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Good morning, NFC West, and welcome back from a s-s-s-low weekend in the division.

On the bright side, depending upon your perspective, we're only 76 days away from the Hall of Fame game between our own Arizona Cardinals and whichever New Orleans Saints employees remain in good standing with the NFL by Aug. 5.

While the Saints see rehab for their reputation, the Cardinals are focused on getting their running backs healthy.

Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams haven't played or practiced since undergoing knee surgeries. Wells underwent a less serious procedure, but his durability has been a concern dating to college. Williams is nine months into his rehab from a torn patella tendon; the one-year anniversary falls on Aug. 19.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals haven't done much to address the position, an indication both backs could be on track for 2012. Urban: "Williams, who is anxious to get back on the field right now, admits the team will likely not push him now, instead wanting to preserve him for camp. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the team takes the same tact with Beanie. He's made that work before. Last season, Beanie didn’t get any summer work -- no one did, because of the lockout -- and he still had a career-high 1,047 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns and a 4.3 per-carry average despite battling his knee injury most of the season." Noted: Wells has missed five games in two seasons. He had 228 yards against St. Louis in Week 12 and a combined 198 yards in four subsequent games to end the 2011 season.

Also from Urban: Undrafted rookie receiver Stanley Arukwe ran the 40-yard dash in a wind-aided 4.19 seconds this offseason.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams general manager Les Snead for thoughts on where the team has improved this offseason. Snead on the defensive line: "We've got two young ends (in Chris Long and Robert Quinn). We've added (Kendall) Langford. We've got Darell Scott coming back. Bam! You throw in (Michael) Brockers, and all of a sudden that unit gets strong. Now the DL becomes a dominant unit."

Also from Thomas: Joe Long, brother of Jake, clears his own path.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch calls for calm over the Rams' stadium situation. Miklasz: "Less than 20 years ago, this region put up a lot of money to attract the Rams and enhance the convention-hosting capability in downtown St. Louis. We may ultimately decide to reject the allocation of additional public money for the stadium/convention center. Before our initial investment is essentially thrown in the river, before we dismiss the possibility of Kroenke and the NFL stepping in as our financial partners in this endeavor, we should at least make a sincere effort to see if this investment makes sense. That will require calm, rational discussion."

Howard Balzer outlines salary details for recent Rams additions Mario Haggan and Barry Richardson.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee has this to say about Jim Harbaugh's recent comments regarding Michael Crabtree's sure hands: "I was reminded of last offseason when Harbaugh said Alex Smith was a 'very accurate passer.' Or when he said Smith was an 'elite' quarterback. Or when he insisted Smith deserved a spot in the Pro Bowl. Not only does Harbaugh always back his players publicly, he pumps up the players that are in need of a little inflating. Last year that was Smith, who had been kicked around like no other 49er in the last quarter century but who responded with the best season of his career. This year Crabtree may be getting the same kind of treatment."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers still have only one proven return specialist: Ted Ginn Jr.

Also from Maiocco: big plays for a 49ers Hall of Fame.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News offers assorted 49ers notes, including this one: "Rather than report to the 49ers offseason conditioning program, franchise-tagged safety Dashon Goldson headed to South Florida and has hooked up with Bommarito Performance Systems. Among the 49ers who’ve previously worked with trainer Pete Bommarito are Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Kendall Hunter, Ricky Jean Francois, Tavaris Gooden and rookie Cam Johnson."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team felt as though seventh-round draft choice Greg Scruggs was a bargain. A turf-toe injury slowed the defensive lineman at Louisville last season. Farnsworth: "Where Scruggs fits with the Seahawks remains to be seen, but for now he is working as a pass-rusher from the three-technique tackle spot as well as at the five-technique end position in the base defense -- a backup role that was filled last season by Anthony Hargrove, who signed with the Green Bay Packers in free agency."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times checks in with former Seahawks quarterback Jon Kitna, who is teaching math and coaching football at his high school alma mater. O'Neil: "It's not hard to imagine a former NFL quarterback filling his afternoons with football. It's tougher to imagine that same man -- a guy who was making $3 million last year -- arriving on campus at 7 a.m. and bringing breakfast for kids who need extra help, hosting a home room and then teaching two periods of algebra."

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin remembers one game more than any other last season: the one against Cleveland, when Baldwin finished with no receptions during a 6-3 defeat.

We might need to consider Friday afternoon chats more regularly. Lots of fun in there.

The highlight for me, by far, was when blog regular Deccare, posting under the guise of Deccarizzle, lobbed a softball.

"Who's to blame for the 49ers losing the NFC championship game?" he asked.

Too easy.

"The Giants," I replied.

Gotta keep up your guard in the chats.

"I will sonic boom sando," Deccare replied in the comments beneath the full transcript.

The chat also generated spirited discussion on the St. Louis Rams, with Will from Tallahassee calling out my, shall we say, conservative projections for 2012.

"Are you saying that even if the Rams come into the season healthy, as opposed to last season, and maintain relative good health amongst their starters on offense and defense, that they would only get 4 or 5 wins?" Will wrote. "Really, Sando?"

I'm saying the Rams went 15-65 over the past five seasons, faring worse than expected at almost every turn. So, when asked for early victory projections in the NFC West, I had the Rams in the 4-6 range, with San Francisco (10-11), Seattle (nine) and Arizona (eight) ahead of them. Those projections invited another round of debate.

Once the chat had concluded, we had argued over how to characterize Alex Smith's career, with SFfan_inNY claiming in the comments section that "Sando is never gonna man up and admit what most of us know: Smith was a victim of a terrible situation that very well have ended the careers of Brady, Manning or Rodgers."

How many cans of worms could one NFC West chat open? Lets sift through a few more:

Griz from Montana asks whether I could see Pete Carroll switching to Russell Wilson at quarterback in 2013 if Matt Flynn were "moderately successful" as the starter this year, on the basis that Wilson's athletic ability might make him a better fit for Carroll's brand of offense.

Mike Sando: Moderately successful will not be good enough for Flynn to hold onto the job. The Seahawks love Russell Wilson and want to see if he can overcome the one big strike against him: lack of height. They feel like Wilson has everything else. They're optimistic, but they just don't know for sure based on the height. That one trait explains why Wilson was still available in the third round.

Randy from Toledo called my predictions a "kiss of death" and asked whether it was a "pact with Satan" when I pointed to the 49ers as division favorites in 2012.

Mike Sando: Football is largely unpredictable, especially in a division without established, reliable quarterback play. It's not like the AFC East, where everyone is trying to catch up to Tom Brady. We went into last season with Sam Bradford appearing on the rise, the 49ers breaking in a new staff under tough circumstances, Arizona spending big on Kevin Kolb, Seattle coming off a weird season featuring a 7-9 record and a playoff victory. So many variables in this division. The 49ers are the logical favorite based on what we saw from them last.

Will from Tallahassee also asked why Cortland Finnegan didn't land on an all-division team as published during a previous chat. "You really think that Carlos Rogers is a better corner than Finnegan?" he writes.

Mike Sando: I don't recall making that selection at cornerback, but the truth is, I watched Carlos Rogers every week last season. I did not watch the Titans very much at all. Might need to see Finnegan play in the division before putting him on an all-division team. Chris Long is very good and could be a worthy selection. He has competition in this division, however.

EDTGO from New York asks whether projections for Flynn dovetail with projections for Kevin Kolb a year ago.

Mike Sando: You could be 100 percent correct in that. I do see similarities, for sure. The feeling in Arizona last season was that the quarterback play had to improve even if Kevin Kolb were mediocre, and that the improvement would help the team win a few more games. The team did win a few more games, improving from 5-11 to 8-8, but how much did that have to do with quarterback improvement? The defense improved tremendously over the second half of the season. Patrick Peterson's punt-return touchdowns were huge. And then John Skelton, not Kolb, helped pull out some comeback victories.

Enjoy your Friday.

NFC West teams might think twice before handing their top defensive ends contract extensions worth $49 million over four years.

Signing those players for $17 million over two years would be more palatable.

They could, in theory, do both of the above. That is what the Miami Dolphins did with Cameron Wake, handing him a deal that could range in value from $17 million to $49 million.

The details, laid out Thursday by the Palm Beach Post, carry interest in the NFC West as defensive ends Chris Long, Chris Clemons and Calais Campbell enter contract years.

"Wake's contract, originally reported as a four-year extension worth $49 million and $20 million guaranteed, is really a two-year extension that will pay him $17 million," Ben Volin writes. "He received a $7 million signing bonus, and his base salaries -- $615,000 in 2012, $3.6 million in 2013 and $5.8 million in 2014 -- are fully guaranteed."

Scouts Inc. ranked Clemons 37th and Wake 47th among current NFL players in the Top 50 piece Matt Williamson put together during the 2011 season (NFC West angle here). Campbell fell into the "others of note" category. Long earned "up-and-comer" status.

I circled back with Williamson this week for his updated thoughts on where those players stand. He upgraded Wake based on pass-rushing skills.

"Campbell is certainly different than the other three because he is a bigger five-technique 3-4 defensive end," Williamson said. "But I think Wake is the best player out of Wake, Long and Clemons. In fact, I would rank those guys in that order right now.

"But Long is the youngest and just coming into his own. I would expect Long to get even more than Wake (because of his age) and Clemons to get a notch below what Miami gave Wake. Wake is a big-time pass-rusher."

The relative youth of Long and Campbell put them in better position to command longer-term deals.

The contract Cameron Wake signed with the Miami Dolphins had to resonate among pass-rushers in the NFC West.

Wake, 30, signed a four-year extension that could help define parameters for St. Louis' Chris Long, Seattle's Chris Clemons and Arizona's Calais Campbell. That extension was reportedly worth $49 million, with $20 million in guaranteed money.

Long, Clemons and Campbell are entering the final year of their contracts, as was Wake.

Scheme differences affect how these players are defined. They are connected by contract status and their ability to rush the passer.

The Cardinals named Campbell their franchise player, setting his value at about $10.6 million for the 2012 season. Long will also earn more than $10 million this season. Clemons' deal pays him $4.6 million in salary for 2012.

Clemons and Wake are similar in that both were undrafted, both are 30 years old and both emerged as prominent players only in the last few seasons.

Seattle values Clemons as a pass-rusher, defensive leader and mentor for new first-round draft choice Bruce Irvin. For those reasons, signing Clemons to an extension could make sense even though Irvin projects as Clemons' eventual successor.

Campbell, 25, plays defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, diminishing his opportunities for sacks (he has 14 over the past two seasons). But as the Cardinals' franchise player, he's in position to command a lucrative extension.

Long, 27, has seen his sack totals grow every season since the Rams made him the second overall choice of the 2008 draft. He had 13 last season.

The chart shows Clemons and Long with about the same sack totals as Wake over the past two seasons. While teams value players for their all-around games, pass-rushing ability carries a premium and sacks are an important measure.

Clemons, Campbell and Long all possess strengths beyond rushing the passer.

Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. singled out the San Francisco 49ers' passing game as one of the NFC's three most improved units this offseason.

Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, A.J. Jenkins and LaMichael James are among the newcomers he expects to upgrade that area.

A look at the areas where the 49ers' competitors have the greatest potential for improvement, in my estimation:

• Arizona Cardinals: wide receiver. Michael Floyd's addition as a potential strong No. 2 wideout could upgrade two receiving spots by casting Andre Roberts into more of a slot role, which could suit him better. Floyd projects as the flanker, with Larry Fitzgerald remaining at split end most of the time. We should also mention the Cardinals' offensive line, simply because the team now has a few young players to develop. I'm just not sure how much Adam Snyder and rookie Bobby Massie will upgrade the right side initially.
• Seattle Seahawks: quarterback. Adding Matt Flynn in free agency and Russell Wilson through the draft dramatically changes the outlook for the position in Seattle. We cannot know what Flynn or Wilson will become, and that is the point. The team will not go through another season with Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst as the only viable options. That is progress. The Seahawks' pass rush deserves mention, too. Adding Bruce Irvin and Jason Jones changes the dynamic. A healthy Dexter Davis could be a factor, too.
• St. Louis Rams: defensive line. The Rams also addressed their secondary, which was going to improve simply through better health. But with defensive tackles Kendall Langford and Michael Brockers joining the rotation, St. Louis now has four young starters on its line. Chris Long and 2011 first-round choice Robert Quinn are the others. The team still needs help at linebacker, but the brightened outlook at defensive tackle provides the foundation for improved run defense. That's important in a division featuring Marshawn Lynch, Frank Gore, Beanie Wells and others.

That's how I see it, anyway. Now it's your turn.

Passionate responses from St. Louis Rams fans take priority around here for reasons obvious to those lurking in the comments sections.

If the past five seasons have squeezed life from some Rams fans, that is understandable. But there are still some survivors out there, and I'm betting k1joyce is one of them.

The earlier item about the Rams' total roster rebuild got k1joyce going. It was good to see.

"It is simply ignored that the Rams were 7-9 a year ago [2010 season]," he wrote. "I'd like to see any team weather the storm of injuries they had last year, but of course, that doesn't matter. They should win 6-8 games next year provided the draft gives them some decent players."

And this: "With Jeff Fisher at the helm, this team surprises Mike Sando and wins 6-8 games, provided 20 players don't end up on IR. ... You can't just go around looking at the record of the past five years and just continue to IGNORE that the Rams were 7-9 a year ago. While it is unlikely the Rams are over .500 this upcoming year, they are not as far away from being competitive as Sando would have you think."

A clarification seems appropriate here. I never said the Rams would be terrible. I said they were terrible last season and would have many new players this season, by design. They went into this offseason with 21 unrestricted free agents. They have not re-signed any of them. I'll be shocked if they re-sign more than one or two, if any.

Right there, we're talking about 40 percent of the final 2011 roster turning over. The team could welcome back seven or eight of the players finishing last season on injured reserve, helping continuity and supporting k1joyce's broader point.

But as I told k1joyce in the comments section of that previous item, the Rams being 7-9 in 2010 would mean more if they were bringing back a lot of the same players. Three-fourths of the starting defensive line will be new from 2010. Two-thirds of the starting linebackers will be new. The entire starting secondary could be new. At least three-fifths of the starting offensive line will be new. The receivers should be largely new.

"I just think, minus half the team on IR, they are better than what they were last year," k1joyce replied. "There is a solid core in place with Chris Long, James Lauranitis, Robert Quinn, Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson. Quintin Mikell and Darian Stewart will be the starters at safety. Cortland Finnegan is new, but Bradley Fletcher has played well when healthy, and Jerome Murphy could surprise some people at nickel."

There was more, including a note about Bradford playing well -- for a rookie, I would add -- with the receivers he had in 2010. But we should be able to settle this one without extending this discussion much further.

Again, I never said the Rams would be 2-14 again. I would simply say the evidence suggests they're in rebuild mode, starting with the fact that so many of their players from last season will not return -- by design.

The turnover since 2010 will be even more striking.

Seventy-six players played for the Rams at some point during the 2010 season. Twenty-three of them remain with the team, including restricted free agent Danny Amendola. Of the other 22, a handful project as potential starters: Bradford, Fletcher, Jackson, Laurinaitis, Long, Saffold, Stewart and Jason Smith. Mikell, referenced earlier, was not with the Rams until 2011.

I'll break down the turnover rates for rosters as the season approaches. The Rams are not finished.

Note: The 76 players from 2010 included all players with the Rams in some capacity, whether or not they played during regular-season games. That included some practice-squad players.

Twenty-one NFL players since 2008 have at least six penalties for roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness or unspecified personal fouls.

The leader on that list, cornerback Cortland Finnegan, signed with the St. Louis Rams early in the free-agent signing period. Another player on the list, defensive end William Hayes, reached agreement with the Rams on Friday.

Finnegan has 11 such penalties since 2008, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Hayes has six, including one for a 2011 hit on Matt Ryan that drew a $15,000 fine from the NFL.

This would normally be where the Rams could take a bow for adding players fitting defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' profile of aggressive, unapologetic defensive play. Fisher's teams in Tennessee regularly ranked among the league leaders in such penalties over the years, including when Williams was his coordinator there.

But with Williams serving an indefinite suspension for bounty-related transgressions committed with New Orleans, the Rams would be better off emphasizing their new defensive players' familiarity with Fisher's scheme.

Hayes, 26, started 11 games under Fisher in 2009. He played 45 percent of the defensive snaps for the Titans last season, starting one game and playing in 10. He has eight sacks in four NFL seasons, half of them during his rookie year.

Chris Long returns as the Rams' starting left end, with 2011 first-round choice Robert Quinn expected to start on the right side after the Rams released veteran James Hall. Hayes provides rotational depth, at least, and a direct connection to Fisher.

"Hayes is undersized with good initial quickness and acceleration off the edge," the Scouts Inc. profile reads, in part. "He needs to work on developing more counter moves and improving his strength to take on and shed blockers."

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Arizona Cardinals

Key free agents: DE Calais Campbell (franchise tag), CB Richard Marshall, OLB Clark Haggans, WR Early Doucet, T Brandon Keith, G Deuce Lutui, K Jay Feely.

Where they stand: A strong finish to the 2011 season on defense gives the Cardinals a glass-half-full feel heading into free agency. Going from 1-6 to 8-8 was an impressive achievement. Arizona does have serious concerns on its offensive line. The situation at tackle is particularly questionable even if Levi Brown returns (and maybe especially if he returns, depending on your view). The line concerns might actually dissipate some if the team lands Peyton Manning, a quarterback with the ability to beat pressure with quick throws. But tackle is still an area that needs addressing for the long term. Injuries throughout the offensive backfield raise questions about that area as well. Kevin Kolb (concussion), Beanie Wells (knee), Ryan Williams (knee) and Anthony Sherman (ankle) missed extensive time or played at a diminished level for stretches.

What to expect: The Cardinals are one of the teams chasing Manning. That pursuit could consume them for the short term. Landing Manning would signal the end for Kolb in Arizona. The Cardinals have until March 17 to exercise a $7 million option on Kolb, the quarterback they acquired from Philadelphia for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a fat contract. I'm expecting a resolution to Manning's situation before the Kolb bonus comes due simply because interest in Manning should be high enough to accelerate the process. The Cardinals had about $3 million in salary-cap space entering the week, according to ESPN's John Clayton. That figure could increase substantially once the team releases Brown or reworks his contract. Arizona still has strong coaching ties to Pittsburgh on both sides of the ball, but it's an upset if the Cardinals seriously pursue any of the aging veterans recently released by the Steelers. Developing young talent is the priority now. Re-signing Marshall, who fared well at corner, should be a priority. Does free-agent linebacker Stewart Bradley still factor prominently into the team's plans, particularly at such a high price?

St. Louis Rams

Key free agents: WR Brandon Lloyd, G Jacob Bell, CB Justin King, OL Adam Goldberg, LB Chris Chamberlain, G Tony Wragge, TE Billy Bajema, WR Mark Clayton, DT Gary Gibson, P Donnie Jones.

Where they stand: The Rams have no interest in staying the course from a personnel standpoint after going 15-65 over the past five seasons. They will seek fresh talent almost across the board as Jeff Fisher's new coaching staff seeks players for its schemes. The Rams are seeking playmakers in particular, starting at wide receiver. The offensive line needs addressing, although the Rams might try to minimize the turnover at offensive tackle for the short term, figuring they cannot afford to create new needs. But former starting center Jason Brown, benched last season, appears unlikely to return. The team also needs two starting outside linebackers, starting defensive tackles and perhaps two starting cornerbacks on defense.

What to expect: Mass roster turnover. I could see the team retaining as few as one or two players from its list of 21 projected unrestricted free agents. The Rams have a disproportionate amount of their salary cap tied up in recent high draft choices Sam Bradford, Chris Long and Jason Smith. The rookie wage scale will provide them cap relief even if the team remains among the teams picking very high in the 2012 draft. Bradford and Long are cornerstones. Smith could stick around at a reduced rate. The team still has hope for him under new offensive line coach Paul Boudreau. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan and defensive lineman Jason Jones, both free agents from Tennessee, have ties to Fisher and could make sense for the Rams. Despite the need for playmakers on offense, the Rams did not use the franchise tag on Lloyd, their most talented receiver. Questions persist about how effective Lloyd might be outside Josh McDaniels' offense.

San Francisco 49ers

Key free agents: QB Alex Smith, CB Carlos Rogers, FS Dashon Goldson (franchise tag), G Adam Snyder, WR Ted Ginn Jr., WR Josh Morgan, G Chilo Rachal, FB Moran Norris, LB Blake Costanzo.

Where they stand: Coach Jim Harbaugh has said it's a bit unsettling heading through the offseason with his starting quarterback unsigned. Smith and the 49ers are expected to reach agreement eventually. This relationship will almost certainly continue even if Smith does reach free agency without a deal in place. Smith would not fit nearly as well anywhere else. Harbaugh likes to use the word "equity" when describing players he wants to keep. The 49ers would rather bring back Smith than invite the disruption that Manning would bring, were they able to land him. The team needs help at wide receiver and possibly cornerback, depending upon what happens with Rogers. Getting Goldson at the relatively reasonable franchise rate ($6.2 million) was a plus for the 49ers' continuity in the secondary.

What to expect: Not a whole lot, most likely. The 49ers were a good team last season after taking a low-keyed approach to the free-agent market. They will presumably show interest in Vincent Jackson, Mike Wallace and any high-profile, productive receiver with the talent to upgrade their offense. It's a small upset if the 49ers land one of them, however, because their philosophy is built on a measured approach resistant to overpaying. They will have to address the receiver position in free agency one way or another, however. Re-signing Morgan would help. Pierre Garcon, Marques Colston, Mario Manningham, Plaxico Burress and Robert Meachem are among the other options in free agency. An upgrade at right guard would help the line, but the 49ers might be apt to develop 2011 draft choice Daniel Kilgore after investing first-round choices in their left tackle (Joe Staley), left guard (Mike Iupati) and right tackle (Anthony Davis).

Seattle Seahawks

Key free agents: DE Red Bryant, LB David Hawthorne, LB Leroy Hill, OL Paul McQuistan, DE Raheem Brock, DL Tony Hargrove, FB Michael Robinson, RB Justin Forsett, QB Charlie Whitehurst, LB Matt McCoy, TE John Carlson, LB Heath Farwell.

Where they stand: The Seahawks' long-term quarterback situation hangs over them as they head toward the 2012 draft with only the 12th overall choice. The team has built up the rest of its roster to a point where sticking with Tarvaris Jackson as the primary starter could hold back the team to a degree it did not through much of last season. Upgrading the pass rush is another priority for the Seahawks. With defensive end Raheem Brock publicly stumping for Seattle to land Manning, his former teammate, I couldn't help but wonder which one of them had a better shot at earning a roster spot with the team in 2012. It might be Manning, even if the Seahawks are relative long shots for his services. Brock failed to provide the pass-rush push Seattle needed opposite Chris Clemons. Linebacker is another position the Seahawks need to address, whether or not Hawthorne and Hill return.

What to expect: The Seahawks have roughly $30 million in cap space, according to Clayton, and will make every effort to land Manning. They feel they've got a shot as long as they can persuade him to get on a plane and check out what they have to offer in terms of the roster, coaching, facilities, ownership and more. If Manning goes elsewhere, I would expect the Seahawks to consider Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn. Securing him at a price lower than what Arizona paid for Kolb would be the goal. As badly as the Seahawks want to upgrade the position, they have said they will not panic. Overpaying for Flynn could represent panic in their eyes. On the pass-rush front, I'm increasingly skeptical the team will shell out for Mario Williams. The price could be too high for a player Houston has decided to let hit the market. Re-signing Bryant is a priority, but using the franchise tag for him was never an option given the $10.6 million price. A deal slightly north of the one teammate Brandon Mebane signed seems likelier if Bryant returns.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The St. Louis Rams have not given up on 2009 first-round draft choice Jason Smith.

Their new coach, Jeff Fisher, and new general manager, Les Snead, said during the NFL scouting combine that they hoped to bring back Smith following three disappointing seasons.

The strategy makes sense if Smith agrees to reduce his scheduled $10 million salary. The team might as well find out whether new line coach Paul Boudreau can help salvage some return on a massive investment. Better luck with injuries might help Smith more than anything. The concussion he suffered against Dallas came on a freak play when Smith was making a tackle following a turnover.

For the Rams, there's no sense in making tackle a bigger need by dumping Smith prematurely. Publicly declaring interest in Smith sets a positive tone for expected negotiations on a new deal.

Smith has started 26 of 48 games for the Rams, the third-lowest total for three seasons among players drafted second overall from 1990-2009.

The chart ranks three-year start totals for players drafted second overall since 1998, beginning with Ryan Leaf. The final column shows total starts each player has made for his original team.

Good morning. It's great to be back following a one-week break.

I'll be heading to the NFL scouting combine Wednesday and beginning coverage from Indianapolis the following day. In the meantime, offseason storylines abound.

Let's take our usual morning spin around the division.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with general manager John Schneider for thoughts on Seattle's efforts to land a franchise quarterback. Schneider: "I've been blessed to be around a lot of really good quarterback people that have taught me a lot about the position, so I just kind of incorporate that with the quarterbacks I've been around. I just know if you panic at the position, it can set the organization back. So we're not going to do that." Noted: Wanting a franchise quarterback and finding one are not the same thing. The Seahawks realize they're not drafting early enough to land Andrew Luck or even Robert Griffin III. They know health concerns make Peyton Manning a risky proposition. Matt Flynn is another option, but an unproven one.

Also from Farnsworth: Walter Thurmond's injury rehab comes after the position he once manned changed substantially in his absence.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says a long-term deal for Calais Campbell would make more sense than using the franchise tag, which could send the team down a road similar to the one used for Karlos Dansby. Somers: "The amount the Cardinals pay Campbell now in a long-term deal will seem like a lot. Heck, it will be a lot. But in two or three years, if Campbell continues to play as he did in 2011, it won't be unreasonable. The cap is going to increase dramatically. Someone is going to have to be paid. It might as well be a 25-year-old defensive end who's done everything anyone could ask in his first four seasons." Noted: The franchise tag will tempt teams this offseason because prices have fallen. Campbell should have considerable staying power, however, and he is ascending. He appears to be a prime candidate for a longer-term deal.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says cornerback Greg Toler finished his college degree in criminal justice this offseason. Urban: "Rehabbing his knee, Toler -- a restricted free agent who is expected to be back with the Cards -- has every expectation to be ready for training camp. But he also likes the idea of having a degree. He said he was good in forensics in school, and while he didn’t necessarily see himself following his sister as a second lawyer in the family, he could see himself in some part of law enforcement."

Also from Urban: Coordinator Mike Miller's thoughts on the Cardinals' offense.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have been noncommittal regarding Randy Moss, who played for Rams coach Jeff Fisher in Tennessee. Fisher: "I thought the world of him over the six or eight weeks that I think we had him. I thought he was a terrific teammate and he did a great job in our locker room." Noted: Moss caught six passes for the Titans and 28 during the entire 2010 season, his most recent in the NFL. The Rams are weak enough at the position for Fisher to keep open all options whether or not Moss has a realistic shot at playing for the team at any point in the future.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says the Rams' draft plans remain in their formative stages given all the work Fisher and new general manager Les Snead face ahead of them.

Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis explains why the Rams aren't flush with salary-cap space. Balzer: "The reality is that Chris Long, Jason Smith and Sam Bradford ($15.595 million) count a combined $47.17 million against the cap, which is 37.5 percent of the projected cap space. Include Steven Jackson ($8.899 million) and the total is $56.069 million/44.6 percent. Finally, the percentage for five players goes over 50 percent when Ron Bartell’s $7.663 million is factored in. Those five players have a total cap figure of $63.732 million, which is 50.7 percent of the expected cap." Noted: The Rams held high draft choices at the wrong time. Had the current labor agreement been in place earlier, the Rams could have signed Long, Smith and Bradford at far lower rates.

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis points to Cortland Finnegan, among others, as potential good fits for the Rams in free agency.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has this to say about the 49ers giving cornerback Shawntae Spencer permission to explore trade options: "The day after the season ended, Spencer expressed his intent to switch agents. Spencer's agent was David Dunn, whose close ties to coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke, represented a potential conflict of interest, Spencer said. ... Among the teams that could be interested are the Houston Texans, whose defensive backs coach, Vance Joseph, coached Spencer six years with the 49ers; Seattle Seahawks, whose secondary coach, Kris Richard, played with Spencer with the 49ers in 2005; and the St. Louis Rams, another NFC West team whose secondary needs strengthening." Noted: Spencer is scheduled to earn $3.2 million in base salary for the 2012 season. I have a hard time envisioning another team acquiring that contract.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee does not expect the 49ers to be big spenders in the free-agent market for receivers. Noted: Last offseason, the 49ers took a low-keyed approach to the market before going 13-3, winning a playoff game and securing funding for a new stadium. The team has zero incentive to overspend now.

Jill Tucker of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers appear on course to open their new stadium for the 2014 season, a year earlier than once expected.

The St. Louis Rams thought they could upgrade from veteran linebacker Paris Lenon following the 2009 season.

Three years later, they still have not adequately replaced him.

The Arizona Cardinals sought to upgrade from Lenon last offseason when they invested $6 million a year in free-agent linebacker Stewart Bradley.

Lenon wound up playing more than 95 percent of the defensive snaps in 2011. He was a team captain, played through multiple injuries (including a cracked tailbone) and triggered a $500,000 salary increase for the 2012 season. His name jumped off the chart below showing NFC West players who have earned 2012 pay raises by meeting incentives.

Lenon, 34, will not go away. He has done what solid, unspectacular veterans must do to remain viable: stay on the field at all costs.

"His story is amazing," Lenon's agent, Jonathan Persch, said Friday. "He is the only XFL player still even remotely around. What makes him amazing is not just his resiliency on the field, but he is a normal soccer dad when he goes home to his wife and kids."

Undrafted from Richmond in 2000, Lenon went to camp with Carolina as a rookie, then caught on with the XFL's Memphis Maniax. He was briefly with Seattle and Green Bay before joining the Packers' practice squad in 2001.

Lenon played for the Amsterdam Adrmirals in NFL Europe and has subsequently played in 159 of 160 regular-season NFL games for the Packers, Detroit Lions, Rams and Cardinals. He has never missed a game to injury. Lenon did not play the 2009 opener only because the Rams had not yet signed him.

"He doesn't verbalize this," Persch said, "but dear God, don't tell him what he cannot do."

The Cardinals credited Lenon with 127 tackles in 2010 and 103 last season. Those totals, combined with playing time, helped Lenon achieve the $500,000 raise. Lenon also set a career high with three sacks. He has five sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble in two seasons with Arizona.

Will Lenon start again in 2012? There are never guarantees, but it's tough betting against him. Coach Ken Whisenhunt has emphasized playing the best players at every position, even when it wasn't convenient to him. That explained why Lenon stayed on the field last season even though the team had more invested in Bradley.

Note: Thanks to Brian McIntyre for putting together the information in the chart below. He has posted a broader NFL list of salary increases here.

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A look at my all-NFC West picks for the 2011 season, continuing with the defense:

• San Francisco 49ers rookie Aldon Smith defied categorization. I wasn't going to list him at the expense of every-down players at defensive end or linebacker. Neither was I going to leave him off the team after Smith collected 14 sacks. Smith commanded his own category as a situational pass-rusher. Consider that a compliment.
• Some St. Louis Rams fans I know will insist James Laurinaitis should show up among the linebackers. I wasn't going to list him above Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman or Daryl Washington. The Cardinals blocked Laurinaitis well while Beanie Wells set a franchise rushing record with 228 yards. The Rams ranked 32nd against the run most of the season, settling in at No. 31. Dallas' DeMarco Murray also set a franchise single-game rushing record against the Rams. Laurinaitis was not primarily to blame, obviously, but neither was he able to stem the bleeding. He remains a good player with a bright future, but this was not his year.
• The choices along the defensive line forced leaving off very good players such as Darnell Dockett, Ray McDonald and Red Bryant. Alan Branch also played well after leaving Arizona for Seattle. Chris Clemons' obvious strength as a pass-rusher and strong play against the run made him stand out. Insider subscribers might have noticed Clemons showing up third behind Jared Allen and Jason Babin on a list of most valuable sack artists. The piece ranked pass-rushers by the importance of their sacks relative to game situations.
• Seattle's Kam Chancellor was a narrow choice over Arizona's Adrian Wilson at strong safety. I had no problem with Wilson beating out Chancellor in Pro Bowl balloting. Wilson earned that recognition. He was a worthy choice. I do think Chancellor made a bigger impact from start to finish this season, and he did it for a defense that was far more consistent. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. agreed with me on that choice. An NFL scout I called for another opinion also gave Chancellor a slight edge. Both players were legitimate choices.
• The division has good, young prospects at cornerback. Arizona's Patrick Peterson will probably show up on this team next season. He was trending that way. The 49ers' Carlos Rogers was an easy choice. Seattle's Richard Sherman enjoyed a breakout rookie season and was even better, I thought, than teammate Brandon Browner, a first-alternate to the Pro Bowl.

The chart breaks down all-division choices from 2008-10, plus this season. Still to come: special teams. Let the discussions begin.

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» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 31
Preseason Power Ranking: 17

Biggest surprise: The Rams ranked eighth in sacks per pass attempt, one spot ahead of the 13-3 San Francisco 49ers, even though they rarely forced opponents into obvious passing situations. Chris Long broke out with a career-high 13 sacks. Long had been improving since moving to the left side. There were indications he might hit double digits for sacks if the Rams forced opponents into obvious passing situations frequently enough. Long came within a half-sack of matching his combined total for the 2009-10 seasons.

Biggest disappointment: Failing to build on Sam Bradford's promising rookie season. Bradford was the NFL's offensive rookie of the year after setting rookie records for completions (354) and pass attempts (590). Only Peyton Manning had thrown for more yards than Bradford as an NFL rookie. There were challenges this season with the lockout, a tough early schedule and all that goes with learning a new scheme. Bradford and first-year coordinator Josh McDaniels liked their chances, but the offense suffered huge setbacks when injuries sidelined Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola in the season opener. The Rams approached the season eager to see how Jackson, Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Mike Hoomanawanui and Lance Kendricks functioned together. That group never took a snap together. Bradford completed only 53.5 percent of his passes. He took 36 sacks in 10 starts and threw for only six touchdowns.

Biggest need: Offensive playmakers. Bradford completed only 1 of 16 attempts in goal-to-go situations. For perspective, consider that Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman, another young quarterback facing struggles in 2011, completed 14 of 20 passes with eight touchdowns in these situations. Picking up Brandon Lloyd by trade helped, but the veteran receiver might wind up being a one-year rental. Lloyd's contract expires in March. The man influential in bringing him to St. Louis, McDaniels, might not be back. The Rams need to draft a difference- maker at receiver. That could be tough to justify with so many needs elsewhere on the roster.

Team MVP: Jackson was an obvious choice. If only he hadn't strained a quadriceps while breaking a 47-yard touchdown run against Philadelphia on his first carry of the season. That injury limited Jackson to six carries over the first three games. Jackson still topped 1,100 yards for the season. He joined Emmitt Smith, Thurman Thomas, Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson and LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He rushed for 159, 130 and 128 yards during a three-game stretch when the Rams went 2-1.

Starting over up front: The offensive line was supposed to be a strength for St. Louis after the team signed guard Harvey Dahl in free agency. Dahl held up his end, but the rest of the line fell apart. Rodger Saffold will be back at left tackle or somewhere along the line. Dahl will return. Right tackle Jason Smith, chosen second overall in 2009, will not return at his current salary. Center Jason Brown lost his starting job during the season. Left guard Jacob Bell took a pay reduction and a one-year deal right before the season. The team has not developed young depth on the line. How will the team protect Bradford?

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 17:

Draft order disorder. Every NFC West team but San Francisco faces a potential significant shift in draft order based on Week 17 results. The St. Louis Rams will emerge with the No. 1 overall pick if they lose to the 49ers while Indianapolis defeats Jacksonville. The Colts will pick first if they lose, or if the Rams win. The winner between the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks will finish 8-8 instead of 7-9, producing likely a swing of several spots in the order. The 7-9 team with the easiest strength of schedule will pick ninth. The 8-8 team with the strongest strength of schedule would pick 20th.

Gunning for the record. Two of the NFL's sack leaders will stand on opposite sidelines at the Edward Jones Dome. San Francisco's Aldon Smith has 14 sacks, one more than St. Louis' Chris Long. The NFC West in its current form has never produced two players with as many combined sacks in the same season. Smith needs one more to break the NFL rookie record Jevon Kearse set in 1999 (records kept since 1982). Smith and Long are both close to setting an NFC West single-season record since realignment in 2002. Bertrand Berry had 14.5 sacks for Arizona in 2004. Patrick Kerney had the same total for Seattle in 2007.

Alex Smith's improbable rating. The 49ers must be pleased to know that Smith, with a 90.1 NFL passer rating through 15 games, has a chance to finish with a better single-season mark than Joe Montana posted with the team in 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988 or 1990. Passer rating is but one tool for measuring quarterback performance. No one is saying it's perfect, or even that Smith has played better this season than Montana did during those five seasons. Still pretty tough to believe, though, right?

Battle of the backs. Frank Gore leads NFC West running backs with 1,202 yards even though his production has trailed off late in the season. Marshawn Lynch would have to outgain Gore by 85 yards to overtake him for most rushing yards in the division. That is unlikely, but Lynch has set a furious pace lately. He leads the NFL in rushing since Week 9, gaining 855 yards over that eight-game period. The Rams' Steven Jackson ranks eighth in the league with 620 yards during that time. Arizona's Beanie Wells is 15th (541 yards), one spot ahead of Gore (527). All four primary backs in the division have topped 1,000 yards.

Spagnuolo's last stand? The Rams started the season with an 0-6 record. They're in danger of finishing it with seven consecutive defeats. No team in the NFL has a worse record than the Rams since Steve Spagnuolo became head coach in 2009. St. Louis, shut out by the 49ers earlier this season, needs 10 points to avoid becoming the lowest-scoring Rams team since the franchise left Los Angeles. The 49ers, meanwhile, are allowing a franchise-best 13.46 points per game. The 1946 team, which played in the AAFC, allowed 13.5. The current team can break that record by allowing 13 or fewer points. The 1976 team holds the NFL-era franchise record at 13.57 points per game allowed. The current 49ers could break that record by allowing no more than 15 points to the Rams.

Arizona: It's looking like John Skelton will remain the Cardinals' starting quarterback while Kevin Kolb continues to work through concussion-related symptoms. Kolb is practicing on a limited basis. Skelton was the player Cardinals officials made available to Seattle reporters on a conference call Wednesday. Patrick Peterson's injured Achilles' tendon will not require surgery, but his availability for Sunday remains in question. Peterson, right tackle Brandon Keith and free safety Kerry Rhodes missed practice Wednesday. Playing without Peterson on Sunday would affect the Cardinals significantly in the return game and on defense. Running back Beanie Wells was limited. His knee injury remains a factor. Wells has not exceeded 15 carries in any of the Cardinals' past three games. He has had no runs longer than 9 yards in the four games since setting a franchise record with 228 yards against St. Louis.

St. Louis: Kellen Clemens appears likely to finish the season as the Rams' starting quarterback while starter Sam Bradford (ankle) and backup A.J. Feeley (thumb) remain sidelined. The Rams, having already placed 10 cornerbacks on injured reserve this season, lost another one when learning Justin King's shoulder injury would require surgery. An abdominal injury continues to limit another cornerback, Josh Gordy, although he has picked off passes in consecutive games. Defensive tackle Fred Robbins and linebacker Brady Poppinga have been ill this week. Expect defensive end Chris Long to continue playing through an ankle injury. He has 13 sacks and had two against San Francisco when the teams met previously this season.

San Francisco: The 49ers need to beat the Rams to ensure themselves a first-round playoff bye, but they also need to guard against aggravating existing injuries. Linebacker Patrick Willis, sidelined by a hamstring injury suffered against the Rams in Week 13, returned to practice this week. Receivers Ted Ginn Jr. (ankle) and Kyle Williams (concussion) are not practicing. The team will likely sign Joe Hastings or John Matthews from the practice squad. Both are receivers. One could get playing time against the Rams. San Francisco's offense faces a transition while tight end Delanie Walker recovers from a broken jaw.

Seattle: The Seahawks, like the Rams, have a long list of players on injured reserve. Unlike the Rams, their 53 active players are relatively healthy, and they have developed young depth throughout the roster. Linebacker David Hawthorne and receiver Ben Obomanu missed practice Wednesday. Both have knee injuries. Depth at receiver is a concern for the Seahawks now that Sidney Rice and Mike Williams are on injured reserve. The team expects to have Obomanu against Arizona on Sunday. Linebacker Malcolm Smith (concussion), defensive tackle Clinton McDonald (concussion), quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral) and defensive back Kennard Cox (hamstring) practiced fully.