ESPN NFL

The recently activated 2012 NFL Draft Machine lets us quickly play around with various mock scenarios.

The other eight divisional bloggers and I are working on one for publication Monday.

I'm picking for the NFC West teams and couldn't help but notice how frequently wide receiver factored into the decision making for the St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers in particular.

Justin Blackmon was an obvious consideration for the Rams at No. 6. Michael Floyd entered into consideration for the Cardinals at No. 13. The 49ers do not pick until No. 30, making it less clear which wideouts might be available.

The chart shows current wide receivers for NFC West teams. The Rams' Danny Amendola is a restricted free agent. The others are signed and active.

Enjoy the draft machine. I'll break out my thoughts on NFC West possibilities when our mock runs Monday.

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Seahawks will have middle linebacker David Hawthorne and cornerback Richard Sherman for their game against Philadelphia on Thursday night. Both players are active after missing practice time with injuries.

Inactive for Seattle: quarterback Josh Portis, safety Jeron Johnson, cornerback Byron Maxwell, linebacker Adrian Moten, tackle Jarriel King, tackle Allen Barbre and defensive lineman Pep Levingston.

Inactive for Philadelphia: quarterback Michael Vick, receiver Jeremy Maclin, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, tackle King Dunlap, guard Julian Vandervelde, defensive end Phillip Hunt and the recently signed Greg Lloyd.

Seattle has five wide receivers active despite placing Sidney Rice on injured reserve. Deon Butler, who suffered a career-threatening leg injury at San Francisco last season, is active for the first time this season.

Hawthorne's mobility will be a subject of interest in this game. Knee problems have bothered him at times during the season, including last week. The shortened week of recovery time could work against him.

Arizona: Quarterback Kevin Kolb took all the first-team reps in practice Wednesday for the first time since suffering toe/foot injuries against Baltimore one month ago. That puts Kolb on course to start against Dallas. Running back Beanie Wells was limited, but his 27-carry, 228-yard performance against Arizona suggests his knee injury is no longer holding him back much. And with fullback Anthony Sherman also healthy, the Cardinals' offensive backfield finally appears whole. That gives the team a chance to more accurately evaluate its offense over the final five games of the season. Hamstring trouble continues to limit tight end Todd Heap, but rookie Rob Housler practicing fully. Tight end Jeff King has become a preferred outlet against pressure for Arizona quarterbacks.

St. Louis: The team limited quarterback Sam Bradford in practice as a precaution after Bradford aggravated his ankle injury against Arizona. Bradford remains the expected starter against San Francisco, but with both starting tackles out for the season, his well-being is a concern Sunday. Adam Goldberg is expected to make his second consecutive start at left tackle. He struggled against Arizona's Sam Acho last week. The challenge grows against the 49ers' Justin Smith and Aldon Smith. On defense, Rams safety Darian Stewart remains sidelined by a concussion. He has been a willing hitter and an occasional playmaker. The Rams would miss him.

San Francisco: The 49ers are expected to have fullback Bruce Miller back from a concussion this week. The team missed Miller against Baltimore. Getting Miller back could help the running game and the offense overall. However, the 49ers could remain without starting right guard Adam Snyder, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. Snyder has been a stabilizing force on the right side of the line. The 49ers might be wise to rest him, in my view. The same goes for receiver Braylon Edwards, whose play has suffered from injuries to his knee and shoulder.

Seattle: Sidney Rice's placement on injured reserve with a concussion hurts the offense. Mike Williams, Golden Tate, Deon Butler and Ben Obomanu figure to get more playing time. The team needs to find out more about Tate and Butler in particular. That should happen over the final five games. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has practiced this week despite the pectoral injury that has affected his play in recent weeks. Defensive tackle Alan Branch has returned to practice this week. The Seahawks' run defense missed him against Washington.

Another week, another cornerback injury for the St. Louis Rams.

Al Harris' season-ending knee injury, confirmed Monday by coach Steve Spagnuolo, leaves Josh Gordy, Justin King, Marquis Johnson and Rod Hood as the available corners. King suffered a head injury Sunday, but not necessarily a concussion. That was the word from Spagnuolo, who said King was symptom-free by Monday.

The Rams have another corner, Nate Ness, on their practice squad.

Starters Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher are on injured reserve. Jerome Murphy, the projected third corner, is also on IR, as is another replacement corner, Brian Jackson.

Yet another replacement at the position, Tim Atchison, was lost to injury and reached an injury settlement, making him free to sign with any team once he's healthy.

The Rams' depleted secondary heads into Week 11 against a Seattle Seahawks receiving corps with its own injury issues. Sidney Rice and Doug Baldwin suffered concussions Sunday. But with Mike Williams back from injury, Golden Tate contributing Sunday, Ben Obomanu available and Deon Butler coming off the physically unable to perform list, the Seahawks can flood the field with more NFL-caliber receivers than the Rams can defend with NFL-caliber corners.

It's been a rough season for NFC West corners in general. The chart breaks down which ones have been lost for the season.

Bernie Miklasz, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist, called it back in September, predicting injury for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.

"It's just a matter of time before he officially becomes a victim of what could be the most overpaid, underachieving NFL offensive line that I've seen in more than 30 years of covering the league," Miklasz wrote.

And that was after the team had sought and secured a pay reduction from left guard Jacob Bell, whose free-agent signing in 2008 stood as the first huge step in an effort to upgrade the line. The Rams waited until November before making another move signaling their dissatisfaction.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says center Jason Brown, a big-money signing in free agency during the 2009 offseason, has lost his starting job to journeyman Tony Wragge. Noted: This is a significant move for the Rams and one that illustrates the team's struggles in identifying talent for the line. I had noticed and written about Brown's struggles a couple weeks ago. The team also used the second choice of the 2009 draft for Jason Smith. Smith was supposed to provide toughness and leadership as a mainstay left tackle. He has instead been an inconsistent presence at right tackle, currently sidelined by injury. The Rams fared better in using a 2010 second-round choice for Rodger Saffold, their current starting left tackle. But they returned to the free-agent market this past offseason, signing right guard Harvey Dahl in part because 2008 third-round pick John Greco never met expectations and was eventually traded. It's now looking as though the team could have new starters at left guard, center and right tackle next season. When the Rams signed Brown in 2009, general manager Billy Devaney explained the move by saying, "We stressed even during the season about getting bigger on the offensive line, more physical, and he fits everything. [Jason's] smart, big, young, and of strong character. The arrow's still going up on him -- an ascending player."

Also from Thomas: The Rams activated receiver Mark Clayton.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic revisits the Kevin Kolb trade and has a hard time picking a winner after only eight games. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie hasn't exactly lit it up in Philly. Somers: "Unlike Kolb, Rodgers-Cromartie proved he can be successful in the NFL. As a rookie in 2008, he intercepted six passes in the last nine games, including the playoffs. In 2009, he was chosen to the Pro Bowl. Since then, however, his production has declined. The Cardinals weren't eager to trade him, but with Greg Toler, A.J. Jefferson and Patrick Peterson, they thought they could afford to part with Rodgers-Cromartie." Noted: There is no winner at this early stage, but the trade favors the Eagles at present because Kolb wasn't playing for them. The 2012 second-round pick they added becomes more valuable with every Cardinals defeat. Arizona can still come out ahead if Kolb develops into a good starting quarterback.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers are having fun with a new play named for a Third Relief Commander at Arlington National Cemetery.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Giants quarterback Eli Manning thought he had sold Frank Gore on attending Mississippi, only to find out Gore was headed for Miami. Manning had fun with the recollection: "He committed. He committed. He had a good visit. I took care of him and he was calling me a few weeks later and making sure we were going to run the counter play. And I told him we'd run the counter play and he needed to come here. And all of a sudden it was signing day and we couldn't sign him. Miami had him hidden or something. They had a plan to keep him down there in Miami." Patrick Willis was also part of that Mississippi team.

The San Francisco Chronicle says Gore expects to play against the Giants despite an ankle injury. Gore: "I'll be all right."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune looks at the Seahawks' efforts to get bigger -- much bigger -- at cornerback under coach Pete Carroll. Richard Sherman is 6-foot-3. Brandon Browner is an inch taller. Boling: "The initial appeal of the jumbo corners was that they could create a better matchup against some of the big receivers the Seahawks face, such as Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald. The question becomes whether the tradeoff is a vulnerability to the smaller, quicker type receivers. The key against those, Sherman and Browner agreed, is to jam them at the line of scrimmage."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Zach Miller's role in pass protection has limited his contributions as a receiver. Noted: Doug Baldwin's emergence has also given the Seahawks a very good target somewhat unexpectedly.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with newly activated receiver Deon Butler. Carroll: "Well, we’re going to work him in. We know he’s a tremendous speed player and a guy that has come through and made a lot of things happen for us last season, so we’re anxious to fit him back in. Right now, it’s still part of the process to get him situated. I’m not sure how much we can play him yet, but it’s good to get him back on the roster."

Arizona: Kevin Kolb's turf-toe injury will either push John Skelton into the lineup or force Kolb to play at less than full strength. The Cardinals appear likely to go with Skelton against Philadelphia unless Kolb can practice at some point during the week. That is because Kolb is new to the Cardinals' offense and wasn't able to practice last week. "It's not like he can just pick it up and go," coach Ken Whisenhunt told reporters. Kolb did not practice Wednesday. Rookie fullback Anthony Sherman continues to miss practice with an ankle injury. Running back Beanie Wells (knee) was limited. The entire starting offensive backfield is hurting, in other words, and that's a significant concern. Tight end Todd Heap's role could increase in his second game back from a hamstring injury.

St. Louis: Quarterback Sam Bradford (ankle), running back Steven Jackson (foot) and emerging safety Darian Stewart (ankle) were among the limited participants in practice Wednesday. Bradford did not practice at all last Wednesday, so his participation this week looks like progress. The Rams remain without starting right tackle Jason Smith (head). They do not seem worse for his absence, but depth on the offensive line is thinner. Depth at linebacker and defensive tackle is running a bit low. Linebacker Bryan Kehl has a high-ankle sprain. Kehl and rookie tight end Lance Kendricks (foot) did not practice.

San Francisco: Frank Gore's injured ankle was the No. 1 concern as the 49ers practiced Wednesday. Gore was in uniform and participating in individual drills, but reports suggested he was favoring the ankle. Still, his participation at all on a Wednesday suggests the injury is something Gore can manage. Defensive end Ray McDonald, sidelined by a hamstring injury last week, also took part in individual drills. Quarterback Alex Smith was fortunate to avoid injury on the big hit he took from Washington's Ryan Kerrigan last week. Consider it a reminder that Smith needs to get rid of the ball more quickly against talented pass-rushers such as Kerrigan and those on the New York Giants awaiting him Sunday.

Seattle: Receiver depth was in flux as the Seahawks practiced Wednesday. Sidney Rice, bothered by shoulder trouble early in the season and foot problems more recently, missed practice with multiple as-yet-undisclosed ailments. Mike Williams practiced despite a foot/ankle injury. Kris Durham went on injured reserve with a torn labrum. Deon Butler came off the physically unable to perform list. Doug Baldwin and Ben Obomanu provide good depth. Coach Pete Carroll was coy on Rice's ailments, but there was no reason to expect Rice to miss the game Sunday. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson continues to play through a pectoral injury that could be affecting his performance on more demanding throws. That's a concern against a Baltimore defense featuring Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata and others.

The St. Louis Rams have gone from NFC West favorites to 1-7 in less than two months.

That makes them one of the more disappointing teams in the NFL along with Philadelphia and a few others. Nothing short of a complete reversal over the remaining eight games will invite obvious questions about the team's overall direction. Even a strong finish might not justify staying the course, depending on one's viewpoint.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch touches on these and other issues during his weekly Rams chat Tuesday. He was "dumbfounded" by the team's decision to cover Larry Fitzgerald with a linebacker on a key play Sunday. He thinks Sam Bradford has regressed. And he finds it tough to defend Steve Spagnuolo's 9-31 record as head coach over the last two-plus seasons. Noted: It'll be extremely difficult to justify staying the course if the Rams' record does not improve significantly, and if the feeling after the season is that Bradford has regressed. I don't think Bradford had sufficient support early in the season. The Week 1 injury to Steven Jackson negatively affected the offense and Bradford in particular. The situation at receiver became a mess, and when the team finally did something about it, Bradford wasn't healthy enough to benefit. One so-so game back from injury isn't enough to evaluate Bradford. How the quarterback performs over the second half of the season will largely influence whether the team's current leadership gets another chance, I would think.

Also from Thomas: a look at the Rams' situation at receiver and how Mark Clayton's activation from the physically unable to perform list could change the dynamics. Thomas: "Clayton played flanker, also known as the 'Z' position, most of the time last year before his Game 5 knee injury in Detroit. But he played the slot his first two seasons in the league for Baltimore, so he could pick up some of the slack there following Greg Salas' injury."

More from Thomas: The Rams need help at linebacker and are checking out the possibilities.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has this to say about Alex Smith during a player-by-player review of the 49ers' offense from Week 9: "He started at quarterback and played very well. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 200 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His passer rating was 109.7. He also was sacked twice, including a devastating blind-side hit from Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan but still managed to hold onto the ball. Took big hit on first-drive sack because he tried to extend the play. Kerrigan's sack occurred 5.5 second after the snap. Smith did well just to keep from fumbling. ... There were a couple dropped passes that could've added another 40-plus yards to his numbers."

Also from Maiocco: a defensive player-by-player review. On free safety Dashon Goldson: "Started at free safety and had an interception in his second game in a row. He also had five tackles and a quarterback hurry. Came up fast from his spot to drop Helu for 2-yard gain on short pass. ... Had tremendous break on pass intended for tight end Fred Davis to make diving interception late in the first quarter near midifield."

More from Maiocco: a midseason report on the 49ers' defense. Maiocco on the defensive MVP: "Middle linebacker Patrick Willis. Again, Willis is the team's best defensive player. And as the 49ers open the second half of the season with a 7-1 record, Willis must be considered on the short list of players in serious contention for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Willis and NaVorro Bowman have formed a sideline-to-sideline tackling duo unmatched in the NFL. Willis was outstanding in pass coverage, too. He also forced three fumbles and recovered two in the first eight games."

More yet from Maiocco: a midseason report on the 49ers' offense. Looking ahead: "The focus of the offense will always be Gore and the run game. But the 49ers must also find a way to get big-chunk plays in the passing game from Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards. The 49ers do not have to open up the offense and change their philosophy in the second half of the season. But they need to take advantage of their big-play chances while also being more consistent on third downs. The 49ers rank 26th in the league, converting just 31.1 percent their third-down chances."

One more from Maiocco: a midseason report on the 49ers' special teams.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee has this to say about 49ers rookie Aldon Smith during a defensive player-by-player report: "Smith should be listed as a defensive end as that has been his primary position this year. He enters the game in third-down packages and has rarely been inserted at outside linebacker. In today's NFL, a players who goes in solely on passing downs sometimes ends up playing more than the starter, especially when the 49ers get out to leads in games. Smith has made the most of his snaps. He leads the team with 6.5 sacks and is candidate for defensive rookie of the year. Sunday's game was the first since Week 4 that Smith did not have a sack. 13 tackles, 6.5 sacks.

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News explains why Gore is so close to passing Joe Perry on the 49ers' career rushing list.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com hands out midseason awards and honors Chris Clemons as Seattle's best player. The best addition in free agency? Farnsworth: "Alan Branch. The big signings after the lockout-eliminated offseason were Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, left guard Robert Gallery and QB Tarvaris Jackson. But the best of this class has been Branch, the former Arizona Cardinal who has settled in and exceled at the three-technique tackle spot in the Seahawks’ 13th-ranked run defense. How good has Branch been? Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the best D-tackle in the league."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers thoughts on Deon Butler's activation from the PUP list. O'Neil: "Butler's lower right leg was broken in two places last December in San Francisco. The injury, similar to the one suffered by running back Leon Washington, was serious enough that doctors questioned if Butler could resume his NFL career. Butler's recovery has proceeded in a way that's fitting for someone with his speed: He's returned faster than many expected."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune gives the Seahawks a weak 'C' grade through the first half of the season. Williams on the running game: "Year 3 of Seattle establishing a dominant run game has been much like the first two years -- a disappointment. The Seahawks have 406 rushing yards on first down -- 24th overall in the league. And they’ve run the ball a league-low 175 total rushes. So even with the renewed emphasis with renowned zone blocking guru offensive line coach Tom Cable on the staff, the Seahawks have not run the ball enough. But Seattle did show a marked improvement running the ball last week at Dallas, with Marshawn Lynch rushing for 135 yards on 22 carries – the first time he’s carried the ball more than 20 times this season. Lynch’s and Justin Forsett’s contracts are up the end of the season, while Leon Washington is in the first of a four-year deal, so Seattle could see some personnel changes with this group in 2012." Noted: Former offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates would have to laugh at the league-low number of rushing attempts, given that his allegedly pass-happy approach wasn't what the team wanted on offense. Falling behind in games has its consequences, however.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic looks at where the Cardinals need to improve, notably at quarterback and on the offensive line. Somers on Kevin Kolb: "At least the Cardinals hope whatever is wrong with Kolb can be fixed. Kolb has made plays that provide hope; the 73-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald against the Redskins comes to mind. But Kolb has played poorly over the past month, and now he's dealing with a right-foot injury that includes turf toe. The Cardinals need to find a way to bring out Kolb's best, and maybe that will take a whole season and full off-season."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Kolb is "touch-and-go" on a potential return to practice this week. Urban: "Reports on both ESPN and NFL Network both said he was unlikely to play against the Eagles. Kolb, at least publicly, is expressing slightly more optimism."

Also from Urban: Thoughts on Kolb's background in Philadelphia, and on his upcoming return. Urban: "As if he was cleaning up for his high school reunion, Kolb got his hair cut late last week, removing his curly locks and looking much more like a businessman. Perhaps that’s fitting, since -- given the struggles both himself and his current team have had -- this meeting with his former team is less reunion and 'more of a business trip.'"

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 7:

Setting the tone with Beanie Wells: The violent stiff-arm Arizona's running back delivered against Minnesota demonstrated, again, what kind of runner Wells can be. The Cardinals should expect a strong effort from Wells against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has softened against the run. Arian Foster (155 yards), Ray Rice (107), Maurice Jones-Drew (96) and Joseph Addai (86) have combined for 444 yards against the Steelers this season. Pittsburgh has allowed more yards rushing through six games this season (677) than it allowed through 10 games (630) last season. Wells is averaging 95.2 yards per game, fourth-most in the NFL. He ranks tied for second in rushing touchdowns with six, despite missing one game to injury and having a bye week.

Solving Ben Roethlisberger: The Cardinals' pass defense has been a weakness. Conventional wisdom says defenses are best off keeping the Steelers' quarterback from setting up on the perimeter. So far this season, however, Roethlisberger has completed only five of 14 attempts for 57 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions from outside the pocket. His Total QBR (7.0) and NFL passer rating (48.8) both rank 28th in the NFL from outside the pocket. Roethlisberger ranks among the top 10 in both categories from inside the pocket. He has been particularly effective on play-action passes (five touchdowns, one interception, 87.9 QBR, 117.7 NFL rating).

The Brandon Lloyd effect: Lloyd comes to the St. Louis Rams having suffered only one dropped pass this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Rams "lead" the NFL with 15 drops. They are one of three teams -- Chicago and Week 7 opponent Dallas are the others -- to have more than seven players drop a pass this season (all three have eight). Lance Kendricks (four), Greg Salas (three), Danario Alexander (two) and the recently cut Mike Sims-Walker (two) have more than one drop for St. Louis. Whether or not quarterback Sam Bradford plays on a bum ankle, the Rams have to do a better job executing the basics, starting with holding onto the ball.

Seahawks' QB decisions in focus: Seattle faces Colt McCoy and Andy Dalton over the next two weeks after bypassing both young quarterbacks in recent drafts. McCoy went to Cleveland as a third-round pick in 2010; the Seahawks had no choice in the round that year after trading up to select receiver Deon Butler in 2009. Dalton went to Cincinnati with the 35th pick this year after Seattle used the 25th choice for tackle James Carpenter.

No time for Seahawks to relax: Seattle's road victory over the previously 3-1 New York Giants gave the team a 2-1 record over its last three games, casting the Seahawks as a young team on the rise. The Browns, meanwhile, have beaten only an 0-6 Indianapolis team and an 0-5 Miami team. Winning on the road was once a bonus for Seattle, but with San Francisco running out to a 5-1 start, including 3-0 away from home, the Seahawks need to beat bad teams on the road just to stay within striking distance. They are seeking victories in back-to-back road games for the first time since 2007.

The San Francisco 49ers' game over the Detroit Lions in Week 6 featured more high-impact, controversial officiating decisions than usual.

I listed several of them following the game, but did not notice a biggie. Turns out officials gave the 49ers a 5-yard head start on their go-ahead touchdown drive in the final minutes.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers felt as though they got the short end of several officiating calls Sunday, but with the game on the line, referee Mike Carey and crew made a mistake in San Francisco's favor. The crew spotted the ball at the Detroit 35 following Ted Ginn Jr.'s 40-yard punt return in the fourth quarter even though Ginn had gone out of bounds at the 40. Noted: I went back and watched this sequence this morning. Sure enough, the 49ers got the ball at the 35 even though Ginn clearly went out of bounds at the 40.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee runs through the 49ers' winning drive against the Lions.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat finds fault with Jim Harbaugh's description of postgame handshakes as something he can improve upon, and the coach's reasoning for not offering an apology, notably that apologies seem like excuses to him. Cohn: "Oh boy, this is a whopper. Harbaugh sees the handshake as a task he can improve at like putting in golf. He does not see it as a courtesy or an issue of manners. Someone needs to help him with this. ... Apologies are excuses? This is an extraordinary point of view which contradicts everything we’ve learned about human behavior from the Bible to the ancient Greeks through Shakespeare up to the modern day. Someone in the Niners organization needs to explain to Jim Harbaugh the function of an apology in civilized society. And Harbaugh and (Jim) Schwartz need to apologize to each other and the world for acting like 2-year-olds."

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams gave no timetable for when Sam Bradford might return from the high-ankle sprain he suffered against Green Bay. It is possible Bradford could play against Dallas in Week 7. Receiver Mark Clayton, coming off the physically unable to perform list, might have unwittingly put pressure on Bradford to play this week. Clayton: "Bradford's tough. He'll be able to rough it out. Ben Roethlisberger goes out there and plays with a broken ankle, broken ribs, broken neck."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' newest receiver, Brandon Lloyd, produced about as much in 2010 as all the Rams' receivers active in Week 6 have produced for their careers. Coach Steve Spagnuolo: "Anybody that you go into a game as a defensive coach and say that you have to adjust things or change things defensively because of this person, that's pretty good. And I remember last year when we did game plan against (Lloyd) that we had to be aware of where he was and change some things coverage-wise. So that probably speaks volumes right there."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Roy Lewis, Deon Butler and Cameron Morrah will resume practicing for the team Wednesday after opening the season on the physically unable to perform list. Noted: Rules allow players to return from the PUP list after the first six weeks of the season, not necessarily the first six games.

Also from Farnsworth: Walter Thurmond says he's more than ready to start at cornerback for Seattle after Marcus Trufant landed on injured reserve.

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says there's a chance Tarvaris Jackson could play for the Seahawks against Cleveland in Week 7. Coach Pete Carroll: "He’s thrown the ball a little bit, and so we’ll just take it one day at a time and see how he tolerates. He was running around here a little bit. He’s way ahead of any schedule that anybody would have thought of at this point, and we’ll see just where that takes us -- we don’t know."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says getting better play from Kevin Kolb stands as the top priority for the Cardinals coming out of their bye. Somers: "At this stage of the season, one performance, good or bad, can skew statistics. But those of us who have watched the Cardinals can trust our eyes, and what we've seen from Kolb lately hasn't been good. He looks uncomfortable in the pocket and he's not making plays when he's on the move. But If I'm a Cardinals coach or player, what's most troubling to me is that Kolb is missing open receivers. In Minnesota, he missed tight end Rob Housler twice: once wide open in the end zone and another time down the seam. (The Cardinals have tried hard to hit that tight end seam pass all year. Doing so a few times might make opponents think twice about keeping a safety over the top on Fitzgerald.) He's thrown behind and ahead of receivers."

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic quotes Larry Fitzgerald as saying Cardinals players need to step up more than coaches at this point.

Aaron Curry, apparently headed for Oakland, has plenty of company among 2009 NFL draft choices failing to meet expectations with their original teams.

The player Seattle's previous leadership drafted fourth overall was part of a draft featuring quite a few underwhelming players near the top.

Thirteen NFC West choices from the 2009 draft remain with their teams: Max Unger, Deon Butler and Cameron Morrah in Seattle; Beanie Wells, Rashad Johnson, Greg Toler and LaRod Stephens-Howling in Arizona; Jason Smith, James Laurinaitis, Bradley Fletcher and Darell Scott in St. Louis; and two players in San Francisco, Michael Crabtree and Ricky-Jean Francois.

Let's sift through the rubble ...

.

.

.

.

NFC West teams went 0-3 last season against the teams they face in Week 5.

They lost those games by a combined 99-31 score.

Much has changed since then. Let's take a look:

Cardinals at Vikings

Score last season: Vikings 27, Cardinals 24 (OT)

Key play: Brett Favre's 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe in the final minute of regulation tied the game, forcing overtime after the Cardinals had built a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead. Favre threw for a career-high 446 yards in the game.

Biggest change: Both teams have new quarterbacks, Kevin Kolb for Derek Anderson in Arizona, and Donovan McNabb for Favre in Minnesota. Also, the Vikings have a new head coach (Leslie Frazier) while the Cardinals have a new defensive coordinator (Ray Horton).

Storyline: McNabb keeps a home in Arizona and was available to the Cardinals when their quarterback situation was in flux, but the team showed no interest in him. He is now trying to hold off a change to rookie Christian Ponder.

Lineup changes for Arizona (12): Beanie Wells for Tim Hightower at running back, Kolb for Anderson at quarterback, Daryn Colledge for Alan Faneca at left guard, Rex Hadnot for Deuce Lutui at right guard, Todd Heap for Ben Patrick at tight end, Andre Roberts for Steve Breaston at receiver, Anthony Sherman for Reagan Maui'a at fullback (although the team opened its 2010 game at Minnesota without a fullback), Dan Williams for Bryan Robinson at nose tackle, Daryl Washington for Gerald Hayes at linebacker, Clark Haggans for Will Davis at linebacker, A.J. Jefferson for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at cornerback, Patrick Peterson for Greg Toler at cornerback.

49ers vs. Buccaneers

Score last season: Buccaneers 21, 49ers 0

Key play: Josh Freeman's 1-yard scoring pass to tackle Donald Penn midway through the fourth quarter put an exclamation point on the 49ers' first home shutout since 1977.

Biggest change: Jim Harbaugh has replaced Mike Singletary as the 49ers' head coach.

Storyline: Alex Smith gets a shot at Tampa Bay after watching Troy Smith struggle against the Bucs as the 49ers' starting quarterback last season. Troy Smith's approach centered around striking for big plays. The Bucs took away the big plays. Alex Smith gives the 49ers a chance to be more efficient.

Lineup changes for San Francisco (12): Alex Smith for Troy Smith at quarterback, Joe Staley for Barry Sims at left tackle, Adam Snyder for Chilo Rachal at right guard, Bruce Miller for Moran Norris at fullback, Isaac Sopoaga for Aubrayo Franklin at nose tackle, Ray McDonald for Sopoaga at defensive end, Ahmad Brooks for Manny Lawson at outside linebacker, NaVorro Bowman for Takeo Spikes at inside linebacker, Carlos Rogers for Nate Clements at cornerback, Tarell Brown for Shawntae Spencer at cornerback, Donte Whitner for Reggie Smith at strong safety.

Seahawks at Giants

Score last season: Giants 41, Seahawks 7

Key play: With Seattle already down 14-0 in the first quarter, the Giants returned Leon Washington's fumbled kickoff return to the Seattle 4, setting up Ahmad Bradshaw's touchdown run on the next play.

Biggest change: Tarvaris Jackson is the starting quarterback for Seattle. Charlie Whitehurst was a fill-in starter for Matt Hasselbeck when the teams played last season.

Storyline: The Seahawks' so-far-unproductive ground game faces a Giants run defense that has struggled. Seattle's young line improved in pass protection last week. Can it take a step forward in run blocking this week?

Lineup changes for Seattle (16): Sidney Rice for Deon Butler at receiver, Jackson for Whitehurst at quarterback, Russell Okung for Chester Pitts at left tackle, Paul McQuistan for Mike Gibson at left guard, Max Unger for Chris Spencer at center, John Moffitt for Stacy Andrews at right guard, James Carpenter for Sean Locklear at right tackle, Zach Miller for John Carlson at tight end, Brandon Mebane for Junior Siavii at defensive tackle, Alan Branch for Craig Terrill at defensive tackle, Red Bryant for Kentwan Balmer at defensive end, K.J. Wright for Aaron Curry at linebacker, David Hawthorne for Lofa Tatupu at linebacker, Leroy Hill for Hawthorne at linebacker, Brandon Browner for Kelly Jennings at right cornerback, Kam Chancellor or Atari Bigby for Lawyer Milloy, depending on Chancellor's availability.

Surprise move: There really weren't any because the Seahawks had already parted with so many familiar names over the past couple seasons. Colin Cole was the most established player shown the door. He had been injured, his salary was $3.75 million and the team had re-signed Brandon Mebane with an eye toward moving Mebane to nose tackle. Those factors worked against Cole sticking around.

Receiver Isaiah Stanback, valued on special teams, landed on injured reserve along with defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson and tight end John Carlson. Rookie safety Mark LeGree, a fifth-round draft choice, was the Seahawks' only 2011 selection to miss the initial cut. Jeron Johnson, one of three undrafted rookies to earn roster spots, beat him out.

No-brainers: Golden Tate's status had drawn considerable attention in recent weeks, but the Seahawks never planned to release him. Tate came through with a strong performance in the final exhibition game, putting to rest questions about his status. Running back Justin Forsett wasn't in danger, either, even though Leon Washington could be moving past him on the depth chart behind starter Marshawn Lynch. With Washington and Forsett sticking around, there was no room for Thomas Clayton. Undrafted rookies Josh Portis (quarterback) and Doug Baldwin (receiver) had clearly done enough to earn spots initially. Both stuck.

What's next: The situation at fullback and tight end bears monitoring with Carlson landing on injured reserve, as expected. Dominique Byrd stuck as the third tight end for now. Assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable has valued h-back types in his offense and it's unclear whether the Seahawks' current personnel addresses that function adequately. Fullback Michael Robinson stuck on the roster as well. Seattle will have to wait six games before bringing back receiver Deon Butler, cornerback Roy Lewis and tight end Cameron Morrah. All are on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. The severity of left guard Robert Gallery's knee injury could influence how the team proceeds on the offensive line.

RENTON, Wash. -- Thoughts and observations after watching the Seattle Seahawks practice Wednesday:

• Marshawn Lynch jogged on his sore ankle without much trouble. He did not practice, but the injury does not appear serious. Reports of the Seahawks' expected visit with veteran free-agent running back Clinton Portis appear unrelated to Lynch's health. Portis, whose cousin Josh is Seattle's No. 3 quarterback, has been trying to line up visits with teams in an effort to revive his career. The Seahawks appear set at the position for now with Lynch, Justin Forsett and Leon Washington.
• Washington has embraced the way assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable instructs running backs to read their keys, which includes making cuts properly in relation to defenders' alignment. It's pretty clear Washington will command additional touches on offense this season. He's healthier and more confident.
• Rookie receiver Ricardo Lockette made one of the more spectacular leaping catches I've seen, snatching the ball for a touchdown while intertwined with safety Earl Thomas. Lockette has phenomenal athleticism, but he's raw and struggling with the things rookie receivers tend to struggle with: mastering the playbook, running crisp routes, catching the ball consistently, etc. Lockette dropped a routine pass after making the spectacular grab.
• Right tackle Breno Giacomini continues to split first-team reps with rookie first-round choice James Carpenter. Giacomini looks the part at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds. He also plays with toughness. Giacomini's aggressive tactics incited strong reaction from defensive end Chris Clemons during practice. The two battled hard during and after plays. Giacomini more than held his own. Carpenter continued to have some problems with speed rushers, notably Raheem Brock. The Seahawks will decide by Week 1 whether or not Carpenter is ready for regular-season action right away. He'll be the starter sooner or later. It's just a matter of when. Getting left tackle Russell Okung back from injury would give the team greater flexibility in helping out Carpenter in difficult situations.
• Okung saw limited work in practice with the second team. The Seahawks hope to have him back from an ankle injury in Week 1.
• Receivers Isaiah Stanback, Ben Obomanu, Sidney Rice and Mike Williams missed practice. Williams participated in individual drills before resting a sore toe. With so many receivers resting injuries, second-year pro Golden Tate figures to get additional opportunities in the final preseason game Friday. Tate's roster spot appears secure, but he could use a strong performance after a rough preseason.
• Tight end John Carlson watched practice wearing shorts and his uniform top. He has not yet undergone the shoulder surgery that will end his season. Losing Carlson diminishes the Seahawks' options. Cable likes to use an H-back type, and Carlson was a candidate to fill that role.
• Receiver Deon Butler did some running and cutting after practice. He remains on the physically unable to perform list and could stay there to open the season.

I'll be heading home here shortly, then heading to CenturyLink Field on Friday night for the Seahawks' game against Oakland.

NFC West wide receivers are casting longer shadows these days.

Division teams have added three wideouts standing at least 6-foot-3 this offseason, led by Sidney Rice in Seattle and Braylon Edwards in San Francisco.

The NFC West now has more receivers listed at 6-5 than it has listed at 5-10.

Seattle is likely to field the tallest starting tandem, with the 6-5 Mike Williams opposite the 6-3 Rice.

The 49ers are the only team in the division with fewer than four receivers standing taller than 6-1. The St. Louis Rams have five. Arizona and Seattle have four apiece.

I've gone through rosters and broken out NFC West receivers by listed heights:

• 6-5: Stephen Williams (Arizona), Mike Williams (Seattle), Kris Durham (Seattle), Danario Alexander (St. Louis).
• 6-3: Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona), Braylon Edwards (San Francisco), Dominique Zeigler (San Francisco), Sidney Rice (Seattle), Austin Pettis (St. Louis), Greg Mathews (St. Louis).
• 6-2: Isaiah Williams (Arizona), DeMarco Sampson (Arizona), Isaiah Stanback (Seattle), Mike Sims-Walker (St. Louis), Dominique Curry (St. Louis).
• 6-1: Michael Crabtree (San Francisco), Patrick Williams (Seattle), Brandon Gibson (St. Louis), Greg Salas (St. Louis), Joe West (St. Louis).
• 6-0: Early Doucet (Arizona), Chansi Stuckey (Arizona), Josh Morgan (San Francisco), Kevin Jurovich (San Francisco), Ben Obomanu (Seattle), Mardy Gilyard (St. Louis).
• 5-11: Andre Roberts (Arizona), Max Komar (Arizona), Ted Ginn Jr. (San Francisco), Ronald Johnson (San Francisco), Lance Long (San Francisco), Donnie Avery (St. Louis), Danny Amendola (St. Louis).
• 5-10: Kyle Williams (San Francisco), Golden Tate (Seattle), Deon Butler (Seattle).

The chart breaks down NFC West teams by receiver height.

The Rams have eight receivers standing at least 6-1, no surprise given offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' history at the position.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at the unsettled nature of the Cardinals' offensive line. Center Lyle Sendlein and guard Deuce Lutui do not have contracts for 2011. Urban: "Free agency will determine the path of the line. Sendlein remains a favorite of the coaching staff and figures to stay in the spot he has had since 2008. Lutui is a much bigger wild card, given his disappointment in the past to not have his contract extended and his desire for a large payday. [Brandon] Keith is a work-in-progress, but the Cards think he can still develop into a solid tackle (and he spent the 2009 season as a backup guard, so he is able to play both positions if necessary). That flexibility could help depending on who the Cards sign and/or re-sign." There were signs Keith was improving before an injury ended his 2010 season. Overall, however, the Cardinals simply haven't invested much in young offensive linemen since selecting Levi Brown fifth overall in 2007. They have not drafted one in the first three rounds of the past four drafts.

Also from Urban: Cardinals staffer Rolando Cantu recently assisted at the scene of a car accident that left a young man with serious injuries.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com revisits Chuck Knox's final season as head coach, explaining why Knox fell out of favor with ownership despite a successful run. Farnsworth: "Call it a clash of strong personalities between Knox -- who was old school, yet still cool -- and owner Ken Behring. After the Seahawks’ early success under Knox, the team never won more than nine games in his final five seasons. His philosophy had morphed into keeping games as close as possible and then trying to make a play to win them in the fourth quarter. Behring wanted more bang for his buck, not bang the drum slowly." That led Behring to push for selecting Dan McGwire in the first round of the 1991 draft, a move that never sat well with Knox.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with Seahawks safety Lawyer Milloy, who is putting on a football camp for kids in the Tacoma area. Williams: "Partnering with Sports International Football Camps, Milloy hosted his first camp in Parkland this week, with Seahawks teammates Deon Butler and Marshawn Lynch chipping in to make appearances in order to teach kids the ins and outs of the game. But Milloy didn’t just pop in to show his face and talk for five minutes. He spent quality time working with kids in individual drills." Butler and Lynch also helped out. Butler has recovered from his season-ending knee injury well enough to run routes and catch passes.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says quarterback Alex Smith is taking a stronger leadership role than ever as the San Francisco 49ers hold player-organized practices. Tight end Vernon Davis: "He's more of a leader than he's ever been at this point. I've never seen Alex like this, 'taking charge' is what I call it. It's Alex taking charge. He's in the classroom walking us through everything, talking about all the plays. He's taking all the snaps. And he's really being a leader out there. That's what Alex should've been doing. But it takes time for some guys to get to where you need to be." My thoughts.

The 49ers' website catches up with former player Gordy Soltau, a candidate for the team's Hall of Fame. Soltau: "I was excited when I got traded out here in 1950. I was with Cleveland at the time when Coach Paul Brown told me, 'You can stay here, but Buck Shaw wants you so badly. I’m going to let you go if you want to go.' Then he said, 'You know you probably won’t play much for us this year, but if you go to San Francisco, you can play right now.' So I said, 'I’ll go.' "

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News offers thoughts on the 49ers' practices.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says draft-day stories about Colin Kaepernick using Andrew Luck as a resource never really panned out.

Eric Branch of the San Jose Mercury News checks in with undrafted center Chase Beeler, who played for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford. Beeler: "I can tell them what my experience was at Stanford in terms of pairings of plays, particular packages that you might see -- a power paired with a particular pass or what have you. But still I have to assume the circumstances in which they’re implementing the playbook are a little different at the next level in the NFL. So there’s going to be some variance there. I’m sure a certain percentage of whatever I’m able to tell them is ultimately going to be useful, but I don’t know that I’m able to give them some kind of grand insight that’s going to bring the whole offense together."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says finding a center must be a priority for the 49ers after Eric Heitmann's neck surgery. Barrows: "David Baas, who played guard his first five seasons in the league, filled in last year at center and remains the team's top option at the position. Baas, an unrestricted free agent, attended one day of the 49ers' previous player-run minicamp -- a good indication he plans to re-sign with the team -- but has not attended the current camp. The 49ers, who have known since last year that Heitmann's status was uncertain, drafted accordingly. They selected Appalachian State's Daniel Kilgore in the fifth round and Montana State's Mike Person in the seventh round, and they plan to see what each can do at both center and guard."

VanRam of Turf Show Times notes that ESPN.com has made Steven Jackson the Rams' highest-ranked player for fantasy purposes. We've spent a fair amount of time this offseason discussing whether Jackson has lost a step and what he might offer for the future. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. put it this way earlier in the offseason: "He struggles to run away from tacklers and break long runs. And he just isn't as nifty as he once was. This sounds like I am a Jackson 'Hater,' which I am not. In fact, I think that the new offense being installed by Josh McDaniels could do Jackson a world of good, as could the maturation of Sam Bradford."