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Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals fans should quickly embrace 2011 fourth-round pick Sam Acho, the reigning Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year.

Offensive tackles Levi Brown and Brandon Keith were often criticized last season, but Jess Root writes that fans shouldn't expect new starters at the tackle positions next fall.

St. Louis Rams

Receiver Donnie Avery, who's been rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered during the 2010 preseason, tweeted that he ran a 4.4 40-yard dash in workouts last week.

Linebacker David Vobora won a $5.4 million default judgment against a supplement provider whose tainted product caused him to fail an NFL drug test.

San Francisco 49ers

Under the lockout, Jim Harbaugh and his staff have focused on preparation. "After the draft, we turned to game planning and organizing training camp. Every minute of training camp has been organized," Harbaugh said in a recent interview with KNBR.

Will the 49ers bring back Aubrayo Franklin? The team's decision on the free-agent nose tackle could have a domino effect on the rest of the defensive line.

Seattle Seahawks

NFL coaches have been doing different things during the lockout -- Pete Carroll has been spreading his "Win Forever" message around the country in a series of seminars aimed at local coaches and business leaders.

Former Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Frye was charged with drunken driving in South Carolina on Saturday.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about the NFC West in Week 7:

1. Look, over here, a marquee matchup. Three NFL games this week feature two teams with winning records. One of them, Arizona at Seattle, takes place right here in the NFC West. Don't tell anyone, though. Let's keep the focus on the truly attractive matchups. Much of the country's television audience gets Washington at Chicago in the early game, and who wouldn't want to watch teams with a combined 0-2 record against St. Louis and Seattle? Don't forget to watch New England's game against San Diego later in the day. Hey, the Chargers did keep the final score close against the Rams after falling behind 17-0 by halftime. OK, enough provincial sarcasm for one blog entry. Time to charge forward with a straighter face.

2. The Seahawks have a left tackle. Russell Okung is his name. Unlike four of the left tackles Seattle either used or wanted to use last season, Okung remains employed by an NFL team. Okung's presence in the lineup against Arizona spares the Seahawks from the nightmare that befell them against the Cardinals about this time last season. Seattle's projected starting left tackle for 2009, Walter Jones, was unavailable and headed for retirement. Sean Locklear and Brandon Frye had taken turns manning the left tackle spot early in the season, but injuries forced Kyle Williams into the lineup for the Arizona game. Calais Campbell had 1.5 sacks for the Cardinals in that game and Seattle's offense struggled to function. The Seahawks would later use Damion McIntosh as their starter at the position. Jones, Frye, Williams and McIntosh are out of the league.

3. Steven Jackson, for the record. The Rams' Pro Bowl running back needs 32 yards to pass Eric Dickerson as the franchise rushing leader. Seven players have rushed for at least 32 yards in a game against Week 7 opponent Tampa Bay this season: New Orleans' Chris Ivory (158), Cincinnati's Cedric Benson (144), Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall (143), Carolina's DeAngelo Williams (54), Cleveland's Jerome Harrison (52), Carolina's Jonathan Stewart (43) and Cleveland's Peyton Hillis (41). The Steelers' Isaac Redman came close with 31 yards. In other words, Jackson gets the record one way or another unless he suffers an injury.

4. The 49ers' formula. Alex Smith has thrown a league-high nine interceptions this season, but he tossed none last week against Oakland in the 49ers' first victory of the season. Week 7 opponent Carolina lags in just about every statistical category, but the winless Panthers' defense has picked off nine passes, tied for fourth most in the league. Related note: The Rams' Sam Bradford has thrown eight interceptions, tied for second most in the league, and the Bucs' defense has picked off 10, one fewer pass than league-leading Atlanta has intercepted.

5. Rookie Qwest. The Cardinals' Max Hall becomes the fifth rookie quarterback to start a game against Seattle at Qwest Field. The previous four -- Josh Freeman (2009), Matthew Stafford (2009), Troy Smith (2007) and Alex Smith (2005) -- posted a 1-3 record and combined 57.7 passer rating. Freeman was most impressive, completing 16 of 26 passes for 205 yards, two touchdowns and a 95.8 rating during a 24-7 Bucs victory. Stafford tossed five picks. The two Smiths, Troy and Alex, led offenses that combined for nine points.

Roster turnover is a leading topic for discussion in Seattle following the release of T.J. Houshmandzadeh in particular.

I've addressed the subject in depth across the division -- first May 26 and again July 30 -- and it's worth another look now that teams have reduced to 53 players for the regular season.

This time, I'm going to break down the changes by position, listing players no longer on the active roster at each main position group (with new players in parenthesis). Departures outnumber replacements because some players finished last season on injured reserve, meaning they were not part of the 53-man roster.

Some players no longer on the active roster remain with the team (they could be suspended, deemed physically unable to perform or part of the practice squad).

St. Louis Rams (34 off roster)

Defensive back: Eric Bassey, Quincy Butler, Danny Gorrer, Clinton Hart, Cordelius Parks, David Roach, Jonathan Wade (added Kevin Dockery, Jerome Murphy, Darian Stewart)

Defensive line: Victor Adeyanju, Adam Carriker, Leger Douzable, Leonard Little, LaJuan Ramsey, James Wyche (added Jermelle Cudjo, Fred Robbins, George Selvie, Eugene Sims)

Linebacker: K.C. Asiodu, Paris Lenon (added Na'il Diggs, Josh Hull)

Offensive line: Roger Allen, Alex Barron, Ryan McKee, Mark Setterstrom, Phillip Trautwein, Eric Young (added Renardo Foster, Hank Fraley, Rodger Saffold)

Quarterback: Kyle Boller, Marc Bulger, Keith Null, Mike Reilly (added Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Thaddeus Lewis)

Running back: Samkon Gado, Chris Ogbonnaya (added Keith Toston)

Special teams: Ryan Neill

Tight end: Randy McMichael (added Mike Hoomanawanui, Fendi Onobun)

Wide receiver: Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Brooks Foster, Jordan Kent, Ruvell Martin (added Mark Clayton, Dominique Curry, Mardy Gilyard)

---

Seattle Seahawks (33 off roster)

Defensive back: Jamar Adams, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson (added Kam Chancellor, Kennard Cox, Nate Ness, Earl Thomas, Walter Thurmond)

Defensive line: Lawrence Jackson, Patrick Kerney, Cory Redding, Nick Reed, Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill (added Kentwan Balmer, Raheem Brock, Chris Clemons, Dexter Davis, Junior Siavii, E.J. Wilson)

Linebacker: Leroy Hill, Lance Laury, D.D. Lewis (added Matt McCoy; note that Hill is suspended for the first regular-season game)

Offensive line: Trevor Canfield, Brandon Frye, Walter Jones, Damion McIntosh, Rob Sims, Steve Vallos, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto (added Stacy Andrews, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Ben Hamilton, Russell Okung, Chester Pitts, Tyler Polumbus)

Quarterback: Mike Teel, Seneca Wallace (added Charlie Whitehurst)

Running back: Justin Griffith, Louis Rankin, Tyler Roehl, Owen Schmitt (added Quinton Ganther, Michael Robinson, Leon Washington)

Special teams: Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson (added Clint Gresham)

Tight end: John Owens (added Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy)

Wide receiver: Nate Burleson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh (added Golden Tate, Mike Williams)

---

Arizona Cardinals (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Ralph Brown, Bryant McFadden, Antrel Rolle (added A.J. Jefferson, Trumaine McBride, Brandon McDonald, Kerry Rhodes)

Defensive line: Jason Banks (added Dan Williams)

Linebacker: Monty Beisel, Bertrand Berry, Cody Brown, Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Chike Okeafor, Pago Togafau (added Paris Lenon, Cyril Obiozor, Joey Porter, Daryl Washington; Hayes can return from the physically unable to perform list after six games)

Offensive line: Mike Gandy, Herman Johnson, Reggie Wells (added Alan Faneca, Rex Hadnot)

Quarterback: Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Kurt Warner (added Derek Anderson, Max Hall, John Skelton)

Running back: Justin Green, Dan Kreider (added Jerome Johnson)

Special teams: Neil Rackers (added Jay Feely)

Tight end: Anthony Becht (added Jim Dray)

Wide receiver: Anquan Boldin, Sean Morey, Jerheme Urban (added Andre Roberts, Stephen Williams)

---

San Francisco 49ers (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Dre' Bly, Walt Harris, Marcus Hudson, Mark Roman (added Phillip Adams, Tramaine Brock, William James, Taylor Mays)

Defensive line: Kentwan Balmer, Derek Walker

Linebacker: Scott McKillop, Jeff Ulbrich, Matt Wilhelm (added NaVorro Bowman, Travis LaBoy)

Offensive line: Tony Pashos, Chris Patrick, Cody Wallace (added Alex Boone, Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati)

Quarterback: Nate Davis, Shaun Hill (added David Carr, Troy Smith)

Running back: Thomas Clayton, Glen Coffee, Brit Miller, Michael Robinson (added Anthony Dixon, Brian Westbrook)

Special teams: Shane Andrus, Ricky Schmitt

Wide receiver: Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill, Brandon Jones (added Ted Ginn Jr., Kyle Williams, Dominique Zeigler)

---

The first chart shows how many players are back -- at least for now -- from Week 17 rosters and injured reserve lists. Seattle has the fewest number back with 26.

The second chart shows how many players each team has shed since Week 17 last season. This counts players who were on injured reserve. Teams with lots of players on injured reserve had more players to lose.

Initial reports suggested Russell Okung's ankle injury wasn't the more serious "high" variety, but we're talking about the hard-luck Seattle Seahawks, so of course it ended up being just that.


Injuries seem to wind up being worse than anticipated for Seattle. That was the case with Walter Jones and Matt Hasselbeck in past seasons, and it was the case on a lesser scale Tuesday with Okung and second-year pass-rusher Nick Reed. Reed, seen limping toward the locker room after the Seahawks' game Saturday, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Linebacker David Hawthorne, scheduled to start the opener while Leroy Hill serves a suspension, is also hurting and was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam for an injury the team did not disclose.

Okung's high sprain wasn't a particularly severe one, coach Pete Carroll noted, but it still wasn't clear whether the Seahawks would have their first-round draft choice and starting left tackle for the regular-season opener. High sprains are more serious than typical ones.

"When you asked the other night, I was hoping it wasn't (a high sprain), but it is, so we'll see how it works out," Carroll said Tuesday.

The Seahawks drafted Okung because they badly needed a front-line left tackle to protect Hasselbeck and the team's other quarterbacks. While two-plus weeks remain until the regular season, the team faces one of the NFL's best defensive fronts when visiting the Minnesota Vikings in its next exhibition game. Pro Bowl pass-rusher Jared Allen will be working against Okung's replacement, Mansfield Wrotto, when Hasselbeck is in the game.

Okung was extremely durable in college, making his injury after less than five quarters of NFL action all the more confounding. Seattle's run of bad luck with injuries has become a tiresome topic in recent seasons -- it's not the only reason the team has struggled, obviously -- but with Okung and backup right tackle Ray Willis out, and with veteran Chester Pitts trying to bounce back from a procedure similar to the one that ended Jones' career, tackle depth is a concern.

"With Ray (Willis) down, too, it’s about as bad as it could have hit at that spot," Carroll said.

It can get much worse, actually, as the Seahawks found out last season when they replaced Jone with Sean Locklear, Brandon Frye, Damion McIntosh and Kyle Williams.

Carroll said he was "going to hold out hope" that Okung would be ready for the regular-season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, Mike Gibson will replace Ben Hamilton at left guard against the Vikings. He could stay there, I think, based on what we've seen from both players to this point.

» NFC On the Radar: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A player, coach or issue that should be on your radar as training camp approaches.

A sore hip bothered Kurt Warner at Arizona Cardinals camp last summer. It wasn't a big deal.

Two summers ago, the Seattle Seahawks downplayed Matt Hasselbeck's bad back because they didn't know the full extent of the problem. That one turned out to be more serious than expected.

Having the right feel for each injury situation can be tough. I'm sure a surprise injury or two will become a story after NFC West teams report for training camps in late July.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (knee), St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (back), Arizona Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (knee) and Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu (pectoral) are among the high-profile NFC West players coming off surgery rehabs. Their situations will bear monitoring.

The following players ended last season on injured reserve (some are no longer with NFC West teams):

Arizona Cardinals

Matt Ware, Mike Gandy, Justin Green, Cody Brown

San Francisco 49ers

Tony Pashos, Ricky Schmitt, Thomas Clayton, Jeff Ulbrich, Walt Harris, Kentwan Balmer, Curtis Taylor

Seattle Seahawks

Tyler Roehl, Walter Jones, Kevin Houser, Brandon Frye, Tatupu, Mike Hass

St. Louis Rams

Marc Bulger, Adam Carriker, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Eric Bassey, C.J. Ah You, Brooks Foster, Gary Gibson, Jacob Bell, Daniel Fells, Chris Massey, Bradley Fletcher, Laurent Robinson, Keenan Burton

Bad teams aren't the only ones churning their rosters during the offseason.

The defending NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals have parted with 15 of the 53 players on their Week 17 roster from last season. Only the rebuilding Seahawks have parted with more -- 16 -- among division teams this offseason. The Rams have parted with 11. The 49ers, seeking continuity as they try to build on an 8-8 season, have parted with only three.

The first chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have returned to each NFC West team.

The second chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have left each NFC West team.

I'll first list the players by team.

Seattle (16): receiver Nate Burleson, quarterback Seneca Wallace, linebacker Lance Laury, defensive end Cory Redding, guard Trevor Canfield, quarterback Mike Teel, tackle Damion McIntosh, linebacker D.D. Lewis, snapper Jeff Robinson, fullback Justin Griffith, cornerback Ken Lucas, safety Deon Grant, defensive end Darryl Tapp, guard Rob Sims, tight end John Owens and defensive end Patrick Kerney.

Arizona (15): linebacker Pago Togafau, safety Antrel Rolle, receiver Jerheme Urban, receiver Sean Morey, kicker Neil Rackers, linebacker Bertrand Berry, fullback Dan Kreider, cornerback Ralph Brown, quarterback Brian St. Pierre, defensive end Jason Banks, receiver Anquan Boldin, linebacker Karlos Dansby, quarterback Kurt Warner, cornerback Bryant McFadden and linebacker Chike Okeafor. Note that Rolle did not start in Week 17.

St. Louis (11): defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey, cornerback Jonathan Wade, receiver Ruvell Martin, quarterback Mike Reilly, defensive end Leonard Little, safety Clinton Hart, snapper Ryan Neill, running back Samkon Gado, linebacker Paris Lenon, tackle Alex Barron and tight end Randy McMichael.

San Francisco (5): receiver Arnaz Battle, cornerback Marcus Hudson, quarterback Shaun Hill, safety Mark Roman and cornerback Dre Bly.

The third chart shows what happened to players who were on injured reserve in Week 17.

I'll first list by team the players who were on IR but are no longer with their teams.

San Francisco (5): tackle Tony Pashos, punter Ricky Schmitt, linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, cornerback Walt Harris and running back Thomas Clayton.

Seattle (4): running back Tyler Roehl, tackle Walter Jones, snapper Kevin Houser and tackle Brandon Frye.

St. Louis (3): quarterback Marc Bulger, defensive tackle Adam Carriker and safety Eric Bassey.

Arizona (2): tackle Mike Gandy and fullback Justin Green.

Nobody in the NFC West outplayed Steven Jackson last season, even though the Pro Bowl running back suffered through a 1-15 season for the St. Louis Rams.

The way Jackson ran during the final minutes of a 35-0 defeat at San Francisco -- violently, defiantly -- ranked among the more admirable individual efforts of the season.

Football is ultimately a team sport, but playing for a bad team can add impact to the performance of a great individual. Other times, it's the way an individual leads his team to victory that earns our acclaim.

Taking a cue from NFC North maestro Kevin Seifert, let's tackle a direct question: Who will be the NFC West's best player in 2010?

The big names in this division are well-established. Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Adrian Wilson, Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis and Darnell Dockett were named to the Pro Bowl last season. Frank Gore and Justin Smith were named as injury replacements. Alan Faneca, now with Arizona, represented the Jets on the AFC squad.

I'll jump-start the conversation by listing five sleeper candidates (guys who have not been to a Pro Bowl recently, if at all):

1. Beanie Wells, Cardinals RB. Listing Wells in this spot guarantees I'll receive a mocking e-mail from Seifert stemming from our 2009 debate about whether Wells or the Vikings' Percy Harvin would prevail as rookie of the year. It's still not clear how many carries Wells will share with Tim Hightower, but multiple important factors point to a big year from Wells. The Cardinals should become less pass-happy without Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin. Their personnel almost assures more prominence for the ground game. Wells had 176 carries for 793 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Give him 300 carries and the other categories project to 1,351 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Arizona drafted Wells in the first round. Time to give him the ball.

2. Alex Smith, 49ers QB. Expect Smith to be much more comfortable now that he has a firmer grasp on the offensive system the 49ers installed before last season. A more comfortable quarterback tends to be a more productive one. The 49ers have promising weapons on offense. Smith has much to prove and he's finally in position to take the next step. It doesn't mean he'll succeed, but he's the perfect sleeper candidate now that Warner's retirement has removed the most productive passer from the equation.

3. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks QB. Two down seasons have made it easy to argue that Hasselbeck is pretty much finished at age 34. Take a closer look, though, and reasons for the decline are open for interpretation. Age has ranked well down the list of problems for Hasselbeck. The back injury that wrecked his 2008 season wasn't a problem in 2009. The damaged ribs Hasselbeck suffered at San Francisco in Week 2 last season affected his performance, but Hasselbeck had seven touchdown passes and two interceptions heading into a Week 6 game against Arizona. Everything fell apart for Hasselbeck that week when Seattle realized the difference between third-string left tackle Brandon Frye and fourth-stringer Kyle Williams. Give Hasselbeck a better line and he'll have a chance. This is also a contract year for Hasselbeck and the Seahawks brought in Charlie Whitehurst as competition.

4. Michael Crabtree, 49ers WR. Crabtree's performance after missing training camp and the first five games showed he has vast potential. It's early to consider him among the elite players in the division, but he outperformed expectations as a rookie (under the circumstances). Smith is commanding most of the attention at 49ers practices this offseason and that will continue because he's the key variable and most compelling figure. Crabtree could sneak up on people.

5. Matt Leinart, Cardinals QB. The Leinart haters will have a field day with his inclusion on this list. Some probably will miss the point that this is a sleeper list. They'll accuse me of listing Leinart fifth overall, ignoring the sleeper factor. The truth is that I had a hard time coming up with a fifth true sleeper candidate and I wasn't quite ready to list Seattle's Mike Williams. It's a little early to know whether the first-round bust will stay in shape, earn a roster spot and become more than just an offseason curiosity.

OK, my turn's up. Let's get this conversation started already. And if you see a sleeper defensive player worth including on the list, please do share. Joey Porter? Chris Long? Aaron Curry? I'm not seeing it.

The St. Louis Rams were of course happy to select Alex Barron with the 19th overall choice of the 2005 NFL draft.

"He is a terrific left tackle; he has the athleticism to do that," then-coach Mike Martz said at the time. "He is as close to Orlando Pace without being Orlando Pace in terms of that type of natural athleticism."

Times change. Coaches change. Front offices change.

A change might do Barron good. The Rams' starting left tackle last season signed his one-year tender as a restricted free agent Friday, clearing the way for the Rams to trade him to Dallas for linebacker Bobby Carpenter (a player Cowboys owner Jerry Jones once expected to become a team leader).

The question for the Rams is whether having Barron for one more year would be better than taking a chance on Carpenter, the assumption being that the Rams would not retain Barron for the long term after using early draft choices for Jason Smith and Rodger Saffold. The Rams' offensive line would have better depth this season with the durable, if inconsistent, Barron still in the mix.

The chart lists Barron as one of several tackles leaving the NFC West after the 2009 season. Walter Jones, Mike Gandy and Barron stand out as the three starting-caliber players on the list (at least when Jones and Gandy were healthy). I included Tony Pashos and Brandon Frye even though they were veteran backups.

NFC West teams added tackles Russell Okung (Seattle), Anthony Davis (49ers) and Saffold (Rams) among the top 33 choices in the 2010 draft. Saffold could also play guard.

Three NFC West teams could be breaking in new left tackles this season. A quick look at each team's situation at the position:

Arizona Cardinals

2009 starters: Mike Gandy (12), Jeremy Bridges (4)

Projected 2010 starter: Levi Brown

The plan: Brown has started all 32 games at right tackle over the past two seasons. There was some thought initially that he might stay there as a blindside protector for left-handed quarterback Matt Leinart, but coach Ken Whisenhunt put to rest that thinking during the Cardinals' recently concluded post-draft camp. Brown, the fifth player chosen in the 2007 NFL draft, will move to the left side. Gandy had played pretty well there in recent seasons, but injuries caught up to him in 2009. Gandy became an unrestricted free agent and the Cardinals did not re-sign him. Bridges played well enough in relief to stick as a swing player on the line.

Seattle Seahawks

2009 starters: Sean Locklear (10), Brandon Frye (3), Damion McIntosh (2), Kyle Williams (1)

Projected 2010 starter: Russell Okung

The plan: There will be no grace period for Okung. Line coach Alex Gibbs made it clear on draft day that Okung would be the starting left tackle from Week 1. Popular perception says Okung is filling king-sized shoes, but long-time starting left tackle Walter Jones didn't play at all last season. Okung should have little trouble providing an upgrade over the four-man rotation that manned the position last season. Locklear should be more comfortable back on the right side. Frye played reasonably well last season and might have fit with the current scheme, but a neck injury intervened.

St. Louis Rams

2009 starter: Alex Barron

Projected 2010 starter: Jason Smith

The plan: The Rams haven't said how they'll handle Smith, the second overall choice in the 2009 draft, this season. The team has simply said it plans to play its five best linemen. The feeling has been that Smith would take over at left tackle eventually, but nothing has been made official to this point. Barron has been durable and his agent said he plans to sign the team's one-year offer. Second-round rookie Rodger Saffold gives the Rams another option at tackle or guard. This situation is still a little fluid to make a firm projection for 2010, but it's safe to say Smith will be the long-term starter on the left side no later than 2011. Barron appears best suited on the left side, however, so if he is part of the mix and the Rams determine he is one of their best five, Barron could start there again in 2010.

San Francisco 49ers

2009 starter: Joe Staley

Projected 2010 starter: Staley

The plan: The 49ers have long-term options at the position after using the 11th overall choice for Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis. Davis was working as a backup right tackle during the post-draft camp, however, and he appears more likely to play on that side, at least initially. Staley has been a solid player at both tackle spots. The 49ers re-signed him for the long term and Staley has declared his intent to hold down the left side. The 49ers have to like their situation at left tackle. They can stick with Staley and be fine. If Davis proves better on the left side eventually, the 49ers come out fine that way, too.

The earlier item about Rob Sims' status led to a Facebook discussion featuring thoughts on Alex Gibbs' preferences for offensive linemen.

Gibbs is the line coach in Seattle and probably the most influential assistant in the NFC West as far as shaping draft priorities in 2010. That is partly because Gibbs is a high-profile coach. It's also because he demands a specific type of player for his scheme.

I've gone through every offensive lineman Gibbs' teams have drafted (download sortable list here). Patterns have emerged. I filtered out the years he spent in the league prior to 1995, his first with Denver, when analyzing player weights across specific positions. The thought was that player weights from the 1980s and even early 1990s might be outdated. Also, Gibbs might have been less influential early in his career, particularly when with the Raiders.

Since 1995, the players listed as guards averaged 289 pounds. Gibbs' teams drafted them in the second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh rounds. The players listed as centers averaged 302 pounds. Gibbs' teams drafted them in the third, fifth and seventh rounds. The players listed as tackles averaged 313 pounds. Gibbs' teams drafted them in the first, fourth, fifth and seventh rounds.

The Facebook discussion brought to light a Florida State-related blog entry summarizing comments Gibbs made during a coaching video (extra credit for anyone who can find the video). The summary suggested Gibbs was most particular about centers, then guards, then tackles.

An inexperienced or less intelligent player would have a harder time starting right away at one of the interior positions. Look up scouting reports for Gibbs' interior linemen and they'll mention smarts and a lack of size. "Very, very smart and plays smart," the late Joel Buchsbaum wrote about eventual Broncos draft choice Lennie Friedman in his 1999 report for Pro Football Weekly. "Average size, speed and physical tools."

Broncos guard Ben Hamilton, one of the free agents Seattle has considered this offseason, fits the description. Buchsbaum summed up Hamilton this way in his 2001 preview: "Very smart and dedicated. ... Might be able to play guard or center for a team like the Broncos. ... Lacks great natural size and ability. Is a pumped-up 250-pounder."

Sims is much bigger and more powerful, which doesn't matter in a Gibbs blocking scheme.

Since Gibbs entered the NFL in 1984, his teams have drafted one offensive lineman among the top 20 overall choices -- 338-pound tackle George Foster, selected 20th in 2003 despite not really fitting the Gibbs mold. Gibbs' teams have held a dozen choices higher than 20th during that time. His teams have held 43 choices among the top 59 overall picks, using three of them for offensive linemen (all tackles).

Gibbs' teams have held 11 picks between the 60th and 77th slots. They used five of them for offensive linemen, all guards or centers, including Dan Neil and Will Shields. Seattle holds the 60th pick this year. Three of them were 6-foot-3, one was 6-2 and one was 6-4. That's another thing about the linemen on Gibbs' wish lists. The guards and centers aren't very tall.

It's a little tougher to project what kind of tackle Seattle might select. The Seahawks' need at the position could be great enough to justify taking the most talented player, with less regard for the things Gibbs demands from his interior offensive linemen. That might be a justification for projecting Trent Williams to Seattle at No. 6, as some have done lately.

The Seahawks announced their restricted free agent tenders as follows Thursday:

Ben Obomanu, Rob Sims, Chris Spencer and Darryl Tapp were tendered in their original draft rounds. That means the Seahawks would get a seventh-rounder for Obomanu, fourth-rounder for Sims, first-rounder for Spencer and second-rounder for Tapp if they declined to match offers from other teams for those players.

The team did not extend tenders to tackle Brandon Frye or linebacker Lance Laury. Linebacker David Hawthorne was tendered as an exclusive-rights free agent. He basically had no options.

I see no big surprises among these RFA tenders. The prices are relatively reasonable and none of the money is guaranteed.

Arizona Cardinals

Unrestricted free agents: TE Anthony Becht, LB Monty Beisel, LB Bertrand Berry (retired), LT Jeremy Bridges, CB Ralph Brown, LB Karlos Dansby, LT Mike Gandy, FB Dan Kreider, WR Sean Morey, LB Chike Okeafor, K Neil Rackers, NT Bryan Robinson, QB Brian St. Pierre, S Matt Ware.

Restricted free agents: SS Hamza Abdullah, WR Steve Breaston, G Ben Claxton, FB Justin Green, LG Deuce Lutui, TE Ben Patrick, C Lyle Sendlein, TE Stephen Spach, WR Jerheme Urban, NT Gabe Watson.

Franchise player: none

What to expect: The Cardinals generally do not pursue marquee free agents from other teams. That trend figures to continue. The Cardinals have too many of their own free agents to re-sign for them to worry about chasing other teams' castoffs. We might see Arizona plug the roster with a few lower-tier free agents. They had success doing that last offseason, particularly with Becht at tight end. Dansby leads the list of 2009 starters expected to depart. Arizona is reportedly interested in quarterback David Carr.

St. Louis Rams

Unrestricted free agents: QB Kyle Boller, DE James Hall, SS Clinton Hart, LB Paris Lenon, DE Leonard Little, LS Chris Massey, TE Randy McMichael.

Restricted free agents: S Eric Bassey, S Craig Dahl, TE Daniel Fells, LS Ryan Neill, DT Clifton Ryan, CB Jonathan Wade, DE Victory Adeyanju, FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, T Alex Barron, RB Sam Gado, DT Gary Gibson, WR Ruvell Martin, G Mark Setterstrom.

Franchise player: none

What to expect: The Rams could be in the market for a veteran quarterback such as Chad Pennington. Beyond quarterback, coach Steve Spagnuolo said the Rams could use a little more seasoning in the form of veteran role players. The Rams will remain a young team, but they could add some experience. The team parted with players fitting that profile last offseason, but most had inflated salaries. The ones St. Louis adds this year figure to carry lower price tags in most cases. The Rams have said they want Little and Hall back. McMichael figures to be gone.

Seattle Seahawks

Unrestricted free agents: WR Nate Burleson, FB Justin Griffith, LS Kevin Houser, LB D.D. Lewis, CB Ken Lucas, T Damion McIntosh, S Lawyer Milloy, DE Cory Redding, LS Jeff Robinson.

Restricted free agents: T Brandon Frye, WR Ben Obomanu, LB Lance Laury, G Rob Sims, G Chris Spencer, DE Darryl Tapp.

Franchise player: K Olindo Mare

What to expect: The Seahawks are a little difficult to figure. Their owner has the money to bankroll aggressive spending if Seattle chooses to go that route. Coach Pete Carroll surely realizes the team could use talent upgrades. The new general manager, John Schneider, comes from the Ted Thompson school of personnel. Thompson's aversion for free agency is well established, although Schneider has characterized himself as slightly more aggressive. The problem, of course, is finding good players on the market. Burleson will hit the market. He could return if the price is right. Carroll has said nice things about Redding, who should be affordable.

San Francisco 49ers

Unrestricted free agents: WR Arnaz Battle, CB Dre Bly, CB Walt Harris, T Tony Pashos, FS Mark Roman, T Barry Sims, LB Jeff Ulbrich (retired), LB Matt Wilhelm.

Restricted free agents: LG David Baas, LB Ahmad Brooks, CB Marcus Hudson.

Franchise player: NT Aubrayo Franklin

What to expect: The 49ers have largely turned their back on free agency now that they feel better about their roster. I would expect the team to lay low again when the signing period begins late Thursday night on the West Coast.

Walter Jones' potential departure from the Seahawks through retirement or other means shouldn't affect the team's plans much. Seattle needs to prepare for life without him either way.

If he comes back and plays well, good for the team. If he retires or fades away, everyone saw it coming.

At this point, the 49ers are the only team in the division with a stable situation at left tackle:

Arizona Cardinals

2009 starters: Mike Gandy (12), Jeremy Bridges (4)

Projected 2010 starter: Unknown

Issues to consider: Gandy, 31, is an unrestricted free agent after the season. He earned $5 million in salary for 2009, finishing the season on injured reserve. The Cardinals could conceivably bring back Gandy, presumably for less money. With left-hander Matt Leinart starting at quarterback, the right tackle will be responsible for blindside protection. The team needs to decide whether to leave 2007 first-round choice Levi Brown at left tackle. The massive Herman Johnson showed promise at right tackle during the 2009 exhibition season. Does he project as an eventual starter? Kurt Warner's departure means the Cardinals will become more of a running team. I would expect Arizona to continue building a big, physical offensive line.

How to upgrade: Arizona doesn't have an elite pass-protecting tackle and the Cardinals probably will not find an immediate starter picking 26th in the draft. The list of free-agent tackles lacks impact. Gandy might be better than anyone the Cardinals are likely to find this offseason, but price is a consideration.

San Francisco 49ers

2009 starters: Joe Staley (7), Barry Sims (9)

Projected 2010 starter: Staley

Issues to consider: The 49ers should be in good shape at this position. Staley is a good, young player. He has also been quite durable until suffering a knee injury at Indianapolis last season. I think that injury was an exception, not an indication of troubles to come. Sims played better than expected last season, supplying pretty solid pass protection. He's a free agent and someone the 49ers might need to re-sign.

How to upgrade: The 49ers do not need to upgrade at left tackle. Staley is the starter. But they could upgrade overall depth at tackle by drafting a starter on the right side. That would give them another potential fallback option should something happen to Staley.

Seattle Seahawks

2009 starters: Sean Locklear (10), Brandon Frye (3), Damion McIntosh (2), Kyle Williams (1)

Projected 2010 starter: Locklear

Issues to consider: The Seahawks have a new offensive line coach and that could affect the type of player they target at left tackle and how much draft capital the team invests. They will make a fuller transition to the zone-blocking scheme. Locklear is signed through the 2012 season and scheduled to earn $4.85 million in salary for 2010. Jones would not be a good fit at age 36 unless he improbably returned to top form.

How to upgrade: The Seahawks haven't sought a starting left tackle in the draft since selecting Jones sixth overall in 1997. It's time for Seattle to draft one unless new line coach Alex Gibbs thinks Locklear is the answer. Gibbs inherited future Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman when the Broncos hired him in 1995. Denver replaced Zimmerman with veteran Tony Jones.

St. Louis Rams

2009 starters: Alex Barron (16)

Projected 2010 starter: Jason Smith

Issues to consider: Coach Steve Spagnuolo said he feels no pressure to move Smith from the right side after the Rams used the second overall choice in the 2009 draft for the tackle from Baylor. Spagnuolo was probably hedging his bets. Smith should project as the long-term starter on the left side. Barron could be an option, though. Barron would revert to a restricted free agent without a new collective bargaining agreement. The Rams could then keep him for one season at an affordable rate.

How to upgrade: This seems like the time to move Smith into the starting lineup on the left side, giving him a full offseason to grow comfortable with the role. The Rams probably should have gone that route in 2009. The decision gets a little more interesting if the Rams' next quarterback happens to be left-handed. Michael Vick comes to mind.

Seeing the Seahawks listed with the Bucs, Lions, Bills and Chiefs for having zero players among the leaders in Pro Bowl balloting affirmed the decline we have seen on the field.

The time is coming for the organization to acknowledge that the talent deficiencies aren't mostly a product of injuries.

Kevin Calabro of 710ESPN Seattle asked Tuesday where the team needs to begin its upgrade.

I pointed directly to the offensive line (answer begins 21 minutes into this audio file).

The Seahawks also need to think about finding their next quarterback. But fixing the offensive line is the surest way to restore a quarterback, develop a running game and take pressure off a defense.

Left tackle Walter Jones is either finished or nearing the end. It's time to draft the next long-term starter in that spot. It's time to decide whether to re-sign Chris Spencer at center. It's time to consider adding a veteran free agent with more staying power than the now-retired Mike Wahle. It's time to treat the offensive line the way management treated the receiver position last offseason: as priority No. 1.

Earlier: NFC West draft watch focusing on the big guys up front.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals should start Matt Leinart against the Titans. Somers: "The most important reason is Warner's health. The Cardinals and Warner need to make sure he's healthy for not only the rest of the season, but the rest of his life. It also would be an ideal time for the Cardinals to gather evidence about the future of backup Matt Leinart. Can he play?" It would be tough to sit Warner if the quarterback were medically cleared for the game. Even if he sits out this week, the Vikings figure to hit him quite a bit in Week 13.

Also from Somers: Adding Monty Beisel should help the Cardinals' depth on defense. Beisel played well in passing situations last season. Somers: "The Chiefs released him in September, and the Cardinals were reluctant to sign him right away. They were fairly healthy at linebacker then and there was no need to take on Beisel's salary. Things have changed, and the club is fortunate Beisel was available. And Beisel fortunate to have a job. It's a good late-season addition."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat casts the 49ers' final six games as critical for the direction of the team on that side of the ball. Maiocco: "Team sources say there is no plan to ever go back to (Shaun) Hill because he was never viewed as more than a short-term solution. Smith, the No.1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, is the quarterback who gives the 49ers the best to win, club officials believe. The 49ers need to find out in the final six games of the season whether Smith is the long-term answer at the most important position."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat quotes 49ers coach Mike Singletary this way on the team's offense: "One of the worst things we could do right now is to put Alex Smith in shotgun and say, 'OK, let's go get it, guys,' and let him throw 40, 50 times a game. Alex is throwing as well as any quarterback in the league right now. He is as accurate as any quarterback in the league." The first part of that statement is true. The second part -- about Smith playing as well as any quarterback in the league -- is pure flattery. If Smith were playing as well as Peyton Manning, the 49ers would be wise to overhaul their offensive philosophy 10 games into the season. Smith is not playing at that level, of course, and that is why the team should not ask him to carry the offense for four quarters.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expects the Seahawks-Rams game to be blacked out locally in St. Louis. More than 8,000 tickets remained Tuesday.

Also from Thomas: Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo aches over the team's problems stopping the run. Spagnuolo: "It kills me." This is what happens when a team with sketchy depth in its front seven loses multiple defensive tackles to season-ending injuries. More from Spagnuolo: "I wish it was one thing all the time. But it's not. And we did talk as a defense [Monday] that when we do play the so-called eight-man front, like what everybody does against us, you can't be giving up runs of 10, 18, 18, 10 [yards] -- I mean, they're in my head, so I know."

More from Thomas: "If I had to handicap it, I'd say it's better than 50-50 that Bulger won't be back next year. The problem with the QB class in the draft is that it's suddenly a muddled picture. Bradford gets hurt. Tebow has the concussion and Florida isn't nearly as prolific offensively. I've said this before, I think it's far from a slam dunk that the Rams take a QB in the first round."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks need to rebuild their offensive line. O'Neil: "Seattle has not drafted a person to play tackle since choosing Ray Willis in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, resulting in a lack of depth at that position exposed so glaringly this season. Seattle has started a player signed one week before the regular season began (Brandon Frye) and one signed in the middle of the season (Damion McIntosh). Both played left tackle, and if a team can just go sign one off the street the whole NFL salary structure is off-base."

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com wonders what happened to the swaggering, aggressive Aaron Curry seen early in the Seahawks' season. The NFL repeatedly fined that Curry. Will he come back? Coach Jim Mora: "What we've tried to do the last couple weeks is take a little bit off his plate, let him focus a little more on being a first- and second-down linebacker now that we've got Leroy back and Leroy can do some of the things in the nickel. Hopefully that gives him a little surge to go down the stretch here."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks cannot take for granted a victory over the 1-9 Rams.

Field Gulls' crushedoptimist revisits a Mike Holmgren timeline I put together years ago, still available here and featuring this entry for April 14, 2000: "RB Ahman Green is traded to Green Bay for CB Fred Vinson. Holmgren was fed up with Green’s fumbling and nearly released the talented runner before aides convinced him to work a trade with his former team. The trade backfires famously when Vinson suffers career-ending knee injuries while Green leads Packers’ revival." Drafting Shaun Alexander that year helped make up for Green's departure.

John Morgan of Field Gulls says Matt Hasselbeck hasn't been the same since suffering a rib injury against the 49ers in Week 2. Hasselbeck looked good against the Jaguars in his first game back, however.

Also from Morgan: The Seattle running game should fare better down the stretch based on the opposition. I think the entire offense will gain momentum over the final six games.

Rod Mar of seahawks.com offers photos from the Seahawks' trip to Minnesota, including one of Brett Favre and Matt Hasselbeck catching up pregame.