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SeattleAztec from San Diego asks whether Matt Flynn might be the "most developed" quarterback in the NFC West after learning from Mike McCarthy in Green Bay.

"Alex Smith and Sam Bradford seem to be the least developed with having multiple offensive coordinators and no great vets to learn behind," he writes. "Kevin Kolb had a good upbringing in Philadelphia and Arizona has shown an ability to handle QBs, but Flynn had the benefit of learning in the Green Bay system. Learning behind Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy will give him an advantage, assuming he wins the starting job. Thoughts?"

Mike Sando: Flynn's background with McCarthy and the Packers appealed to the Seahawks. McCarthy, with nothing more than a compensatory draft choice to gain from advocating for Flynn in free agency, gave glowing reviews in conversations with the Seahawks. Those conversations appear more credible based on Seahawks general manager John Schneider's long association and friendship with McCarthy.

"We really respect the job that they’ve done with their offense and their quarterbacking and Matt is a beneficiary of that, so therefore we are also," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after signing Flynn in March. "His process to learn as Aaron Rodgers has learned has really been helpful to him. There are a lot of similarities in their style of movement and decision-making, play and conscience that I think helps us."

That doesn't necessarily mean Flynn will be the "most developed" quarterback in the division. A few thoughts on what the other NFC West quarterbacks have going for them:

• Smith (49ers): Jim Harbaugh should know the position better than any head coach in the division. Smith has more experience than any quarterback in the division. Harbaugh and Smith meshed well last season. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman and quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst round out what looks like a solid support group. Smith has finally had time this offseason to work on his mechanics. He's getting a second season in the offense. Spending one season with McCarthy and a second with Norv Turner probably counts for something, too, despite the passage of time.
• Kolb (Cardinals): Kolb did not practice with the Cardinals until 38 days before the 2011 opener. That made it tough for Kolb to learn a new system and settle into the role. Injuries derailed Kolb once he finally did get experience in the system. The Cardinals fired quarterbacks coach Chris Miller and promoted receivers coach John McNulty to the position. Arizona valued McNulty enough to block Tampa Bay from pursuing him as its offensive coordinator. The team's new receivers coach, Frank Reich, was an NFL quarterback for 14 seasons. What does it all mean? It's a little early to tell.
• Bradford (Rams): New coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was with Mark Sanchez previously. One line of thinking says Schottenheimer led Sanchez as far as Sanchez could go, then took the fall when Sanchez failed to carry more of the offensive load. Another line of thinking says Schottenheimer couldn't get Sanchez past a certain point. Bradford is on his third coordinator in as many seasons. The Rams went through 2011 without a quarterbacks coach. The new quarterbacks coach, Frank Cignetti, coached the 49ers' Smith under coordinator Jim Hostler in 2007. That was one of the worst offensive seasons in 49ers history. Hostler took the blame. It's tough to fault Cignetti in that context, but also tough to offer a strong endorsement without seeing results.

Circling back to the original question, we could make a case that Flynn should be the most developed quarterback in the division.

Other factors go into success, of course. Bradford and Smith were No. 1 overall choices, indicating that teams thought they were more talented than Flynn, a seventh-rounder who drew moderate interest in free agency this offseason. And if the Seahawks were convinced Flynn were the answer, they would have had less reason to use a third-round choice for a quarterback after signing Flynn.

I do think Flynn's background with the Packers was crucial for the Seahawks. Schneider's first-hand knowledge of Green Bay's quarterback training techniques was a factor.

Back-to-back seasons with a 7-9 record felt like progress for the Seattle Seahawks under coach Pete Carroll.

Another season with that record would feel like stagnation.

That is one reason the Seahawks would be best off, at least in theory, using their early draft choices for immediate contributors. Selecting a quarterback in the first round Thursday would qualify as more of a long-term move -- and perhaps as a redundant one, given Matt Flynn's addition through free agency.

Art Thiel of Sports Press Northwest says there's no way the Seahawks should select Ryan Tannehill in the first round. Thiel: "Carroll had so many good quarterbacks at USC that he tends to see the world behind center in Trojan colors. But as has been pointed out to him numerous times, relative to their respective empires, the Seahawks aren’t the Trojans. Tannehill isn’t the next Matt Leinart. Actually, maybe he is, which is even worse." Noted: Carroll and general manager John Schneider continue to speak glowingly of Tannehill. The team could be interested in Tannehill and/or trading back in the draft with a team eager to land him.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com has this to say about the team's needs: "An edge pass-rusher is high on Carroll's list, but he’d also like to add to competitive aspect of the roster by adding a touchdown-maker on offense, a young quarterback and depth and unique qualities at linebacker. Carroll said he’s even open to adding to the already large pile on the offensive line and the talented collection in the secondary, if the right player is there."

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times likes what he sees from Carroll and Schneider. Carroll on going young: "One of my favorite coaches ever, Bud Grant, said one time, 'For every young guy you start, you lose a game.' That was classic, traditional thinking. I was of that mindset in classic fashion until I had to be in charge of calling all the shots, and then it just flipped in me that we don't know where we're going unless we find these guys out."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along notes from the Seahawks' pre-draft news conference Monday, including this one: "Barrett Ruud, Seattle's projected starting middle linebacker, is not healthy. Carroll said he’s still recovering from groin, knee and shoulder injuries that landed him on the injured reserve while he was with Tennessee last year." Noted: Seattle will presumably find a starting linebacker in the draft. Ruud is veteran insurance, but not a player to count on at this stage.

Draft analyst Rob Rang considers wide receivers and running backs Seattle could consider, one per round in the upcoming draft.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams ran top receivers Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd and Kendall Wright through last-minute pre-draft workouts. Thomas: "A six-person Rams contingent traveled from site to site via private jet, a contingent that included coach Jeff Fisher, general manager Les Snead, and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Kevin Demoff, the Rams' executive vice president for football operations, joined the others for the Blackmon workout."

Also from Thomas: Gil Brandt thinks the Rams strongly need to consider selecting Blackmon. Thomas: "Former Rams general manager Billy Devaney was known to say that you could always find a receiver. Thus, it is not a surprise that the team has not used any of its 14 first-round picks since 2000 on the position. The only second-round receiver was Donnie Avery. Instead, the Rams have hoped that lesser-known names would produce. Since drafting Holt they have picked 13 receivers, who have averaged 1 1/2 years with the team each and produced a combined 450 catches, 5,420 yards and 26 touchdowns."

More from Thomas: The Rams need help at linebacker. Thomas: "There are some legitimate options for the Rams in rounds 2-4, including Mychal Kendricks of California and Sean Spence of Miami, who paid pre-draft visits to Rams Park. Kendricks was named Pacific-12 Conference defensive player of the year last season after racking up 107 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. Under defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, Cal ran a complex scheme, and Kendricks was used in a variety of ways -- playing inside, outside and used as a blitzer. (He had 8.5 sacks in 2010.)"

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic asks whether the Cardinals would select receiver Floyd even if offensive tackle Riley Reiff were available to them with the 13th overall choice.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Floyd-Reiff dilemma is a tough one. Somers: "And depending upon the day, I've taken both players. I guess I have myself covered. My thinking today is that the Cardinals will take Reiff, figuring that they are good enough at receiver with Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Roberts, Early Doucet and whomever emerges from the rest of the pack. They haven't taken an offensive lineman above the fifth round since 2007, so it's time."

Also from Somers: The Cardinals have become more apt to trade draft choices since Ken Whisenhunt succeeded Dennis Green as head coach, with mixed results. Somers: "Green, who coached the team from 2004-06, preferred to stay rooted in the team's original draft slot. His mantra was to never fall in love with players. But since 2007, coincidentally the year Ken Whisenhunt became coach, the Cardinals have been more active during draft week. That year, they made two trades on draft week. In 2010, they made three during the draft in addition to two others that came before. The results have been mixed, but the Cardinals have shown they won't always sit still during the three days of the draft."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks the 49ers will address guard, running back and wide receiver in the 2012 draft. Barrows: "While the need for an offensive tackle in 2010 and a quarterback last year helped narrow the list of draft candidates, San Francisco's stacked roster this year means it can go in many directions."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com picks one player per round for the 49ers. On first-round projection Kevin Zeitler: "Right guard might be the only starting job on the team that's up for grabs, and Zeitler would enter that competition against Alex Boone and Daniel Kilgore. Zeitler fits the 49ers' style. He started three seasons and won the Badger Power Award for he weight-room dedication. At the combine, he bench-pressed 225 pounds 32 times -- 14 more than his former Wisconsin teammate Peter Konz."

Sam Bradford has eight victories as a starter and three offensive playbooks to show for his time with the St. Louis Rams.

No one said rescuing a struggling franchise would be easy, but the journey to this point has been more treacherous than anticipated.

Jeff Fisher's arrival as head coach this offseason represents a fresh start. Yet, as much as the Rams might want to forget their recent past, the experience Bradford has gained in 26 starts will be important to the success he might enjoy in the team's latest offense.

That was one takeaway from a telephone interview with Bradford on Tuesday. First, a little background.

The offense new coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is installing marks a dramatic departure from the one St. Louis ran under predecessor Josh McDaniels last season. It's closer in approach to the system Bradford ran during his rookie season, when Pat Shurmur brought a version of the offense Andy Reid had run in Philadelphia.

Adopting a system closer to the one Bradford ran during a generally successful rookie season sounds good in theory, but just last offseason, Bradford was genuinely excited about heading in another direction. He was ready to take the next step and sounded almost giddy when discussing the possibilities during an interview from Rams training camp.

"I really like it and I’m really comfortable with it because it’s a lot more like what I did in college," Bradford said at the time, speaking of McDaniels' offense. "Because we had progressions, but at the same time, we had certain plays where, 'OK, if they give us roll, we’re going to short-cut it and we’re going to work these two receivers and this concept, and if they give us [another coverage], we're going to short-cut this and work the three-man combination right here."

On he went.

Bradford welcomed the added responsibilities McDaniels entrusted him with, taking ownership of the pre-snap protection adjustments. Bradford, having relied on his offensive line to handle those calls during his rookie season, eagerly anticipated transitioning to the system Tom Brady had mastered under McDaniels in New England years earlier. He wanted to run the show, and the Rams had drafted him first overall in 2010 to do just that.

The approach under Fisher and Schottenheimer will be different.

St. Louis signed veteran center Scott Wells from Green Bay in part to handle the protection calls before the snap, lightening the load for Bradford. Fisher has stressed the role a strong ground game plays in protecting quarterbacks, particularly young ones, from punishment.

Why would Bradford, so eager to assume greater command of the offense under McDaniels, happily hand back control? This is where the experience he has gained over the past two seasons becomes critical in striking a balance between the power Bradford coveted under McDaniels and the relief he might gain from leaning on his center.

"My rookie year, when the center was making the calls, it's not that I was scared, but I was so new that I didn't see things, and sometimes I was hesitant to trump the center's calls," Bradford said. "This year, going into my third year, I'm more comfortable out there and will not have a problem [changing a call] if I see something -- the Mike [linebacker] over there."

So, while Bradford will give back some responsibilities, he will not necessarily lose ultimate control. Ideally, Wells' involvement would free Bradford's mind, taking off some pressure. And the 26 starts Bradford has made to this point, though most of them were painful, will inform his decisions.

"The longer me and Scott play together, the better it's going to be," Bradford said.

As a rookie, Shurmur's West Coast system focused on working through progressions regardless of the coverage. The Rams would do what they do, over and over, and opponents would have a hard time matching the precision and timing that would develop eventually.

That is the essence of the West Coast approach, but as Bradford indicated last offseason, the NFL has increasingly become a week-to-week league. Under McDaniels, the Rams hoped to reach a point where they could install 30 or 40 new plays in a given week, all based on where the opponent might be vulnerable. The offense would become less about what the Rams wanted to do and more about the opportunities they could exploit.

"There is no doubt I can learn from everything I went through last year -- playing with an injury, playing in that offense, learning from Josh and the things he taught me," Bradford said. "He did teach me a lot. ... Everything we can take from last year, I've taken, moved on and am concentrating on 2012."

A few notes on NFC West coaching staffs after the St. Louis Rams announced theirs for 2012 in a news release Tuesday:

• The Rams are not listing suspended defensive coordinator Gregg Williams on their staff. They did not mention him in the news release. They did not list a defensive coordinator. Coach Jeff Fisher and assistant head coach Dave McGinnis will presumably take the lead. Secondary coach Chuck Cecil has also been a coordinator.
• Williams' son, Blake, coaches the Rams' linebackers.
• The Cardinals have 3-4 fewer assistants than the other teams in the division. I've noticed that to be the case in recent seasons. Staff sizes can vary. Arizona has one more than the NFL listed for New England heading into the most recent Super Bowl.
• Every team in the division has an assistant head coach. Two serve as offensive line coaches. Another coaches special teams. Assistant head coaches might earn more money than they otherwise would, but the title does not distinguish them from other assistants in relation to hiring protocol. The title affords no additional protections against losing an assistant to another team, in other words.
• Paul Boudreau is the Rams' offensive line coach. His son, also named Paul, is assistant special teams coach. They are not Paul Sr. and Paul Jr., however. It's not yet clear how the Rams intend to differentiate between the two. Middle initials?
• Niners offensive assistant Michael Christianson is also coordinator of football technology.

The chart lists full-time assistants, not interns or administrative assistants. Strength-and-conditioning coaches aren't involved in football strategy, but I have listed them.

Three-fourths of the NFC West wanted a shot at Peyton Manning this offseason.

The Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll and John Schneider flew to Denver in a failed attempt to catch Manning before the quarterback departed for Arizona.

The Cardinals met with Manning at their facility.

The San Francisco 49ers then emerged as a surprise finalist for Manning, with Trent Baalke and Jim Harbaugh flying to watch Manning work out in North Carolina.

Manning was a special case, to be sure, but those teams' interest also reflected on relatively weak quarterback situations in Seattle, Arizona and San Francisco. The position has stabilized within the division since Manning signed with Denver, providing an opportunity to bring in Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. for thoughts on where teams stand.

Mike Sando: Let's begin with the Seahawks, the only team in the division to bring in a new likely starter from the outside. Does Matt Flynn improve the situation?

Matt Williamson: Yes, and that is the best word. When free agency hit, I wasn't huge on Flynn. I thought people would be beating down his doors, and he worried me. I think he's good, not great. I would not use the term 'franchise quarterback' for him. But he improves them and I can't be critical of any team that gets better at QB.

Sando: What limits your enthusiasm on him?

Williamson: His overall talent, his ability to throw the football, his size and strength -- they're all just a little above average. He was a seventh-round draft choice for a reason. You have to keep him ahead of the chains, you need the running game. He doesn't take the team on its shoulders if things fall apart around him. If you manufacture offense, know what he is capable of doing, minimize turnovers, I think you can win a lot of games that way. In the end, he is an upgrade. And they did not spend a fortune for him.

I look at Seattle like the arrow is going up, they are getting better in all areas and they are young. This is a nice signing. Tarvaris Jackson played well and he was injured, and he exceeded my expectations, but that is as good as he is going to play. He is still a liability more than an asset. Flynn can get to a point where he can be more of an asset than a liability.

Sando: You said we've seen the best from Jackson. A lot of people think we've seen the best from the 49ers' Alex Smith as well.

Williamson: I agree. I really think it's going to be Colin Kaepernick's job not far down the line. They are going out and getting vertical guys, guys who can really run. That doesn't fit Alex Smith. Yes, it will open up room for Frank Gore and Vernon Davis, but after a while, people are going to realize they don't have to take away the deep ball. I think Harbaugh wants Kaepernick out there. He wants a guy to use the whole field.

Sando: The contract Smith signed was for three seasons and can max out at $33 million, but the 49ers can easily exit the deal after one or two years and a lot less money.

Williamson: Everyone realized that offense was easy to play against last year because they had no weapons on the outside to scare you deep. Harbaugh knew that, so he was really creative with his big-body personnel, using a lot of six-man line sets, double tights, heavy formations. They did a lot of odd things and had to coach up points. I think he wants more explosiveness for sure and more verticality, and Kaepernick has those traits much more than Smith. They traded up to get Kaepernick for a reason. You don’t use a second-round pick for a quarterback who is very toolsy without looking at him as the starter.

Sando: Smith did go 13-3 last season. He did make the winning plays against New Orleans in the wild-card round. Is the trajectory pointing up on him?

Williamson: Smith minimized the negative plays and will never be any better than he was doing that. He may get more confident, may make a few more throws, but what we saw in that one playoff game will be few and far between. He is an OK player, but has a real low ceiling.

Sando: Cardinals fans are hoping that comment doesn't apply to Kevin Kolb as well. Kolb had trouble staying on the field last season, missing extended period with toe and head injuries. He struggled when he was on the field as well.

Williamson: I look at Kolb like I look at the rookies last year. The lockout, those guys got thrown into the fire in an unfair manner. Any quarterback changing teams, especially a QB with limited experience, never got the minicamps or the things they needed. But man, I didn't like anything I saw from Kolb. I think their quarterback situation is the worst in the league right now, right there with the Browns and the Dolphins and a few other teams.

Sando: Arizona saw enough to pay a $7 million bonus to Kolb, keeping him on the roster. The alternative was heading toward the draft with John Skelton as the only starting prospect. That would have been rough. What about Kolb bothered you the most last season?

Williamson: I just didn’t see anything to get excited about. Didn’t see tools or the willingness to hang in the pocket. Maybe he was just uncomfortable. A couple guys who floundered last season could step up big after having a regular offseason. I just did not see anything. Kolb does not stand as firm in the pocket as I would like. I'd like to see him more willing to take hits to deliver the football.

Sando: Kolb did that well on a deep pass to Larry Fitzgerald at Washington early in the season, absorbing a crushing hit to complete a game-changing pass. But that play was an exception. Kolb did bail from pressure too frequently, and he could not stay on the field.

Williamson: Ken Whisenhunt was used to Ben Roethlisberger, who is the opposite. Kurt Warner is the opposite, too. He would take a hit, let it go at the absolute last second.

Sando: Any discussion about quarterbacks getting hit should include the St. Louis Rams' Sam Bradford. He took 36 sacks in 10 games last season. Bradford has a new offensive coordinator, Brian Schotteneheimer, and a new head coach promising to protect him.

Williamson: I am a Bradford guy who had no problem with their decision not to take Robert Griffin III. The Rams have had as good an offseason as anyone. The more I look at last season -- mix in Bradford's injuries, the bad line, having no weapons -- it was an impossible endeaver. Throw that away. Jeff Fisher is smart and has a history of bringing along guys slowly, of running Eddie George and playing defense. Schottenheimer did a ton of that with the Jets, maybe even too much, but he had to.

Sando: Right. Schottenheimer was trying to take off pressure from Mark Sanchez, at least until last season.

Williamson: Sanchez isn't close to Bradford. My concern with the Rams would be two years from now, if Bradford still does look like the first overall pick, will they take the reins off? Harnessing him back now, I have no problem with that. Win some games, lean on others. But will they allow him to be great when he is ready? They are conservative by nature.

Sando: Shorter term, the Rams haven't done anything to help Bradford in the playmaker department. They've actually gotten worse in that area after losing Brandon Lloyd to free agency.

Williamson: They will end up with Trent Richardson or Justin Blackmon in the draft, but it would have been nice to add some kind of veteran. Maybe Mario Manningham. At least a No. 2 type. They do have a lot of young guys from last year and maybe someone steps up, but it's not real exciting. I would not have paid what Pierre Garcon got, though. Robert Meachem got good money too. St. Louis is not the most attractive free-agent landing spot for a receiver right now. But the team is set up for the long term, at least. They will get a top-10-type stud wideout in the next year or two.

Sando: Thanks for the conversation, Matt. I'll be on the lookout for you next Football Today podcast, which posts right here each week. The next one goes live Monday.

Three NFC West teams tried to land Peyton Manning. The other one might come away with Tim Tebow.

With the proposed Tebow trade to the New York Jets in jeopardy and the St. Louis Rams having inquired about Tebow previously, there's at least an outside chance Tebow could be coming to the NFC West.

A few thoughts:

• Sam Bradford is the starter. Tebow would not compete for the starting quarterback's job in St. Louis. The Rams are committed to Bradford for at least the 2012 season and most likely beyond, barring a dramatic change in thinking brought about by unforeseen developments.
• Backup market thinning. Shaun Hill and Brady Quinn signed contracts elsewhere after visiting the Rams. Kellen Clemens finished last season with the Rams and played for new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer when the two were with the Jets. Clemens remains an unrestricted free agent. The Rams are considering other options.
• Tebow's name recognition. Let's face it, the Rams have lacked relevance in recent years. They have virtually no star power beyond Steven Jackson. Tebow would become at least a curiosity. The Rams could find ways to use him as a runner or in certain packages. Adding Tebow could change the subject away from the recently suspended Gregg Williams, as well.
• Protecting John Elway. Getting Manning allowed the Denver Broncos to dump Tebow without incurring much fallout from Tebow's large and passionate fan base. Setting up Tebow for failure in the future would further insulate the Broncos from criticism if the Manning acquisition doesn't produce the desired results. Jets fans would be quick to chant for Tebow and also quick to boo him at the first sign of failure. And in St. Louis, Bradford's presence would block Tebow from the lineup for the foreseeable future.

That's it for now. ESPN's Adam Schefter says Tebow still might be headed to the Jets. The sides are working through elements related to Tebow's contract.

Note: The Rams have not made an offer for Tebow, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Update: Rams sources are denying any interest in Tebow, according to Thomas.

A certain not-yet-available quarterback nearly overshadowed Super Bowl week. Overshadowing other subjects during the latest NFC West chat was easy by comparison. And predictable. And welcome, actually. Few subjects can compete with Peyton Manning potentially joining another team.

Kathy from San Antonio wonders why San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh seems so "fixated" on Alex Smith as the team's starting quarterback. She thinks Manning could put the 49ers over the top. "Harbaugh seems like a guy who wants to be considered in the same sentence as Bill Walsh," she wrote, "yet he will hurt his long-term future as head coach if he sticks with Smith."

Mike Sando: Peyton Manning's health is a key variable. The 49ers might not trust his ability to get and stay healthy. The team might feel as though it has a good thing going, and the rewards of adding a diminished, older Manning might not appeal to them coming off a season in which they were really a play or two away from the Super Bowl. It is also possible the 49ers will reevaluate if anything changes with Manning.

Matt from Syracuse asks whether Arizona or Seattle is a better fit for Peyton Manning.

Mike Sando: I lean toward Arizona because the Cardinals play indoors, they have an offensive coach (Frank Reich) with direct ties to Manning and they have Larry Fitzgerald. But if they pay the $7 million to Kevin Kolb, it would be tough to pay Manning as well. The Seahawks are in better position to add a big-money quarterback because they do not have a big-money incumbent QB.

Josh from Iowa asks why assistants Gregg Williams, Brian Schottenheimer and Dave McGinnis seemed to eager to join Jeff Fisher's staff in St. Louis.

Mike Sando: I listened to McGinnis on the conference call. His excitement was definitely palpable. The fact that Williams and McGinnis would jump at the change to reunite with Fisher reflects well on Fisher. Fisher seems to know what is important. He seems to be no-nonsense and without pretense. He seems real. He's not walking around trying to prove to everyone that he's a head coach. This shows up in the confidence Fisher projects. Assistants are also looking for stability, which tends to be elusive in the NFL. Fisher lasted 16-plus seasons as head coach in his last job. That track record is appealing.

The next chat will be in two weeks. I'm taking off next week before ramping up for the NFL scouting combine.

Count Frank Cignetti's expected hiring as quarterbacks coach in St. Louis as the latest career parallel between the Rams' Sam Bradford and the San Francisco 49ers' Alex Smith.

Both were No. 1 overall draft choices.

Both began their careers under first-time head coaches with backgrounds on defense.

Both started as rookies.

Both watched their original offensive coordinators take head coaching jobs elsewhere after one season. Mike McCarthy left the 49ers for Green Bay in 2006. Pat Shurmur left the Rams for Cleveland in 2011.

Both appeared fortunate when their teams landed high-profile replacements. Norv Turner replaced McCarthy. Josh McDaniels replaced Shurmur. Turner and McDaniels had been head coaches, but both were best known for calling plays.

Smith and Bradford would experience coordinator changes once again while entering their third seasons. Turner left the 49ers to coach San Diego. McDaniels left St. Louis to rejoin New England.

In a coincidence of coincidences, Bradford and Smith will have approached their third NFL seasons with Cignetti as their new position coach, provided the Rams make official Cignetti's expected hiring. Cignetti coached Smith and the 49ers' quarterbacks in 2007. The Rams have targeted him to work with Bradford this season.

These circumstantial parallels will not necessarily produce the same results. Many other variables come into play.

Mike Nolan was entering his third and final full season as the 49ers' head coach in 2007, whereas Jeff Fisher is entering his first season with the Rams. The coaching situation in St. Louis appears more stable than the one Smith encountered in 2007, when the 49ers were breaking in a first-time coordinator and Nolan was nearing the end.

The Rams' new coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, has much more experience.

Still, the parallels between Smith and Bradford through two seasons are uncanny, at least.

Smith suffered a serious shoulder injury during his third season. He missed the 2008 season before rebounding to throw 49 touchdown passes with 27 interceptions in three subsequent seasons.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Count Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk among those skeptical of the St. Louis Rams' switch to Brian Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator.

What will the switch mean for the Rams and quarterback Sam Bradford in particular? About four seconds passed between the question and Faulk's answer from Super Bowl media day Tuesday. Schottenheimer, hired after a six-year run with the New York Jets, will implement coach Jeff Fisher's broader vision for an offense that runs the ball well and protects the quarterback.

"I don't think there was a huge difference between how the Jets' offense looked and how the Rams' offense looked," Faulk said.

In terms of production? Scheme?

"Period," Faulk said. "You can take that how you want to."

The Jets ranked 25th in yards per game last season. The Rams were 31st. The Jets were 13th in points scored. The Rams were 32nd.

"If Schottenheimer is going to reinvent himself," Faulk said, letting the thought die. "You don't get it any better than Shonn Greene, L.T. [LaDainian Tomlinson], Plaxico [Burress] and Santonio [Holmes] and [Dustin] Keller. And now he is going to a team that doesn't have a No. 1 receiver. Steven Jackson probably has 4-5 more years in that body. Lance Kendricks, a good tight end who dropped the ball a lot last year, and that surprised me after watching him in preseason. And a young quarterback in Bradford who I hope didn't get beat up too much to take away from who he really is."

Faulk serves as a TV analyst for the Rams' preseason games. Skepticism is usually warranted. The Rams had reason for excitement entering last season, but none of it translated to the field. Some of the dynamics with the Jets were unusual and beyond a coordinator's control, however. Those dynamics surely affected the product on the field.

There was never any evidence the New York Giants had taken cheap shots on San Francisco 49ers punt returner Kyle Williams during the NFC Championship Game.

There was only proof that some Giants players hoped to capitalize on Williams' history of concussions. Those hopes, expressed by Devin Thomas and Jacquian Williams, will not result in league discipline.

"Players are held accountable for their actions on the field," league spokesman Greg Aiello said. "There were no illegal hits to the head or neck area against Kyle Williams on Sunday. There was no conduct by the Giants of any kind that would suggest an effort to injure Kyle Williams in any way."

As for the fans threatening Williams following his pivotal fumble? Williams told ESPN Radio those threats were "shocking" even though he expected harsh criticism.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the matter appears closed, with Aiello saying the league had no additional comment. Maiocco: "Coincidentally, 49ers co-owner John York is the chair of the NFL's newly formed Health and Safety Advisory Committee. New York Giants owner John Mara serves on the committee."

Also from Maiocco: thoughts on each of the 49ers' scheduled free agents. On Dashon Goldson: "The 49ers offered him a five-year contract last year. After he turned it down and the 49ers took the offer off the table, he returned to the 49ers on a one-year, $2 million contract. The 49ers might extend another five-year, $25 million contract. If that's not enough, they can keep him around with the franchise tag at one year, $6.2 million."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com checks in from the Pro Bowl.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers 49ers notes, including one about Brad Seely's candidacy as Colts head coach.

Keith Goldner of Advanced NFL Stats says it's clear the 49ers should have accepted a penalty for running into the kicker, then gone for it on fourth-and-1. Instead, the 49ers declined the penalty, letting the Giants take over possession at their own 7.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times puts into perspective the Seahawks' Pro Bowl haul. O'Neil: "In the previous two years, the Seahawks were the only team in the NFL that did not have a player either named to the Pro Bowl or chosen as an injury replacement. Seattle's five Pro Bowlers matches the franchise's fourth-largest contingent. Three of Seattle's four starters in the secondary will be appearing in the Pro Bowl, evidence of one of the biggest improvements in Seattle last season."

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle passes along thoughts from Brandon Browner, who spent four seasons in the CFL before Seattle gave him a chance this season. Browner on his tryout: "It was most definitely just to make the team. I told Coach [Pete] Carroll at my workout that I would really appreciate a shot -- a legitimate shot -- at making this team. A lot of guys get shots, but there are a lot of guys brought in [to be] camp bodies. I told him, 'You brought me in. I can do some things with this team.'"

Also from Henderson: Brock Huard and Kevin Calabro discuss whether the Seahawks should have interest in Peyton Manning.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic questions whether former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians would join the Cardinals as quarterbacks coach. Somers: "I'm hearing, however, that Arians isn't particularly anxious to become a position coach again. He's been a successful offensive coordinator, so you can't blame him for not wanting to take a step down. Arians was the Steelers receivers coach when Ken Whisenhunt was the offensive coordinator there. Arians replaced Whisenhunt and worked closely with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. If the Cardinals were to hire Arians, he could work with quarterbacks or receivers. If he took the receivers job, current receivers coach John McNulty could become quarterbacks coach. He worked with quarterbacks while at Rutgers."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com confirms that Beanie Wells underwent knee surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews.

Also from Urban: Patrick Peterson will play in the Pro Bowl as a return specialist. He'd like to go as a cornerback in the future.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expects Steven Jackson to fit well in Brian Schottenheimer's offense. Jackson: "I have played against his teams a lot and they all come with that attitude and a certain level of play. They have that 'it.' It's hard to explain what that 'it' is to a ... fan. But it's just something about [the way they play] when they go between those lines. Coach Fisher's teams have a certain something that's hard to put a finger on. But I have to assume it's [his] leadership."

Matthew Hathaway of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch quotes a sports economist as saying the Edward Jones Dome likely would need $200 million to $300 million in upgrades to prevent the Rams from breaking their lease after the 2014 season. Hathaway: "The Dome was largely financed with $256 million in revenue bonds, and the repayment of that 30-year debt will be $720 million. Every year, Missouri spends $12 million to pay off the debt, and St. Louis and St. Louis County each pay $6 million annually. The county's portion is funded through a 3.5 percent hotel tax approved by voters in 1990. The lease calls for the Rams to stay at the Dome through 2025 -- but only if the stadium is first tier at two points: 2005 and 2015. The Rams waived the requirement the first time in exchange for $30 million in improvements. This time, there are a series of deadlines in 2012, starting with the CVC's mandate to deliver a plan by Feb. 1."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' new defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, is not lacking for confidence. Williams: "What you'll see is that everywhere I've gone, I've been able to get a top five defense during the time I'm there. Anywhere from one to four, one to five, in all of the stops I've made. ... I get way too much credit for the X's and O's, but my specialty is handling people, especially difficult people."

Also from Thomas: Schottenheimer has streamlined his terminology.

More from Thomas: Rams owner Stan Kroenke has explored the possibility of bidding on the Los Angeles Dodgers. There are those words again: Los Angeles. Thomas: "NFL cross-ownership rules prevent an NFL owner from owning a majority interest in another pro franchise outside of his market, if that non-football franchise is in a city with an NFL team. L.A. does not have a pro football franchise and hasn't had one since 1994. It's also OK for Kroenke -- or any NFL owner -- to own two pro sports franchises in the same city. But the cross-ownership rules have been bent and modified over the years, to the point where some might say they're not really hard-and-fast rules."

Passing along: audio to my conversation Tuesday with Bernie Miklasz on 101ESPN St. Louis.

This was before Frank Gore pulled out of the Pro Bowl, clearing the way for Marshawn Lynch to replace him. More on that in a bit.

Bernie and I did discuss Brian Schottenheimer's hiring as the St. Louis Rams' offensive coordinator.

Bernie asked about potential concerns over elaborate terminology being tough for young quarterback to master quickly. I pointed out that teams running digit-based offenses tend to suffer more delay penalties because coaches and quarterbacks need additional time to communicate plays.

Schottenheimer said his offense is more concept-based than reliant on actual numbers for communication. I followed up by checking stats for delay penalties during Schottenheimer's six-year tenure with the New York Jets. The Jets ranked closer to the middle of the pack than the top. San Francisco and San Diego have the most over the three- and six-year periods. Both have run digit-based offenses, although the 49ers have switched to a West Coast system.

A few notes after participating in a conference call featuring new St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer:

• QB coach on way: The Rams did not have one last season. Then-coordinator Josh McDaniels handled that role. Schottenheimer plans to hire one and said the subject was one of the first things he discussed with new coach Jeff Fisher. Schottenheimer: "Because there are so many things that come across your plate as a play caller and coordinator, you need someone for Sam (Bradford) or any of the quarterbacks to go to and be hearing the same voice."
• Two backs: Schottenheimer believes in supplementing the starting back with a change-of-pace runner. He emphasized the need for depth everywhere, including that position.
• Clemens fan: Look for the Rams to re-sign backup quarterback Kellen Clemens, who was with Schottenheimer on the New York Jets. Schottenheimer described himself as a "big fan" of Clemens and someone who supported the drafting of him.
• Philosophy: The offense St. Louis will run has roots in the Don Coryell digit system, though Schottenheimer said his offense would be more concept-based than reliant upon actual numbers. Schottenheimer learned the game from his famous father, Marty, but he initially thought he would fall under the West Coast tree. He pointed to Mike McCarthy, Jimmy Raye and Steve Spurrier as coaches he had borrowed from over the years. He learned the Coryell-based offense from Jerry Rhome in St. Louis during the 1997 season, when Dick Vermeil was coach. Schottenheimer said he likes the way "the formations flow" and the flexibility afforded coaches on game days.
• Sam Bradford: Schottenheimer met with Bradford recently and plans to streamline the transition by making sure the terminology associated with a new system isn't a stumbling block. Schottenheimer: "The most important thing is not getting caught up in terminology. That will not be a problem. I understand how smart he is."
• On his Jets departure: Schottenheimer had only good things to say about his six seasons with the Jets. He said he was ready for a change and does not think he would have remained in New York even if the Jets had finished the season strong.

The Rams' new defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, is also scheduled to be available Tuesday. I'm also about to speak with Bernie Miklasz for our weekly spot on 101ESPN St. Louis. Back in a bit.

The St. Louis Rams will not lose games in 2012 for a lack of experienced coaches.

Dave McGinnis' expected addition as assistant head coach gives the team another assistant with head coaching experience. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is the other.

Both McGinnis, 60, and Williams, 53, have coached extensively under new Rams coach Jeff Fisher and in the NFL overall.

Fisher's defensive staff should fit together seamlessly.

The team announced the hiring of Williams and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. McGinnis coached linebackers for the Chicago Bears under Buddy Ryan after Fisher played for the team. He coached under Vince Tobin with Arizona before becoming the Cardinals' head coach from 2000-03, when the team posted a 17-40 record.

Hiring Fisher, a veteran of 16 full NFL seasons as a head coach, showed the Rams valued experience after struggling under first-time head coaches recently. Williams and McGinnis add more seasoning to the staff.

One thing about McGinnis: I've never heard anyone say anything negative about him as a person. To the contrary, people who have worked with him go out of their way to say how much they respect him. It happened again Monday when I spoke with a former Titans employee and McGinnis' expected hiring came up.

With Brian Schottenheimer in line to become the St. Louis Rams' offensive coordinator, I'll republish a chart we discussed recently. This one shows the New York Jets' offensive production with Schottenheiemer as coordinator.

About one year ago, our AFC East blog featured an item leading this way: "Brian Schottenheimer's prospects for being a head coach never have been higher."

That item noted that Schottenheimer had worked with Tony Banks, Jeff George, Drew Brees, Doug Flutie, Philip Rivers, Chad Pennington, Kellen Clemens, Brett Favre and Mark Sanchez over the years -- quite a varied group.

Clemens' presence on the Rams' roster right now could mean the team already has its top two quarterbacks for 2012, with Sam Bradford as the starter. Clemens would presumably know Schottenheimer's offense. That would enable him to assist Bradford and other players as the Rams learn a new system.

Opinions on Schottenheimer are mixed. Some think he became too predictable as a play caller and contributed to Sanchez's stunted development. A case could also be made that Schottenheimer did the best he could with a limited quarterback.

It's possible neither of those things is true. Those seeking context should check out this Newark Star-Ledger piece on Schottenheimer and the Jets from earlier in the 2011 season.

The Rams also interviewed former Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson for the role. They are also working on additional staff hires.

The St. Louis Rams will hire Brian Schottenheimer as their offensive coordinator, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Read more from Schefter's report here.