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The Seattle Seahawks' Chris Clemons is the NFC's top defensive player from Week 11 after using the St. Louis Rams' injury problems to his advantage Sunday.

Next in line: the Arizona Cardinals' Calais Campbell, who sometimes dominates against regular starters and has experience picking on backups.

Two years ago, injuries to Walter Jones, Sean Locklear and Brandon Frye left the Seattle Seahawks with a fourth-string left tackle heading into a Week 6 game against Arizona. Campbell collected 1.5 of the Arizona Cardinals' five sacks during a 27-3 victory at Seattle. The team released tackle Kyle Williams shortly thereafter, signing veteran Damion McIntosh as a stopgap solution for its next game.

The Rams haven't lost quite as many left tackles this season, but they're getting close -- just in time for Campbell and the Cardinals to visit the Edward Jones Dome in Week 12.

Starting let tackle Rodger Saffold is out for the season. Backup Mark LeVoir is also hurt. Swing tackle Adam Goldberg has been starting at right tackle after the team lost starter Jason Smith. Undrafted rookie Kevin Hughes, signed from the practice squad, played extensively against Clemons and could make his first NFL start against the Cardinals. The team also signed tackle Thomas Welch from the Buffalo Bills' practice squad. Welch was a 2010 seventh-round choice of the New England Patriots.

The Rams unexpectedly needed Hughes to play extensively against Seattle when LeVoir, a last-minute replacement for Saffold, suffered a pectoral injury.

Campbell has five sacks and an interception this season. He had two sacks against the Rams in Week 9.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St. Louis Rams (34 off roster)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Special teams: Ryan Neill

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

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

---

Seattle Seahawks (33 off roster)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Arizona Cardinals (24 off roster)

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

Defensive line: Jason Banks (added Dan Williams)

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

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

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

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

Special teams: Neil Rackers (added Jay Feely)

Tight end: Anthony Becht (added Jim Dray)

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

---

San Francisco 49ers (24 off roster)

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

Defensive line: Kentwan Balmer, Derek Walker

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

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

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

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

Special teams: Shane Andrus, Ricky Schmitt

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

---

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

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

KTAR radio's Doug Franz and Ron Wolfley just finished grilling me medium rare over the far-flung (to them) notion that the San Francisco 49ers should be favored in the NFC West this season.

They think the 49ers face at least as many questions as the Arizona Cardinals, from Alex Smith's abilities as a starting quarterback to the effects of playing two rookies on the offensive line.

Our conversation pointed to something I wrestle with all the time: perception vs. reality.

Sometimes those perceptions get out of hand. It could be happening in the NFC West right now. A few things to consider along those lines heading into the regular season:

• The Seattle Seahawks are taking flak for dumping T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Josh Wilson and others (Rob Sims and Nate Burleson come to mind) during an ongoing roster overhaul. It's fair to ask whether all the changes were necessary. It's fair to question whether Seattle might fall off some in the immediate term while less experienced players take over. But why pretend as though the Seahawks needed only some fine-tuning? They needed an overhaul and they're getting one. Sometimes a team gets a little worse before it gets better. But if you honestly assess each roster change, you might find more upgrades than downgrades. How much will this really team miss Ken Lucas, Cory Redding, Justin Griffith, D.D. Lewis, Damion McIntosh, Owen Schmitt, Mansfield Wrotto, Lawrence Jackson, John Owens, Darryl Tapp, Deon Grant, Lance Laury and the others? It's tough to argue that those players were part of the solution.
• The Cardinals are worse off without Kurt Warner. That much is a given. But should recent instability at quarterback significantly lower those already reduced expectations for the upcoming season? It's probably better to rule out Matt Leinart now than to do so four or five games into the regular season. Quarterback was already a concern. It's still a concern. But let's not pretend the 49ers are dramatically better off with Smith under center. I'm favoring the 49ers in the division because they're the safest bet following an offseason without much roster turnover. They appear slightly better than the team that went 8-8 in 2009. But it's no shock if the Cardinals win this division. I'd call it only a mild surprise.
• The Rams are easy to write off with a rookie quarterback under center and only six wins over the last three seasons. It's not the upset of the century, however, if they find a way to prevail in Week 1. They trailed the Cardinals 21-3 at halftime in the Edward Jones Dome last season. A concussion prevented Warner from returning. Final score: 21-13. If you're the Rams and you know Warner won't be there Sunday, and you know Marc Bulger posted a 57.8 rating as your quarterback in that 21-13 defeat, you're thinking you've got a chance this time around, right? Right.
• About those 49ers. Let's not get carried away with the 12-4 predictions, OK? One step at a time. The 49ers were 5-1 in the division last season. Are they really going to match that record or improve upon it and then add three more victories outside the NFC West? It's possible with AFC West teams on the schedule, but the 49ers have only seven true home games this season. Two of those are against New Orleans and Philadelphia. They play road games against Atlanta, Green Bay and San Diego. Find a dozen sure victories on that schedule and I'm guessing you're a 49ers fan.

To be continued in the comments section, and beyond.

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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:

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.

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

Arizona Cardinals

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

Projected 2010 starter: Levi Brown

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

Seattle Seahawks

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

Projected 2010 starter: Russell Okung

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

St. Louis Rams

2009 starter: Alex Barron

Projected 2010 starter: Jason Smith

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

San Francisco 49ers

2009 starter: Joe Staley

Projected 2010 starter: Staley

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

The 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.

Arizona Cardinals

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

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

Franchise player: none

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

St. Louis Rams

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

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

Franchise player: none

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

Seattle Seahawks

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

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

Franchise player: K Olindo Mare

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

San Francisco 49ers

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

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

Franchise player: NT Aubrayo Franklin

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

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

An early look at the free-agent situation in the NFC West.

Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.

Arizona Cardinals

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

Key figures: The more than $17.7 million Arizona has paid to Dansby over the past two seasons should suffice as a parting gift if, as expected, the linebacker leaves in free agency. Dansby could be leading an exodus. Okeafor turns 34 in March and could be on his way out. Berry announced his retirement. Morey has had concussion problems. Gandy's return probably depends on whether he's willing to stay for less than the $5 million he earned last season. Safety Antrel Rolle does not appear on the list, but he would hit the market when free agency begins if the Cardinals decline to pay a $4 million roster bonus.

San Francisco 49ers

Unrestricted free agents: WR Arnaz Battle, CB Dre' Bly, NT Aubrayo Franklin, CB Walt Harris, RT Tony Pashos, FS Mark Roman, LT Barry Sims, LB Jeff Ulbrich, LB Matt Wilhelm, CB Keith Smith.

Key figures: The 49ers have been proactive in re-signing their own players. That explains why relatively few big names appear on this list. The franchise tag appears well suited for Franklin, the only marquee UFA on the 49ers' list this offseason. Tagging Franklin at the $7 million franchise rate makes sense heading into labor uncertainty. Why spend lavishly on a long-term deal? Franklin has played at a high level consistently for only one season, and a lockout could keep him off the field in 2011. Re-signing Sims for depth would make sense. Ulbrich, meanwhile, has retired and joined the Seahawks' coaching staff.

Seattle Seahawks

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

Key figures: New coach Pete Carroll is on the record saying he likes what he's seen from Redding. Mare is coming off an outstanding season. Lucas has the size Seattle's new leadership wants in its cornerbacks. Milloy played for Carroll in New England. There isn't much more to say about this relatively nondescript group, and it's unclear how much the new regime will value these UFAs. Unrestricted free agency isn't the only road out of Seattle this offseason. The team will probably part with a few established players who haven't lived up to their salaries because of injuries and other factors. Patrick Kerney and Deion Branch come to mind. Update: I've added Nate Burleson to the list of free agents. He has a contract for 2010, but it voids. Thanks to CowboyP893 for the assist.

St. Louis Rams

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

Key figures: Boller, 28, is the only player on the Rams' list younger than 30. Franchise player Oshiomogho Atogwe and starting tackle Alex Barron become only restricted free agents under rules governing the uncapped year, explaining their absence from the Rams' UFA list. It's unclear how seriously Little and Hall figure into the team's plans for 2010. Chris Long's emergence late last season should make it easier for the team to move on without them, but the aging defensive ends did combine for 27 starts and 11 sacks last season.

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

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

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

Arizona Cardinals

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

Projected 2010 starter: Unknown

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

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

San Francisco 49ers

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

Projected 2010 starter: Staley

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

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

Seattle Seahawks

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

Projected 2010 starter: Locklear

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

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

St. Louis Rams

2009 starters: Alex Barron (16)

Projected 2010 starter: Jason Smith

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

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

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with injured Seahawks tackle Walter Jones, who hopes to return in 2010. Jones' salary is $7.3 million, providing strong incentive for him to make a comeback effort. Even if his comeback failed and he wound up on injured reserve again, he could still pocket most or all of that money, in theory.

Also from Farnsworth: Apprehension and ambiguity reigned in the Seahawks' locker room as players cleaned out their lockers Monday. Matt Hasselbeck: "Really what I’m looking forward to right now is kind of getting away and getting healthy and getting strong,” said Hasselbeck, who played this season with broken ribs on the left side of his body and a bruised right shoulder. I really feel like getting back in the weight room and having a good offseason of strength, getting some explosiveness and some power back will be one of the keys to success for me next season. Those are the kind of things I’m focused on."

More from Farnsworth: Seahawks safety Deon Grant played one of his best games Sunday despite having one wrist in a cast. Farnsworth: "Grant intercepted a Vince Young pass in the first quarter. He recovered a Chris Johnson fumble in the third quarter, setting up a field goal that gave the Seahawks a 13-10 lead. In between, Grant made nine tackles -- one shy of his season-high. He even added a 10th on special teams. His reward? Surgery to repair the wrist."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times lists potential Seattle free agents. He lists Nate Burleson, Cory Redding, D.D. Lewis, Olindo Mare, Lawyer Milloy, Ken Lucas, Damion McIntosh and Justin Griffith.

Also from O'Neil: "The Seahawks are an older team with an offense that scored fewer points as the season progressed. Hasselbeck is 34 with one year left on his contract. While most expect him back, Seattle's new president will have to decide how Hasselbeck fits with the team's timeline for rebuilding. The scrutiny will go well past Seattle's pocket. Receiver Deion Branch is 30 and is scheduled to make more than $5 million, a lot for a player who began this season as the No. 3 receiver. Safety Deon Grant is also 30. Defensive end Patrick Kerney is 32. He led the team in sacks, but had just five. He is scheduled to make more than $5 million next season, and Seattle desperately needs to upgrade a pass rush that had one sack in its final four games."

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com wonders whether Greg Knapp will return as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator after a rough year. Seattle averaged an additional 55 yards passing per game this season, but scoring was down.

Also from Johns: Burleson expects to return.

Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along thoughts from Seahawks receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who does nothing to change perceptions that he wasn't happy with Knapp's offense. Divish: "He talked for at least 15 minutes and was critical of his himself. He also wondered how an offense can actually regress, instead of improve. And when asked about the future, possible changes and whether the offensive system could ever work, he simply said, 'I have thoughts.' "

Also from Divish: Hasselbeck isn't sure what happens next.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune previews the Seahawks' offseason.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seattle players weren't sure what a new general manager might do.

Matt Pitman of 710 ESPN Seattle passes along audio links to interviews with Seattle players, including Hasselbeck and Branch.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt had limited options Monday in responding to repeated questions about his strategy for Week 17. McManaman: "Just like Sunday's game, Whisenhunt must have felt as if his hands were tied when he met with the media for his weekly news conference. From the sideline, he watched the Packers dominate his team and its vanilla game plan. From his press table, he listened to a ton of smarmy second-guessing. He couldn't really fight back on either day."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com cites local reports saying Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell wore a cast and sling after undergoing surgery on his thumb. Urban: "Campbell told Ch. 3's Brad Cesmat he still had a chance to play this week but nothing is certain."

Also from Urban: The Cardinals held back blitzes against Green Bay in Week 17.

More from Urban: thoughts from Whisenhunt during the coach's day-after-game news conference. Also: "The Cardinals know their second-round playoff schedule should they advance. If the Cowboys beat the Eagles, the Cardinals will play in New Orleans on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 2:30 p.m. Arizona time. If the Eagles beat the Cowboys, the Cards will play in Minnesota Sunday, Jan. 17, at 11 a.m. Arizona time."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo does not anticipate changes to his coaching staff. Spagnuolo: "You just don't jump ship on process, schemes, people. I have to sit down and evaluate everything now. You've got to give me time. We just got done with a game (against San Francisco), and it was 16 long games and a grind. But I don't anticipate (staff changes) right now."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams gathered one final time to end the season. Tight end Randy McMichael: "It's hard, man ... real emotional. You've been through wars with these guys, been with them since March. They're family. And that's basically what you're doing, you're leaving your family. ... You don't want it to end, but you know it has to."

Also from Coats: Steven Jackson, Leonard Little, James Laurinaitis and Oshiomogho Atogwe won team awards.

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com says the Rams can learn from the Jets, who earned a playoff berth while protecting a young quarterback with a strong ground game and defense. Gordon: "Rex Ryan is 1,000 times more colorful than Spagnuolo, but these coaches share the same beliefs. Both are defensive coaches. Both believe they can build championship teams with dominant defenses and powerful running attacks."

Jim Rodenbush of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says the Rams held a brief team meeting before dispersing Monday. Spagnuolo: "I spoke with them real quick about moving forward. I told them, and I asked them, to focus on the team we have. Focus on what we’ve built and what came out of it."

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says Spagnuolo used the phrase "wonderful and taxing at the same time" to describe his first season as Rams coach.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers coach Mike Singletary would not commit to Alex Smith as his starting quarterback for 2010, saying only that Smith is the starter right now. Singletary: "Alex Smith is the starting quarterback right now. If we sign a quarterback this offseason, we'll see where it goes. I don't want to get into 'what kind of veteran quarterback.' I don't understand all that. Alex Smith is the starting quarterback right now and hopefully this offseason if one happens to show up or however that works out, there's always the possibility of signing another quarterback depending on what the situation is and depending on where that puts us in terms of the cap and all that other stuff. But I just think it's very important that right now just knowing that Alex Smith is the starting quarterback." The 49ers see Smith as their best option based on the current personnel, but Smith did not show them enough for the team to turn its back on potential contingencies.

Also from Barrows: He expects most of the 49ers' free agents to return. Linebacker Patrick Willis on Aubrayo Franklin: "Oh man, I pray to God they keep Aubrayo. The coaches already know where my heart is. I say he's the best nose (tackles) in the game. You turn on the film and nobody plays with better technique, nobody knows the game better than he knows it. He keeps my head from getting busted on every play and I'm thankful for that."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says quarterback and offensive coordinator remain hot topics for the 49ers. Smith expects to have the same coordinator in back-to-back years for the first time in his NFL career. Smith: "It will be new for me. A lot of it will be self-reflection and self-analysis, looking back at this last year and analyzing the things we did and where we can go from there to get to the next step. How do we get better? How do we take it to the next level? This offseason will be big because we won't be installing from square one. It is really, how do we push ourselves to take that step and not just go through the motions of an offseason? We really need to have a sense of urgency and take advantage of the time." More here.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News passes along quotes from Singletary's news conference.

Also from Kawakami: Singletary spoke less in absolutes than he normally might, using the qualifier "right now" when discussing the team.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says Singletary expressed support for Smith and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye. Singletary: "I don't think it's a matter of another coordinator. I think it's a matter of putting the pieces together, identifying exactly the offense that you're going to run, identifying the kind of offensive line that you need in order to run that. I think we have a lot of pieces in place. I just think it's a matter of getting all the pieces in the right places."

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle quotes Singletary as saying consistency is difficult to establish in the NFL.

Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle says re-signing Franklin should be a top priority, according to players.

Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle says 49ers players think the team could fare well in the playoffs if part of the six-team NFC field.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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