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Calais Campbell had many things on his side heading into contract negotiations with the Arizona Cardinals.

Campbell is young (25 years old). His career appears to be ascending. He can rush the passer. He can play the run effectively. He's smart and, by all accounts, a good teammate.

Those qualities added up to $31 million in guaranteed money. Update: Thanks to Diehard49er for pointing me toward a PFT item noting that Campbell's deal could work out to $17 million over one year. I'm not sure of it, but that sounds even better than $31 million guaranteed for an ascending young player.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic made me chuckle by noting that Campbell's new contract "is front-loaded and back-loaded." Can there be any better kind of contract than that? Somers: "I noted the salaries defensive end Calais Campbell is due to receive over the five years of his new contract ($2 million, $3 million, $5.5 million, $9 million, $9.5 million). Here are the bonuses Campbell will earn: $15 million signing bonus and a $10 million option bonus that's due to be paid in 2013. Campbell's base salaries in his first two years are fully guaranteed. In year three, $1 million is guaranteed. The total deal is worth $55 million with $31 million guaranteed -- $25 million in bonuses, plus $6 million of guaranteed salary."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Campbell was happy to rejoin his teammates for offseason workouts.

Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says new Rams quarterback Austin Davis worked with Brett Favre during the offseason. Davis: "Just to have the opportunity to meet him and for him to almost mentor me after the season was a huge plus. He lives there, so the connection just kind of happened. The biggest thing is that he was with coach (Brian) Schottenheimer, so he knew the system and helped me out with that as soon as I figured out I was coming (to St. Louis)."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains why he thinks the Rams' stadium proposal is reasonable.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch chats about the Rams with team executive Kevin Demoff, who has this to say about stadium funding: "The new G-4 provision allows for funds to go to renovations, which is a positive change for all clubs looking to upgrade their stadiums. However, NFL owners must approve all G-4 requests, so it's impossible to predict whether those funds would be available."

Also from Thomas: The Rams hope Mario Haggan can help their run defense. General manager Les Snead: "We targeted him earlier in free agency, but we went with Jo-Lonn (Dunbar) and then we were just going to see how the draft went. Obviously, in the draft we didn't take a linebacker early, so we felt like we needed veteran help."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com looks at possible ramifications if Dashon Goldson waits til the last minute before signing his one-year franchise offer. Maiocco: "The 49ers have had two protracted holdouts from franchise players in the past eight years. And neither ended well. In 2004, linebacker Julian Peterson reported to camp on Aug. 26 with the 49ers set to open the regular season Sept. 12. He started the first five games of the regular season before sustaining a season-ending ruptured Achilles' tendon. And two years ago, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin signed his franchise tender on Aug. 28 -- just two weeks before the 49ers' season opener. Franklin did not play well. The 49ers did not want him back last season, and he signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. He struggled with the Saints, and remains a free agent and looking for work." Noted: The 49ers could always withdraw the franchise tag, then attempt to re-sign Goldson for less. They would risk losing Goldson to another team in that scenario, and depth at safety might not allow them to go that route comfortably. It is an option, however.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com passes along thoughts from newly signed offensive lineman Alex Barron: "I just wanted to get somewhere. I’m pretty confident in my play. I’ve made some mistakes in the past, also. But I’ve gotten to the point where after last season, and coming into the offseason as a free agent, all I want to do is come in and just show that I can play. Because it can’t be talked about, it always has to be shown."

Also from Farnsworth: Korey Toomer wasn't invited to the combine, but the Seahawks liked the linebacker enough to draft him. Coach Pete Carroll: "Korey Toomer did very well, probably more comfortable than we thought. We thought he might be a little bit more raw and it would be a process where he could show that he could fit in. But we played him at the SAM (strong side) spot, played him at WILL (weak side) and nickel, and he had some very good rushes. He looked like we had hoped, so we’re excited about him getting into it."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune sizes up the Seahawks' offensive line after Barron's addition.

The Seattle Seahawks have continually churned their roster along the offensive line, finding starter Breno Giacomini and other contributors that way.

Alex Barron becomes the latest addition after the Seahawks announced agreeing to terms with the veteran first-round choice Tuesday.

Barron, chosen 19th overall by St. Louis in 2005, generally impressed while working against rookies during Seattle's recent minicamp. He was inconsistent and prone to penalties with St. Louis. The Rams traded him to Dallas. Barron spent last season on injured reserve with New Orleans.

I'll resist the temptation to dismiss Barron's signing given Seattle's ability to run the ball last season with a patched-together offensive line. For example, Paul McQuistan was at left tackle last season when the Seahawks ended San Francisco's 36-game streak of allowing no individual 100-yard rushers.

So, go ahead and chuckle at Seattle for making a small bet on Barron, but it's no shock if Cable gets the last laugh.

Barron gives the Seahawks seven offensive linemen drafted by other teams. That includes choices from every round but the sixth (and two from the fifth). The chart shows drafted linemen on the Seahawks' roster, ordered by draft slot. Shading identifies players chosen by Seattle.

The chart does not show undrafted players, including contributor Lemuel Jeanpierre.

St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke doesn't say much publicly. He generally doesn't convey emotions.

As a result, we're left to wonder to what degree he wants the Rams to remain in St. Louis.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks the Rams' proposed stadium renovations indicate Kroenke is serious about keeping the team in town. Burwell: "Look very carefully at the plan. It is not an over-the-top, ostentatious, football-only counteroffer that attempts to thrust the Dome to the very top of the National Football League's most extravagant stadiums. It's not an outrageous plan that feels like the sort of crazy counteroffer whose sole intent is to blow up the entire process, thus allowing Kroenke to scoot off to Los Angeles as quickly as possible. What the Rams have put in front of us is a design whose intent is to make the Edward Jones Dome something that works for all of St. Louis, not just the football team." Noted: I also thought the Rams' proposal seemed reasonable under the circumstances. It's all part of a process that will continue, most likely, with arbitration beginning June 15. That arbitration would be binding for the Rams if the stadium authority accepted the arbiter's proposal. The Rams' lease would then extend through 2025. Otherwise, the Rams would go year-to-year on their lease beginning in March 2015.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports says Pete Carroll, like Tom Landry decades ago, seems to think competition at quarterback can be a healthy thing. Roger Staubach: "Coach Landry thought the quarterback just went in and executed the play the way everybody else does what they're supposed to do. He didn't understand that quarterback was different. It took him awhile to get that. … It got to the point where I really didn't care if it was me or not and I think Craig (Morton) felt the same. Yeah, you want to play, but both of us just wanted a decision." Noted: The Seahawks are not yet to that point, in my view. Matt Flynn owns two regular-season starts. Russell Wilson has never played in even an exhibition game. Tarvaris Jackson has the look of a journeyman at the position. Committing to one of them wholeheartedly at this point would be premature.

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle came away impressed after watching Wilson's first practice with the team. Huard: "My first minicamp practice was spent just trying to call the play correctly. Wilson's first practice consisted of team, seven-on-seven, routes versus air and individual drills where it was difficult to find a misguided pass. Sure, he had a few passes tipped at the line and in the secondary, but his completion percentage was north of 80, and this is with guys he didn't even know by name. It would be fun to compare Wilson's initial camp with his draft-day peers: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler & Co. While Tannehill, like Wilson, has a background in his current offensive system, I can't imagine any of the rookie passers making more of an impression than Russell.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers thoughts on the Seahawks' recently concluded rookie camp. On Bruce Irvin: "The first day of practice was a little bit of a challenge in his conditioning, but even then, you saw bursts of that speed off the edge as he jetted around Alex Barron. Yes, Barron has been out of the league for a year, but we're also talking about a former first-round pick of a tackle. Irvin might not start right away, but he's going to have a role as a pass rusher right off the bat, and he showed this weekend he has the speed to make the most of it." Noted: That's good news for the Seahawks. I watched the first day of practice and thought Barron's length and experience created challenges Irvin would not have faced had he gone against rookies instead.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com runs a photo showing Carroll as a college player, with the third-year Seahawks coach recalling how he found out no NFL team had drafted him back in 1973.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers thoughts on LaMichael James' upbringing in a tough neighborhood. Barrows: "I could just have easily written about the Texarkana neighborhood in which he grew up. James, in fact, credits both his grandmother and his home town with forging him into the man and the player he is today. That neighborhood is on the Texas side of town and is known as Beverly. James described it as a virtual war zone. ... I talked to one of his coaches and asked him if he thought James was embellishing a bit. No, he said, Beverly was that bad. His sister, Tasha, who is 16 years his senior and who is extremely protective of her little brother, wanted him to get as far away from Texarkana as he could."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle puts into perspective A.J. Jenkins' conditioning. Branch: "To those up in arms, I invite you to travel back to early June when Smith, the No. 7 overall pick, arrived at San Jose State during the lockout for his first workout with veteran teammates such as Justin Smith, Isaac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald and Parys Haralson. How'd that go for Aldon? Well, Sopoaga was still laughing about the rookie’s performance a week after he debuted."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in from the Cardinals' annual golf tournament. Urban: "There are serious golfers, like coach Ken Whisenhunt and kicker Jay Feely, some middle-of-the-road guys who all seemed to hit good shots when the cameras were around (at least, that’s what they were telling us) and other guys who you should be careful to be around when they are taking a shot (Um, Beanie, about that swing …)."

RENTON, Wash. -- Thoughts and observations after watching the Seattle Seahawks open their rookie camp Friday:

• First-round pick Bruce Irvin impressed coaches with his ability to grasp defensive concepts. That can be a concern for any rookie and particularly for one with Irvin's unusual background (out of football for two years while living on the streets). Irvin practiced with intensity. He did not get great results immediately and it was easy to see why. Alex Barron, who has practiced against Leonard Little and DeMarcus Ware over the years, was one of the few veterans in camp. While Barron's career has faltered, he remains a first-round talent and it showed in the first practice. The Seahawks are giving him a tryout. Barron, a first-round pick for St. Louis in 2005, is 29 years old and spent last season on injured reserve with New Orleans. He looked healthy and was obviously more talented than the free-agent offensive linemen in camp.
• Coach Pete Carroll raved about running back Robert Turbin. He loved Turbin's quickness and feel for the zone running game. Turbin has huge biceps, but his lower body looks like it belongs to a smaller man.
• Third-round quarterback Russell Wilson took twice as many snaps as any rookie and made a resoundingly positive first impression. Wilson threaded perfect passes all over the field, hitting receivers and tight ends in stride. Height, not talent, is the concern for the 5-foot-11 Wilson. He did have three passes tipped near the line of scrimmage, by my count. A couple deep balls failed to find their targets, Carroll noted. Wilson is going to get the attention of the veteran quarterbacks, it looks like.
• Fourth-round pick Jaye Howard, a defensive tackle from Florida, impressed Carroll with his quickness.
• The Seahawks invited draft choices' families to watch practice. All 10 picks had family in attendance on a spectacularly sunny day on the shores of Lake Washington.
• Linebacker Korey Toomer, a fifth-round pick from Idaho, appeared athletic. He picked off a batted pass and headed for the end zone with it.
• The Seahawks fared well with undrafted receiver Doug Baldwin last season. Phil Bates from Ohio was the undrafted receiver I noticed the most during this practice. He made a leaping grab on a deep ball. He also made a one-handed grab in traffic. He also dropped a pass later in practice. Overall, though, he looked good. Bates is 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds.

Players were wearing helmets, but no pads. It's tough to make lasting judgments from a camp such as this one. First impressions will have to suffice.

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks handed out a roster featuring 48 rookies and first-year players attending a three-day camp beginning Friday, some as signed players and others on a tryout basis.

There were also a few veterans on the list, including former St. Louis Rams first-round choice Alex Barron.

Barron, who played most recently for Dallas, is in Seahawks camp on a tryout basis.

Seattle is listing 54 players overall on its weekend participation list. Tight end Shawn Nelson is another veteran on the list.

It's debatable whether Barron could help an NFL team at this point. He'll at least get a chance to show the Seahawks.

The Seattle Seahawks have welcomed physical play from their cornerbacks. They've demanded it, actually.

Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman have delivered. Both players picked off passes against the Washington Redskins last week. Both have used their size -- Browner is 6-foot-4, while Sherman stands 6-3 -- to great advantage at times.

Browner has gone too far in officials' eyes, however. Way too far. He leads the NFL in penalties with 15, four more than any other player. His total through 11 games already stands tied for the 14th-highest in a full season since 2003, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Browner averages 1.36 penalties per game, putting him on pace for 22 over a full regular season. That would be one more than the single-season record since 2003, held by offensive lineman Chester Pitts. Four more penalties would place Browner in sole possession of second place on the list.

The 15 penalties called against Browner include five for defensive pass interference, three for defensive holding, two for illegal contact, two for offensive holding on special teams, two for unnecessary roughness and one for roughing the kicker. The official play-by-play book from the Seahawks' game at St. Louis lists Browner as the guilty party for what would be a 16th penalty, but that penalty, for a helmet-to-helmet hit, was actually assessed against Kam Chancellor. The NFL corrects such errors within a couple weeks, usually.

Players sometimes change their ways. Browner's teammate, Robert Gallery, had 17 penalties in 2007. He has 16 penalties combined over the ensuing three-plus seasons.

The St. Louis Rams head into the second half of their schedule with Tony Wragge at center and Adam Goldberg at right tackle.

The team did not plan for journeyman backups to emerge as starters, but the switch to Wragge from Jason Brown was voluntary. The switch to Goldberg from Jason Smith was related to injury, but after two-plus games with Goldberg, are the Rams worse off? Tough to say.

Offensive line was one area where the Rams invested heavily through the draft and free agency. They have relatively little to show for their investments, a concern as the team tries to build around quarterback Sam Bradford.

Heading into Week 10, however, the picture looks like this:

• Left tackle Rodger Saffold is struggling with consistency. He's had lingering back problems and suffered a lower-leg injury at Green Bay. Whether those injuries are affecting his play, Saffold hasn't taken the next step after a promising rookie season.
• Left guard Jacob Bell was released before the season and brought back on a reduced contract, an indication the team no longer valued him as it once did. Bell has played pretty well, however.
• Brown, the starter at center since signing a big free-agent contract in 2009, does not play with the surly demeanor the Rams have been seeking along their line. He hasn't played consistently well this season. The change from Brown to Wragge suggests Brown will not be back next season under his current deal, and probably not at all.
• Harvey Dahl remains the starter at right guard. The team signed him because it wanted a bigger, stronger guard with toughness and attitude. Dahl better fits the McDaniels mold for guards. He seems to be functioning as anticipated.
• Goldberg is starting at right tackle while Smith recovers from head/neck injuries suffered at Dallas. The team signed Dahl to replace Goldberg at right guard. Goldberg isn't a power player and doesn't project as a long-term starter. He's a versatile backup, though.

The Rams thought they had overcome a 2005 draft that brought them Alex Barron, Richie Incognito and Claude Terrell. At best, however, they are set for next season at left tackle and right guard, unless Smith returns and improbably justifies his first-round salary.

Some around here thought John Greco was more than ready to assume a starting role on the St. Louis Rams' offensive line.

"John Greco is much better than anyone realizes and will be a starting-caliber guard if they give him a chance," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said during a May discussion. "They should be excited about him. He doesn't have a discernible trait where he is a real masher or a wonderful technician or a great athlete, but he is good at all of the above and he really has a nasty streak to him. He is somebody to keep an eye on."

I don't think the Rams saw that nasty streak.

After landing Harvey Dahl in free agency and finding a way to keep Jacob Bell amid salary concerns, the team traded Greco to the Cleveland Browns. Adam Goldberg, the starting right guard in 2010, could still return in a backup role. But with Dahl in and Greco out, the line has undergone a massive overhaul since Steve Spagnuolo's arrival as head coach for the 2009 season.

Orlando Pace, Goldberg, Brett Romberg, Greco and Alex Barron were the starters in the final game before Spagnuolo's hiring. Cory Withrow and Roy Schuening were backups in that game. Bell, Richie Incognito and Anthony Davis were listed among inactive players. Bell is the only one of those 10 players still with the team.

The projected starting five this season -- Rodger Saffold, Bell, Jason Brown, Dahl and Jason Smith -- each started all 16 regular-season games last season (Dahl was with Atlanta).

The San Francisco 49ers have gone for quality over quantity in trying to build a big, powerful offensive line.

The team has drafted seven offensive linemen since 2005, one below the NFL average. But the 49ers selected a league-high three of the seven in the first round and a league-high five of them in the first two rounds.

That jumped out right away when sizing up NFC West offensive linemen from the 2005-2010 draft classes for the latest "adventures in drafting" installment.

The Arizona Cardinals have taken a different approach, using a division-low one first-round selection for the offensive line since 2005. Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Oakland, San Diego, Tennessee, Dallas, Minnesota and the New York Giants have selected no first-round offensive linemen during that span.

The charts break out NFC West selections by general draft position, with a column showing how many starts each has made for his original team. I am using the term "not active" loosely to describe players who haven't been on rosters during the regular season recently.

Italics reveal what teams might have been thinking as they entered various stages of the draft.

We should find 10-year starters with Pro Bowl potential, most often at tackle ...

Every offensive lineman selected among the top 50 or so choices should contribute and hopefully start ...

The most athletic prospects are gone by now, but tough guys still have value ...

These guys have question marks, obvious limitations or both, but we'll still get some starts from them ...

Anyone seen the Seahawks or 49ers lately?

What are our numbers on the line again? Let's get another one here.

Following up an earlier item, a look at four relatively recent NFC West draft picks, one per team and each highly drafted, under scrutiny heading toward 2011:

• Levi Brown, LT, Cardinals. Arizona made Brown the fifth player chosen in the 2007 draft. The Cardinals could have drafted Adrian Peterson, but with a young Matt Leinart under center and Edgerrin James already in the backfield, they sought to upgrade their line. Brown has been durable, but not consistent or productive relative to his draft status. That's a surprise given Russ Grimm's presence coaching the line.
• Donnie Avery, WR, St. Louis Rams. Avery makes the list in part because the Rams have already cut ties with several high draft choices, notably Alex Barron, Adam Carriker and Tye Hill. Health is the issue for Avery. The wideout missed only one game in his first two seasons, but he played hurt and his production sometimes suffered. A knee injury incurred during the 2010 exhibition season landed Avery on injured reserve. He needs some better luck on the injury front.
• Manny Lawson, OLB, San Francisco 49ers. With all eyes on quarterback Alex Smith, let's consider Lawson, the 49ers' 2006 first-round choice. He has been a dominant special-teams player, but the 49ers expected more than 14.5 sacks over five seasons when they drafted him. Lawson is a free agent and the 49ers have a new coaching staff, so his future with the team is in question.
• Aaron Curry, LB, Seattle Seahawks. Curry was considered the "safest" choice in the 2009 draft, but no one appears safe from scrutiny as the team's new leadership remakes the roster. Curry's status as the fourth player chosen in the 2009 draft raises the stakes. The 2011 season is huge for him.

Three of the four remain under contract and likely to return this season. The labor situation is limiting teams' options, anyway.

DALLAS -- Every Aaron Rodgers touchdown pass and playoff victory makes the San Francisco 49ers look worse for drafting Alex Smith over Rodgers back in 2005.

A victory for Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 45 would only sanction additional mutilation of this rotting equine carcass.

Some criticism is justified, obviously, but with Rodgers and key Packers scheduled to make their Super Bowl media debuts Monday afternoon, another line of thinking occurred to me. The 49ers weren't the only ones to bypass Rodgers and other key players in this Super Bowl. Why should they absorb such a disproportionate amount of the blame?

The Green Bay players making Super Bowl media appearances Monday -- Rodgers, Donald Driver, A.J. Hawk, Greg Jennings, Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson -- all qualify for analysis and reflection.

Let's take a look at them through NFC West lenses, beginning in chronological order:

1998 Draft: Charles Woodson, CB, Michigan

Round: First (fourth overall, by Oakland)

NFC West spin: The Cardinals passed over Woodson to select defensive end Andre Wadsworth third overall. The decision seemed defensible at the time. Wadsworth was a freakish talent at a premium position, but chronic knee injuries prevented him from approaching his potential. Wadsworth underwent microfracture knee surgery after only his third NFL season. He never played again, despite a 2007 comeback attempt.

First-round selections in the division:

• Cardinals (third overall): Wadsworth, DE, Florida State
• Rams (sixth overall): Grant Wistrom, DE, Nebraska
• Seahawks (15th overall): Anthony Simmons, LB, Clemson
• 49ers (28th overall): R.W. McQuarters, CB, Oklahoma State

1999 Draft: Donald Driver, WR, Alcorn State

Round: Seventh (213th overall, by Green Bay)

NFC West spin: Good for the Packers. They found a steal in the seventh round. Driver developed into a full-time starter in 2002, his fourth season. He has 698 career receptions. Driver reflects well on the Packers, but not negatively on anyone in the NFC West.

Seventh-round selections in the division (Seahawks did not have a pick):

• 49ers (234th overall): Kory Minor, OLB, Notre Dame
• Cardinals (239th overall): Chris Greisen, QB, Northwest Missouri
• Rams (252nd overall): Rodney Williams, P, Georgia Tech

2005 Draft: Aaron Rodgers, QB, California

Round: First (24th overall, by Green Bay)

NFC West spin: Only the Seahawks, who held the 26th choice that year, escape second-guessing for this one. To be fair, however, the Rams' Marc Bulger was coming off a breakout 2004 season in which he had thrown 21 touchdown passes while leading St. Louis to the playoffs. There was no reason for the Rams to target a quarterback in the 2005 first round. Rodgers might have wilted in St. Louis while the organization crumbled around him (a fate that might have awaited him in San Francisco as well). The Cardinals could have used a young quarterback to build around, but they signed Kurt Warner to a free-agent contract that offseason. Warner went 2-8 as a starter in 2005, but the Cardinals eventually went to the Super Bowl with him under center. Warner even edged Rodgers in the playoffs following the 2009 season.

First-round selections in the division:

• 49ers (first overall): Alex Smith, QB, Utah
• Cardinals (eighth overall): Antrel Rolle, DB, Miami
• Rams (19th overall): Alex Barron, T, Florida State
• Seahawks (26th overall): Chris Spencer, C, Mississippi

2006 Draft: A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State

Round: First (fifth overall, by Green Bay)

NFC West spin: The 49ers in particular were monitoring this choice closely. They were picking sixth overall that year and trying to find weapons for their second-year quarterback. Tight end Vernon Davis, chosen sixth overall, is becoming a perennial Pro Bowl choice. Hawk was an all-rookie selection, but he has not played well enough overall to cause much second-guessing in NFC West circles. The Cardinals ultimately whiffed on a quarterback that year, but no one is telling them they should have drafted Hawk instead.

First-round selections in the division:

• 49ers (sixth overall): Davis, TE, Maryland
• Cardinals (10th overall): Matt Leinart, QB, USC
• Rams (15th overall): Tye Hill, CB, Clemson
• 49ers (22nd overall): Manny Lawson, OLB, North Carolina State
• Seahawks (31st overall): Kelly Jennings, CB, Miami

2006 Draft: Greg Jennings, WR, Western Michigan

Round: Second (52nd overall, by Green Bay)

NFC West spin: The Cardinals and Rams passed on Jennings in the second round, but that was understandable. Both teams were already strong at receiver. Looking back, however, the Rams certainly would have gone in another direction. They whiffed on tight end Joe Klopfenstein six spots before the Packers took Jennings.

Second-round selections in the division (49ers traded their pick):

• Cardinals (41st overall): Deuce Lutui, G, USC
• Rams (46th overall): Klopfenstein, TE, Colorado
• Seahawks (63rd overall): Darryl Tapp, DE, Virginia Tech

2009 Draft: Clay Matthews, OLB, USC

Round: First (26th overall, to Green Bay)

NFC West spin: This draft hurts. Surely the Seahawks and Rams could have put Matthews' pass-rush ability to use even if he didn't fit their schemes precisely at the time. Both teams passed on him. Worse, the Packers used an additional 2009 first-round choice, this one ninth overall, for another key contributor, B.J. Raji.

First-round selections in the division:

• Rams (second overall): Jason Smith, T, Baylor
• Seahawks (fourth overall): Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
• 49ers (10th overall): Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
• Cardinals (31st overall): Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State

Hope you enjoyed the exercise. I'll be heading to the Pittsburgh Steelers' media session in the not-too-distant future, with plans to check back at the next opportunity.

A few thoughts on Mel Kiper's 2005 NFL re-draft, covering the first round and available to Insider subscribers:

1. San Francisco 49ers

Actual pick: Alex Smith, QB, Utah

Kiper re-draft pick: Aaron Rodgers

My thoughts: The question, of course, is to what extent Rodgers would have transcended the bad luck and dysfunction that framed Smith's career with the 49ers. Rodgers benefited from having a few years to learn the pro game before taking over for Brett Favre. Rodgers walked into a far more talented offense than the one that helped drag down Smith early in his career. The disparity between Smith and Rodgers has to do with more than circumstances, however. Rodgers has been better across the board. I think his personality would have helped him fare better than Smith has fared. Matt Cassel, the second quarterback selected in Kiper's re-draft, lacks the physical skills Rodgers possesses. I think he might have become another Smith if the 49ers had selected him. The 49ers would have been just fine selecting DeMarcus Ware, the second player chosen in Kiper's re-draft.

8. Arizona Cardinals

Actual pick: Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami

Kiper re-draft pick: Jay Ratliff, NT, Auburn.

My thoughts: Rolle converted to safety and earned Pro Bowl recognition before leaving Arizona in free agency. He wasn't good enough over the course of his time with the Cardinals to justify the early choice, however. Ratliff would have upgraded the Cardinals' defense. Arizona wouldn't have leaned so heavily on veteran nose tackle Bryan Robinson, who has played too many snaps. I might have sent Frank Gore to the Cardinals on a re-draft, however (Gore went 17th in Kiper's version). Taking away Gore from the 49ers and sending him to Arizona would have headed off the Edgerrin James signing while weakening a division rival. Having Gore and Kurt Warner in the same backfield would have upgraded an offense that already had outstanding weapons in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

19. St. Louis Rams

Actual pick: Alex Barron, T, Florida St.

Kiper re-draft pick: Logan Mankins, G, Fresno St.

My thoughts: Mankins would have provided needed toughness and leadership. Barron's tenure became a yellow blur thanks to all the penalties he incurred. Darren Sproles was available in Kiper's re-draft and he would have given the Rams an scary one-two punch at running back, but building along the offensive line would have made more sense. Mankins became a Pro Bowl guard. The Rams wound up selecting guards Richie Incognito and Claude Terrell in this draft. Incognito lacked self-control and flamed out of St. Louis. Off-field issues drove Terrell out of the league. Selecting Mankins early would have averted the mistake on Barron while sending the team in another direction in the later rounds.

26. Seattle Seahawks

Actual pick: Chris Spencer, C, Mississippi

Kiper re-draft pick: Barrett Ruud, LB, Nebraska

My thoughts: The Seahawks got more immediate help at linebacker by selecting Lofa Tatupu in the second round and Leroy Hill in the third. Seattle would not have reached the Super Bowl following the 2005 season without Tatupu bringing together the defense, in my view. Ruud did not start as a rookie. Tatupu went 15th overall to Kansas City in Kiper's re-draft. Some of the other players I would have sent to Seattle in the 26th spot were also gone in the re-draft. Given how Super Bowl XL turned out, the Seahawks could have used another safety. The team liked safety-turned-linebacker Thomas Davis that year. Nick Collins and Oshiomogho Atogwe were gone on a re-draft.

Let's be real here.

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster and Arizona Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson are not going to win MVP honors in the NFL this season.

Both appear on the MVP Watch list following Week 1 because they produced so exceptionally well for their teams. The Chicago Bears' Matt Forte and others deserved some consideration, too, but the list would have felt incomplete without including more legitimate longer-term candidates coming off less-spectacular opening weeks (Brett Favre among them).

Someone had to be left off the list, and Forte had company. Tony Romo dropped off the list from last week, but I think he'll be back, Alex Barron permitting.

Four of the seven highest-ranked teams in the most recent ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings lost their regular-season openers.

The sixth-ranked Baltimore Ravens could join the list if the New York Jets beat them Monday night.

It's too early in the season to drastically change rankings, but it's also reasonable to acknowledge the only on-field evidence collected.

The New Orleans Saints, ranked second last week despite earning No. 1 votes from three of four panelists, should overtake Indianapolis for the top spot when the next rankings come out Tuesday. The Saints' victory against the fifth-ranked Minnesota Vikings wasn't convincing, but the top-ranked Indianapolis Colts lost by 10 points at Houston and that should drop them.

The chart shows how ESPN's four voters -- me, John Clayton, Paul Kuharsky and James Walker -- ranked teams last week. Red lettering reveals which teams lost in Week 1.

The reckoning: Six games featured lower-ranked teams beating higher-ranked teams:

• (30) Tampa Bay 17, (29) Cleveland 14. Wondering how many times Mike Holmgren looked at his watch during this one.
• (26) Seattle 31 , (13) San Francisco 6. Niners have converted twice in their past 28 third-down chances at Seattle.
• (25) Jacksonville 24, (22) Denver 17. Not much of an upset at all.
• (18) Pittsburgh 15, (7) Atlanta 9. Every victory without Ben Roethlisberger a bonus for the Steelers.
• (17) Washington 13, (4) Dallas 7. Alex Barron's third holding penalty was the killer -- and his 22nd since 2005.
• (14) Houston 34, (1) Indianapolis 24. Colts had beaten Texans by total of 21 points in previous four meetings.

Still to play: "Monday Night Football" doubleheader featuring the Baltimore Ravens at the New York Jets, and the San Diego Chargers at the Kansas City Chiefs.

Injury alerts: Quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Kevin Kolb and Matt Moore were among those suffering injuries Sunday.

My early favorite for the No. 1 spot: New Orleans. Let's see if the Saints get their offense going against the 49ers next week.

The St. Louis Rams sacrificed depth on their offensive line when parting with Alex Barron, who had started for them at tackle since 2005.

That sacrifice resembled addition by subtraction when Barron's holding penalty Sunday negated the Dallas Cowboys' winning touchdown pass as time expired. This was the third holding call of the game against Barron and the 22nd of Barron's career. The Rams traded Barron to the Cowboys for linebacker Bobby Carpenter, a player St. Louis released.

Barron had run his course in St. Louis, becoming known for penalties and inconsistent play. As the chart shows, Barron ranks third among NFL players in offensive holding penalties (through last season) since entering the league as a first-round choice in 2005, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Rams' offensive linemen were not flagged for holding in Week 1.