up a pass. Outside linebacker Aldon Smith delivered a big hit on Roethlisberger late in the third quarter. The rookie later joined Ray McDonald in sacking Roethlisberger, forcing a fumble the 49ers recovered inside the Pittsburgh 20. That turnover set up the clinching touchdown run by Frank Gore. Smith collected 2.5 sacks overall, giving him 13 for the season. Quarterback Alex Smith took no sacks after absorbing 18 over the 49ers' previous three games. Later, with San Francisco leading 6-3 in the third quarter, Smith found tight end Vernon Davis for a 31-yard gain across midfield. The Steelers can be tough on opposing tight ends, and that was the case for much of this game. The 49ers stuck with it, got a little creative and found ways to get Davis open. Davis rewarded his team with the 31-yard reception over his shoulder, followed by a 21-yard reception to the Pittsburgh 1-yard line, followed by a 1-yard scoring reception and redemption in the red zone. Punter Andy Lee and the 49ers' coverage team repeatedly pinned the Steelers deep in their own territory, continuing a season-long trend.

What I didn't like: Two power outages delayed the game, an embarrassment for the 49ers and the NFL even if the problems weren't under their control. Terrible Towels waved throughout the stadium. Thousands of 49ers fans apparently sold their tickets. It's tough to begrudge a fan for collecting a fat payday every so often, but a 49ers team with a 10-3 record coming into the game was worthy of more partisan support. On the field, the Steelers found soft spots in the 49ers' coverage along the sidelines, getting the ball behind outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who appeared to have coverage on shorter routes. Goldson missed two tackles early in the game, leading to big plays for the Steelers. The 49ers settled for two first-half field goals, squandering drives that reached the Pittsburgh 4- and 20-yard lines. Gore's season-long issues with dropped passes continued. He entered the game with five drops on 26 targets, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Gore dropped two more passes in this game.

Red zone reversal: The 49ers had failed to score a touchdown on seven consecutive red zone possessions over a three-game period before Monday night. They settled for another red zone field goal early in this game, but two red zone touchdowns helped turn a 6-3 lead into a 20-3 runaway for the 49ers.

Akers gets the record: David Akers set a 49ers franchise record for most points in a season. He entered the game with 135 points, trailing Jerry Rice (138 in 1987) and Mike Cofer (136 in 1989).

Rushing touchdown defense: The 49ers still have not allowed a rushing touchdown all season. Their streak dating to last season has spanned 15 games, matching the 1985-86 Chicago Bears for the longest streak since 1970. The 49ers already held the NFL single-season record since 1970. That streak is at 14, three more than the ones San Francisco and Cleveland strung together in 1992.

49ers injuries of note: Left tackle Joe Staley, questionable for this game after suffering a concussion, left this game with a leg injury. The 49ers listed his return as questionable. Return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. did not return after suffering an ankle injury when tackled awkwardly on the kickoff to open the second half. The 49ers listed his return as questionable. Willis missed the game with a hamstring injury.

Turnover margin key, again: The 49ers were plus-four in turnover margin against the Steelers. They are now plus-25 for the season, best in the NFL.

What's next: The 49ers visit the Seahawks in a game with NFC seeding implications for San Francisco. The Seahawks must win for any shot at keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Kevin Kolb's durability was a question mark when the Arizona Cardinals acquired him during the offseason. It's still a question mark after foot and toe injuries sidelined Kolb for four games.

The injury Kolb suffered Sunday had less to do with durability than bad luck.

The San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith beat Cardinals guard Daryn Colledge with a power move to sack Kolb and force a fumble. As Kolb fell to the ground, his head dropped into Ahmad Brooks' path. Brooks' lower leg struck Kolb in the head as Brooks ran after the football.

John Skelton is playing quarterback for the Cardinals. Kolb has returned to the sideline after leaving for tests. It's unclear whether Kolb will return.

The 49ers, meanwhile, have lost left tackle Joe Staley. Alex Boone is playing left tackle. I'll update that injury once more is known.

The NFC West rivalry between the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers hasn't been much of a rivalry lately.

The Cardinals last defeated the 49ers on Nov. 10, 2008. That was 1,124 days ago.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals' frustration has mounted during a five-game losing streak in the series. Larry Fitzgerald: "Eventually, you have to stand up and fight. Five in a row, enough has to be enough at some point. For it to be a rivalry, you have to beat them sometimes, and sometimes they’re going to beat you. We have to reclaim homefield. They’ve beaten us here the last two years and that’s not supposed to happen." Noted: The last time Arizona won in the series, Kurt Warner passed for 328 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. That game was notorious for other reasons.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals played into the 49ers' hands when the teams last played. Arizona controlled the ball for less than 16 minutes, registering its lowest time of possession for a game since at least 1981. Somers: "That presents offensive coaches with a difficult decision: Do they concentrate on being conservative and call safer plays that minimize the risk of turnovers and brief possessions? Or do they elect to take shots downfield, reasoning that not doing so plays into the 49ers' style?"

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers' contract extension with backup tackle Alex Boone comes as the team tries to re-sign several role players. Maiocco: "Among the players to whom the 49ers are believed to have offered new deals are outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, guard Adam Snyder, linebacker Larry Grant and special-teamer C.J. Spillman."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers have new names for their linebackers, according to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Barrows: "When Mike Nolan implemented a 3-4 defense in San Francisco several years ago, he called the strong-side inside linebacker -- the one who played on the tight end's side of the field -- 'Ted' and the weak-side inside linebacker 'Mike.' The positions continued to be called that under Mike Singletary. Last year, for example, Patrick Willis was the 'Mike' linebacker and Takeo Spikes was 'Ted.' This year the names are different. The strong-side linebacker is called 'Mike' and the position is played by NaVorro Bowman. The weak-side inside linebacker is called 'Jack' and is played by Willis and now Grant." Noted: The game would improve, in my view, if coaches ever settled on one terminology. Players could learn one language at the youth level and continually perfect it over their careers.

Also from Barrows: 49ers great Joe Perry suffered from brain trauma likely related to his playing career.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers are getting more from their wideouts.

Also from Inman: a music review on a song based around a mantra from 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with offensive line coach Tom Cable, who has this to say about the recently injured Russell Okung: "Really good. Big time. He was playing like you’d expect a guy you draft that high to play. Particularly the last five or six weeks, I don’t think anybody was playing at his level at that spot. It was just dominant, protecting the quarterback and you can run to him you can run away from him."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the NFL did not consider Okung's injury in determining how much to fine Philadelphia's Trent Cole for throwing Okung to the ground. Coach Pete Carroll: "They can't deal with a violation in terms of kind of the impact it has on the other player. That's not a factor for them."

Bob Stelton and Dave Wyman of 710ESPN Seattle say the Seahawks' Zach Miller is making significant contributions as a blocker.

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle thinks the Seahawks are on track despite their 5-7 record this season and 12-16 record under Carroll.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers thoughts as to why the Seattle Seahawks have fared better than the St. Louis Rams despite suffering through similar injury losses. Nelson: "Part of the difference between the two teams is that the Seahawks have sustained their recommitment to the ground game, led by Marshawn Lynch. He has reached 100 yards in four of the last five games, has 591 rushing yards since Week 9 and 854 yards on the ground this season. Seattle has strung together five consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing as a team, its longest streak since 2005." Noted: Personnel differences are a big part of the disparity. The Seahawks have generally had better replacements.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with injured Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, who says he hasn't thought about finishing the season on injured reserve. Thomas: "For the second day in a row, Tom Brandstater took all the reps in practice with the starters. Kellen Clemens, claimed on waivers Wednesday from Houston, wasn't at practice. He had travel complications and was still en route while the Rams practiced Thursday. So that leaves Clemens with only two practice days -- today and Saturday -- to get ready to play Seattle."

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis thinks the Rams should protect Bradford by placing him on injured reserve.

D'Marco Farr of 101ESPN St. Louis has this to say about Chris Long's 12-sack season through 12 games: "Long joins the discussion as one of the best left defensive ends the Rams have lined up in St. Louis. Right now, it's a three-man race between Kevin Carter, Leonard Little and Long. Heading into Monday night's matchup with the Seattle Seahawks, Long leads the team with 12 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries. He hasn't missed a game and hardly a series. I smell a big new contract in his future. He's playing like the beast we're all hoping that he turns into, being a consistent threat much like DeMarcus Ware or Jared Allen."