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Larry Fitzgerald's arrival with the Arizona Cardinals via the 2004 NFL draft serves as the starting point for the latest item looking at recent NFC West choices.

Fitzgerald already has 613 receptions, far more than any other NFC West receiver over the last seven seasons.

In fact, the wide receivers with the most receptions for the Cardinals' division rivals during the same time period -- Torry Holt (St. Louis), Bobby Engram (Seattle) and Arnaz Battle (San Francisco) -- have long since moved on. I ran across Engram in the 49ers' main lobby Wednesday; he's a quality control coach with the team.

History tells us receivers carry more risk than some other positions. For every Fitzgerald, there seems to be a Koren Robinson, David Terrell or Troy Williamson -- high picks that never came close to realizing their potential. Mike Williams' revival with Seattle last season was an exception.

The charts break down every receiver NFC West teams have drafted since 2004. Will the St. Louis Rams add Julio Jones to their list of drafted wideouts?

As in the past, I'll preface each chart with thoughts from the teams' perspectives.

Immediate needs don't matter so much when front-line talent is available ...

Time to start finding replacements for veterans who might not fit into our plans (Terrell Owens for the 49ers, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt for the Rams) ...

These guys might not start, but every team needs secondary options in the passing game ...

We're getting late enough in the draft to consider grabbing a receiver while a few with decent potential remain on the board ...

Time to fill out the roster and hope we find depth for special teams ...

JaMarcus Russell's demise as an NFL player is back in the news, shining light upon the perils of investing millions in unproven prospects.

The 2007 NFL draft was about more than Russell, of course.

That draft also produced Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Darrelle Revis and Lawrence Timmons among the top 15 choices.

For as much criticism as the Arizona Cardinals have taken for selecting tackle Levi Brown fifth overall, Brown has started 59 regular-season games, second only to Willis (63) among NFC West draft choices that year. He has also started six playoff games, including a Super Bowl, and coach Ken Whisenhunt expects good things from him.

I've put together a couple charts showing what NFC West teams have gotten from their draft choices that year. More on those in a bit.

First, I've taken a team-by-team look at the players selected, whether they remain with their original teams and how many games each has started for his drafted team.

The 49ers had the best draft among NFC West teams. They also had the most draft capital to work with, selecting twice in the first round. The Seattle Seahawks had no first-rounder that year thanks to the Deion Branch trade, so expectations were lower.

Arizona Cardinals

Total picks: five

Still with team (4): Brown (59), Steve Breaston (26), Ben Patrick (20), Alan Branch (3)

No longer with team (1): Buster Davis (0)

Comment: The Cardinals had fewer total selections than any team in the division. Hitting on Breaston in the fifth round was outstanding, but the Cardinals haven't gotten enough from their top three selections that year. Branch never panned out as a second-rounder. Davis, the third-rounder, didn't make it out of camp. Whisenhunt takes pride in making roster decisions with less regard for draft status. He wasn't going to give Davis or anyone a free pass. That's admirable, but in the bigger picture, Arizona still came up short in this draft.

San Francisco 49ers

Total picks: nine

Still with team (5): Willis (63), Joe Staley (50), Ray McDonald (9), Dashon Goldson (34), Tarell Brown (5)

No longer with team (4): Jason Hill (2), Jay Moore (0), Joe Cohen (0), Thomas Clayton (0)

Comment: Former general manager Scot McCloughan gets credit for selling former coach Mike Singletary on Willis as an elite prospect. That seems odd given Singletary's background as a Hall of Fame linebacker, but the 49ers got the right guy, so the "how" part matters less. That one selection makes this draft the best in the division for 2007. Staley is the starting left tackle. McDonald has been a solid rotation player. Goldson became a starter. All in all, this was a strong draft.

Seattle Seahawks

Total picks: eight

Still with team (2): Brandon Mebane (53), Will Herring (7)

No longer with team (6): Josh Wilson (24), Steve Vallos (8), Mansfield Wrotto (5), Courtney Taylor (4), Jordan Kent (1), Baraka Atkins (0)

Comment: Not having a first-round selection severely hurt this class' overall potential. Wilson seemed like a solid selection in the second round given the playmaking value he offered, but multiple changes in organizational leadership left him on the outside in terms of fit. Mebane was a solid choice in the third round. Vallos and Wrotto remain in the league elsewhere.

St. Louis Rams

Total picks: eight

Still with team (1): Clifton Ryan (27)

No longer with team (7): Adam Carriker (25), Brian Leonard (7), Jonathan Wade (6), Dustin Fry (0), Ken Shackleford (0), Keith Jackson (0), Derek Stanley (0)

Comment: This draft was a disaster for the Rams and made worse by massive organizational changes. On the bright side, the Rams might not have been in position to select Sam Bradford first overall in 2010 without selecting so many non-contributors in 2007.

Now, on to the charts. The first one takes a round-by-round look at the number of starts each team has gotten from its 2007 selections. I have used dashes instead of zeroes to show when teams did not have a selection in a specific round.

The second chart divides the number of starts by the values of the selections each team held, using the draft-value chart.

For example, the value chart said the Seahawks' picks that year were worth 669.2 points, far less than the picks for other NFC West teams were worth. Using this measure, Seattle got more bang for its buck if we valued all starts equally (and we should not value them all equally, but we can still use this as a general guide).

Some of the choices were compensatory and could not be traded, so the chart would not have valued them for trading purposes. I assigned values to them for this exercise, however, because we were not considering the picks for trading purposes.

Adam Carriker's trade from the Rams to the Redskins -- rumored for weeks and now a done deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter -- reflects what happens when teams change coaching staffs. The Rams and Redskins swapped fifth-round choices.


The move reunites Carriker with former Rams interim coach and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, now with the Redskins. I never sensed the Rams' current leadership disliked Carriker, but neither was the leadership ever personally invested in Carriker's career. Haslett has a better feel for what Carriker can become. Perhaps Carriker will fit better at defensive end in the Redskins' 3-4 scheme than at defensive tackle in the Rams' 4-3. A shoulder injury prevented Carriker from playing last season, perhaps hastening his departure.

The Rams made Carriker the 13th player chosen in the 2007 draft. His departure leaves restricted free agent Clifton Ryan, a fifth-round choice, as the only 2007 Rams choice still with the team. The current leadership previously traded second-round choice Brian Leonard. Other members from that class -- Jonathan Wade, Dustin Fry, Ken Shackleford, Keith Jackson and Derek Stanley -- are also gone.

Victor Adeyanju and Mark Setterstrom are the Rams' only 2006 choices still with the team.

The dismantling continues in St. Louis.

The Rams placed starting receiver Keenan Burton on injured reserve Monday, ending his season. The position has been hit incredibly hard by injuries this season, recalling what Seattle went through in 2008.

The Rams were already rebuilding at the position after releasing Torry Holt as part of a youth movement and salary-cap adjustment. General manager Billy Devaney made a solid move in acquiring Laurent Robinson from the Falcons before the season. Robinson was the Rams' best receiver through the first two games, but a season-ending injury landed him on injured reserve. Starter Donnie Avery has hit stride recently after battling injuries most of the season. Brandon Gibson, a rookie acquired from Philadelphia in the Will Witherspoon trade, made strong contributions Sunday.

Burton had shown significant improvement in recent weeks. He ranks second to Avery in receptions among St. Louis' wide receivers. Running back Steven Jackson leads the team overall.

The Rams have had nine receivers on their 53-man roster this season: Gibson, Avery, Burton, Robinson, Danny Amendola, Ruvell Martin, Tim Carter, Nate Jones and Derek Stanley. Fifth-round choice Brooks Foster landed on injured reserve before the season. Ronald Curry was with the team in camp.

Avery, Gibson, Amendola and Martin remain. Sean Walker is on the practice squad. Chris Davis, Skyler Green, David Tyree, Larry Beavers, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne and Jordan Kent have had tryouts with the team over the last two months.

Keeping Avery healthy is critical. Gibson will continue getting significant reps after catching seven passes for 93 yards against the Saints in Week 10.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers' tampering charges against the Jets were a strategic move designed to limit Michael Crabtree's options by effectively removing the Jets from consideration as a possible trading partner. Barrows: "The 49ers might not win their tampering case. But they've put the Jets in a position where they can't acquire him. To do so at this point would be to hang a big 'guilty' sign around their necks. Filing the tampering charges is designed to force Crabtree deeper into a corner from which his only recourse is to join the 49ers -- precisely what the 49ers have wanted all along." That makes sense on one level. On another level, I would think the 49ers would want as many options as possible available to them. Removing the Jets as a possible trading partner takes away one potential option.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider takes a closer look at Frank Gore's 80-yard touchdown run against the Seahawks.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams released Derek Stanley and filled his roster spot with Danny Amendola. General manager Billy Devaney: "We’re just trying to get some juice in the return game."

Also from Coats: Will Packers fans pack the Edward Jones Dome for the Rams' regular-season home opener? Coats: "Selling tickets wasn't always a problem. The team's first 100 games -- regular season and playoffs -- after moving to St. Louis from Los Angeles in 1995 were sold out. But at the end of the 2006 season, as the Rams were finishing up their third straight year without a winning record, the team failed to fill the house for a Christmas Eve contest against the Washington Redskins. Since then, five other games haven't sold out, almost a third of the last 16 games at the 66,000-seat dome. Corporate ticket buy-ups prevented several others from being blacked out."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' 0-2 record this season feels better than 0-2 records in seasons' past. Burwell: "Three weeks ago when you looked at the early part of the Rams schedule, the toughest and seemingly most unwinnable game appeared to be Sunday's home opener against the Packers. The Pack were being touted as one of the rising teams in the NFC. Now they are a struggling 1-1 team that suddenly looks vulnerable, even to a team like the Rams, who are on a 12-game losing streak."

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis says the move to sign Amendola gives the Rams flexibility with Kenneth Darby.

Turf Show Times' VanRam revisits Donnie Avery's struggles early this season.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner. Somers: "Warner doesn't make as much of the highs and lows as others. But it's as if he just can't play poorly without there being an underlying reason. Maybe his hip was sore. Maybe the stinger in his shoulder affected him. Maybe he can't move like he used to, although even at 28 he never caused anyone's ankles to buckle with his shiftiness."

Also from Somers: additional thoughts on the Cardinals after rewatching their game against the Jaguars. Somers: "The corners, Bryant McFadden and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, played well. McFadden was physical (although he could have been called for a PI before the blocked field goal) and DRC did a nice job causing a fumble."

ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky points to the non-call against McFadden as a turning point in the Cardinals' victory. Kuharsky: "With the pass interference call, a team with little margin for error would have been in position for a touchdown to pull even at 10-10. The field goal would have made it 10-6. The block and return make it 17-3 and the Jags are never closer than 14 points again." I rewatched the play several times Tuesday and thought there was little question as to whether McFadden violated rules. He clearly made contact with the receiver before the ball arrived. The receiver still got his hands on the ball, but he couldn't extend fully.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks into how the Cardinals are handling Beanie Wells' recent fumbling issues. Urban: "Coach Ken Whisenhunt did say Monday that he was going to have Wells tote a ball around all week after he fumbled twice in Jacksonville."

Revenge of the Birds' Hawkwind says fumbling isn't a new problem for Wells, citing an old scouting report from CBS: "Taking the ball up the gut, Wells will usually run with the ball secure. His problems happen when he tries to get too fancy bouncing outside, as he does not distribute the ball much and leaves it a bit exposed taking off for long distances. His fumbling was so bad in 2006 that the coaches greatly reduced his playing time until injuries hit the running corps. Eight of his 10 career fumbles have been recovered by the opposition."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the injury situation for Seattle is different from last season. O'Neil: "These are not season-ending injuries. [Lofa] Tatupu is going to be back, same for [Matt] Hasselbeck. Walter Jones will be playing, too. Obviously, the status of Marcus Trufant and Leroy Hill are still TBA, but this isn't the same thing as last year when you had so many receivers who were done for the year."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' pass defense faces a stiffer test against the Bears in Week 3. Williams: "Through two games, Seattle has given up two plays of 20 yards or more through the air, best in the league. But that could change in the next few weeks, with the Seahawks facing strong-armed quarterback Jay Cutler and Chicago on Sunday then traveling to Indianapolis to take on the high-powered Colts’ offense in two weeks and a home date against Arizona looming Oct. 18."

Chris Sullivan of Seahawk Addicts looks at the good, the bad and the ugly from the Seahawks' performance at San Francisco. Sullivan: "The Seahawks' two-minute offense is among the best in the league. Do we ever go into the 2MO without scoring? I can't think of a time, even when our QB breaks a rib in the middle of it. Could we see the Seahawks enter the no-huddle more often? Not likely, but if we ever get down by two scores late, I'd expect it."

John Morgan of Field Gulls says Darryl Tapp deserves credit for setting up Craig Terrill's sack against the 49ers.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The facts: The Rams lost their season opener to the Seahawks, 28-0.

The upside: Even the worst defeats tend to feature a bright spot or two.

• The Rams continued to force turnovers, including two interceptions of Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
• Derek Stanley gained 24 yards on his only punt return.
• Donnie Jones averaged 50.8 yards per punt with a 44.8-yard net average.
• Marc Bulger played a full game despite missing much of the preseason after suffering a broken finger.
• Rookie James Laurinaitis finished with 14 tackles, including 10 solo. He also recovered a fumble.
• The Rams limited the Seahawks' wide receivers to a long gain of 13 yards.
• Left tackle Alex Barron, flagged 11 times last season, finished without a penalty. Seahawks pass-rusher Patrick Kerney had no sacks or quarterback hits.

Looking ahead: The Rams visit the Redskins in Week 2.

Rams Receiver Career Receiving Touchdowns Donnie Avery 3 Laurent Robinson 1 Keenan Burton 1 Derek Stanley 1 Nate Jones 0 Totals 6

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Rams' offense goes through Steven Jackson. The Rams' offense is Steven Jackson.

• Exhibit A: Samkon Gado is the No. 2 running back for now.
• Exhibit B: The Rams' current wide receivers have combined for three six touchdown receptions.
• Exhibit C: The Rams' current wide receivers combined to start 13 games last season, 12 by Donnie Avery.
• Exhibit D: Quarterback Marc Bulger is coming off two rough seasons and a broken finger.

Avery is an ascending young player. Fellow receiver Laurent Robinson has exceeded expectations after a disappointing start to his career in Atlanta. Tight end Randy McMichael is back from a broken leg. Beyond those counterpoints, it's tough mustering any traction when attempting to paint the Rams' offense as multidimensional.

The Rams will presumably consider all options -- waiver claims, trades, you name it -- in attempting to add offensive firepower.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Rams' roster requires additional study after a thorough house-cleaning this offseason. With so many new faces, I feel less familiar with the Rams than with the other teams in the division. This initial look at the roster will hopefully help bring some focus.

Donnie Avery's injury and overall health concerns at receiver could influence how many players the Rams carry into the season at the position.

Marc Bulger's broken pinky shouldn't affect the roster as long as he recovers on schedule. Teams must reduce to 75 players by Sept. 1 and 53 players by Sept. 5. Those initial 53-man rosters sometimes change by Week 1 kickoffs. For that reason, I've been focusing on Week 1 rosters when setting baseline expectations for each position.

St. Louis Rams Week 1 Roster Counts since 2003 QB RB WR TE OL DL LB DB ST Fewest 2 5 5 2 9 8 5 8 2 Most 3 7 6 4 10 9 7 11 3 Average 2.8 5.5 5.5 3.0 9.2 8.3 6.3 9.7 2.7 Currently on roster 4 7 10 5 15 13 9 14 3

T
he chart provides a framework for how many players the Rams might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the Seahawks.

Here's a quick look at which Rams players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players:

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The Rams practiced without pads Wednesday for the first time in a morning practice since training camp opened.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo and running back Steven Jackson addressed reporters in a group setting afterward. I spoke with center Jason Brown and rookie tackle Jason Smith individually thereafter.

Only time will tell if Brown and Smith play well for the Rams. In speaking with them and looking into their eyes, it's pretty clear Spagnuolo has found a couple of players to build around. Brown seems down to earth, personable and an eager advocate of Spagnuolo's efforts to build around the "four pillars" set out by the coach (faith, character, core values and team first). Smith, who mentions "Mr. Brown" when referring to the Rams' new center, spelled out what role each starting offensive lineman is playing in his development.

I'll develop these and other themes in the Rams' Camp Confidential file, scheduled to appear here Thursday. A few notes from practice:

• Spagnuolo said the first-team offense and defense will likely play one quarter and possibly a little longer Friday night against the Jets.
• Rookie defensive tackle Darell Scott injured his left knee in practice Tuesday. The team rested him Wednesday in an effort to get him ready for the game Friday night.
• Daniel Fells and Billy Bajema seem to be getting more work than Randy McMichael in double-tight sets. The Rams are not limiting McMichael for any reason, though the tight end wouldn't mind getting more reps, Spagnuolo said.
• A sore hamstring limited cornerback Ron Bartell in practice.
• The team wants to take a long look at its return specialists, particularly Derek Stanley.
• Linebacker Will Witherspoon keeps making plays in practice. He looks like the best player on defense at times. He batted a pass and intercepted it Wednesday.
• Cornerback Quincy Butler made plays in coverage, including when he jumped a pass route to pick off Kyle Boller.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The Rams practiced in pads Tuesday morning, perhaps their final practice with live tackling before they get into the preseason routine.

A few things I noticed:

• Coach Steve Spagnuolo is everywhere. He bounces from one positional group to another, sometimes running 50 yards at a time between stations. He offers personal instruction in some of the defensive groups, particularly the secondary. Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher received one-on-one instruction from Spagnuolo in this practice.
• Linebacker Will Witherspoon was easily the most impressive linebacker. He caused problems rushing the passer and taking down running backs behind the line of scrimmage. Veteran linebacker Chris Draft sat out this practice after taking a thumb to the throat. The Rams are having the injury checked out as a precaution.
• Linebacker Larry Grant picked off a Marc Bulger pass near the goal line and would have had a big return. Grant also blew up a running play, stuffing Kenneth Darby. The early camp reports about Grant making a positive impression held true.
• The Rams change up their personnel at tight end frequently. I'm not sure if they were just resting starter Randy McMichael, but there were times when he wasn't part of double-tight end groups. McMichael is the most established receving threat at the position. He did drop a pass Tuesday, though.
• Cornerback Tye Hill had some problems with swelling in his surgically repaired knee, Spagnuolo said. I watched receiver Nate Jones beat Hill for a touchdown despite relatively tight coverage. The Rams would like Hill to contest such plays more aggressively. "Compete!" was an order heard often in drills pitting cornerbacks against receivers. In this case, Hill was hurting. He did not finish practice.
  
• Injured receiver Donnie Avery took off his walking boot for some conditioning drills, including while laying on his back and raising a medicine ball held between his ankles.
• Keenan Burton and Tim Carter were getting work at flanker, with Laurent Robinson at split end.
• The Rams' West Coast offense uses the same terminology for personnel groups as the one Mike Holmgren ran in Seattle for nine years. The Seahawks have new terminology this season.
  
• Derek Stanley is practicing without a sleeve or brace on his surgically repaired knee. The coaching staff would like him to continue working on ball security and finishing plays. Spagnuolo praised Stanley for his progress in those areas.
  
• Running back Samkon Gado is getting extra work while an ankle injury limits fullback Mike Karney. Gado willingly slammed into middle linebacker James Laurinaitis while lead blocking for Steven Jackson. The staff has been pleased with Gado's versatility, although Gado did muff a kickoff late in practice.
• Second-year defensive end Chris Long did not stand out during one-on-one pass-rush drills. Left tackle Alex Barron seemed to handle Long effectively. Backup defensive linemen Eric Moore, Victor Adeyanju and Ian Campbell blew past backup offensive linemen Renardo Foster, Daniel Sanders and Eric Young, respectively. Hollis Thomas badly beat center Tim Mattran, while Gary Gibson beat guard Roger Allen III.
• First-round choice Jason Smith continues working with the second-team offense at right tackle. He handled Campbell in one-on-one pass rush. Smith did not work against starting defensive ends in that drill Tuesday.
• Defensive end Leonard Little would have had a free shot on Bulger when the first-team offense faced the first-team defense in modified live drills (I say modified because tackling was live for running plays, not passing plays, while quarterbacks were off-limits to contact, as usual). Right tackle Adam Goldberg wasn't necessarily to blame for Little racing into the backfield untouched. He blocked to the inside.

The Rams have a special-teams session scheduled for this afternoon. Also, I'll be speaking with Bernie Miklasz of 101ESPN at about 1:20 p.m. CT. Listen live.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Rams' depth at receiver was already a concern before they learned top wideout Donnie Avery would miss four to six weeks with a foot injury.

Avery

Avery reported soreness in his foot Saturday, but never did the Rams expect to find an injury this significant. Avery apparently suffered it during the team's scrimmage Friday night.

The Rams have conducted a very physical camp, but none of their injuries appear related to live tackling. This is a very tough break for a rebuilding team without enough depth to compensate for injuries to certain positions, notably receiver.

With Avery out, the Rams might need to consider adding another veteran. Keenan Burton, Laurent Robinson, Ronald Curry, Tim Carter, Derek Stanley, Brooks Foster, Jarrett Byers and Sean Walker are the other receivers on the roster.

According to the Rams, the MRI showed more damage than the initial X-ray revealed.

Update: Upon reflection, I think the headline on this item is a little overly dramatic.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers are going back to basics at training camp, starting with blocking and tackling. Crumpacker: "[Mike] Singletary said both morning and afternoon practices will be in full pads for the first two weeks, which is sure to elicit groans from the players. Under previous 49er coaches, players usually wore shorts and shoulder pads in the afternoon and contact was minimal." Sounds like players could be at increased risk for injury.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat blames agent Eugene Parker for Michael Crabtree's unsigned status and draft-day slide to No. 10.

John Cote of the San Francisco Chronicle provides details from a 3,000-page impact report for the 49ers' proposed stadium in Santa Clara. Cote: "Noise from a new football stadium for the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara would significantly affect nearby neighborhoods, but traffic would only be a real problem on the few occasions NFL games are played on weekdays, according to a draft environmental study."

KNBR radio in San Francisco provides audio from 49ers kicker Joe Nedney's recent interview. Nedney: "This is a really good team right now and we are playing with a purpose."

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says 49ers tight end Vernon Davis plans to avoid fighting during practice, an issue for him in the past.

David Fucillo of Niners Nation looks at position battles at 49ers camp. Damon Huard isn't part of the equation because Singletary said it's a two-man race between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says rookie Michael Ray Garvin impressed during conditioning tests as the Cardinals reported for camp. Some veterans paced themselves, but all 80 players passed.

Also from Somers: Anquan Boldin isn't complaining at camp this year. Boldin: "How I feel ain't going to change a thing. So, it don't make no sense to sit here and harp on it." 

More from Somers: Cardinals nose tackle Alan Branch is in better shape. If he plays well this season, the team might be able to move Bryan Robinson to end.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com contrasts Boldin's current tack to the one he took last summer. Night and day.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with new Rams defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, no relation. Hollis: "I like beating up on people, that's the only way I can explain it. Take out the frustration. You [media] guys might write something that frustrates me, so I might take it out on the guy that's in front of me next play."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams rookie Chris Ogbonnaya worked overtime Thursday as the only running back available to practice. Also, Craig Dahl picked off Kyle Boller during practice.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says rehabbing receiver Derek Stanley sees special teams as his ticket to a roster spot. 

Clare Farnsworth of Seahawks.com says the team has high hopes for training camp and for defensive tackle Brandon Mebane in particular.

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks accomplished just about everything they set out to do during free agency, from landing T.J. Houshmandzadeh to drafting Aaron Curry. But a few concerns persist.

John Morgan of Field Gulls singles out 10 storylines for the Seahawks at training camp. Jordan Babineaux's challenge to Brian Russell at free safety makes the top five.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune provides a transcript from Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell's conversation with reporters Thursday. Backup running back Justin Forsett appears better suited than expected for the new one-cut running game.

Rams Player Pos. Drafted By Round C.J. Ah You DL Bills 7 Ronald Curry WR Raiders 7 Larry Grant LB 49ers 7 Billy Bajema TE 49ers 7 Donnie Jones P Seahawks 7 Josh Brown K Seahawks 7 David Vobora LB Rams 7 Chris Chamberlain LB Rams 7 Mark Setterstrom OL Rams 7 Chris Ogbonnaya RB Rams 7 Chris Massey LS Rams 7 Derek Stanley WR Rams 7 Kenneth Darby RB Bucs 7

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Rams certainly never set out to amass 13 seventh-round draft choices, three more than any other team in the league. It just worked out that way.

Ronald Curry, a seventh-round choice of the Raiders in 2002, became the lucky 13th when St. Louis acquired him from the Lions by trade Wednesday.

Rosters are at their fattest this time of year, so the total will certainly shrink.

The Rams' failure in the early rounds of past drafts -- before the current regime took over -- has probably left more room for later-round players.

Billy Bajema's addition could help cost 2006 second-rounder Joe Klopfenstein a roster spot. At linebacker, the Rams have parted with 2003 second-rounder Pisa Tinoisamoa, 2004 fourth-rounder Brandon Chillar and 2006 third-rounder Jon Alston, creating room for seventh-rounders David Vobora and Chris Chamberlain. At running back, the Rams practically gave
away 2007 second-rounder Brian Leonard, making it more likely for seventh-rounder Chris Ogbonnaya to stick.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

An accounting note related to the Rams' acquisition of receiver Ronald Curry from the Lions: Chad Lucas is no longer with St. Louis.

The Rams released Lucas, leaving them with 12 receivers, still above the NFL average (10.6). Teams without established players at a position sometimes load up at the position heading into training camp, improving the odds of stumbling upon contributors.

Lucas had been with the Bucs before joining the Rams. He caught five passes for 82 yards while with Tampa Bay during the 2007 season.

Current Rams receivers: Curry, Laurent Robinson, Keenan Burton, Tim Carter, Travis Brown, Donnie Avery, Nate Jones, Derek Stanley, Horace Gant, Sean Walker, Jarrett Byers and Brooks Foster.

Posted by Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson

	Jeff Curry/US Presswire
	Outside of Steve Jackson, the Rams are short on weapons.

The Rams have several areas of great concern. But outside of Steve Jackson, there is a real shortage at wide receiver, tight end and complementary running backs in St. Louis. Actually, it might be prudent to add Marc Bulger to this equation as well, as he has thrown 22 touchdowns and 28 interceptions over the past two seasons. But let's just focus on the pass catchers and backup runners for the moment.

Jackson isn't the most durable player around, so having a quality back behind him is of paramount importance. There might not be a team in the league that has worse running back depth than the Rams. Jackson has missed four games in each of the past two seasons and the best options behind him are Antonio Pittman, Kenneth Darby, Samkon Gado and this year's seventh-round pick, Chris Ogbonnaya. Also, this is supposed to be a power, run-first offense with Steve Spagnuolo as the head coach. The backs are going to take a pounding.

The Rams used an early second-round pick last year to make Donnie Avery the first wideout selected in 2008. He is incredibly fast and had a more than respectable season in his rookie year. There is a lot to like about Avery, but is he ever going to be a true No. 1 guy who can dominate in tight quarters, the red zone and when coverages are rolled his way? Like most of St. Louis' wide receiver corps, he is best suited to the dome environment, which is fine -- when the Rams are playing in a dome.

While it is extremely early in his career and he has yet to be productive, Keenan Burton may end up being a solid No. 2 wideout in time. He has decent size, knows how to use it well and is a secure hand-catcher. Still, there is a learning curve here.

Scouts Inc.: Weaknesses • AFC: N | S | E | W • NFC: N | S | W

St. Louis also wisely traded for Laurent Robinson, who could be another very good dome player. He has a vertical aspect to his game and should develop further. Either Robinson or Burton will start opposite Avery.

While these three young wideouts have upside and very well could develop into solid pros, they are not there yet and there certainly is no guarantee that they will excel. Avery and Robinson aren't particularly physical. And learning the wide receiver position at this level tends to take a fair amount of time.

Also, these are really the only three wideouts of consequence presently on the roster. Brooks Foster might be OK as a fourth wideout and he does have ability, but forgive me if I don't get overly excited about Derek Stanley or Tim Carter. The lack of star power at wideout is the most troubling.

Randy McMichael would be a suitable starting tight end -- if the Rams were better stocked at wide receiver. Or, if St. Louis had a superstar tight end to go with their present group of wideouts, that would be fine. But neither is the case. Expect somewhat of a resurgence from McMichael this season after missing the final 12 games last year with a leg injury. He will be needed, and there is little behind him right now on the tight end depth chart, so throwing out of double tight end sets could be compromised. Keep an eye on Daniel Fells, a relative unknown. He has a chance to make an impact to some degree.

Finding questionable areas on the Rams is not a difficult chore. Both lines still have a chance to be weaknesses and the cornerback position is rather unstable as well, but the lack of offensive playmakers outside of Jackson is most troubling.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.