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The San Francisco 49ers have gone for quality over quantity in trying to build a big, powerful offensive line.

The team has drafted seven offensive linemen since 2005, one below the NFL average. But the 49ers selected a league-high three of the seven in the first round and a league-high five of them in the first two rounds.

That jumped out right away when sizing up NFC West offensive linemen from the 2005-2010 draft classes for the latest "adventures in drafting" installment.

The Arizona Cardinals have taken a different approach, using a division-low one first-round selection for the offensive line since 2005. Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Oakland, San Diego, Tennessee, Dallas, Minnesota and the New York Giants have selected no first-round offensive linemen during that span.

The charts break out NFC West selections by general draft position, with a column showing how many starts each has made for his original team. I am using the term "not active" loosely to describe players who haven't been on rosters during the regular season recently.

Italics reveal what teams might have been thinking as they entered various stages of the draft.

We should find 10-year starters with Pro Bowl potential, most often at tackle ...

Every offensive lineman selected among the top 50 or so choices should contribute and hopefully start ...

The most athletic prospects are gone by now, but tough guys still have value ...

These guys have question marks, obvious limitations or both, but we'll still get some starts from them ...

Anyone seen the Seahawks or 49ers lately?

What are our numbers on the line again? Let's get another one here.

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.

NFL teams can begin signing eight or fewer players to their practice squads once the players clear waivers Sunday.

Players on practice squads earn $5,200 per week for the 2010 season. The collective bargaining agreement sets the following parameters for eligibility:

• Players without an accrued season of NFL experience;
• Free-agent players who were on the 45-man active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season;
• Players who have not served more than two previous seasons on a practice squad.

According to the CBA, "A player shall be deemed to have served on a practice squad in a season if he has passed the club's physical and been a member of the club's practice squad for at least three regular-season or postseason games during his first two practice squad seasons, and for at least one regular season or postseason game during his third practice squad season."

What about bye weeks? More CBA: "A bye week counts as a game provided that the player is not terminated until after the regular-season or postseason weekend in question."

The first chart shows eligible players released by the Arizona Cardinals. Chris Johnson, Alfonso Smith and Mark Washington were waived/injured. Dean Muhtadi was released from injured reserve.

The second chart shows eligible players released by the Rams.

The third chart shows eligible players released by the 49ers (Brandon Long was released with an injury settlement).

The fourth chart shows eligible players released by the Seahawks (Jonathan Lewis was released with an injury settlement).

Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says there have been no indications Oshiomogho Atogwe has made progress toward a contract. Rams general manager Billy Devaney on whether hard feelings could make it tough to bring back the safety: "I don’t think that’s the case. He was probably disappointed, but he understood the business part of it. ... O.J. knows how we feel about him. We are a better team with him here. Our hope is that after he tests the market, he will come back to us. We’re trying to get to a happy medium." Balzer: "Devaney acknowledged that if another team came forward with a huge offer, the Rams would likely be moving on without him, but so far, that hasn’t been the case."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says early returns on Sam Bradford are positive even though coach Steve Spagnuolo pointed to a few passes that "sailed" in recent practices. Said receiver Brooks Foster, who caught a perfectly delivered pass from Bradford for a 15-yard gain: "I've never been around anyone like that. He throws a real good ball, puts a nice touch on it for the receiver. ... Everything that you hear about him is true." Bradford continues to work with the backups in practice, typical for a Rams rookie under Spagnuolo. Note: This item also includes a photo showing Bradford throwing out the first pitch at a recent St. Louis Cardinals game.

Kevin King of The Associated Press says Bradford's pitch was on the money and caught by another Oklahoman, Matt Holliday. King: "Bradford, who was selected by the Rams with the number one overall pick in April's NFL Draft, wore a number 8 Cardinals baseball jersey, the same number he'll wear when the football season rolls around."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com addresses several subjects during his latest mailbag, including one about how the Seahawks are shaking out at defensive end. Red Bryant, Lawrence Jackson and sometimes Robert Henderson are working ahead of rookie E.J. Wilson at the 5-technique spot. Chris Clemons, Nick Reed and sometimes Ricky Foley are working ahead of rookie Dexter Davis at the "Leo" spot, known elsewhere as the "Elephant" role. Farnsworth on Wilson and Davis: "How have they looked in practice? Like what they are -- rookies. Each has had his moments, but the key will be how consistent they play when the pads come on in training camp practices and especially the preseason games. Davis has the best chance to help increase the sack total, because of the position he is playing and due to the fact that he had 31 sacks in 50 games at Arizona State."

Jackie Epstein and Peter Badel of the Melbourne Sun Herald say the Seahawks are the latest NFL team to show interest in Greg Inglis of the Melbourne Storm, an Australian rugby team.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Cardinals players appreciated coach Ken Whisenhunt's decision to take the team bowling instead of making them practice Friday. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: "They pound us so much with football, football, football. Just to get our mind off football and interact as a team and still have that togetherness, it’s a plus. You’re doing something fun. Everybody loves bowling." Practicing without an indoor facility can be rough in the Phoenix area, where temperatures have approached 110 degrees in recent days. Urban: "The Cards have endured significant roster churn this offseason, but the players have been working together -- between the offseason conditioning program and on-field work -- fairly consistently since the end of March. That’s helped bonding. But events like Friday, where the players can get together and not have it be about football, helps from a different angle."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says during a recent chat that the NFL's labor situation could contribute to the team taking a wait-and-see approach toward new contracts with Dashon Goldson and others. Maiocco: "Goldson is entering the fourth and final year of his original rookie contract. A lot of his situation depends on the new CBA. Currently, players need six years to become unrestricted free agents. So, under the current deal, they'd have rights to him for two more seasons. They're not going to pay him Rolle-type money, so they have to just let the thing play out and see what happens with the CBA." Unlike Goldson, Antrel Rolle was a free agent coming off a Pro Bowl appearance when he struck a rich payday with the Giants. Rolle was also a top-10 draft choice. The 49ers would be in a tougher spot if Goldson were about to become a free agent.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at potential storylines heading into 49ers' practices, which resume Monday. Barrows on the situation at center: "Four players have gotten the chance the snap the ball in OTAs so far: Eric Heitmann, David Baas, Tony Wragge and Cody Wallace. Heitmann is the starter. The question is: Who will back him up this season? Last year, Wallace was the backup center, but that's definitely not a sure thing this season."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers managed to make a bad matchup at least somewhat entertaining while beating the Lions, 20-6, in Week 16.

Also from Crumpacker: Ahmad Brooks' emergence stands out as a redeeming development from the 2009 season. Crumpacker: "Brooks, a fourth-year player from Virginia, had one sack and forced two fumbles in his limited time on the field. He stripped the ball out of Drew Stanton's hand on the sack, and on Detroit's next drive he slammed into wide receiver Calvin Johnson after a catch and forced another fumble."

More from Crumpacker: Frank Gore passes 1,000 yards rushing for the fourth consecutive season, easing the sting of another season without a playoff appearance.

Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers cannot read much into a victory over Detroit. Knapp: "The Lions are the kind of team that Hollywood converts into parodies starring Walter Matthau or Charlie Sheen. The 49ers were like that for a while, but they've moved on, to the fringe of contention, to a safety zone where they are invulnerable to a 2-12 visitor."

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider saw small signs of progress for 49ers quarterback Alex Smith.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' defense was playing well enough for coach Mike Singletary to go for it on fourth-and-1 while leading 13-3 in the third quarter.

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers have 20 takeaways in their last four home games. They have won all four matchups despite averaging only 18.5 points per game.

More from Maiocco: Rookies Ricky Jean-Francois and Cody Wallace made their regular-season NFL debuts for San Francisco.

More still from Maiocco: a report card featuring a "C" grade for Alex Smith even though the quarterback passed for 230 yards and a 97.5 rating.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says everything the 49ers accomplished Sunday came in the context of a game against a horrible team. Cohn: "Come on, the 49ers had to make an offensive statement. Smith had to dazzle. He had to go off on the pitiful Lions. A few days ago, offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye said the Niners need to 'eliminate the doubt and anxiety that surrounds that (quarterback) position in the organization.' Raye quickly backtracked and said he was talking about people outside the organization. Right."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Smith had to defend his thinking on a short touchdown pass to tight end Vernon Davis.

Also from Barrows: Smith did not turn in a convincing performance.

More from Barrows: how Gore got loose for a 48-yard reception.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers could "get away with being less than perfect" against the Lions.

Also from Brown: 49ers cornerback Dre Bly had sympathy for his former team.

Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News saw good and bad from Smith. Purdy: "In this case, the touchdown pass to Davis exemplified all that is so stomach-churn frustrating about Smith: He made a good play. But he could have made a simpler, even better play."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says the team finished its home schedule with a 6-2 record at Candlestick Park.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The 49ers will be without starting left tackle Joe Staley against the Cardinals.

This comes as little surprise.

While Staley hoped to return from a knee injury for this game, he hadn't done enough in practice to make it likely.

Barry Sims remains the starter while Staley recovers. Sims has played better than anticipated this season.

Also inactive for the 49ers: Nate Clements, Marcus Hudson, Diyral Briggs, Cody Wallace, Baraka Atkins and Isaac Bruce.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

HOUSTON -- Top 49ers free-agent acquisition Brandon Jones is among the players inactive for San Francisco against the Texans in Week 7.

Fellow receivers Jason Hill and Micheal Spurlock are also on the inactive list.

It is Michael Crabtree's time, in other words. Crabtree, Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan and Arnaz Battle are the receivers for the 49ers.

Also inactive for the 49ers: offensive lineman Cody Wallace, defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois, safety Reggie Smith, safety Michael Lewis and quarterback Nate Davis, who did not make the trip.

Inactive for the Texans: safety Nick Ferguson, receiver Glenn Martinez, cornerback Fred Bennett, linebacker Jamie Winborn, guard Tutan Reyes, tight end Anthony Hill and defensive tackle Frank Okam. Dan Orlovsky is the third quarterback.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Rams will be without injured top cornerback Ron Bartell for the first time this season.

The Rams have named Bartell among their inactive players along with Nate Jones, James Butler, Roger Allen III, Jason Smith, Victor Adeyanju and Darell Scott. Marc Bulger is the third quarterback.

The 49ers have named return specialist Allen Rossum inactive along with Frank Gore, Curtis Taylor, Reggie Smith, Cody Wallace and Ricky Jean-Francois. Nate Davis is the third quarterback. That means receivers Jason Hill and Brandon Jones are both active. Perhaps we'll see the 49ers use a few more multiple-receiver personnel groups.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

MINNEAPOLIS -- The 49ers and Vikings submitted their list of inactive players for their Week 3 game in the Metrodome.

• 49ers: Marcus Hudson, Curtis Taylor, Marques Harris, Cody Wallace, Brandon Jones, Jason Hill, Ricky Jean-Francois. Nate Davis is the third quarterback.
• Vikings: Jaymar Johnson, Asher Allen, Husain Abdullah, Erin Henderson, Kory Lichtensteiger, Jimmy Kennedy, Jayme Mitchell. Sage Rosenfels is the third quarterback.

No big surprises for the 49ers. They have four receivers active (Josh Morgan, Isaac Bruce, Arnaz Battle and Micheal Spurlock). Linebacker Ahmad Brooks is active, as coach Mike Singletary suggested the case would be.

Jones has returned to practice following a shoulder injury, but the 49ers did not find a spot for him on the 45-man roster. They have not used more than three wide receivers at a time through two games this season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

SAN FRANCISCO -- Seattle defensive tackle Brandon Mebane's calf injury will prevent him from playing against the 49ers, a significant loss for the Seahawks.

Seattle has good depth on its defensive line. Tackle Red Bryant, a good player, wasn't even active for Week 1. Bryant is active for this game at Candlestick Park.

Inactive for Seattle: Travis Fisher, Leroy Hill, Chris Spencer, Walter Jones, Deion Branch, Mebane and Michael Bennett. There was an extremely slim chance Jones was going to return for this game. I would have been quite surprised, however. Mike Teel is the third quarterback for the Seahawks.

Inactive for the 49ers: Marcus Hudson, Cody Wallace, Brandon Jones, Ricky Jean-Francois, Jason Hill, Ahmad Brooks and Curtis Taylor.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Anquan Boldin, slowed by a hamstring injury, warmed up for the Cardinals and is active against the 49ers.

Teammate and fellow receiver Steve Breaston, who suffered a knee injury during preseason, was among the inactive players for Arizona. That leaves Larry Fitzgerald, Boldin, Jerheme Urban, Sean Morey and Lance Long as active receivers for the Cardinals.

Also inactive for the Cardinals: cornerback Greg Toler, linebacker Reggie Walker, tackle Herman Johnson, guard Brandon Keith, receiver Early Doucet and tight end Dominique Byrd. Brian St. Pierre is the third quarterback.

The 49ers' inactive players include safety Curtis Taylor, safety Reggie Smith, center Cody Wallace, linebacker Ahmad Brooks, receiver Jason Hill, receiver Brandon Jones and defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois. Nate Davis is the third quarterback. The 49ers have four receivers active: Josh Morgan, Isaac Bruce, Arnaz Battle and Micheal Spurlock.

49ers eligible for practice squad Pos. Perceived Status Terrail Lambert DB Likely cut Reggie Smith DB Keeper Curtis Taylor DB Likely cut Carlos Thomas DB Likely cut Jahi Word-Daniels DB Likely cut Pannel Egboh DL Likely cut Ricky Jean-Francois DL Bubble Khalif Mitchell DL Bubble Diyral Briggs LB Likely cut Scott McKillop LB Keeper Jay Moore LB Bubble Justin Roland LB Likely cut Mark Washington LB Likely cut Brit Miller FB Bubble Matt Spanos OL Likely cut Cody Wallace OL Keeper Jacob Bender OL Likely cut Kyle Howard OL Likely cut Alex Boone OL Bubble Joe Toledo OL Likely cut Nate Davis QB Bubble Glen Coffee RB Keeper Bill Rentmeester RB Bubble Kory Sheets RB Likely cut Alex Romero ST Likely cut J.J. Finley TE Likely cut Bear Pascoe TE Keeper Mark Bradford WR Likely cut Dobson Collins WR Likely cut Maurice Price WR Likely cut Dominique Zeigler WR Bubble

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The quarterback race between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith commands much 49ers-related attention.

The race for the No. 3 job behind them deserves some attention. Veteran Damon Huard has a 15-12 record as an NFL starter. He provides value as an experienced backup. The team also wants to develop fifth-round rookie quarterback Nate Davis.

What to do?

Davis is a project. He will not help the 49ers this season. The question becomes whether another team would sign him to its 53-man roster if the 49ers waived Davis and tried to sign him to their practice squad.

As noted, NFL teams selected 19 quarterbacks in the fifth round from the 2000 through 2008 drafts. Eighteen earned opening-day spots on 53-man rosters as rookies. The Steelers' Omar Jacobs was an exception in 2006, the year Ben Roethlisberger opened on the bench following a motorcycle accident.

The factors that pushed down Davis in the draft -- notably a learning disability that the 49ers see as overstated -- still exist. If teams fear Davis might struggle to learn their system -- and for the sake of this discussion, it doesn't matter if such fears are justified -- the 49ers might have an easier time getting
Davis onto their practice squad.

What would you do?

The chart shows all 31 current 49ers players with eligibility, arranged by position. I left first-round choice Michael Crabtree off the chart because he has not signed with the team.

NFL teams must reduce rosters from 80 to 75 players Sept. 1. They must reduce to 53 players Sept. 5. They can begin forming eight-man practice squads Sept. 6 at noon ET.

As the NFL puts it:

After 12 noon, New York time, clubs may establish a practice squad of eight players by signing free agents who do not have an accrued season of free-agency credit or who were on the 45-player active list for less than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s). A player cannot participate on the practice squad for more than three seasons.

The 49ers also face dilemmas at other positions, including what to do at receiver while Crabtree and Brandon Jones are not available, but that third quarterback race stands out.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seahawks are about to hold a practice open to fans. I just arrived and will be heading out momentarily. Hope to file some observations afterward.

One other thing: On the 49ers roster item, I moved Cody Wallace into the 49ers' keepers on the offensive line, replacing Joe Toledo. An oversight on my part.

Similar items for the Rams and Cardinals are already on the blog. I'll hit the Seahawks as time permits, hopefully Tuesday.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The 49ers' roster appears most interesting at running back and receiver.

The more I think about how much the 49ers want to pound the ball on offense, the more I see them keeping two fullbacks on the Week 1 roster.

Zak Keasey's broken forearm prevents him from becoming part of the equation early, and it's tough to see a team waiting two months for a backup fullback to get healthy. Enter Bill Rentmeester. Formerly of the Chargers, Rentmeester offers what preseason touchdown machine Brit Miller does not: experience at fullback. For the sake of this roster exercise, I'll pencil in Rentmeester for Week 1.

The numbers at receiver figure to swell while the team waits for Brandon Jones to heal and Michael Crabtree to sign and get ready to contribute.

San Francisco 49ers Week 1 Roster Counts since 2003 QB RB WR TE OL DL LB DB ST Fewest 3 4 5 2 8 5 6 7 2 Most 4 7 7 4 10 9 8 11 4 Average 3.2 5.2 5.8 3.2 8.8 7.2 7.3 9.3 3.0 Currently on roster 4 8 12 4 14 9 12 14 4

The chart provides a framework for how many players the 49ers might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the Cardinals.

Here's a quick look at which 49ers players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players (I made one change, moving Cody Wallace into the group of offensive linemen at Joe Toledo's expense):

(Read full post)