NFC West: Brian St.Pierre
Andrew from Hong Kong leads off the mailbag with a question about the San Francisco 49ers' potential interest in Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Johnson. Andrew cites Johnson's connections to 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh in asking whether San Francisco and Tampa Bay could agree in principle to a trade before the draft, then execute the deal once the lockout ended.
Mike Sando: Teams could not enter into an official, binding trade agreement. No one would know if they had conversations about trades and wound up making those trades later. But nothing could be firm.
Johnson did play for Harbaugh at the University of San Diego. We've routinely seen new head coaches pursue quarterbacks from their pasts. Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt brought in Brian St. Pierre, whom he had known in Pittsburgh. Mike Holmgren brought Matt Hasselbeck from Green Bay to Seattle. Steve Spagnuolo signed A.J. Feeley, a quarterback he knew from Philadelphia.
Johnson is entering the final year of his contract with Tampa Bay. The 49ers would presumably want to extend that contract if they were going to acquire Johnson in a trade of any consequence. They could not do that during a lockout, which would complicate any unofficial talks they had with Tampa Bay.
I've gone back through the Pro Football Weekly draft guides I keep around to re-read Nolan Nawrocki's assessment on Johnson coming out of the 2008 draft. The report lauded Johnson's intelligence, quick release, athleticism, improvisational ability, vision, work ethic, leadership, ability in the clutch and background in a pro-style offense.
The report raised concerns about the competition Johnson faced in college before concluding with, "Could take a few years to digest an NFL playbook, but could be very effective in a West Coast offense and develop into a dynamic starter. Has as much upside as any passer in the draft."
That is a glowing assessment and one that supports the thinking that Harbaugh could have interest.
Will from Bloomington, Ind., read the recent NFC West transcript and wondered whether Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey could be a sleeper consideration for the St. Louis Rams with the 14th overall choice in the 2011 draft.
Mike Sando: Wow, what a surprise selection that would be. Pouncey has played center and right guard. The Rams have their center in Jason Brown, but they could use a front-line starter at right guard. Pouncey would provide insurance at center and could even start there in the future.
These sorts of scenarios gain appeal when the quarterback is in place. Taking a quarterback was everything for the Rams a year ago. Now, they are in better position to pluck a player from any number of positions, based on value more than specific need.
Sure, they could use an outside receiver to open up their offense. They could use a change-of-pace running back. They need a defensive tackle and outside linebacker. A defensive end could make sense.
Addressing the offensive line at No. 14 might qualify as overkill after the team used the second and 33rd choices for linemen in recent drafts. I wouldn't do it unless I thought Pouncey were a Pro Bowl-caliber guard and a natural leader -- and the other options appeared much riskier.
Mick from Brooklyn, N.Y., wonders why we haven't heard more about the Seahawks possibly having interest in quarterback Ricky Stanzi. He sees a tall, smart, poised leader who has stepped up against better competition and wouldn't need a strong arm playing in a West Coast system.
Mike Sando: So much draft coverage focuses on the first round at the expense of players available later. Some have projected Stanzi as a third-round choice; Seattle does not own a selection in that round after sending its pick to San Diego in the Charlie Whitehurst deal.
With Whitehurst already in the No. 1 or No. 2 role pending Matt Hasselbeck's status, would Seattle be adding any clarity to the position given that Stanzi would be more of a developmental player?
There's also some uncertainty about how much Seattle will change its offense with Darrell Bevell and Tom Cable assuming leadership roles.
Those are a few potential reasons we haven't heard much linking Skanzi to Seattle more than to other teams.
Josh from Redding, Calif., wonders whether the Cardinals would use the fifth overall pick for A.J. Green or Patrick Peterson if they were available, both top quarterbacks were off the board and trading down were not a realistic option.
Mike Sando: The Cardinals have been pretty adamant about making sure their early draft choices fill needs. Texas A&M pass-rusher Von Miller would be a logical choice if he were available under that scenario. The perceived value and need would line up with that selection.
The Cardinals have invested heavily at receiver and hope to do so again by extending Larry Fitzgerald's deal. Selecting Green could throw off the balance, although the team did select Fitzgerald when Anquan Boldin was an emerging star. The team used a first-round selection for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in 2008, so it might be a little soon to select another one in the first round, particularly with needs elsewhere.
Mike Sando: Teams could not enter into an official, binding trade agreement. No one would know if they had conversations about trades and wound up making those trades later. But nothing could be firm.
Johnson did play for Harbaugh at the University of San Diego. We've routinely seen new head coaches pursue quarterbacks from their pasts. Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt brought in Brian St. Pierre, whom he had known in Pittsburgh. Mike Holmgren brought Matt Hasselbeck from Green Bay to Seattle. Steve Spagnuolo signed A.J. Feeley, a quarterback he knew from Philadelphia.
Johnson is entering the final year of his contract with Tampa Bay. The 49ers would presumably want to extend that contract if they were going to acquire Johnson in a trade of any consequence. They could not do that during a lockout, which would complicate any unofficial talks they had with Tampa Bay.
I've gone back through the Pro Football Weekly draft guides I keep around to re-read Nolan Nawrocki's assessment on Johnson coming out of the 2008 draft. The report lauded Johnson's intelligence, quick release, athleticism, improvisational ability, vision, work ethic, leadership, ability in the clutch and background in a pro-style offense.
The report raised concerns about the competition Johnson faced in college before concluding with, "Could take a few years to digest an NFL playbook, but could be very effective in a West Coast offense and develop into a dynamic starter. Has as much upside as any passer in the draft."
That is a glowing assessment and one that supports the thinking that Harbaugh could have interest.
Will from Bloomington, Ind., read the recent NFC West transcript and wondered whether Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey could be a sleeper consideration for the St. Louis Rams with the 14th overall choice in the 2011 draft.
Mike Sando: Wow, what a surprise selection that would be. Pouncey has played center and right guard. The Rams have their center in Jason Brown, but they could use a front-line starter at right guard. Pouncey would provide insurance at center and could even start there in the future.
These sorts of scenarios gain appeal when the quarterback is in place. Taking a quarterback was everything for the Rams a year ago. Now, they are in better position to pluck a player from any number of positions, based on value more than specific need.
Sure, they could use an outside receiver to open up their offense. They could use a change-of-pace running back. They need a defensive tackle and outside linebacker. A defensive end could make sense.
Addressing the offensive line at No. 14 might qualify as overkill after the team used the second and 33rd choices for linemen in recent drafts. I wouldn't do it unless I thought Pouncey were a Pro Bowl-caliber guard and a natural leader -- and the other options appeared much riskier.
Mick from Brooklyn, N.Y., wonders why we haven't heard more about the Seahawks possibly having interest in quarterback Ricky Stanzi. He sees a tall, smart, poised leader who has stepped up against better competition and wouldn't need a strong arm playing in a West Coast system.
Mike Sando: So much draft coverage focuses on the first round at the expense of players available later. Some have projected Stanzi as a third-round choice; Seattle does not own a selection in that round after sending its pick to San Diego in the Charlie Whitehurst deal.
With Whitehurst already in the No. 1 or No. 2 role pending Matt Hasselbeck's status, would Seattle be adding any clarity to the position given that Stanzi would be more of a developmental player?
There's also some uncertainty about how much Seattle will change its offense with Darrell Bevell and Tom Cable assuming leadership roles.
Those are a few potential reasons we haven't heard much linking Skanzi to Seattle more than to other teams.
Josh from Redding, Calif., wonders whether the Cardinals would use the fifth overall pick for A.J. Green or Patrick Peterson if they were available, both top quarterbacks were off the board and trading down were not a realistic option.
Mike Sando: The Cardinals have been pretty adamant about making sure their early draft choices fill needs. Texas A&M pass-rusher Von Miller would be a logical choice if he were available under that scenario. The perceived value and need would line up with that selection.
The Cardinals have invested heavily at receiver and hope to do so again by extending Larry Fitzgerald's deal. Selecting Green could throw off the balance, although the team did select Fitzgerald when Anquan Boldin was an emerging star. The team used a first-round selection for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in 2008, so it might be a little soon to select another one in the first round, particularly with needs elsewhere.
Mailbag: Troubling reality on QB front
January, 21, 2011
1/21/11
7:11
PM ET
By
Mike Sando | ESPN.com
Chris from Houston writes: What free-agent quarterbacks do you expect Arizona to be looking at this offseason? I know of Marc Bulger, but who else is there for them to even consider that wouldn't require a trade? Thanks! Love the blog! Thanks for helping keep us all sane until next season.
Mike Sando: Thanks, Chris. This could be a rough offseason for signing or even acquiring quarterbacks from other teams.
One, the list of quarterbacks likely to hit the market is once against weak. Two, a lockout would prevent teams from trading for players -- even via draft-day trades involving picks. A lockout lasting past the draft would limit options further, in other words.
Peyton Manning and Michael Vick are scheduled to become free agents, but Manning is going nowhere, obviously, and the Eagles will presumably keep Vick, too. Brett Favre is retiring, it appears, so forget about him.
The next tier of quarterbacks with expiring contracts goes like this: Matt Hasselbeck, Kerry Collins, Chad Pennington and Bulger. These are older, likely declining players -- not necessarily guys to build around. Pennington's health is a major issue. Vince Young is available.
Several highly drafted, not-yet-old quarterbacks could hit the market, but none has met expectations. That list will feature Kyle Boller, Patrick Ramsey, Rex Grossman, J.P. Losman, Alex Smith and Matt Leinart. The Cardinals aren't bringing back Leinart, obviously, and the other guys on this list will not project as starters.
Tarvaris Jackson, Brodie Croyle and Matt Moore could be available, too.
Several career backups could become available: Todd Collins, Todd Bouman, Billy Volek, Bruce Gradkowski, Seneca Wallace, J.T. O'Sullivan, Chris Simms, Luke McCown, etc.
Still not sold?
The names get smaller from there. Brian St. Pierre, Jim Sorgi, Charlie Frye, Kellen Clemens, Drew Stanton, Troy Smith, Brian Brohm, Caleb Hanie, Jordan Palmer, Dennis Dixon ... we're not finding the Cardinals' next starter from that list, either.
Arizona should probably make a play for Bulger, consider drafting a quarterback and see how the trade market shakes out. The Cardinals have too many needs, in my view, to part with multiple picks of value for an unproven quarterback such as Kevin Kolb -- unless they're convinced that quarterback will become a very good player.
Mike Sando: Thanks, Chris. This could be a rough offseason for signing or even acquiring quarterbacks from other teams.
One, the list of quarterbacks likely to hit the market is once against weak. Two, a lockout would prevent teams from trading for players -- even via draft-day trades involving picks. A lockout lasting past the draft would limit options further, in other words.
Peyton Manning and Michael Vick are scheduled to become free agents, but Manning is going nowhere, obviously, and the Eagles will presumably keep Vick, too. Brett Favre is retiring, it appears, so forget about him.
The next tier of quarterbacks with expiring contracts goes like this: Matt Hasselbeck, Kerry Collins, Chad Pennington and Bulger. These are older, likely declining players -- not necessarily guys to build around. Pennington's health is a major issue. Vince Young is available.
Several highly drafted, not-yet-old quarterbacks could hit the market, but none has met expectations. That list will feature Kyle Boller, Patrick Ramsey, Rex Grossman, J.P. Losman, Alex Smith and Matt Leinart. The Cardinals aren't bringing back Leinart, obviously, and the other guys on this list will not project as starters.
Tarvaris Jackson, Brodie Croyle and Matt Moore could be available, too.
Several career backups could become available: Todd Collins, Todd Bouman, Billy Volek, Bruce Gradkowski, Seneca Wallace, J.T. O'Sullivan, Chris Simms, Luke McCown, etc.
Still not sold?
The names get smaller from there. Brian St. Pierre, Jim Sorgi, Charlie Frye, Kellen Clemens, Drew Stanton, Troy Smith, Brian Brohm, Caleb Hanie, Jordan Palmer, Dennis Dixon ... we're not finding the Cardinals' next starter from that list, either.
Arizona should probably make a play for Bulger, consider drafting a quarterback and see how the trade market shakes out. The Cardinals have too many needs, in my view, to part with multiple picks of value for an unproven quarterback such as Kevin Kolb -- unless they're convinced that quarterback will become a very good player.
Around the NFC West: 49ers gearing up
December, 16, 2010
12/16/10
9:55
AM ET
By
Mike Sando | ESPN.com
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers face a tough matchup against the Chargers on Thursday night. Maiocco on the matchup between 49ers left tackle Barry Sims and Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips: "Sims will make his fifth start after taking over for Joe Staley, who is out with a broken fibula. Sims has generally fared well in pass protection, but he has yet to face a threat like Phillips, who has recorded 10 sacks on the season. Sims has some experience going up against Phillips, as Sims spent nine seasons in the AFC West prior to signing with the 49ers three seasons ago. The 49ers' running backs will also face a big challenge in blitz pickup. Both Brian Westbrook and Anthony Dixon did their parts last week, as they picked up blitzes to allow Smith to make plays to burn the aggressive Seattle defense last week."
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee previews the 49ers' matchup against San Diego. Barrows: "No quarterback likes to throw deep as much as Philip Rivers, and the San Diego signal caller has several big-bodied targets. San Francisco's defense usually handles big receivers well, but the secondary is susceptible to the long ball."
Also from Barrows: thoughts on Mike Singletary's job security in relation to how the 49ers finish. Barrows: "At this point, the 49ers are a long shot to win the division, and the best they can finish is 8-8. Strong, or at least solid, finishes have become a 49ers trademark in recent seasons. Mike Nolan did it in 2006 and 2007. Singletary went 3-1 in 2008 and 2009. But those rallies, in my opinion, only helped mask the stench of the season and provided false hope for the year ahead."
More from Barrows: Alex Smith looks back fondly on his time with Norv Turner as 49ers offensive coordinator.
Sam Good of 49ers.com says the 49ers got strong play from nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin against Seattle.
Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Smith hadn't even thought about playing a homecoming game against San Diego. Smith: "San Diego (7-6) boats the league's top-ranked pass defense (173.4 yards a game) and is three weeks removed from flummoxing Indianapolis' Peyton Manning, who tossed four interceptions in a 36-14 loss to the visiting Chargers on Nov. 28. Opposing quarterbacks have a 72.9 rating against San Diego, the second-lowest figure in the NFL."
Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says Smith misses Turner. Brown: "Of all the 49ers offensive coordinators to come and go, Turner's departure stings most for Smith. The quarterback describes 2006, his lone year with Turner, as the best of his career. Smith threw for a career-high 2,890 yards that season as his passer rating improved from the 40.8 he posted as a rookie to 74.8. A year after throwing one touchdown pass against 11 interceptions, the numbers jumped to 16 and 16. That's not exactly Joe Montana-type stuff, but Smith felt as if he was trending upward."
Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News offers thoughts as 49ers defensive end Justin Smith prepares to make his 153rd consecutive start, this one on a short week.
David White of the San Francisco Chronicle offers more on Alex Smith's reunion with Turner.
Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Ron Bartell is eager to get back on the field as the Rams fight for a playoff spot. Bartell was a rookie in 2006 when the Rams had a shot at the playoffs late in the season. Bartell: "At this point, it's now or never. I've been here six years, and I haven't been in this situation before. The excitement that everybody has, I want to be a part of that. Sitting out last weekend was tough enough. So there's no way in the world I'll be sitting out again. I'm going to play regardless."
Also from Coats: The Rams say they are preparing more for the Chiefs' offensive system than for a specific quarterback.
Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams need to shore up their perimeter run defense and become more efficient on offense in the red zone.
Also from Miklasz: where Sam Bradford stands heading into Week 15. Miklasz: "Bradford has had his moments, including the two-minute drill to tie the game at San Francisco at the end of the fourth quarter. He's made other money throws to put opponents away late in games. But if you want to go by the raw numbers, there's this. In the fourth quarter of games this season, Bradford has two touchdowns, seven interceptions and a passer rating of 59.3."
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Saints' blitzes against the Rams worked well enough for upcoming opponents to copy them. Thomas: "The Saints got after Bradford like nobody else has this season, with the possible exception of Arizona in the season opener. According to Post-Dispatch count, New Orleans blitzed Bradford 25 times. Overall, including plays where the Saints got to him with just a four-man rush, they sacked him three times and hit him seven additional times. Even on plays when Bradford wasn't hit, the pressure was enough to disrupt several other pass plays, forcing Bradford to throw the ball away or throw it with less accuracy, preventing him from stepping into the throw or leading to a tipped pass."
Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says Bradford is re-growing the beard he wore while playing well in November.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Seattle receivers Mike Williams and Ben Obomanu caught passes in practice Wednesday. Both are returning from injuries. Williams on his foot/ankle situation: "It feels OK, I feel OK. I’m excited. It’s been a very frustrating last few weeks. I was trying to get into my groove, but then had a couple of bumps. I’m excited to get back out here and bring the energy and try to be a shot in the arm for our group and for our offense."
Also from Farnsworth: Seattle's Jordan Babineaux faces a Falcons team featuring brother Jonathan Babineaux.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Obomanu is not yet catching the ball naturally. Obomanu: "You just have to adapt a little bit. The thing about receiver is you want to be able to catch the ball naturally. But at the same time, I'm trying to adjust and figure out some things. It's a day-by-day thing, and hopefully by the end of the week, I'll be comfortable with some kind of way to make it work to help the team out Sunday."
Also from O'Neil: Seahawks veteran Lawyer Milloy is happy to be in the playoff race.
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune points to Red Bryant's knee injury as a turning point for Seattle this season. Boling: "Chris Clemons continues to be the most consistently dependable defender, having upped his sacks total to 10 with admirable energy and effort. But it is in keeping with the theme of irony that on one play in the Oakland game, when Clemons was hustling in to make a play, that he accidentally struck Bryant and caused the injury that seemingly triggered the defense’s downfall. It’s been that kind of a season."
Liz Mathews of 710ESPN Seattle says Falcons receiver Roddy White credits Jim Mora for helping him develop into a top player.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says two years and multiple quarterbacks separate Arizona and Carolina from the NFC postseason game they played following the 2008 season. Somers: "Since August, the Cardinals have gone from Matt Leinart to Derek Anderson to rookie Max Hall, back to Anderson and now to rookie John Skelton. The Panthers have gone from Matt Moore to rookie Jimmy Clausen, back to Moore, back to Clausen, to Brian St. Pierre, and back to Clausen."
Also from Somers: Skelton wants to improve his completion percentage.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com touches on Skelton's development before noting that Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt wants to make measured use of LaRod Stephens-Howling on offense. Whisenhunt: "You’ve got to make sure to track how many plays he’s been getting. You don’t want to lose him."
Arrow points up for Hasselbeck, Seahawks
November, 21, 2010
11/21/10
11:09
PM ET
By
Mike Sando | ESPN.com
Chuck Cook/US PRESSWIREMatt Hasselbeck completed 32 of 44 passes for 366 yards and a touchdown against the Saints.Their conversation following the Seattle Seahawks' 34-19 defeat at New Orleans proved revealing in ways unrelated to their attire or even the subject matter (a second-quarter misunderstanding with game officials over administration of a timeout) .
This postgame meeting of the minds supplemented ample on-field evidence that the two men most critical to Seattle's playoff chances have built a healthy rapport on mutual respect and communication. Coach and quarterback are increasingly in alignment.
"I love Pete as a coach," Hasselbeck said.
Week 11 Coverage
• Williamson: Rivers a worthy MVP
• Mosley: Eagles find another way
• Sando: Hasselbeck, Seahawks on rise
• Graham: RB combo lifts Patriots
• Kuharsky: Colts fall for 4th time
• Walker: Is Pittsburgh being targeted?
• Seifert: Packers cross the Rubicon
• Clayton: Last Call
• Scouts Inc.: 10 observations 
• Monday Night Live Replay
The ultimate outcome Sunday became clear in the third quarter, if not earlier. But after watching Hasselbeck turn in his second consecutive brilliant passing performance, the Seahawks head home for two games at Qwest Field knowing they're onto something. They're 5-5 and leading the NFC West with a hot quarterback and only two road games remaining.
See where this is headed?
"We have come together," Carroll said. "It took some time for us to get together in our thinking, Matt understanding us and us understanding Matt. I think we have cut him loose."
The stats say so.
Hasselbeck completed 32 of 44 passes for 366 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 104.9 rating Sunday. He pushed the offensive tempo, pushed a couple defensive players during scrums and basically dictated how the game would be played when Seattle's offense was on the field. The Saints, league leaders in fewest passing yards allowed before Sunday, never sacked him.
A week earlier, Hasselbeck completed 22 of 34 passes for 333 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 106.6 rating during a 36-18 victory at Arizona. He took only one sack.
Play-it-safe Pete finally appears comfortable letting Hasselbeck fire away.
"He was throwing some picks early in the season and he had to get through that and understand how careful he needed to be with the football," Carroll explained. "We almost had to take a couple steps backward. We were very conservative with him for a while, and then we stopped turning the ball over and the protection started getting better and we decided, [coordinator] Jeremy Bates and the offensive coaches, let's go now."
The Seahawks lost to the Saints for a variety of reasons: poor tackling against running back Chris Ivory in particular, a puzzling and momentum-turning penalty against Raheem Brock for roughing the passer, intermittent issues in the red zone, Marshawn Lynch's first career game with two lost fumbles, the sprained foot that sidelined top receiver Mike Williams after six receptions and 109 yards, etc.
Mostly, the Seahawks lost because Brees was on the other team. The Super Bowl MVP, appearing rejuvenated following the Saints' bye, tossed four touchdown passes. He threw with a level of precision that bordered on unfair as New Orleans converted 11 of its 15 chances on third down (73 percent).
[+] Enlarge
Derick E. Hingle/US PRESSWIREThings are looking up for Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. "We have come together," he said.
Derick E. Hingle/US PRESSWIREThings are looking up for Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. "We have come together," he said.This was vintage Hasselbeck.
"Matt works at his best with the tempo we've got and when he is able to control things at the line of scrimmage -- make checks and stuff," right tackle Sean Locklear said. "You hate living in the past, but when he was at his best, we did a lot of our plays with him making checks. That lets him explore some of the options that we don't see, that he sees."
What Hasselbeck sees from Carroll is a vision he can fully embrace at age 35, even without a contract beyond this season. That counts as a mild upset given the way Carroll and general manager John Schneider have turned over the roster. Hasselbeck couldn't be sure where he fit -- if he fit -- when the season was new. Now? He's president of the Pete Carroll fan club.
"His vision, there is such purpose in what he talks about," Hasselbeck said. "He is not just up there talking to talk. ... He really has a vision that he unpacks week to week as we go. Our team meeting last night was one of the best I've been around. I think that matters. Even though that we didn't win today, we grew in some way, shape or form here in this game and even last night, what he unveiled as the vision for this team, of where we're going to go, it was important."
The message?
"Just being uncommon to how things are done in the NFL," Hasselbeck said. "Things are done a certain way, and that is fine, but we want to be uncommon."
NFC West teams had losing in common Sunday. The old-school football adage says a loss is a loss. The standings agree. But how a team plays matters.
What happened to Seattle against the Saints bore no resemblance to the Derek Anderson-led Cardinals struggling through a blowout defeat against a recently slumping Kansas City team still finding its way.
What happened against the Saints bore no resemblance to the San Francisco 49ers getting shut out at home against Tampa Bay, another team in its formative stages.
The way Hasselbeck played and the way his line protected made this performance preferable to the St. Louis Rams' 34-17 home defeat to the Atlanta Falcons, particularly with St. Louis heading onto the road for its next three games.
As the Seahawks head into games against Kansas City, Carolina and San Francisco, they know they won't see another quarterback close to Brees' level. Matt Cassel and Brian St. Pierre are the projected starters against Hasselbeck at Qwest Field over the next two weeks. Troy Smith or Alex Smith will start for the 49ers against Seattle at Candlestick Park in Week 14.
Not long ago, the Seahawks appeared hopeless after getting outscored 74-10 in consecutive defeats to the Oakland Raiders and New York Giants. They've fixed problems in pass protection, welcomed back left tackle Russell Okung and rediscovered their quarterback.
This defeat felt different.
"We have a lot of work to do," Hasselbeck said, "but I like the direction we are headed in."
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.
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.
Facebook friend E.J. reached out with a question about Matt Leinart's light workload against the Tennessee Titans on Monday night.
"When Kurt Warner was the starter," he wrote, "I always thought Leinart should play every snap of the preseason (when Warner wasn't in). But to my surprise, they often played Brian St. Pierre and even Tyler Palko. Now that Leinart's time has come, I'm again surprised to see how little Leinart has played."
E.J. pointed to other starters around the league playing longer.
"Could you shed some light on the Cardinals' approach to limiting Leinart's preseason work?" he asked.
Yes. I asked coach Ken Whisenhunt about this issue early in training camp and he surprisingly said there would be no extra effort made to get reps for Leinart. To the contrary, Whisenhunt was reasonably comfortable with what Leinart could do. Getting work for Anderson, who was new to the system, would be a higher priority than carving out extra time for Leinart.
That told me Whisenhunt felt good enough about Leinart to go into the season with Leinart as his starter, even if the offense played the way it played in past preseasons with Kurt Warner under center -- not very well.
Yes, it's more important for Leinart to look good during these preseason games because he's less established than Warner. It's also fair to wonder to what degree Leinart's performances might be affecting Whisenhunt's view of him. My sense early in camp was that Whisenhunt felt better about Leinart than he was letting on -- the last thing he wanted to see was Leinart getting complacent. Whisenhunt has handled other players similarly, so there's nothing out of the ordinary there.
At your request, E.J., I went through gamebooks from the recently completed second week of exhibition games to see how much starting quarterbacks played in general. Special circumstances limited A.J. Feeley, Josh Freeman and Brett Favre to only one series apiece.
The chart ranks preseason Week 2 starting quarterbacks by total plays. The chart also shows total possessions and pass attempts for each quarterback. Leinart could have gotten more plays by converting a first down or two, but I thought Whisenhunt could have given him another series or possibly gone for it on fourth-and-1.
"When Kurt Warner was the starter," he wrote, "I always thought Leinart should play every snap of the preseason (when Warner wasn't in). But to my surprise, they often played Brian St. Pierre and even Tyler Palko. Now that Leinart's time has come, I'm again surprised to see how little Leinart has played."
E.J. pointed to other starters around the league playing longer.
"Could you shed some light on the Cardinals' approach to limiting Leinart's preseason work?" he asked.
Yes. I asked coach Ken Whisenhunt about this issue early in training camp and he surprisingly said there would be no extra effort made to get reps for Leinart. To the contrary, Whisenhunt was reasonably comfortable with what Leinart could do. Getting work for Anderson, who was new to the system, would be a higher priority than carving out extra time for Leinart.
That told me Whisenhunt felt good enough about Leinart to go into the season with Leinart as his starter, even if the offense played the way it played in past preseasons with Kurt Warner under center -- not very well.
Yes, it's more important for Leinart to look good during these preseason games because he's less established than Warner. It's also fair to wonder to what degree Leinart's performances might be affecting Whisenhunt's view of him. My sense early in camp was that Whisenhunt felt better about Leinart than he was letting on -- the last thing he wanted to see was Leinart getting complacent. Whisenhunt has handled other players similarly, so there's nothing out of the ordinary there.
At your request, E.J., I went through gamebooks from the recently completed second week of exhibition games to see how much starting quarterbacks played in general. Special circumstances limited A.J. Feeley, Josh Freeman and Brett Favre to only one series apiece.
The chart ranks preseason Week 2 starting quarterbacks by total plays. The chart also shows total possessions and pass attempts for each quarterback. Leinart could have gotten more plays by converting a first down or two, but I thought Whisenhunt could have given him another series or possibly gone for it on fourth-and-1.
The earlier item quantifying NFL roster turnover since last season ranks the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals among the three teams with the most changes.
Some of the research used for that project shows up in the latest version of the anabolically enhanced rosters found here periodically. Specifically, the 26th and final column shows which players were starters, backups or on injured reserve for NFC West teams in Week 17 last season.
Download the rosters here.
The column showing player ages makes it easy to see how roster attrition affects older players. I'll list below the players currently 30 or older who have been released, traded, announced their retirements or were not re-signed as unrestricted free agents since last season:
Seattle Seahawks (9)
Patrick Kerney, Walter Jones, John Owens, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson, D.D. Lewis, Damion McIntosh
Note: The team added 30-plus vets Sean Morey, Ben Hamilton and Chris Baker.
Arizona Cardinals (9)
Kurt Warner, Chike Okeafor, Mike Gandy, Bertrand Berry, Neil Rackers, Morey, Brian St. Pierre, Ralph Brown, Dan Kreider,
Note: The team added 30-plus vets Jay Feely, Paris Lenon, Joey Porter and Alan Faneca.
San Francisco 49ers (6)
Shaun Hill, Arnaz Battle, Mark Roman, Walt Harris, Dre' Bly, Jeff Ulbrich
Note: The team added 30-plus vets David Carr and William James. In looking at the chart, note that receiver Isaac Bruce, 37, is still on the 49ers' roster for the time being.
St. Louis Rams (5)
Leonard Little, Marc Bulger, Lenon, Clinton Hart, Randy McMichael
Note: The team added 30-plus vets A.J. Feeley, Na'il Diggs, Hank Fraley and Fred Robbins.
Some of the research used for that project shows up in the latest version of the anabolically enhanced rosters found here periodically. Specifically, the 26th and final column shows which players were starters, backups or on injured reserve for NFC West teams in Week 17 last season.
Download the rosters here.
The column showing player ages makes it easy to see how roster attrition affects older players. I'll list below the players currently 30 or older who have been released, traded, announced their retirements or were not re-signed as unrestricted free agents since last season:
Seattle Seahawks (9)
Patrick Kerney, Walter Jones, John Owens, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson, D.D. Lewis, Damion McIntosh
Note: The team added 30-plus vets Sean Morey, Ben Hamilton and Chris Baker.
Arizona Cardinals (9)
Kurt Warner, Chike Okeafor, Mike Gandy, Bertrand Berry, Neil Rackers, Morey, Brian St. Pierre, Ralph Brown, Dan Kreider,
Note: The team added 30-plus vets Jay Feely, Paris Lenon, Joey Porter and Alan Faneca.
San Francisco 49ers (6)
Shaun Hill, Arnaz Battle, Mark Roman, Walt Harris, Dre' Bly, Jeff Ulbrich
Note: The team added 30-plus vets David Carr and William James. In looking at the chart, note that receiver Isaac Bruce, 37, is still on the 49ers' roster for the time being.
St. Louis Rams (5)
Leonard Little, Marc Bulger, Lenon, Clinton Hart, Randy McMichael
Note: The team added 30-plus vets A.J. Feeley, Na'il Diggs, Hank Fraley and Fred Robbins.
Unrestricted free agency has come and gone for the NFL in 2010 after no teams made qualifying offers to the more than 100 unsigned UFAs by June 1.
The following former UFAs from NFC West teams remain free agents able to sign with any team that will have them, but none will factor into the formula used for awarding compensatory draft choices:
The chart breaks down the players by team and 2009 starts.
The following former UFAs from NFC West teams remain free agents able to sign with any team that will have them, but none will factor into the formula used for awarding compensatory draft choices:
Arizona: left tackle Mike Gandy, outside linebacker Chike Okeafor, outside linebacker Bertrand Berry (retiring), cornerback Ralph Brown, fullback Dan Kreider, quarterback Brian St. Pierre
Seattle: fullback Justin Griffith, linebacker D.D. Lewis, cornerback Ken Lucas, tackle Damion McIntosh, snapper Jeff Robinson, snapper Kevin Houser
San Francisco: safety Mark Roman, cornerback Dre Bly, cornerback Walt Harris, linebacker Jeff Ulbrich (retiring)
St. Louis : defensive end Leonard Little, tight end Randy McMichael, safety Clinton Hart
The chart breaks down the players by team and 2009 starts.
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.
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.
Which positions NFC West did not address
April, 25, 2010
4/25/10
3:46
PM ET
By
Mike Sando | ESPN.com
We spent the last few days focusing on which players NFC West teams drafted.
Sometimes it's helpful to consider which players teams did not draft (no team in the division drafted a punter, kicker or snapper, but that was expected).
A closer look at the positions NFC West teams left unaddressed, with an assist from Facebook friend Dave:
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals did not draft an offensive lineman, an indication the team feels good about its returning group and free-agent addition Rex Hadnot. They also did not draft a running back, figuring Beanie Wells, Tim Hightower and the other backs wouldn't need much help.
Arizona probably wouldn't have drafted a quarterback if Brian St. Pierre had re-signed. Pre-draft reports that St. Pierre was expected to re-sign went away at about the time Arizona reportedly worked out Fordham quarterback John Skelton. The team then drafted Skelton, an indication St. Pierre probably doesn't fit into the Cardinals' plans.
Seattle Seahawks
General manager John Schneider likes to draft quarterbacks as a general rule, but the team's decision to acquire Charlie Whitehurst before the draft revealed what Seattle thought about the quarterbacks in this draft (or at least those available after Sam Bradford).
I wondered whether Mike Teel would fit as the third quarterback given that scouting reports questioned his mobility, but the Seahawks did not draft a quarterback or even sign one among their initial list of 15 free agents. The team could bring additional players to minicamps on a tryout basis, but for now at least, Teel appears safe.
Seattle did not draft a running back, opting instead to acquire veterans LenDale White and Leon Washington (a reflection, again, of what the Seahawks thought about the players at that position in the draft). The Seahawks' decision not to draft a linebacker came as little surprise. The team appears stronger at that position than others.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers were rumored to have interest in Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, but they passed over him twice and never did draft a quarterback (Carolina selected Clausen at No. 48, one pick before the 49ers drafted safety Taylor Mays).
This was yet another reminder that San Francisco appears content with its quarterback situation for the upcoming season. The 49ers also showed no interest in acquiring Donovan McNabb by pre-draft trade. Alex Smith and David Carr will be the top two quarterbacks this season.
The 49ers did not draft a defensive lineman, either. That position could be one to address in the 2011 draft. At least three factors could influence the decision: whether Aubrayo Franklin plays well and re-signs, whether Justin Smith starts showing his age and whether Kentwan Balmer takes steps forward in his development.
Update: Cornerback was a position the 49ers were expected to address and one I initially overlooked because they did pick up a defensive back (Mays). Not addressing corner earlier than the seventh round means the 49ers could be more likely to bring back Dre Bly and/or Walt Harris. Thanks to flipdhart for pointing out in the comments.
St. Louis Rams
The Rams did not select a running back, explaining why they brought in former Eagles starter Brian Westbrook for a visit after the draft.
Like Seattle, the Rams appeared less than overwhelmed by the crop of runners available throughout this draft. Like Seattle, the Rams also had enough needs elsewhere to keep them busy.
St. Louis drafted at least one player at every other position (specialists excluded).
Sometimes it's helpful to consider which players teams did not draft (no team in the division drafted a punter, kicker or snapper, but that was expected).
A closer look at the positions NFC West teams left unaddressed, with an assist from Facebook friend Dave:
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals did not draft an offensive lineman, an indication the team feels good about its returning group and free-agent addition Rex Hadnot. They also did not draft a running back, figuring Beanie Wells, Tim Hightower and the other backs wouldn't need much help.
Arizona probably wouldn't have drafted a quarterback if Brian St. Pierre had re-signed. Pre-draft reports that St. Pierre was expected to re-sign went away at about the time Arizona reportedly worked out Fordham quarterback John Skelton. The team then drafted Skelton, an indication St. Pierre probably doesn't fit into the Cardinals' plans.
Seattle Seahawks
General manager John Schneider likes to draft quarterbacks as a general rule, but the team's decision to acquire Charlie Whitehurst before the draft revealed what Seattle thought about the quarterbacks in this draft (or at least those available after Sam Bradford).
I wondered whether Mike Teel would fit as the third quarterback given that scouting reports questioned his mobility, but the Seahawks did not draft a quarterback or even sign one among their initial list of 15 free agents. The team could bring additional players to minicamps on a tryout basis, but for now at least, Teel appears safe.
Seattle did not draft a running back, opting instead to acquire veterans LenDale White and Leon Washington (a reflection, again, of what the Seahawks thought about the players at that position in the draft). The Seahawks' decision not to draft a linebacker came as little surprise. The team appears stronger at that position than others.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers were rumored to have interest in Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, but they passed over him twice and never did draft a quarterback (Carolina selected Clausen at No. 48, one pick before the 49ers drafted safety Taylor Mays).
This was yet another reminder that San Francisco appears content with its quarterback situation for the upcoming season. The 49ers also showed no interest in acquiring Donovan McNabb by pre-draft trade. Alex Smith and David Carr will be the top two quarterbacks this season.
The 49ers did not draft a defensive lineman, either. That position could be one to address in the 2011 draft. At least three factors could influence the decision: whether Aubrayo Franklin plays well and re-signs, whether Justin Smith starts showing his age and whether Kentwan Balmer takes steps forward in his development.
Update: Cornerback was a position the 49ers were expected to address and one I initially overlooked because they did pick up a defensive back (Mays). Not addressing corner earlier than the seventh round means the 49ers could be more likely to bring back Dre Bly and/or Walt Harris. Thanks to flipdhart for pointing out in the comments.
St. Louis Rams
The Rams did not select a running back, explaining why they brought in former Eagles starter Brian Westbrook for a visit after the draft.
Like Seattle, the Rams appeared less than overwhelmed by the crop of runners available throughout this draft. Like Seattle, the Rams also had enough needs elsewhere to keep them busy.
St. Louis drafted at least one player at every other position (specialists excluded).
The moves teams make before the draft can better define their needs during the draft. Once the draft is finished, we'll have a better idea which positions teams still might target by adding undrafted free agents.
I'll start with a look at positions where the Cardinals still need depth.
Arizona Cardinals
Signed players: 64
Unsigned restricted free agents: 1
Draft choices: 7
Signed player limit: 80
Note: Draft choices will not count against the 80-man roster limit until they sign, meaning Arizona could initially sign up to 15 undrafted free agents without exceeding the limit, assuming RFA Deuce Lutui signs. Arizona's roster count of 65 signed players and unsigned RFAs mirrors the league average.
Positional thoughts: This is shaping up as a defensive draft for Arizona, at least early, but the team still needs numbers on offense.
Arizona, with six wide receivers, is one of seven teams carrying fewer than seven at the position. The other 25 teams are carrying 8.3 on average. The Cardinals will want to improve their numbers at this position.
The Cardinals technically have three quarterbacks until they move Kurt Warner off the roster. They effectively have only two, joining the Jaguars, Chargers, Eagles, Panthers and Saints among teams with fewer than three quarterbacks planning on playing in 2010. Brian St. Pierre is one potential option as a free agent. Having an extra third-round choice could give the team some flexibility to maneuver for a quarterback (or any player).
Arizona has nine defensive linemen. Teams running 3-4 defenses are carrying 9.5 on average. We know Arizona wants to add a nose tackle in the draft. Expect the team to improve its numbers at this position.
Inside linebacker is a need, but the Cardinals' overall numbers at linebacker -- 11 -- are strong even relative to counts for other teams running 3-4 defenses. The average is 9.9 for these teams.
The chart shows Cardinals position counts this week compared to averages for teams running 3-4 defenses and all teams. The asterisk next to the Cardinals' quarterback count acknowledges Warner's pending retirement.
I'll start with a look at positions where the Cardinals still need depth.
Arizona Cardinals
Signed players: 64
Unsigned restricted free agents: 1
Draft choices: 7
Signed player limit: 80
Note: Draft choices will not count against the 80-man roster limit until they sign, meaning Arizona could initially sign up to 15 undrafted free agents without exceeding the limit, assuming RFA Deuce Lutui signs. Arizona's roster count of 65 signed players and unsigned RFAs mirrors the league average.
Positional thoughts: This is shaping up as a defensive draft for Arizona, at least early, but the team still needs numbers on offense.
Arizona, with six wide receivers, is one of seven teams carrying fewer than seven at the position. The other 25 teams are carrying 8.3 on average. The Cardinals will want to improve their numbers at this position.
The Cardinals technically have three quarterbacks until they move Kurt Warner off the roster. They effectively have only two, joining the Jaguars, Chargers, Eagles, Panthers and Saints among teams with fewer than three quarterbacks planning on playing in 2010. Brian St. Pierre is one potential option as a free agent. Having an extra third-round choice could give the team some flexibility to maneuver for a quarterback (or any player).
Arizona has nine defensive linemen. Teams running 3-4 defenses are carrying 9.5 on average. We know Arizona wants to add a nose tackle in the draft. Expect the team to improve its numbers at this position.
Inside linebacker is a need, but the Cardinals' overall numbers at linebacker -- 11 -- are strong even relative to counts for other teams running 3-4 defenses. The average is 9.9 for these teams.
The chart shows Cardinals position counts this week compared to averages for teams running 3-4 defenses and all teams. The asterisk next to the Cardinals' quarterback count acknowledges Warner's pending retirement.
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers could be more likely to draft C.J. Spiller, among others, since Scot McCloughan's departure as general manager. The same could be true for USC safety Taylor Mays. Maiocco: "Word was that McCloughan was not sold on Mays as a first-round pick. McCloughan seemed to prefer a cover safety, more along the lines of Earl Thomas of Texas, than the physical marvel of Mays who recorded just five interceptions as a four-year starter. McCloughan seemed to value safeties with cover skills. He drafted cornerback/safeties, such as Dashon Goldson, Reggie Smith and Marcus Hudson. Mays showed virtually no cover skills in college, but he is freakishly big, strong and fast. Perhaps with a different group of folks making the decisions, Mays becomes a serious option with the No. 17 overall pick." As Maiocco notes, coach Mike Singletary's role is surely growing to help fill the void left by McCloughan's exit, even as Trent Baalke takes over control of the draft.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Marc Bulger asked for his release a week ago, once it became clear Sam Bradford's pro day went well enough for the Rams to draft the Oklahoma quarterback first overall. Thomas: "Chicago, where former Rams head coach Mike Martz is now the offensive coordinator, could be the most logical destination for Bulger, where he would have to go in as Jay Cutler's backup. Martz is thought to be open to the possibility of working with Bulger. Bulger still credits Martz with most of his development as an NFL quarterback, although by the end of Martz's tenure in St. Louis (in 2005) Bulger had grown weary of Martz's hard-driving style. But that was five years ago. Another possibility could be Pittsburgh, Bulger's hometown, where starter Ben Roethlisberger is facing legal troubles and a potential league suspension because of allegations of sexual assault."
Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com describes Bulger's demise this way: "Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Orlando Pace left . . . but Bulger remained behind, trapped, as an unpopular reminder of better times. The guaranteed portion of his $65 million contract kept him on the job longer than was prudent for either side."
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks handled Rob Sims' departure professionally, according to Sims. Sims, following his trade to the Lions: "The only thing I'm upset about is that I didn't get another shot to show that particular coaching staff what I can do. I feel like I'm hot right now. I feel like my talent is ready to take off. I wanted to show that to them, too. But I'm going to get a fresh start in Detroit, and the opportunity there."
Greg Johns of seattlepi.com suggests the Seahawks gave up too much for Charlie Whitehurst relative to what the Redskins paid for a much more established player in Donovan McNabb. Johns: "Given Whitehurst has never thrown a pass in the NFL while McNabb has tossed 4,722 passes and played in 150 games, including 12 playoff tilts, it's hard to think these two have anywhere near similar value." That is true. I think it's also true that their values weren't very close in terms of what the acquiring teams paid. The Redskins paid between 570 and 600 points on the draft-value chart for McNabb. Seattle paid about 270 points for Whitehurst.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Brian St. Pierre plans to re-sign with the Cardinals as their third-team quarterback. St. Pierre has adjusted his workout regimen to overcome a bad back. St. Pierre: "I feel a lot better. The organization has given me time to work out and get my health."
Also from Somers: a look at planned changes on the Cardinals' offensive line. He suggests Herman Johnson probably remains a year away from seriously contending for a starting job. Guard Reggie Wells battled through a thumb injury last season. Wells: "I've never been one to shy away from being the best that I could be. That's what I appreciate about Russ (Grimm) and Whiz (Ken Whisenhunt). They recognize that it was a struggle, but I kept fighting the fight, I guess you could say. Definitely, I'm coming into this off-season with idea of getting my body ready for a season like I had the year before last and the year before that."
Jeff from Waco, Texas writes: Would you see a Donovan McNabb trade involving the Niners as similar to the Cardinals getting Kurt Warner? It was successful for a few years, but wasn't a dynasty builder. As a Niners fan, I would rather hope that Alex Smith or David Carr could be the guy who leads the team to championships, not a guy like McNabb who might only have a few more solid seasons under his belt.
Mike Sando: Warner led the Cardinals to the Super Bowl and gave his team the lead in the final minutes. If the 49ers thought McNabb could take them to that level, they should acquire him right now. We already know McNabb can be a productive, Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. I also think a team could win a championship with him. Too much is made of the fact that McNabb lost a Super Bowl and hasn't gotten the Eagles back to one since. Five Super Bowls have passed since Tom Brady won one and no one is saying the Patriots need a new quarterback. They're tough to win!
The evidence on Smith and Carr suggests neither will become productive perennially. I do think the 49ers have enough invested in Smith to have an interest in seeing him through this season. They've strived for continuity for so long. Another quarterback change would entail starting over once again.
The question is really whether McNabb could take the 49ers to a level they likely wouldn't reach with Smith or Carr. My money would be on McNabb. But if I had invested the first overall choice in Smith and felt as though he might be on the verge of finally breaking through, I wouldn't replace him lightly.
Jason from Rochester, N.Y., writes: Hey Mike, even though Seattle signed Charlie Whitehurst, we know that general manager John Schneider likes to draft a QB every year. Any chance they use a late-rounder on local boy, Matt Nichols? Also, aren't they showing their hand a bit on where they will be drafting by purging both Cory Redding and Darryl Tapp? Edge pass rush was their most obvious need even with those two on the roster. With Julius Peppers signed, the pickings are slim in the free-agent market. Do you think No. 14 is going to be used for a defensive end?
Mike Sando: I agree that the Seahawks have subtracted somewhat unnecessarily as if determining what they don't want before having adequate reinforcements on board. This is what teams tend to do when new regimes take over. It's not just a Seattle thing. It also might tell us where the previous regime overvalued certain players. And then when you factor in changes made for scheme reasons, it's another reminder that NFL franchise makeovers come at a high price.
Nichols does project as a late-round prospect, but there's nothing to say the Seahawks would value him over another late-rounder at the position. I do think Seattle will probably draft a quarterback for the No. 3 role. That is also pretty typical. It makes sense because if you hit on a player at that position, the payoff can be great, even if he never starts for you.
I could see the Seahawks drafting a pass-rusher at No. 6 or No. 14. It's an area the team needs to address and with two picks that early, this is the chance.
Phillip from Olympia, Wash., writes: What's going on with the Seahawks' offensive line? I thought the new regime was going to transform the group. Any news on Rob Sims since the Jim Mora tirade and the Chicago trade rumer?
Mike Sando: I've been expecting Seattle to sign a Ben Hamilton or Chester Pitts type. That could still happen. Then I think we'll see the team draft for the position as well. Sims could return, but only if the Seahawks cannot get value for him. A trade probably remains the most likely scenario.
Peyson from Shelley, Idaho writes: Why don't the Seahawks get Brandon Marshall for their 14th pick? I mean, it is like giving back their pick to the Broncos and that would solidify the wide receiver position for us for the next couple years. Then we could use the sixth pick on an offensive linemen and use our second on a defensive linemen. This year is a deep year for big running backs, so we could pick one up in the fourth round. That's the way I look at it. What do you think?
Mike Sando: Seattle would have to risk the sixth pick in signing Marshall to an offer sheet. If you're talking about a trade, why pay the 14th overall choice for Marshall now if the price drops later? I don't see a long line of teams itching for a shot to acquire Marshall. Seattle would be better off trying to use the sixth and 14th picks for starters, using a later pick for Marshall, if possible.
Michael from Phoenix writes: Mike, with the 49ers looking for help in the return game and employing a 'best player available' strategy in the draft, how can they pass up a talent like Dez Bryant? I know receiver is not a pressing need, but with Bryant's stock falling because of off-field issues, he could be a steal that they can't afford to pass up. He would provide immediate help in the return game and most scouts have him rated higher than Michael Crabtree. The more talent assembled around Alex Smith can only help his development. Although those targets would look even better with McNabb -- I'm crossing my fingers -- they can still draft a tackle with the other first-round pick and sign free agent Chester Pitts to shore up the offensive line. What do you think?
Mike Sando: The 49ers did benefit from some of the red flags surrounding Crabtree a year ago. I also agree with the thinking that a team should arm its quarterback with more and more weapons. The Colts have done an excellent job drafting playmakers to help Peyton Manning.
The question is really whether targeting for value at No. 13 would prevent the 49ers from matching value to need at No. 17, the assumption being that San Francisco needs to help its offensive line with one of those first two selections. If the 49ers can address the line with one of those choices, I do think they can feel better about adding more of a luxury item with the other first-round choice.
Mike from Costa Mesa, Calif., writes: Sando! What do you think the chances are that Arizona will select a QB with one of its two third-round picks or in later rounds? I for one am intrigued by John Skelton of Fordham and would love to see him go to the Cards. I'm pretty sure that Skelton would be there for the third round, but is there a chance that he could still be on the board in the fifth or sixth rounds?
Mike Sando: Yeah, there's a chance he could be there after the third round. He's a big guy, 6-foot-5 and 240-plus pounds. Any player taken that late is going to come with some question marks. Skelton didn't face the best competition at Fordham. He played from the shotgun quite a bit, so there would be some projecting for the offense the Cardinals want to run. Sooner or later, though, the Cardinals need to draft a developmental quarterback.
Whisenhunt's teams have drafted six quarterbacks over the years: Tim Couch, Ben Roethlisberger, Chad Pennington, Brian St. Pierre, Omar Jacobs and Wally Richardson. The Cardinals haven't drafted one since Whisenhunt got there. It's probably time.
Frank from Los Angeles wants to know whether the Rams might avoid drafting Sam Bradford over fears that they wouldn't be able to sign him before the draft.
Mike Sando: The Rams can't let that stop them from drafting a franchise quarterback if they indeed think Bradford can be that type of player. Whether Bradford is signed in April or July shouldn't matter a great deal at this stage of the evaluation process.
Take the best player, particularly if he is a quarterback, and worry about the details later.
Mike Sando: Warner led the Cardinals to the Super Bowl and gave his team the lead in the final minutes. If the 49ers thought McNabb could take them to that level, they should acquire him right now. We already know McNabb can be a productive, Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. I also think a team could win a championship with him. Too much is made of the fact that McNabb lost a Super Bowl and hasn't gotten the Eagles back to one since. Five Super Bowls have passed since Tom Brady won one and no one is saying the Patriots need a new quarterback. They're tough to win!
The evidence on Smith and Carr suggests neither will become productive perennially. I do think the 49ers have enough invested in Smith to have an interest in seeing him through this season. They've strived for continuity for so long. Another quarterback change would entail starting over once again.
The question is really whether McNabb could take the 49ers to a level they likely wouldn't reach with Smith or Carr. My money would be on McNabb. But if I had invested the first overall choice in Smith and felt as though he might be on the verge of finally breaking through, I wouldn't replace him lightly.
Jason from Rochester, N.Y., writes: Hey Mike, even though Seattle signed Charlie Whitehurst, we know that general manager John Schneider likes to draft a QB every year. Any chance they use a late-rounder on local boy, Matt Nichols? Also, aren't they showing their hand a bit on where they will be drafting by purging both Cory Redding and Darryl Tapp? Edge pass rush was their most obvious need even with those two on the roster. With Julius Peppers signed, the pickings are slim in the free-agent market. Do you think No. 14 is going to be used for a defensive end?
Mike Sando: I agree that the Seahawks have subtracted somewhat unnecessarily as if determining what they don't want before having adequate reinforcements on board. This is what teams tend to do when new regimes take over. It's not just a Seattle thing. It also might tell us where the previous regime overvalued certain players. And then when you factor in changes made for scheme reasons, it's another reminder that NFL franchise makeovers come at a high price.
Nichols does project as a late-round prospect, but there's nothing to say the Seahawks would value him over another late-rounder at the position. I do think Seattle will probably draft a quarterback for the No. 3 role. That is also pretty typical. It makes sense because if you hit on a player at that position, the payoff can be great, even if he never starts for you.
I could see the Seahawks drafting a pass-rusher at No. 6 or No. 14. It's an area the team needs to address and with two picks that early, this is the chance.
Phillip from Olympia, Wash., writes: What's going on with the Seahawks' offensive line? I thought the new regime was going to transform the group. Any news on Rob Sims since the Jim Mora tirade and the Chicago trade rumer?
Mike Sando: I've been expecting Seattle to sign a Ben Hamilton or Chester Pitts type. That could still happen. Then I think we'll see the team draft for the position as well. Sims could return, but only if the Seahawks cannot get value for him. A trade probably remains the most likely scenario.
Peyson from Shelley, Idaho writes: Why don't the Seahawks get Brandon Marshall for their 14th pick? I mean, it is like giving back their pick to the Broncos and that would solidify the wide receiver position for us for the next couple years. Then we could use the sixth pick on an offensive linemen and use our second on a defensive linemen. This year is a deep year for big running backs, so we could pick one up in the fourth round. That's the way I look at it. What do you think?
Mike Sando: Seattle would have to risk the sixth pick in signing Marshall to an offer sheet. If you're talking about a trade, why pay the 14th overall choice for Marshall now if the price drops later? I don't see a long line of teams itching for a shot to acquire Marshall. Seattle would be better off trying to use the sixth and 14th picks for starters, using a later pick for Marshall, if possible.
Michael from Phoenix writes: Mike, with the 49ers looking for help in the return game and employing a 'best player available' strategy in the draft, how can they pass up a talent like Dez Bryant? I know receiver is not a pressing need, but with Bryant's stock falling because of off-field issues, he could be a steal that they can't afford to pass up. He would provide immediate help in the return game and most scouts have him rated higher than Michael Crabtree. The more talent assembled around Alex Smith can only help his development. Although those targets would look even better with McNabb -- I'm crossing my fingers -- they can still draft a tackle with the other first-round pick and sign free agent Chester Pitts to shore up the offensive line. What do you think?
Mike Sando: The 49ers did benefit from some of the red flags surrounding Crabtree a year ago. I also agree with the thinking that a team should arm its quarterback with more and more weapons. The Colts have done an excellent job drafting playmakers to help Peyton Manning.
The question is really whether targeting for value at No. 13 would prevent the 49ers from matching value to need at No. 17, the assumption being that San Francisco needs to help its offensive line with one of those first two selections. If the 49ers can address the line with one of those choices, I do think they can feel better about adding more of a luxury item with the other first-round choice.
Mike from Costa Mesa, Calif., writes: Sando! What do you think the chances are that Arizona will select a QB with one of its two third-round picks or in later rounds? I for one am intrigued by John Skelton of Fordham and would love to see him go to the Cards. I'm pretty sure that Skelton would be there for the third round, but is there a chance that he could still be on the board in the fifth or sixth rounds?
Mike Sando: Yeah, there's a chance he could be there after the third round. He's a big guy, 6-foot-5 and 240-plus pounds. Any player taken that late is going to come with some question marks. Skelton didn't face the best competition at Fordham. He played from the shotgun quite a bit, so there would be some projecting for the offense the Cardinals want to run. Sooner or later, though, the Cardinals need to draft a developmental quarterback.
Whisenhunt's teams have drafted six quarterbacks over the years: Tim Couch, Ben Roethlisberger, Chad Pennington, Brian St. Pierre, Omar Jacobs and Wally Richardson. The Cardinals haven't drafted one since Whisenhunt got there. It's probably time.
Frank from Los Angeles wants to know whether the Rams might avoid drafting Sam Bradford over fears that they wouldn't be able to sign him before the draft.
Mike Sando: The Rams can't let that stop them from drafting a franchise quarterback if they indeed think Bradford can be that type of player. Whether Bradford is signed in April or July shouldn't matter a great deal at this stage of the evaluation process.
Take the best player, particularly if he is a quarterback, and worry about the details later.
US PresswireMatt Leinart, Alex Smith and Sam Bradford could all be starting quarterbacks in the NFC West in 2010.Such is the state of quarterbacking in the NFC West, where even A.J. Feeley and David Carr have a chance to start in 2010.
It's still early in the offseason, of course, and rosters are evolving. But with Warner retiring, Marc Bulger possibly done in St. Louis, Derek Anderson heading to Arizona, Whitehurst coming to Seattle and Matt Hasselbeck entering the final year of his deal following two down seasons, it's time to take inventory.
Arizona Cardinals
Projected starter: Matt Leinart. Coach Ken Whisenhunt keeps saying he's confident in Leinart. Whisenhunt also believes in promoting competition. That's why he said the Cardinals will not hand the starting job to Leinart until he appears in multiple Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl. Of course, Whisenhunt didn't hand the job to Warner entering the 2008 season even though Warner had Pro Bowls and Super Bowls on his résumé. It's fair to wonder whether an inexperienced quarterback such as Leinart might have a better chance for success if Whisenhunt endorsed him less conditionally. Whisenhunt's approach was good for Warner, though, and Leinart must prove he can handle the challenge.
Backup: Anderson. The Cardinals are expected to sign Anderson and let him compete with Leinart for the job. Anderson will need time to learn the offense. He has a strong arm and starting experience, but accuracy has been a problem. Anderson should benefit from working with a receiving corps vastly superior to the one he left behind in Cleveland.
Third-stringer: None. Brian St. Pierre is an unrestricted free agent. He suffered back trouble last season.
Issues to resolve: Any moves the Cardinals make at quarterback should also take into account the longer-term future of the position. Leinart's deal balloons in value for 2011. A disappointing or even unconvincing performance in 2010 could end his tenure in Arizona. Anderson could benefit from such a scenario. The Cardinals probably do not draft early enough to consider selecting a franchise quarterback. Adding Anderson gives the Cardinals some flexibility on that front. He might not be the long-term answer, but he gives Arizona another option. It'll be interesting to hear how Whisenhunt frames the quarterback competition.
San Francisco 49ers
Projected starter: Alex Smith. The 2005 first-round choice posted a 5-5 record as the 49ers' starter last season. He set career highs for completion percentage (60.5), touchdown passes (18), touchdown-to-interception ratio (18-12) and passer rating (81.5). It wasn't enough for the 49ers to seriously consider extending his contract. Smith must show continued improvement. He also needs to win games.
Backup: Carr. The 49ers signed Carr and traded former starter Shaun Hill even though the 49ers had a 10-6 record in games Hill started. Hill was 3-3 as the starter last season and his career as a starter had plateaued. He looked like the perfect backup, but the 49ers do not need a backup. They need a starter. Smith can still be the starter, but if he falters, Carr could provide more upside as a starter than Hill, whose time in the role had passed.
Third-stringer: Nate Davis. Giving Davis a couple of years in Jimmy Raye's offense could give Davis a chance to emerge as the eventual No. 2.
Issues to resolve: Smith is entering the final year of his contract. He needs a productive season to stay in the team's plans beyond 2010. Smith must become more comfortable operating from under center. The offense lost too much of its stated identity when Smith took over and the 49ers suddenly became more of a shotgun passing team. Frank Gore operates most comfortably running out of the I-formation. The 49ers need to bridge the Gore-Smith gap this season. Drafting a quarterback could make sense for the 49ers, but the top two prospects could be gone and the 49ers might find more value at other positions early in the draft.
Seattle Seahawks
Projected starter: Hasselbeck. He turns 35 in September and has missed 11 games over the past two seasons, playing hurt much of the time. The Seahawks need to line up his long-term replacement even if Hasselbeck shows he can start for a couple more seasons. Hasselbeck is learning a new system for the second consecutive offseason. He had more value in Mike Holmgren's offense because he knew it so well.
Backup: Whitehurst. The Seahawks traded longtime backup Seneca Wallace to the Browns for a conditional 2011 late-round pick. Whitehurst could be in line to replace Hasselbeck beginning in 2011. The parameters of his deal will be telling. It's unlikely Whitehurst would agree to a trade for insignificant money, however. The deal he signs with Seattle should position him as a likely future starter.
Third-stringer: Mike Teel. The Seahawks' previous leadership used a 2009 sixth-round pick for Teel, who played well enough during the preseason to justify his role. New general manager John Schneider believes teams can find good value by drafting one or more quarterbacks per year, developing them and then either keeping or trading them. That makes Teel's status uncertain.
Issues to resolve: The team could still draft a quarterback in the first round. The main issue in the meantime is determining whether Whitehurst legitimately has a future as an NFL starter. It just seems unlikely for a third-stringer with zero regular-season attempts to suddenly emerge as a franchise quarterback. I checked in with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. for a second opinion.
"That seems farfetched, as he has been the No. 3 in San Diego, while guys like Matt Schaub and Kevin Kolb are at least the immediate backup," Williamson said. "Still, it is very much of a QB-starved league, and he comes from a potent passing attack. He also has good physical skills. He's tall and stands tall in the pocket. Quick, crisp release. Enough arm strength, but not a cannon. Arm strength may have improved as he has physically matured while in the NFL. Needed a few pounds/bulk/strength when entering the league and probably has gotten some of that, but that is speculation by me. Well-coached, though, under Norv Turner/Philip Rivers/Billy Volek. Overall, he is still quite an unknown, but I see why some are intrigued."
St. Louis Rams
Projected starter: Sam Bradford. The Rams have put themselves in position to draft a quarterback first overall. It doesn't mean a decision has been made. Bradford's health and performance at his pro day could affect how teams view him. But if Bradford checks out fine physically and the Rams think he possesses the intangibles to become a face of the franchise, the decision should be pretty straightforward. I'll project Bradford as the long-term starter for now even though it's possible the Rams could draft someone else, and likely that Bradford or any rookie might start the season on the bench.
Backup: Feeley. The Rams paid backup money to Feeley, so I'll leave him in this role even though he could conceivably open the season as the starter. He certainly wasn't signed as the long-term starter. Feeley knows the Rams' offense and knows his role. He'll mentor the next starter.
Third-stringer: Keith Null. Null's overall stats were dismal last season, but I thought he held up reasonably well under the circumstances. No sixth-round rookie should start four games for a team with no chance. It's possible the experience damaged Null, but at least he got to play.
Issues to resolve: Bulger remains on the roster with only an outside chance of figuring into the team's plans. His salary for the 2010 season is $8.5 million. The Rams will presumably release him at some point. The team also must firm up its draft plans relative to the position. Selecting Bradford would give the franchise needed direction overall and at quarterback.
The Cardinals remain the only NFC West team to re-sign any of their unrestricted free agents this offseason.
That is mostly by design.
Twenty-seven of 31 remaining unrestricted free agents from NFC West teams are at least 30 years old. Two are retiring. Two of the four still in their 20s are 29.
The chart shows remaining UFAs from the NFC West, arranged by team and by age.
That is mostly by design.
Twenty-seven of 31 remaining unrestricted free agents from NFC West teams are at least 30 years old. Two are retiring. Two of the four still in their 20s are 29.
The chart shows remaining UFAs from the NFC West, arranged by team and by age.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
