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Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee does not anticipate the 49ers showing interest in Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor. He thinks Pryor would have to play receiver for the team to have even remote interest. Barrows: "But the 49ers have several younger prospects, including Ronald Johnson, a sixth-round pick in April, and Kyle Williams, a sixth-round pick last year. Furthermore, the supplemental draft likely will occur in early to mid July, which could coincide with the start of free agency. That is, the team could be adding other wide receivers -- especially undrafted college players -- just as the supplemental draft is occurring. Pryor may not be a priority."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains why Anthony Dixon does not project to fullback for the 49ers even though he has apparently bulked up to 250 pounds and said he would like to play the position some. Maiocco: "It's not difficult to envision a scenario in which the 49ers try to get Frank Gore and Dixon on the field at the same time in a split-back formation. But a full-time switch to fullback for Dixon is not a good fit. Veteran Moran Norris is under contract and set to return for his 11th NFL season. And the 49ers selected Central Florida defensive end Bruce Miller to convert to fullback. (Miller did not attend the get-together of offensive players last week at San Jose State.) The 49ers also plan to use tight ends Delanie Walker and Nate Byham occasionally out of the backfield."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com profiles quality control coach Peter Hansen. As a player at Arizona, Hansen blocked seven field goal tries. Price: "At 6-foot-8 with a 39.5-inch vertical leap, Hansen offered his services as a field goal block specialist. The selfless act would pay huge dividends. Hansen would go on to block a combined seven field goals and extra point attempts for the Wildcats. For his efforts, Hansen was named second-team all-conference as a special-teams performer in 2000."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Shaun Alexander was an easy choice for the 35th anniversary team after scoring at least 15 touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. Farnsworth: "After being the 19th pick overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, Alexander grew into his role. He split time with Ricky Watters as a rookie and again in 2001. But in ’01, Alexander began a run that would see him become the only player in league history to score 15 or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons: 16 in 2001; 18 in 2002; 16 in 2003; 20 in 2004; and 28 in ’05." As Jim Brown once said: "He’s a mystery man to me. I cannot see what he possesses that allows him to do what he does. I look at his results; I just can’t look at the methodology."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers thoughts on why the Seahawks selected receiver Kris Durham in the fourth round. They wanted a big receiver.

Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710ESPN Seattle project what the Seahawks might do once the lockout ends. Huard points to Robert Gallery, Deuce Lutui, Johnathan Joseph, Sidney Rice and Manny Lawson as players the Seahawks could logically target during the signing period. The team would have to be selective, however, if forced to proceed under Final Eight rules limiting free-agent options for the final eight playoff teams.

Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic catches up with former Cardinals linebacker Garth Jax, whose career highlight stemmed from the time he beat Cowboys guard Nate Newton into the backfield and drilled Emmitt Smith in a Christmas game. Jax remains best known for another tackle he made, however. That one was on a fan who ran onto the field. Jax: "That was Buddy Ryan's first home game. I'll never forget it. . . . I was so dehydrated they must have had five IVs in my veins. I was miserable, we were losing, it was not fun, and I was trying to do everything I could to keep a job. There was a lot of anger and frustration -- and out comes a drunk fan and I was like, 'No you don't.' I laid him out. I remember after the game Buddy said we didn't do very much good that night, but the one good thing was the form tackle Garth Jax laid out on the drunk fan. It's funny. When people recognize me or find out who I am and Google my name, that's the one thing that pops up."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com reflects on the game when then-Cardinals kicker Bill Gramatica suffered a knee injury during a celebration. Turns out there was quite a bit more to the story.

Also from Urban: O'Brien Schofield and Daryl Washington are among the young players Arizona is counting on in 2011. Schofield has impressed the coaching staff with his diligence in returning from a serious injury.

ESPN's John Clayton thinks the Rams should sign Randy Moss once the signing period opens. Clayton: "Why Randy Moss? The answer is speed. Moss may have a reputation of taking a few plays off when things get tough, but he can still get off the line of scrimmage and get downfield. Moss admittedly made the mistake of talking himself off the New England Patriots' roster, but there are still enough big plays left in his 6-foot-4 body to help an offense." I see the question as one of whether the payoff is great enough to justify whatever negatives might come with such an investment. Were three teams wrong on Moss last season, or was Moss the one without enough to offer them? I do think signing Moss under the right terms would make sense. The ability to release Moss without significant financial ramifications would be key if the situation did not work out.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides more evidence the Rams are leaning toward drafting quarterback Sam Bradford. Coach Steve Spagnuolo: "Everything you hear about him, that's said, it's legit. He walks into a room, you can see he's a quarterback. That was impressive to me."

Also from Thomas: Rumors linking the Rams to Donovan McNabb are "utterly ridiculous" in general manager Billy Devaney's eyes.

More from Thomas: The Rams have had preliminary discussions with Bradford and other players the team could select first overall, according to executive vice president Kevin Demoff. Thomas: "Demoff doesn't think the current uncapped year and labor impasse between players and club owners will affect negotiations. But complicating a quick deal could be the proposed sale of the Rams to Urbana, Ill., businessman Shahid Khan. Khan's purchase of the Rams could be completed in May, in which case payment of any roster bonus due the player selected No. 1 overall could simply be postponed until then."

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com sees no reason for the Rams to pursue McNabb.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says during a chat that Scot McCloughan's departure could affect some players the former GM seemed to value. Barrows: "There was a lot of talk that Alex Smith could be vulnerable with McCloughan on the outs. I never bought that. But I wonder about a few other guys like Cody Wallace, Brandon Jones, Nate Clements and Tarell Brown. I'm not saying these guys will be cut. What I'm saying is that the front office had seemed to value them more than the coaching staff."

Also from Barrows: "The team is in capable hands between now and the draft. The vast majority of the evaluation already has been done. And with director of pro personnel Tom Gamble, who has 22 years of experience, helping run the show on draft day, there's every reason to believe that it will go smoothly as well. The much larger question is what happens after the draft."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Alex Smith posted better numbers in 2009 than any current NFC West quarterback.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks appear uninterested in trading quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. O'Neil: "If Seattle was going to move Hasselbeck, it probably would have already happened because there is this team in Cleveland now run by this guy who used to coach Hasselbeck who was searching for a quarterback."

Ron Borges of the Boston Herald checks in with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who can only blame himself if things don't work out in Seattle. Borges: "Today, Carroll realizes what it takes to win is a not always-benevolent dictatorship. It requires a head coach, not a camp counselor. It requires one rope with everyone pulling on the same end, not an atmosphere in which some are free to creep up the back stairs to management in order to undercut his authority. Just as importantly, it will not demand any cartoons in the newspaper like one that still haunts him."

Brian McIntyre of scout.com passes along quotes from Carroll praising Seahawks receiver Deion Branch. Carroll: "He’s a big-time player. I’ve seen him now on the field, throwing the ball around with a few players the couple days I was out (in Seattle). He’s gifted. He’s a natural player. He’s got terrific quickness. He’s got all the instincts. Terrific hands. With a good personality. The way he finished last year, the last four games of the year, he really looked good. He looked like a really good football player. It took him a little bit to get comfortable last year coming back from the stuff he dealt with. Once he got going, he looked like a very good player. Hopefully, we can utilize his talents and make sure he’s going to be a big factor for us."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic sees no evidence suggesting the Cardinals have interest in McNabb. Naming Matt Leinart the starter and signing Derek Anderson in free agency pretty much solved the position for Arizona in 2010.

Also from Somers: catching up with former Cardinals kicker Bill Gramatica, remembered for suffering a torn ACL upon landing following a celebratory jump. Gramatica kicked in the game after the injury. Gramatica: "I had a field goal and couple extra points. The coolest thing about that injury is Pat Tillman kicked off for us after I got hurt. I have some great memories with Pat Tillman. My rookie year we were coming back in a van from the kickoff luncheon. I remember Pat telling me, 'Just remember, football is what you love to do, but at the end of the day, you have to live simple. Just keep it simple.'"

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with running back Beanie Wells, who is ramping up for his second NFL season. Urban: "Wells is trying to use the offseason to get an even better start to his sophomore season. His rookie offseason was slowed when he couldn’t participate in most offseason work thanks to Ohio State’s late end to the school year. This year, without a draft for which to prepare, he feels like he’s already had a ton of free time. It makes Wells that much more anxious to get started on his football work."

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch breaks down the Will Witherspoon trade from the Rams' and Eagles' perspectives. Also, the Rams assured running back Steven Jackson that they were never going to trade him. Thomas: "Sunday against Indianapolis, the Rams plan to start Paris Lenon at weakside linebacker in Witherspoon's place. Larry Grant will start at strongside linebacker. Next week, linebacker David Vobora returns from a four-game suspension for violating NFL policy on performance-enhancing drugs."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams had "no choice" but to trade Witherspoon for a receiver. Burwell: "Because of injuries -- and a mind-boggling offseason failure to foresee that they hadn't fortified the roster adequately with more proven receiving talent -- the Rams' offense has found it a struggle to generate any consistency. The offense was restricted by a group of backups who have yet to prove that they can get open against even the most basic defensive coverage on a regular basis."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers' faith in Michael Crabtree says as much about their offense as it says about Crabtree. Barrows: "(Agent) Eugene Parker must be slapping his forehead and yelling 'Doh!' at the top of his lungs. When he and Crabtree finally came in from the cold, the 49ers were 3-1, were enjoying an avalanche of praise and had virtually all of the bargaining power. A week later, the 49ers suffer their worst defeat ever at Candlestick Park and immediately elevate Crabtree to the starting lineup. Parker's negotiating stance was built on the hunch that the 49ers were desperate for Crabtree. Turns out he was right, but he blinked one week too early." I don't think the 49ers would have caved under any circumstances. Staying away under the current situation would have made Crabtree less popular among fans.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News thinks Crabtree's sudden move into the lineup puts pressure on Shaun Hill and Jimmy Raye to get him the ball. I wondered during camp whether an offense featuring Crabtree and Brandon Jones might be better off with a stronger-armed quarterback such as, hmmm, let me think, Alex Smith. We never found out, although Smith didn't do enough during the exhibition season to justify serious consideration. Kawakami: "So only a few weeks after reporting, Crabtree is right in the thick of things, after zero training camp and no organized team work of any kind since the final game of his Texas Tech career. Clearly, coach Mike Singletary, Jed York and general manager Scot McCloughan believe Crabtree can be an instant difference-maker. But only if he has a quarterback who can get him the ball. And that’s on Hill, who has never had this kind of pressure before."

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says the 49ers haven't gotten their money's worth from Nate Clements. Poole makes good points about Clements' struggles against Terrell Owens and Roddy White. Clements has matched up favorably against Larry Fitzgerald, however. He is also a tremendous tackler, which contributes to the 49ers' soundness against the run. Seems to me Clements could become more consistent in his fundamentals. Sometimes he seems to suffer from lapses.

Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle says Crabtree might need time to win over fans. Jerry Rice, Cliff Branch, Terrell Owens and Vernon Davis have been there before. Ratto: "The Bay Area has a history of harsh grading when it comes to wide receivers. Jerry Rice did a year in fan purgatory because of a string of early drops. Cliff Branch was in the Raiders fans' pooch hut for more than two years for the same reason, and came to like playing on the road more than at home because of that. And though he was loved early as the logical inheritor to Rice's throne, Terrell Owens left town as PE1 -- Public Enemy No. 1."

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says the 49ers' blowout loss before the bye week might have opened their eyes to a few realities.

John Morgan of Field Gulls breaks down the Seahawks' situation at left guard.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with Marcus Trufant, who practiced Tuesday for the first time all season. Trufant: "I want to play right now. I wish we had a game this week. But it’s one of those things. I'm working hard and I hope that I can play in Dallas. We're going to kind of see how things go."

Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune says Trufant felt the "mental grind" of a long rehab process.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers wants to be viewed as one of the guys. Bickley: "In the preseason, he recovered his onside kick against the Packers, emerged from the pile and spiked the ball with great fury. He drew a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration. It was far more acceptable than the antics of Bill Gramatica, who blew out a knee celebrating a short field goal, becoming the poster boy for goofy kickers everywhere."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic breaks down Larry Fitzgerald's touchdown reception against Jordan Babineaux on a play the Cardinals had been waiting to run all season. Good context and background information here.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals would like Beanie Wells to take a deep breath and slow down. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "He's a young player and so geeked up. Normally, guys will take a drop step and then they'll go because it times up better with the quarterback. Beanie is getting there sometimes before the pull of the guard or he's getting there too tight for the quarterback."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com explains how charity work affects Matt Leinart and Karlos Dansby. Both shared thoughts on life outside football.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

OT Kicks Since 2001 FGM FGA Pct. Average Distance Iced 18 31 58.1 41.9 Not Iced 32 44 72.7 43.8 Totals 50 75 66.7 43.0

Grant Ruby asks via Facebook: Sando, you're a stat geek (I say that with reverence). Wondering if you have any stats on 'icing' the kicker. Statistically speaking, does a kicker do any better/worse after a timeout by the opposing team?

Mike Sando: If you think I can be a stat geek, you ought to meet the people from ESPN Stats & Information. I posed your question to them and they produced a list since 2001 showing all kicks of at least 35 yards in the final 2 minutes or overtime when the score was tied or the kicking team trailed by no more than 3 points. These seemed like reasonable parameters.

Icing the kicker seemed most effective during overtime. Kickers made 18 of 31 tries -- 58.1 percent -- from an average of 41.87 yards when opponents iced them in overtime. Kickers made 32 of 44 tries -- 72.7 percent -- from an average of 43.84 yards when opponents did not attempt to ice them in overtime.

The percentages were nearly identical for iced and non-iced kicks during the final 2 minutes of regulation.

NFC West Kickers in OT Iced Not Iced All Joe Nedney 1-1 3-3 4-4 Josh Brown 0-0 1-1 1-1 Olindo Mare 0-1 1-1 1-2 Neil Rackers 0-0 0-0 0-0 Totals 50 75 66.7

The 49ers' Joe Nedney has made more overtime field goals without a miss -- four -- than any other kicker since 2001.

No kicker during that time has attempted more than three field goals in overtime after an opponent called timeout. Eleven kickers made their only attempt during those situations. Among those without a miss, only Shaun Suisham attempted more than one. He made both tries. Robbie Gould and Jay Feely were the only kickers with more than two attempts in those situations. Gould made 2 of 3. Feely made 1 of 3.

The first chart shows results for all overtime kicks since 2001, by iced or not iced.

The second chart breaks out NFC West kickers during those sudden-death situations.

The third chart ranks kickers since 2001 who have made at least three kicks without a miss from 35-plus yards to tie or take the lead in overtime or the final 2 minutes of regulation.

Most Prolific Clutch Kickers Since 2001 Iced Not Iced All Matt Bryant 2-2 5-5 7-7 Jeff Reed 5-5 1-1 6-6 Paul Edinger 3-3 2-2 5-5 John Carney 3-3 2-2 5-5 Totals 13-13 10-10 23-23

The Steelers' Jeff Reed must have Prestone in his veins. He's made all five clutch kicks from 35-plus yards when opponents tried to ice him. Reed, Matt Bryant, Paul Edinger and John Carney have made all 13 tries since 2001 when opponents tried to ice them. They combined to make 23 of 23 kicks whether or not they were iced.

Adam Vinatieri has made 11 of 12 kicks whether or not he was iced in these situations. Feely has made 8 of 15, giving him three more misses than anyone since 2001. Martin Gramatica (5-9), Phil Dawson (4-8) and Wilkins (3-7) were the only others with more than three misses.

Former Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins had the most misses when iced, making only 1 of 5 in those situations (he made both tries when he was not iced). Feely was the only other kicker with more than two misses in those situations. He made 3 of 6.

Kickers Better When Iced Since 2001 Iced Not Iced Difference Rob Bironas 3-4 0-1 +75% Doug Brien 2-3 0-2 +67% Neil Rackers 1-1 2-5 +60% Bill Gramatica 3-3 2-3 +33% Josh Scobee 3-3 2-3 +33% Joe Nedney 2-2 4-6 +33% David Akers 3-4 2-4 +25% Jason Elam 3-3 7-9 +22% Totals 20-23 19-33 +29 %

The fourth chart shows kickers with at least four total clutch attempts who have proven more effective after opponents tried to ice them.

Like the third chart, this one shows all kicks of at least 35 yards in the final 2 minutes or overtime when the score was tied or the kicking team trailed by no more than 3 points. These eight kickers made 20 of 23 attempts when iced, but only 19 of 33 attempts when given no extra time to think about it.

A few kickers were more accurate when not iced. Matt Stover was perfect on nine tries when opponents did not ice him. He made 3 of 5 attempts when iced. Overall, the six kickers on this list -- all with at least two iced misses -- made 42.3 percent of these pressure kicks when iced and 78.3 percent when not iced.

Kickers Worse When Iced Since 2001 (minimum 2 iced misses) Iced Not Iced Difference Jeff Wilkins 1-5 2-2 -80% Phil Dawson 0-2 4-6 -67% John Kasay 1-3 6-7 -52% Matt Stover 3-5 9-9 -40% Mike Vanderjagt 3-5 3-4 -15% Jay Feely 3-6 5-9 -5% Totals 11-26 29-37 -36%

For download: Mark Francescutti and Ben Lerner of ESPN Stats & Information provided an Excel file breaking down all kickers across these situations. I created a master sheet putting all the information in one place.

Download the final creation here.

And if there's anything else you've always wanted to know, ask away in the comments and I'll see what we can find out.

Thanks to Grant for asking this one.