ESPN NFL

With training camps winding down, I've found time to update rosters and put together team-by-team reference material for unrestricted free agency.

The names below match official NFL counts.

These are for players with at least four accrued NFL seasons whose contracts expired following the 2010 season. I've added comments for each team.

Arizona Cardinals

Re-signed (8): Ben Graham, Matt Ware, Hamza Abdullah, Ben Claxton, Lyle Sendlein, D'Anthony Batiste, Deuce Lutui, Stephen Spach.

New to team (7): Chansi Stuckey, Richard Marshall, Daryn Colledge, Nick Eason, Stewart Bradley, Floyd Womack, Jeff King.

Still unsigned (3): Alan Faneca, Jason Wright, Bryan Robinson.

Signed elsewhere (5): Steve Breaston (Kansas City), Gabe Watson (New York Giants), Ben Patrick (Giants), Trumaine McBride (New Orleans), Alan Branch (Seattle).

Comment: Sendlein, Colledge and Bradley were the big signings. Marshall provides needed depth at cornerback. Faneca and Wright announced their retirements. The Cardinals weren't aggressive in trying to re-sign the players they lost to other teams. The biggest move Arizona made, acquiring Kevin Kolb from Philadelphia, did not involve a UFA.

---

San Francisco 49ers

Re-signed (4): Ray McDonald, Tony Wragge, Dashon Goldson, Alex Smith.

New to team (5): Braylon Edwards, Jonathan Goodwin, Donte Whitner, Carlos Rogers, David Akers.

Still unsigned (5): Brian Westbrook, Troy Smith, Demetric Evans, William James, Barry Sims.

Signed elsewhere (6): David Baas (Giants), Travis LaBoy (San Diego), Jeff Reed (Seattle), Aubrayo Franklin (New Orleans), Takeo Spikes (San Diego), Manny Lawson (Cincinnati).

Comment: Re-signing McDonald signaled Franklin's departure. Getting Goldson back on the relative cheap was a victory. The 49ers wanted to keep Baas, but not at the price he commanded. The team thinks NaVorro Bowman has a bright future in Spikes' old spot at inside linebacker. Lawson wasn't strong enough as a pass-rusher to stick around. Safety depth is improved.

---

Seattle Seahawks

Re-signed (7): Raheem Brock, Junior Siavii, Brandon Mebane, Leroy Hill, Matt McCoy, Michael Robinson, Kelly Jennings.

New to team (8): Branch, Zach Miller, Robert Gallery, Jimmy Wilkerson, Atari Bigby, Sidney Rice, Tarvaris Jackson, Reed.

Still unsigned (7): Jay Richardson, Craig Terrill, Chester Pitts, Brandon Stokley, Ruvell Martin, J.P. Losman, Lawyer Milloy.

Signed elsewhere (8): Will Herring (New Orleans), Olindo Mare (Carolina), Matt Hasselbeck (Tennessee), Chris Spencer (Chicago), Jordan Babineaux (Tennessee), Sean Locklear (Washington), Amon Gordon (Kansas City), Ray Willis (Washington).

Comment: Adding Jackson as the starting quarterback was the most significant move for the 2011 season. Mebane was the most important re-signing for the longer term. Hill was a bargain relative to how he's playing right now. Miller and Rice were the types of young, talented players who rarely change teams in free agency. The Seahawks were outbid for Herring and Mare. Can street free agent David Vobora fill some of the void Herring left?

---

St. Louis Rams

Re-signed (2): Adam Goldberg, Gary Gibson.

New to team (9): Daniel Muir, Quinn Ojinnaka, Harvey Dahl, Ben Leber, Zac Diles, Jerious Norwood, Cadillac Williams, Quintin Mikell, Mike Sims-Walker.

Still unsigned (5): Chris Hovan, Michael Lewis, Darcy Johnson, Clifton Ryan, Mark Clayton.

Signed elsewhere (4): Daniel Fells (Denver), Laurent Robinson (San Diego), Derek Schouman (Washington), Kevin Dockery (Pittsburgh).

Comment: Dahl and Mikell were the big additions. Clayton could return if and when his surgically repaired knee allows. Sims-Walker is a wild card. The team didn't flinch when any of its own UFAs signed elsewhere. Most of the moves made on defense were designed to improve St. Louis against the run. Remember that newcomer Justin Bannan was not a UFA. Denver released him.
.

The time has come for some accounting now that the top unrestricted free agents have found homes. Others continue to wait.

I've put together charts showing how many and which UFAs for NFC West teams remain unsigned. The deadline passed Saturday for teams to make qualifying offers to these players.

The charts rank unsigned UFAs from oldest to youngest. I've ordered the players this way because so many older players find out through free agency where they stand.

A couple players, Alan Faneca and Jason Wright, have announced intentions to retire. They have chosen to go out on their own terms. Retirement becomes a process for others. Free agency comes and goes, the phone seldom rings, teams get on with their lives and before long, a player realizes he is finished.

Some players listed below could help teams if they found the right situations. Lawyer Milloy started 16 games for the Seattle Seahawks last season. The St. Louis Rams have kept in touch with Mark Clayton to monitor the receiver's recovery from knee surgery.

Note: UFAs are defined strictly as players whose contracts expired following at least four accrued NFL seasons. Released players are not UFAs in the same sense even though they can sign with any team.

Injury trends are following a familiar pattern in the NFC West.

Whether by luck or superior training or whatever the reason might be, the Arizona Cardinals continue to suffer fewer season-ending injuries than other NFC West teams.

Arizona finished the 2008 season with three players on IR. The number was four last season. The team has a division-low two players on IR heading into Week 9 this season. That's nine players in two-plus seasons.

The Seattle Seahawks have eight already this season, including three offensive linemen. The number is seven for the St. Louis Rams, including three wide receivers.

Seattle placed defensive end Red Bryant and left guard Ben Hamilton, both starters, on IR this week.

The first chart shows NFC West IR counts after the 2008 and 2009 seasons, and heading into Week 9 this season. The 2008 totals reflect numbers heading into the divisional playoffs following that season. The 2009 totals reflect numbers when the regular season ended. Teams sometimes remove players from IR through injury settlements and other means.

The second chart breaks down 2010 IR counts by position heading into Week 9.

The third chart takes a team-by-team, player-by-player look at NFC West IR lists heading into Week 9. Asterisks identify projected, potential or actual starters.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports says Mike Singletary might need to finish 11-5 and win playoff games to keep his job next season. Cole: "When Singletary took over as head coach of San Francisco in the midst of the 2008 season, much was made of his disciplined, take-no-prisoners attitude. People loved it, but there was one problem behind it all: Singletary doesn’t understand the X’s and O’s that go with the game of football. As several coaches have said over the weeks, when a coach doesn’t know the functional part of the game, he walks a dangerous line with players." And the 49ers did not know this? What did they expect? Everyone knew Singletary's limitations. Jed York, the 49ers' president, explicitly said he hired Singletary to ramp up the 49ers' intensity. Of course, head coaches lose credibility if players know they do not know how to fix problems that arise over the course of a season. And there are too many times when Singletary reverts into linebacker mode, becoming too emotional. Singletary's struggles were predictable if Singletary did not hire the right offensive coordinator in particular. He wasn't going to be in position to help on the offensive side of the ball.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers quarterback Alex Smith is on a short leash. Maiocco, in reviewing all 53 players' performances against Philadelphia: "When he had a clean pocket, he made some good throws. But when he was under pressure, unable to adjust in the pocket or slow to pull the trigger, disaster happened." Also, Maiocco thought guard Chilo Rachal played his best game of the season.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee provides a chat transcript with thoughts on the 49ers' prospects following an 0-5 start. Barrows: "I think the 49ers can turn it around. I think it's possible. Patrick Willis yesterday was citing the Titans team from a year ago that started the season 0-6 and which nearly made the playoffs. I think there are eight decidedly winnable games still on the schedule, beginning with Sunday's against Oakland. However, that scenario means that the other NFC West teams have to cooperate and lose a lot of their games. on Sunday, the Cardinals did not cooperate."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers have run Frank Gore (usually up the middle) on the first offensive play of every game this season. Gore also carried the ball on the 49ers' first eight first-down plays against the Eagles. Branch: "OK, this is not to suggest the Niners are 0-5 because they begin every game with a run to Gore. But it does hint at a larger problem. That is, the offense, even under the stewardship of Mike Johnson, still has Mike Singletary's circa-1985 fingerprints on it. On the day Jimmy Raye was fired, Singletary said he anticipated working "hand-in-hand" with Johnson on the offense. And based on what he said Monday, it's clear that it's still a collaborative effort. When asked about the eight straight first-down runs, Singletary said Johnson was carrying out their -- yes, 'their' sounds appropriate -- game plan." The 49ers also operated from fewer personnel groupings than most teams. They are more predictable than most teams.

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says David Carr is not the answer for the 49ers.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith's nine interceptions are an NFL high.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team will leave for Chicago on Friday, a day earlier than the team has traveled to previous road games this season. Pete Carroll's appreciation for the challenges of 10 a.m. PT kickoffs will only grow. Fortunately for Seattle, the team will not have another early game until Week 16. Previous Seattle coaches have tried leaving Friday to better acclimate to the time difference. They've tried leaving Saturday as if reluctant to acknowledge any additional challenges. There's just no way around the fact that a 10 a.m. PT kickoff means waking up for a game at 5 in the morning.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says during a chat that he expects the Seahawks' offense to become productive in December. O'Neil: "It's going to start to improve. I just don't know if it's going to start to improve this month. Things have stabilized up front, but you're subtracting a productive receiver from the mix and adding a better running back. I think it's going to be a productive offense in December. Just not sure how much of a struggle this next stretch will be as Seattle plays four of its next six games on the road."

Also from O'Neil: "For a team with Seattle's baggage of road losses, this amounts to a two-month gauntlet as Seattle plays only two homes in the 61 days following their Week 3 victory over San Diego. Seattle is 2-2 because of a potent combination of defense and decibels. The Seahawks have forced seven turnovers in two home victories."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with Seattle receiver Mike Williams, who would like to ramp up his production.

John Morgan of Field Gulls tries to define new Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Morgan: "I don't know that Seattle needed a three-down back, but they have one now. I don't know that Lynch is necessarily built for a zone blocking scheme, whatever he executed in college. I don't know that a player like Lynch has much value above and beyond a committee of complementary backs, but there is no limit to his potential like there is for Justin Forsett. Marshawn Lynch can be great, and finding out if he is will be a hell of a ride."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' bye week comes as the team prepares to welcome back players from injury-induced layoffs. Steve Breaston, Early Doucet and Gerald Hayes could return against Seattle in Week 7. Somers: "A four-year starter, Hayes plays the strong inside linebacker position and is a key figure in stopping the run, something the Cardinals have had trouble doing. Hayes was ready to start practicing a few weeks ago, but rules made him wait six weeks. He appears to be in good condition, although it's going to take him some time to reacquaint himself to the speed and violence of the game. The club is likely to work him in slow, perhaps as a rotational player. Eventually, he could assume his old role, with Paris Lenon moving to the weak inside spot, replacing rookie Daryl Washington."

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals snapper Mike Leach, who relays a story about the nickname a former teammate bestowed upon him. Leach: "Well, during my years in Denver, I was known as 'Snaps'. Shannon Sharpe started calling me that. Either he didn't know my name or maybe didn't care to learn it or maybe he knew it and just didn't want to call me by it so he just called me 'Snapper'. After a few weeks, 'Snapper' became 'Snaps' and probably a third of the people on the team didn't even know my name. They just called me 'Snaps'."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says during a chat that he's not sure what to expect from Arizona the rest of the season. Urban: "No idea how this season will turn out. Hall could still run off the rails and this team could sputter to a losing record. But if Hall progresses as expected and the defense plays the way it is capable, I expect the Cards to be in the middle of the division title chase. As for the offensive line, it's difficult to get praise when there have been a handful of sacks and some issues running the ball of late. That unit doesn't get a lot of praise when things are good though, and they know that. It kind of comes with the territory."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are trying to convert high television ratings into better attendance at games. The TV viewing experience has improved exponentially over the years. NFL ticket prices have become prohibitive for some. Hard economic times force people to tighten budgets. In the Rams' case, the team hasn't won much, either. Thomas: "Group sales have picked up following the home victories against Washington and Seattle. But the needle isn't moving on single-game sales. During the preseason, when both Rams home games were blacked out, the team experienced a decent walkup crowd on game day. But that hasn't been the case during the regular season, probably because the three home games so far have been on local television."

Also from Thomas: The Rams signed Danario Alexander and Brit Miller from their practice squad after putting Mark Clayton and Darcy Johnson on injured reserve.

More from Thomas: a chat transcript in which he says a more prominent role for Steven Jackson in the red zone could help the Rams' offense.

Steven Jackson chose his words carefully when asked about the St. Louis Rams' failure to sustain their running game Sunday at Oakland.

"I think if they take one thing away, that you have to find another way to make what was working work again," he said.

The Rams might be better off sticking a little more with their base offense featuring two backs and one tight end.

I say "might" because the information in the chart -- and available in much greater detail via this Excel file -- doesn't account for situations. The fact that quarterback Sam Bradford has fared better statistically from base personnel makes sense because the Rams use this personnel when facing more favorable down and distances. They have never used it this season on third down, for example, and they have almost perfect run-pass balance from this grouping.

That balance is critical when playing with a rookie quarterback. Jackson hit on that point Sunday. The Raiders took away the Rams' running game in the second half. The Rams ran only two plays, both runs, from their base offense after halftime. Jackson gained 2 yards on one carry and lost a yard on the other. Bradford attempted no passes from this grouping in the second half after completing all four from it before halftime.

Losing starting tight end Billy Bajema to a knee injury against Oakland probably made this base grouping less attractive for the Rams. Bajema is a good blocker and underrated receiver. Darcy Johnson, serving as the third tight end while Michael Hoomanawanui recovers from injury, played significant snaps.

Another thought on Bradford: He has looked good in the no-huddle offense. Bradford completed all six attempts with a touchdown without huddling on the first drive of the final exhibition game. He completed all three attempts with another touchdown when the Rams ran the no-huddle offense against Oakland.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic credits Alan Faneca for much of the Cardinals' success running the ball against the Rams in Week 1. Somers: "At 33, he proved he's still agile enough to pull and be an effective lead blocker. By my count, Faneca pulled on 9 of the 20 called runs (Derek Anderson scrambled once). He pulled both right and left. When he pulled left, the tight end and tackle Levi Brown blocked down. On those nine plays, the Cardinals gained 78 yards and scored a touchdown. A disclaimer: I'm not saying Faneca was responsible for all those yards. Other good blocks were made, and running backs Tim Hightower and LaRod Stephens-Howling made good reads. But Faneca hit someone on almost every one of those plays." Meanwhile, right tackle Brandon Keith struggled against Chris Long.

Also from Somers: Arizona is vastly different at receiver. How different? Practice-squad wideout Tim Brown occupies Anquan Boldin's old locker.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic offers a Q-and-A transcript featuring Steve Breaston. Breaston on the Cardinals' sharpest dresser: "Adrian Wilson. He looks like he's in a Grey Poupon commercial every time he walks into a place. . . . He can pull off the suit thing and still style it up in a T-shirt. He looks fresh." Breaston on pregame meals: "In the morning, I go with the sausage-egg McMuffin from McDonald's. If we have a later game, I go with the double cheeseburger meal. It's not on the menu, but it's there. It's about $4.58."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com explains the origins of Breaston's inclusion in the "Backpack Boys" club.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have had trade talks in their efforts to acquire a backup running back. Also: "The Rams signed former New York Giants tight end Darcy Johnson to the active roster, releasing defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo to free up a roster spot."

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says ratings were up for the Rams' opener, presumably thanks to Sam Bradford. Looks like attendance was down, however.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch puts Bradford's 55-attempt debut in perspective by pointing out that 21 of those attempts came during two-minute situations.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports says the 49ers' communication problems stem from procedural changes the team made since last season. Cole: "In Singletary’s first full season last year, offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, one of the more respected veteran coaches in the league, was calling plays from the coach’s box upstairs. Raye would call plays down to offensive assistant Jason Michael, who would then send the play into the quarterback. That system worked effectively even at times when Raye struggled to find exactly the right play or say it exactly the right way. Michael, who worked closely with Raye, was good at filling the gaps in communication. However, one of the problems created by the Raye-Michael relationship was that it began to alienate quarterback coach Mike Johnson, whose involvement in building the game plan had diminished. In addition, some players began to resent Raye’s tendency to blame them if things went wrong. As a result, several players went to Singletary this offseason to complain about Raye and the overall situation. Singletary’s solution was to change the mechanics of how the plays were sent in. He replaced Michael, who is still on staff, with Johnson in the play-calling process. On Sunday, that became a problem because Johnson couldn’t decipher what Raye was saying during tense moments when the Seattle crowd was making noise. Singletary was seen several times yelling at Johnson on the sideline when plays didn’t get relayed in a timely fashion." There's no excuse for having the sorts of problems the 49ers are having. This is basic stuff. Either the 49ers fix this problem by Week 2 or the coaching staff is going to have a hard time recouping credibility.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at the 49ers' receiver situation now that Ted Ginn Jr. is injured.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says coach Pete Carroll is looking forward to the challenge of performing in a hostile environment. Carroll on playing at Denver: "It will be very difficult for us. The thing that we want to learn how to do is how to carry our game on the road. That’s important for us. We need a game like this at this time. We need to figure this part out. And it might as well be as tough as it gets, like it is in Denver."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Max Unger finished the regular-season opener despite a toe injury, but he's finished for the season. O'Neil: "Mansfield Wrotto took Unger's spot on the roster. Wrotto was re-signed Tuesday a little more than one week after Seattle cut him. Wrotto was a fourth-round draft choice of Seattle in 2007, and though he played tackle in training camp, he is expected to be a guard." Losing Unger hurts depth, but it's not a crushing blow, in my view. Getting Chester Pitts back from knee surgery remains important for the long term, however.

Also from O'Neil: Raheem Brock is still finding his bearings in Seattle (the former Colts lineman couldn't find the team hotel Saturday night).

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says Brock was a factor against the 49ers.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks are plus-one in turnover differential. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: "It’s a huge emphasis. I'm really just following Pete’s lead on that. That’s what is most sacred to him. So all of us that get to touch the ball, that’s got to be what’s most sacred to us."

The St. Louis Rams hold the No. 1 priority for waiver claims and they'll probably put that status to work following the mandatory reduction to 53 players Saturday.

With that in mind, let's take a position-by-position look at the Rams' roster heading into their second season under coach Steve Spagnuolo (current roster counts listed in parentheses):

Quarterbacks (4)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.9

Keepers: Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley

Looking safe: Keith Null

On the bubble: Thaddeus Lewis

Comment: Lewis has played well enough to intrigue the Rams, but probably not well enough for another team to claim him off waivers. That makes Lewis a natural choice for the practice squad.

Running backs (5)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: Steven Jackson, Mike Karney

Looking safe: Kenneth Darby

Not sure what to think: Keith Toston, Chris Ogbonnaya

Comment: The Rams are carrying as many running backs as teams typically keep, but multiple spots could be up for grabs depending on which running backs become available via waivers. I'd rather list Toston, Ogbonnaya and Darby in one group until it becomes clear which backs -- and which types of backs -- hit the waiver wire. Ogbonnaya showed potential last season and looked good early in camp, but his performance hasn't carried over to exhibition games and that could cost him. Perhaps expectations were too high. Darby's toughness and special-teams contributions could help him. Toston runs hard and could land on the practice squad.

Wide receivers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: Laurent Robinson, Mardy Gilyard, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Keenan Burton

On the bubble: Dominique Curry

Also: Brandon McRae, Jordan Kent, Danario Alexander

Comment: Curry stood out as an undrafted steal during camp. He has excellent size and has showed good ability on special teams. Burton's durability should remain a concern, but that's the case with Robinson and even Gibson at this point. Gibson's value rises with Donnie Avery on injured reserve.

Tight ends (6)

Average number kept since 2003: 3.0

Keepers: Billy Bajema, Mike Hoomanawanui

Looking safe: Fendi Onobun

Not sure what to think: Daniel Fells, Darcy Johnson

Also: Dennis Morris

Comment: But wait, Fells is the incumbent starter, right? Yes, but he hasn't been durable and there's so much to like about the rookies Onobun and Hoomanawanui. Bajema is an obvious keeper for his blocking and all-around game (he has caught the ball well on limited chances). Johnson has shown toughness and blocking ability, so he could be an option if the team wants to move on from Fells. Perhaps I'm over thinking things here, but the emergence of Onobun and Hoomanawanui during camp creates dilemmas.

Offensive linemen (13)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.3

Keepers: Jason Brown, Jacob Bell, Rodger Saffold, Jason Smith, Adam Goldberg, Hank Fraley

Looking safe: John Greco, Roger Allen III

Also: Eric Young, Drew Miller, Ryan McKee, Renardo Foster, Tim Mattran

Comment: It's tough finding nine keepers here, so the Rams could be active in the waiver-claim game. Greco's versatility works in his favor. Are the Rams still high on Allen's prospects? I know they liked him last season, but that was before reconstructive knee surgery. Trading Alex Barron made sense in the big picture, but the Rams would have better depth here if Barron were still around.

Defensive line (12)

Average number kept since 2003: 8.6

Keepers: Chris Long, Fred Robbins, Clifton Ryan, James Hall, Gary Gibson, Darell Scott

Looking safe: George Selvie

On the bubble: Victor Adeyanju, C.J. Ah You, Jermelle Cudjo

Also: Ernest Reid, Eugene Sims

Comment: Durability concerns could cost Ah You. Adeyanju also could be on the bubble depending on what options the Rams have beyond their own roster. Cudjo has made a positive impression during camp and preseason. Same goes for Selvie, although an injury sidelined him part of the time.

Linebackers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 6.3

Keepers: James Laurinaitis, Larry Grant, Na'il Diggs, Chris Chamberlain

Looking safe: Bobby Carpenter

On the bubble: David Vobora, Josh Hull

Also: Devin Bishop, Cardia Jackson

Comment: Carpenter has gotten some work at defensive end. Perhaps his presence in an emergency capacity at that position could allow the Rams to keep one fewer defensive lineman, at least early. Chamberlain is probably the best special-teams position player on the Rams, enhancing his value. Hull could provide depth behind Laurinaitis because he's a true middle linebacker, whereas Vobora can back up every position. That could be a close call.

Defensive backs (14)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.7

Keepers: Oshiomogho Atogwe, Ron Bartell, Justin King, Bradley Fletcher, James Butler, Kevin Payne, Craig Dahl, Jerome Murphy, Kevin Dockery

Looking safe: Quincy Butler

On the bubble: Darian Stewart

Also: Brett Johnson, Marquis Johnson, Antoine Thompson

Comment: James Butler's knee injury probably makes keeping Payne a higher priority. Stewart could be a candidate for the practice squad.

Specialists (3)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.7

Keepers: Josh Brown, Donnie Jones, Chris Massey

Comment: Strong group here.

ST. LOUIS -- Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford showed he could run the St. Louis Rams' offense competently in his first NFL exhibition game. He appeared comfortable and in command. He threw accurately.

Bradford, sidelined 10 games by a shoulder injury at Oklahoma last season, also showed he could take a hit. Multiple hits. Too many hits.

The No. 1 overall draft choice started quickly in his NFL exhibition debut against the Minnesota Vikings. Fans rose from their seats in the Edward Jones Dome and welcomed Bradford with the loudest ovation of the night. They rose again when Bradford completed passes for first downs on his first two third-down plays.

"It was exciting," Bradford said following the 28-7 defeat. "It was the first time I had been in a game situation for a long time. It was fun to get out there, get hit a couple times, get knocked down, get back up -- just getting back into the flow of a football game was fun."

Bradford's first pass went through the hands of tight end Darcy Johnson. He faced third-and-5 from the St. Louis 27 on the next play and found receiver Laurent Robinson over the middle for an 18-yard gain. Overall, Bradford completed 6 of 13 passes for 57 yards and a 58.8 rating. But he was sharp early -- as long as his protection lasted.

"Sam sounded confident in the huddle, real calm and comfortable out there," Robinson said. "Threw a great ball, just put it on me and I was able to make the catch and get the first down. It felt good to get his first completion out there."

Two plays later, also on third-and-5, Bradford found receiver Danny Amendola underneath for a 5-yard gain.

"He is a leader," Amendola said. "He is a smart guy, he is a quarterback by nature."

Bradford completed a 9-yard pass to running back Chris Ogbonnaya on the next play, but the Vikings hit Bradford hard -- a sign of things to come.

The longer Bradford stayed in the game, the less reliable his protection became. Those wondering whether Bradford's surgically repaired throwing shoulder might be vulnerable should know the Vikings drove that shoulder into the turf at least twice. Bradford completed the 9-yarder to Ogbonnaya right before taking the first shoulder-crunching hit. The second hit came on the final play of the final Bradford-led drive of the evening.

Bradford said his shoulder felt fine afterward. More evidence the shoulder was fine: In the locker room, veteran starter A.J. Feeley repeatedly slapped Bradford on the shoulder to congratulate him on his first NFL action.

"The shoulder feels great," Bradford said. "I took a couple hits tonight, landed on the shoulder. Feels great, not sore at all. We'll see tomorrow how it feels, but right now it feels great."

Protection problems aren't always a big deal during the exhibition season. Teams aren't preparing for their opponents nearly as much. Coaches sometimes call plays designed more for evaluation purposes than to put individual players in the best possible position to succeed.

In this case, though, the Rams were certainly trying to set up Bradford for success as they sought to build his confidence and feed fan excitement (the dome was sparsely populated on a day when the Chicago Cubs visited Busch Stadium, always a hot ticket here, and a local MMA card attracted more sports dollars).

Unfortunately for Bradford, right tackle Jason Smith could not block backup Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jayme Mitchell, a player whose most recent regular-season sack came in 2007 (one of 4.0 career sacks for Mitchell). It's not good when the player St. Louis drafted second overall in 2009 cannot prevent an NFL backup from roughing up the new franchise quarterback. But there were mitigating factors. Smith has missed time to injury lately. He improved significantly through the course of the preseason a year ago, and he has time to do the same this summer.

Perhaps this was merely an off night for Smith, but I came out of this game with more questions about Smith's pass protection than about Bradford's poise or potential. Consider it a reminder that quarterbacks, though increasingly important as the NFL becomes more pass-oriented, still need considerable support to function, let alone flourish.

Bradford's third and final series of the first half went like this:

First down: Mitchell drives Smith off the ball, raises his hands and bats down Bradford's pass.

Second down: Mitchell beats Smith again, disrupting Bradford and collecting a half-sack on the play.

Third down: Mitchell beats Smith for a full sack this time.

Both teams were without multiple key players. Running back Steven Jackson, the only Rams player with a Pro Bowl on his resume, was among those sitting out. This game ultimately mattered more for what Bradford showed than for the protection issues.

"I felt like I did some good things tonight," Bradford said. "I felt like I did some things not-so-good, but that's what the preseason is for. When we get in there tomorrow and look at the tape, I'm sure we'll find a lot of things to work on."

Kenny from New Jersey asked through the mailbag which position I thought was weakest on the St. Louis Rams. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. addressed the subject for each NFC West team while I was away late last month. I'll link to his thoughts and offer my own. Thanks to Kenny for the idea.

St. Louis Rams

Matt Williamson: Playmakers. "Just how far away are the Rams? I consider the NFC West the weakest division in the league, but the cream of the division -- San Francisco and Arizona -- is far better off in the playmakers department than St. Louis. Remember, when classifying the Rams’ playmakers, I reached a little with (Chris) Long and maybe (James) Laurinaitis."

My take: I'll single out tight end as an area for concern even though Daniel Fells can be effective in a support role and Bajema is a solid backup. They could use a tight end with the versatility to hold up in pass protection or threaten defenses downfield or simply to serve as an outlet for rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. The Rams used later-round picks on the position. Fells, Billy Bajema, Darcy Johnson, Eric Butler, Fendi Onobun and Michael Hoomanawanui won't scare opponents in 2010.

---

San Francisco 49ers

Matt Williamson: cornerback. "Overall, this certainly isn’t an awe-inspiring group of cornerbacks, but if this is the worst facet of your team, you are doing OK."

My take: I'll agree with Williamson to the extent that he says the 49ers lack obvious weaknesses. Quarterback is one obvious potential issue until Alex Smith shows consistency over the course of a season. Williamson thinks Smith is in position to enjoy a breakout season. I agree, but am not sure the 49ers can know whether they've effectively addressed their issues in the return game by adding Ted Ginn Jr. It's fair to say the 49ers do not have a dominant pass rusher, but they've generally been effective rushing the passer as a team.

---

Seattle Seahawks

Matt Williamson: Defensive end. "The uninspiring supporting cast at defensive end puts a lot of stress on (Lawrence) Jackson. He has the most ability of the group and Pete Carroll is very familiar with him from their time together at USC, but Jackson has been underwhelming since entering the league as a high draft choice. In the last 14 games of the 2009 season, Jackson registered a meager 1.5 sacks. That isn’t going to cut it."

My take: I'd single out the pass rush as the Seahawks' greatest weakness, whether it's at defensive end or in the front seven overall. Perhaps the Seahawks' can scheme their way to a better rush. Perhaps Aaron Curry develops into more of a threat. It's just tough to find a proven pass rusher on the roster now that injuries have forced Patrick Kerney into retirement.

---

Arizona Cardinals

Matt Williamson: Quarterback. "(Matt) Leinart is a good touch passer and surely an offseason of being the lead dog at the game’s most important position will help his development. Plus, this is a strong coaching staff that should do a nice job of taking some weight off this young quarterback’s shoulders. Still, there is no way around it right now. The quarterback position is a weakness for the Cardinals as Leinart still is shoddy with his footwork, hasn’t shown high-end arm strength and is a sitting duck in the pocket."

My take: The coaching aspect will be key as the Cardinals adjust their offense following Kurt Warner's retirement. Arizona has the offensive line, running backs and wide receivers to give Leinart a chance to exceed expectations. There's still enough uncertainty, though, to single out quarterback as the most significant weakness on the roster. Linebacker also came to mind, but the Cardinals have some promising prospects at the position and their defensive line could be strong enough to cover in some cases.