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INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL scouting combine wraps up this week in a relatively new venue.

Lucas Oil Stadium was also site of the Super Bowl this year.

The San Francisco 49ers will not be playing host to the combine at any point, but they appear likely to land a Super Bowl after securing necessary financing for a new stadium, to be ready for the 2014 or 2015 season.

Getting a stadium built in California stands as an upset for the 49ers and their ownership.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News checks in with 49ers president and minority owner Gideon Yu, who credits CEO Jed York for laying out grand visions. Yu: "I’ve worked for a lot of guys in the past that have audacious big visions. Jed ranks up there with those guys that were set to change the world -- going out to change the world. Jed in his own way is doing the same thing. His audacious goal, audacious visions are the ones we as a team went out and implemented. So getting this stadium financed in what amounts to a year before everybody thought that we would -- you never thought we would -- but we did the best we could to get it done a year ahead of time. That started from Jed asking a very simple question, which was, it looked like things were going well with the NFL, going well with our team, there’s some good tailwinds here, because of the new CBA, the new television deal: ‘Is there a chance to get a fully financed stadium right now?’ We went out there, tested the market, and sure enough, the market was ready for us. And what credit do I get? The credit that I get is making sure that what Jed laid down for us was executed."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers safety Dashon Goldson is looking for an agent after firing Drew Rosenhaus. Barrows: "Goldson hired Rosenhaus in 2010 in an effort to secure a lucrative, long-term contract. Goldson was impressed with the five-year, $37 million deal Rosenhaus secured for safety Antrel Rolle with the New York Giants. Goldson, however, failed to get a similar offer when he hit the free-agent market last summer. The 49ers offered him a five-year, $25 million deal, but Goldson and Rosenhaus turned it down in the belief that there were richer offers available. There were not, and Goldson ended up signing a one-year, $2 million contract with the 49ers instead."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks' desire to secure pass-rush help might be best satisfied by investing a first-round draft choice. O'Neil: "In the past 10 seasons, there have been 12 rookies who had 10 or more sacks. Eleven of those 12 players were drafted in the first round, which tells you that pass rushers capable of making an immediate impact are like snowmen in Seattle: They don't tend to last more than a day."

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says Seahawks general manager John Schneider had this to say about Matt Flynn during the John Clayton Show: "Matt is a championship kid, he really is. We drafted real him late -- I think it was the sixth or seventh round -- in Green Bay and you know he's done a really nice job. Those guys have done a great job of developing him over there. He's one of those guys who steps in the locker room and has instant respect."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt for thoughts on the NFC West. Whisenhunt: "All those questions about the NFC West being a weak division dried up pretty quick. We all know San Francisco had a really good year. A lot of teams respected the way we played and the way Seattle played, not so much maybe from a won-loss record, even though we both did better in the second half of the season, but I certainly think in the way our teams were physical, the way they went about the game. Let me tell you something, no matter what you want to say about the Rams' record, they were a very physical football team as well, and they played hard, no matter what."

Also from Somers: thoughts on Andre Roberts and the Cardinals' perceived need for receiver help. Somers: "My early guess is that the Cardinals will pursue a free agent receiver, but one at a reasonable price. Their success in doing that will determine their plans for the draft. Either way, I don't see them taking a receiver high in this draft. They don't have a second-round pick, and they have more pressing needs. My sense is that coaches think any deficiency they might have at receiver can be rectified by better quarterback play."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Whisenhunt would welcome adding the Hall of Fame Game to the schedule in part because Arizona could use an additional exhibition game to get its quarterbacks ready.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams could bring back tackle Jason Smith. Thomas: "If the Rams truly are confident that Smith can return and stay healthy, that would lessen the need to expend a high pick -- such as their No. 2 overall selection -- on someone such as Southern California's Matt Kalil. Then again, counting on Smith and Rodger Saffold, who missed the last four games of 2011 because of a pectoral muscle injury, would be operating without a safety net."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com considers possibilities for the Rams with the No. 2 overall pick. Wagoner: "If the popular scenario in which the Rams trade down with Cleveland and end up with the No. 4 pick, many think the Rams would then be at the mercy of Minnesota when it comes to who they’d draft. The theory, as it goes, is that the Browns would obviously select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III and then the Vikings would make the choice between Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon and USC tackle Matt Kalil. The Rams, then, would draft the player that Minnesota doesn’t select. Much like the Rams, the Vikings need help at both positions and Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier was non-committal but might have given a little clue which way the Vikings would go should that scenario play out."

The San Francisco 49ers' wide receivers combined to catch eight passes for 51 yards on 29 targets in two postseason games.

The team could have used another wideout, it appeared.

Yet, there was never any temptation or public clamoring for the team to reach into its past and risk altering its locker room by signing Terrell Owens. There still hasn't been chatter along those lines even after the 49ers lost in the NFC Championship Game while getting one catch, a 3-yarder, from their wide receivers.

Turns out Owens needed the 49ers -- or any NFL team -- more than the other way around. Nancy Hass of GQ Magazine has written a fascinating piece with Owens' cooperation. Owens sounds lonely and desperate. Bad investments have put him in a financial pinch and apparently left him at odds with long-time agent Drew Rosenhaus.

From Hass' piece: " 'I'm in hell.' That's what he texts back to people who ask where he is."

I wanted to share another good NFC West read, this one with direct ties to the current 49ers. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has taken a closer look at the emotion coach Jim Harbaugh showed following the game Sunday and Harbaugh's news conference Monday. Were those tears welling in Harbaugh's eyes as he reflected on the hours he spent following the game?

"From my from seat, less than 10 feet from where Harbaugh stood, it was obvious that a simple question prompted Harbaugh to lapse into unspoken introspection," Maiocco wrote.

Look, I'm not expecting the 49ers' division rivals to break out the Kleenex for a rival coach, but genuine displays of emotion following a tough defeat beat fake indifference any day.

Free safety Dashon Goldson has been with the San Francisco 49ers since 2007. Coach Jim Harbaugh has been with the team since January.

Let's consider how both men are approaching the 2011 season to better understand why Goldson and the 49ers haven't secured a long-term contract extension.

More than a year ago, Goldson fired his agent, hired Drew Rosenhaus and set out to secure the fattest contract he could get. He watched another safety and Rosenhaus client, Antrel Rolle, sign a five-year, $37 million deal with the New York Giants. At the time, Goldson said he saw Rosenhaus as a "shark" who would "smell blood" and leverage the best deal.

"Obviously, they are real patient about it and careful about who they give the money to," Goldson said last offseason, "but I don't see myself not getting a deal done here. I know they respect me and like what I'm doing here and I want to be here, so I'm sure something will work out. I don't think they have a problem paying athletes."

If the 49ers were careful about who they targeted for long-term agreements previously, imagine the level of care as the team breaks in a new coaching staff.

Goldson and Harbaugh have no history together. The 49ers' pass defense was among the worst in the NFL last season. Goldson did not take a big step forward in his development. Meanwhile, the lockout has prevented Harbaugh from getting a better feel for players. Like any new coach, he wants players to prove it to him. He wants to establish a standard, see who meets that standard and then reward players accordingly.

The 49ers have tried to protect themselves. They signed Madieu Williams for experienced depth at safety. They re-signed Ray McDonald to a deal that made him a likely starter at defensive end. They appear prepared to have Isaac Sopoaga play nose tackle.

Another reason to question old assumptions: It's not yet clear what the 49ers' new coaching staff values in its defensive personnel. The new staff might view differently the traits that made Goldson, Franklin or anyone else carry a certain level of value.

The timing does not appear right for Goldson or Franklin to secure the types of deals they wanted, particularly if the market isn't supportive. Shorter-term deals might make more sense for them under the circumstances.

San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore will be 29 years old when his current contract expires following the 2011 season.

Gore apparently -- and correctly, in my view -- realizes teams won't be lining up to pay him lavishly at that time.

That's the best explanation for Gore's decision to hold out when the 49ers open training camp Thursday, as ESPN's Adam Schefter says Gore plans to do.

A few facts and opinions:

• Gore's contract pays him $2.9 million in salary with a $2 million roster bonus this season. His cap number is $7.1 million thanks to more than $2.1 million in bonus proration. The deal averages $6.9 million.
• The 49ers need Gore. Finding a way to resolve this issue and get Gore on the field will serve the team well. But there's no way the 49ers can give into Gore's demands while general manager Trent Baalke and coach Jim Harbaugh are still establishing themselves. This is a chance for Baalke, Harbaugh and the 49ers to take a stand. Gore will show up eventually.
• Running backs tend to wind down near age 30. Gore missed the final five games to injury last season. This was going to be his final big-money contract, most likely.
• Gore will take heat publicly if he does stay away, I predict. His timing is poor following the lockout. Fans love Gore, but it's tough for some to relate to someone turning up his nose at millions.
• Gore's agent is Drew Rosenhaus, who has experience taking these things public. I'm not expecting any driveway news conferences, however.

This is no way for the Harbaugh era to begin on the field, but he's in it for the long haul. He'll be there long after Gore is there. The 49ers have been talking all along about the long term. I doubt they'll cave to short-term demands here, even for a highly-respected player such as Gore.

A few thoughts while wrapping up a frenetic but ultimately unsatisfying first day to the NFL free-agent negotiating period:

• ESPN's Adam Schefter caught my attention Tuesday night with a tweet regarding Minnesota Vikings receiver Sidney Rice and San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson. According to Schefter, Seattle and Minnesota are targeting Rice, while Oakland and San Francisco go after Goldson. There weren't many bidding wars on Tuesday, leading me to believe some of these situations could play out a little longer. Players cannot take free-agent visits until the signing period opens Friday, making it tougher for teams to know what opportunities actually exist for players. In the past, a player emerging from a visit without a contract would lose leverage. In the current climate, top agents such as Drew Rosenhaus, who represents Rice and Goldson, can negotiate without the usual checks and balances. It's high-stakes poker.
• Seattle's interest in Rice comes as no surprise. The team chased receiver Brandon Marshall in trade talks last offseason. Vincent Jackson was another big-name receiver under consideration. Rice would fit especially well in the Seahawks' offense now that former Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is installing Seattle's passing game. Seattle also has ample salary-cap space to land Rice. Bevell's familiarity with Rice could help ease concerns over the hip problems that have bothered Rice in recent seasons.
• The 49ers want to bring back Goldson, but at what price? Goldson wasn't what was wrong with the 49ers' pass defense last season. Neither did he break through with a Pro Bowl-caliber season, as the 49ers had hoped. Still, San Francisco needs to keep together some of its defensive core. The 49ers could lose nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin. Linebacker Takeo Spikes agreed to terms with San Diego. Nate Clements' contract could precipitate his release. Keeping Goldson would help.
• The Arizona Cardinals appear in strong position as they consider options at quarterback. The way they sat back and projected patience Tuesday is looking like a smart approach. I can't think of another team likely to trade for Philadelphia's Kevin Kolb. The Cardinals should be in no rush. Teams cannot sign players or visit with free agents from other teams until Friday. Kolb could not practice with them until Aug. 4 if Arizona acquired him and signed him to a new contract. Even if Kolb is the Cardinals' top choice, the team might be wise to play up interest in other candidates. Why not seek permission to meet with Kyle Orton? Why not bring in Matt Hasselbeck? There's no reason for Arizona to overpay for Kolb unless another team emerges as a serious suitor.
• New York Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield and Raiders guard Robert Gallery were free agents to watch in the NFC West as the negotiating period opened. It's looking like we can remove Cofield from consideration for the St. Louis Rams after he reached agreement with the Washington Redskins, according to a report by Schefter. Cofield's ties to St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo made him a natural fit for the Rams. Losing him to former Rams coach Jim Haslett won't sit well with fans who hoped Cofield would land in St. Louis. Gallery's ties to Seahawks assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable still make him a natural fit in Seattle. The team needs a starting left guard.
• Back in Seattle, meanwhile, the Seahawks are trying to re-sign defensive tackle Brandon Mebane. The money Cofield commands could help shape the market for Mebane and other defensive tackles. Removing Cofield from the market also leaves one fewer defensive tackle available for teams to sign.

Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday night. Wait, it's Wednesday already in the Eastern time zone. Must be free agency.

Wrapping up what reports suggest will be the final locked out weekend in the NFL this summer:

• Current NFC West franchises can claim ties to seven of the 16 players enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame this weekend. The seven: Pat Tillman and Jerry Stovall from the Arizona Cardinals; Charles Haley, Randy Cross and Alfred Williams from the San Francisco 49ers; and Dexter Coakley and Mark Herrmann from the St. Louis Rams. Stovall was a three-time Pro Bowl choice for the Cardinals when the team was in St. Louis. Herrmann was a backup quarterback when the Rams were in Los Angeles.
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Kyle Terada/US PresswireThe 49ers' Frank Gore is entering the final year of his contract.
• Frank Gore's injured hip is in "perfect" condition, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus. Gore is entering the final year of his contract with the 49ers after missing the final five games last season. His 4.2-yard average was strong, but also tied for the lowest of his career. Gore set a career high with a 9.8-yard average as a receiver. Will the 49ers siphon off carries for rookie Kendall Hunter, a fourth-round choice?
• Rams running back Steven Jackson has been posting updates to his Twitter account detailing his workout regimen. One of his fans won an opportunity to work out with Jackson after submitting an entertaining video as part of a contest. The video shows Jonathan Keenum sporting fake dreads while supposedly cranking out one million reps on a leg press (actually a man seated in a rocking chair).
• The expected elimination of two-a-day practices during training camp as part of a proposed labor agreement will benefit players' bodies. It will also diminish the camp experience for those traveling long distances to watch practices. In the past, it was possible to catch five or six practices over a few days. I see less reason for teams to spend weeks away from their facilities if training camps aren't going to differ much from regular work weeks. That is only an initial impression. Teams will adapt to whatever new rules take effect. They could find other ways to maximize the time.
• Cris Collinsworth posted thoughts on officiating after meeting with officials during their meetings in Dallas. Consider this nugget on how teams might adapt to the rule prohibiting running starts longer than five yards before kickoffs: "Expect a lot of crossing to build momentum just before the ball is kicked. The feeling is that there will be a lot of high directional kicks as teams try to pin the receiving team inside the 20."
• Former Seahawks and 49ers quarterback Trent Dilfer has put in some time coaching lately. Check out the video.
• Retired Seattle Seahawks tackle Walter Jones pointed to the late Derrick Thomas as the toughest opponent he faced. Seattle and Kansas City were in the AFC West together for Jones' first five seasons. Jones singled out Thomas when answering fans' questions over the weekend. Jones and Thomas were named to a combined 18 Pro Bowls (nine apiece).

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. The next week appears more promising than any in the NFL since the lockout began in March.

One more note: Rams receiver Donnie Avery says he's running 40-yard times in the 4.2s and 4.3s. He also says he's able to change directions well. Sounds like Avery will be full strength when training camp opens. He's coming off season-ending knee surgery.

Thoughts and questions after former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and agent Drew Rosenhaus issued statements Tuesday:

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AP Photo/J Pat CarterFormer Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor, right, and his agent Drew Rosenhaus discuss Pryor's future at a news conference in Miami Beach, Fla.
• Rosenhaus said he expects an NFL team to select Pryor in the first round of the supplemental draft. I've heard nothing from anyone in the NFL suggesting Pryor would command that much value. Rosenhaus might have a better idea, or he might be simply promoting his client. But if Pryor does go early in the supplemental draft, I cannot see him landing in the NFC West.
• The St. Louis Rams have their current starter. The San Francisco 49ers have their current and projected future starter. The Arizona Cardinals have multiple developmental quarterbacks. They need a veteran to step in and start right away. Pryor does not fit. The Seattle Seahawks said they could not afford to invest early draft choices in a quarterback given the state of their roster in other areas, notably the line. They addressed the line, but still have holes.
• Rosenhaus represents more NFL players than any agent. However, he generally is not the choice for quarterbacks. Does Pryor even project as a quarterback? Depends who you ask.
• Pryor does not perform like the typical quarterback on the field, having rushed for 2,164 yards at Ohio State. His choice for representation also goes against convention for quarterbacks. Three of the 145 signed players Rosenhaus represented during the regular season were quarterbacks, according to NFL Players Association records from November. Rex Grossman, Thaddeus Lewis and Billy Volek were those quarterbacks. David Dunn (17) and Tom Condon (13) had more than 28 percent of quarterbacks.
• The dynamics change if Pryor remains available late in the supplemental draft. There's much less risk at that point. In the meantime, ESPN's Chris Mortensen says we should expect to see Pryor meeting with Jon Gruden for a session similar to the ones Gruden put together for Cam Newton and others. Gruden reveled in putting pressure on prospects to prove how much they understood about offense. How well Pryor understands the game from a quarterback's perspective will affect how well he would fit even as a No. 3 quarterback.

Rosenhaus and Pryor refused to answer questions following their statements.

"I think I've said it all," Rosenhaus told reporters.

ESPN.com's offseason NFL Power Rankings continue later Tuesday with a look at the 10 best offensive players among non-quarterbacks heading into the 2011 season.

Paul Kuharsky will have the story on his AFC South blog.

My ballot will take into account the way I ranked running backs, tight ends and wide receivers earlier in the series (see chart). A few NFC West thoughts after revisiting past rankings:

• The St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson ranked fourth on my ballot for running backs even though some say he's lost a step. I appreciate the passion and toughness Jackson shows in playing through injuries and amid unfavorable circumstances. Those qualities might have led me to rank Jackson higher than his 2011 production would merit.
• The San Francisco 49ers' Frank Gore must bounce back from a hip injury to maintain such high standing. Clearance from agent Drew Rosenhaus is consistent with expectations the 49ers set previously.
• Beanie Wells didn't come close to cracking the list of running backs, a disappointment after the Arizona Cardinals made Wells the 31st player chosen in the 2009 draft. This looks like a make-or-break season for Wells in Arizona.
• Another NFC West disappointment: Seattle's John Carlson got no votes in balloting for tight ends. Carlson's production as a receiver has diminished every season, following an overall offensive nosedive. He was a player former coach Mike Holmgren coveted. Might the Seahawks' return to more of a Holmgren-style passing game benefit Carlson?
• The NFC West should have more than one tight end cracking the top 10 in the next few seasons. The division has stocked up on the position. Vernon Davis, Carlson, Lance Kendricks and Rob Housler were all drafted in the first three rounds.
• The Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald has been, at times, the best wide receiver in the NFL. The two receivers I ranked ahead of him -- Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson -- combine Fitzgerald's size with superior speed. Fitzgerald's playoff production following the 2009 season set him apart for a while.
• The 49ers' Michael Crabtree has the talent to challenge for a spot among the top receivers. He needs quarterback help and greater consistency. Davis' role in the offense could make it tougher for Crabtree to amass raw numbers in terms of receptions.

What about offensive linemen? They'll be part of the overall top 10 as well. We're ranking left tackles down the line.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com isn't sure what to make of a report suggesting the Cardinals plan to meet Friday with Darnell Dockett and agent Drew Rosenhaus regarding a contract. My thoughts from the most recent NFC West chat: "Dockett discussed his feelings about his contract with me at the Pro Bowl. My sense is that he has a point of no return in his mind -- in other words, there's a point where he wants a deal from the Cardinals or he'll set his mind to playing out this deal and leaving when he can. I don't know when that point would be. It's an emotional issue for Dockett and he gets worked up about it sometimes. Then he probably has time to cool down and reevaluate. We know he's going to work hard and play hard for the Cardinals. That is his identity and he's not changing on that front, in my view. I'm sure he'll discuss the contract and his expectations at some point."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic quotes Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders this way on Matt Leinart: "Most quarterbacks in the league would lose their jobs to Kurt Warner. We think he'll be a lot better than people are projecting. He'll be back practicing with the first team getting first-team reps (snaps). We've found that when guys come in as a starter and practice all week, they play about 10 percent better than when they come in as reserves."

Also from Somers: a look at sleeper candidates for the Cardinals at outside linebacker, including Stevie Baggs. Somers: "Three NFL teams released him before he landed in the Canadian League. Two CFL teams released him and he played in the Arena League before returning to the CFL. He led the league in sacks last year with 12. To make the Cardinals roster, he needs to show those same skills this preseason."

The Associated Press says University of Phoenix Stadium suffered minor damage in a storm Thursday.

Ben Malcolmson of seahawks.com says coach Pete Carroll has installed a scoreboard near the Seahawks' practice field, the better to keep score during drills. Malcolmson: "As part of the head coach’s practice philosophy, Carroll likes keeping score during drills, all in an effort to raise the tenor of competition and increase the level of play. In sports, the scoreboard acts as the ultimate symbol of competition — and now it’s even on the Seahawks practice field."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, who has this to say about Matt Hasselbeck: "Matt has been [here] every day, starting in February, and he’s mastered the playbook. When the quarterback understands it as well as he does, it makes all the other positions step up to get to his level. It definitely starts with the quarterback, and Matt is so smart and his football IQ is off the charts. He’s bought in." This piece also includes a position-by-position look at the roster on offense.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Chester Pitts could earn as much as $2 million from the Seahawks after agreeing to terms on a one-year contract. Pitts can play guard or tackle, but first he'll have to prove he can bounce back from serious knee surgery.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com quotes Leroy Hill's attorney this way after police sought phone records potentially showing Hill had violated a no-contact order: "This prosecutor is not doing anything I wouldn't expect a prosecutor to do when there is a witness who refuses to cooperate and wishes there was no prosecution. It sounds like there is a bad situation with the warrant. But frankly, they're just searching for evidence and it's entirely normal at this stage for that occur. I don't expect this search warrant issue will amount to anything. We're working toward a settlement toward the underlying assault charge and I expect we'll either resolve or try it (in court) and this warrant will be a distant memory at some point. It's just a prosecutor being careful."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the 2009 Seahawks scored on only 6.3 percent of their opening drives, 27th in the NFL. What was the percentage for their other drives?

John Morgan of Field Gulls offers 15 areas of focus heading into Seahawks training camp. On Aaron Curry: "Curry looked pretty awesome in last year's camp, and so this might speak to the above. Curry is coachable and toolsy as all get out, and I expect him to look very good in camp, but I will watch for improvement."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams and Sam Bradford's agent need to set aside petty differences to make sure Bradford is in camp right away. Burwell: "Given all that's at stake for the Rams organization and the talented young face of the franchise, it's rather baffling why a deal hasn't already been consummated. And the fact that it's still not done makes me wonder why everyone involved -- and that means the Rams management, Bradford's agents and the rather intelligent rookie QB himself -- can't understand the concept of penny wise, pound foolish." The first full-squad practice is usually the target.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams guard Mark Setterstrom is headed for injured reserve, as expected.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo left open the possibility that Rodger Saffold could play left tackle and Jason Smith could play on the right side. That seems unlikely given Smith's status as the second overall choice in the 2009 draft, but the division-rival Cardinals used the fifth choice in the 2007 draft for a player they used on the right side until this season. Levi Brown is moving to left tackle.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says the Rams plan to have more live tackling this summer. Spagnuolo: "There will be some of that in there. We'll pick and choose. I banged my head against the wall in the offseason when I was putting that practice schedule together. You walk that fine line. You want your team to be tough, you want to be able to tackle, you want to be able to block and do all those things, and I don't think you just flip a switch and do it on game day. If you work on it too much and get guys banged up and you don't have a team, that's not good either. I remember the feedback from last year. These guys liked it. Now they don't want to do it every day, every period, but it's football. I hope they like it, because if they don't, we'll be in trouble."



Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers first-round choice Anthony Davis and third-rounder Navorro Bowman have agreed to contract parameters and will sign Friday. Maiocco: "Coach Mike Singletary, perhaps anticipating all rookies under contract, decided to open practice a day earlier than originally planned. The 49ers on Thursday added a 90-minute 'shells' practice to their camp itinerary for Sunday. The team will put on full pads for two practices, as regularly scheduled, on Monday."

Also from Maiocco: He thinks the 49ers would not pursue a contract extension for Alex Smith during the season if the quarterback were playing at a high level. Maiocco: "I think the 49ers will want to see the full sample size of the entire season. I don't believe there would be much risk in losing Smith to another team if he were to have a strong year. The reasons: I just can't see the 49ers not giving him a fair offer, and I can't see him wanting to go elsewhere and starting anew."

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News wonders whether this is the year the 49ers meet expectations.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says a source told him the 49ers considered trading running back Glen Coffee during the draft.

» NFC On the Radar: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A player, coach or issue that should be on your radar as training camp approaches.

The San Francisco 49ers finally gave Dashon Goldson a chance at free safety last season and it was the right call. Goldson's athleticism enhanced the defense. A breakout game against the Arizona Cardinals on "Monday Night Football" validated Goldson as an up-and-coming player in the division.

Where does he go from here?

Goldson's decision to fire his agent during contract negotiations early this offseason came amid reports Goldson was determined to leverage a contract far more valuable than the 49ers were prepared to pay for a player with only one good season on his résumé. It sounded as though Goldson might be getting ahead of himself. Goldson hired Drew Rosenhaus, then watched another Rosenhaus client, Antrel Rolle, jump from the Arizona Cardinals to the New York Giants for big bucks. Rolle was coming off a Pro Bowl appearance. He had been a top-10 overall draft choice and had shown playmaking ability over time. Goldson was just starting out by comparison.

I caught up with Goldson after a 49ers practice this week and tried to get a feel for his mindset and how it might affect his approach to the season. Goldson did say he was seeking a more aggressive approach to negotiations. He described Rosenhaus as a "shark" who "smells blood" and will show the aggressiveness Goldson sees in himself on the field. Goldson also seemed to realize he'll need another strong season to command the sort of deal he wants. He described his tackling as better than some critics have suggested while acknowledging he needs to become more consistent by taking better angles and showing more patience in coverage. A little patience on the contract front could be in order as well.

"Obviously, they are real patient about it and careful about who they give the money to," Goldson said of the 49ers, "but I don't see myself not getting a deal done here. I know they respect me and like what I'm doing here and I want to be here, so I'm sure something will work out. I don't think they have a problem paying athletes."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals could be more motivated to trade Anquan Boldin as the receiver enters the final year of his contract. Somers: "A contract extension doesn't appear part of that plan. With a year to go until free agency, it's doubtful that Boldin would re-sign, although the club could use the franchise tag in 2011, provided such a designation exists under a new collective-bargaining agreement. Identifying suitors for Boldin is guesswork. It's doubtful the Bears would be interested because they already are lacking picks in the first and second rounds. The Titans likely wouldn't have interest, considering the sterling performance last year of rookie Kenny Britt. The Dolphins, it seems, have been rumored to have interest in every player available via trade or free agency and need a receiver. The Chiefs are an intriguing possibility, because they have a need at receiver, possess two second-round picks, and former Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley is the head coach."

Also from Somers: a look at the rookie deal Arizona signed with safety Antrel Rolle, a deal that is blowing up in the team's face and giving Rolle a chance to hit the market, most likely. My understanding is that St. Louis-based agent Ben Dogra negotiated that rookie deal, only to lose Rolle, who is from Miami, to Miami-based agent Drew Rosenhaus. Somers: "The Cardinals could have avoided this by making the last year of Rolle's deal voidable. Rolle could have exercised that clause, but the Cardinals could have used the franchise or transition tags to maintain his rights. That option isn't available to them now. It's not the last time we'll be talking about such deals. Quarterback Matt Leinart's salary is due to climb nearly $5 million in 2011, the last year of his deal. He's also due a $5.5 million roster bonus. A year from now, the Cardinals could be in the same position with Leinart as they now are in with Dansby." Background info here.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals have until Thursday to pay a $4 million bonus to Rolle. Rolle had previously said the deadline was March 1.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' planned restricted free-agent tender for Alex Barron would return a second-round choice if another team signed him, an indication the team would like to trade him. I don't think another team would give up a second-round choice for the right to pay Barron on a long-term deal, though. Thomas: "It's another deep year for offensive tackles in the draft. Early indications point to Jason Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, moving to left tackle next season. Some of the Rams' best right tackles since the team moved to St. Louis were middle-round picks. Ryan Tucker was a fourth-rounder; Fred Miller, a fifth-rounder."

Also from Thomas: Most NFL people seem to rate Gerald McCoy slightly higher than Ndamukong Suh, although the Rams aren't saying much.

More from Thomas: Medical reports on quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen mean a great deal to the Rams. Thomas: "Rams general manager Billy Devaney said Friday that besides Rams doctors and Dr. James Andrews (who performed the surgery), the Rams want a third opinion on Bradford's shoulder from an independent doctor."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks the Rams have to choose between Suh and Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. Burwell: "When it comes to first-round picks, I want great almost immediately, or at the very least a strong beacon of potential greatness in that first season. And in a year when the NFL draft class is particularly strong at so many other positions, I don't understand why it is a smart move to draft a quarterback who barely played at all last season and is coming off of surgery and hasn't been cleared by anyone's medical staff or played in a pro-style offense in two years of college ball when the alternative is a monster defensive tackle who every NFL personnel department has listed as a once-in-a-generation beast (Suh)."

Jim Rodenbush of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo doesn't want the defensive label, even though he was a coordinator on that side of the ball.

Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says the Rams and Marc Bulger's representatives are working to resolve the quarterback's fate in St. Louis sooner rather than later, although there is no hard deadline in the short term. Balzer: "Because no trade can be consummated until March 5, the Rams would only release him prior to that date if they have exhausted all potential efforts to deal him. While a trade can’t be official until Friday, teams can have deals in place prior to then. Any team looking to trade for Bulger would likely be looking for him to accept a pay cut. Coach Steve Spagnuolo said Saturday that even though the Rams’ offseason program begins March 15, it’s not necessary that a decision on Bulger be made by then."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers are in good shape because the 2010 draft is strong in the areas San Francisco would like to address. Barrows also thinks the 49ers should strongly consider a certain speedy running back. Barrows: "If I was banging the drum for Clemson's C.J. Spiller before the combine, I'm pounding it with both fists afterward. He and Jahvid Best put on a show Sunday. The difference between the two is that Best has been injury prone; Spiller has not. I can't get past the fact that simply having this guy on the field makes the offense better because defenses must account for his speed."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat checks in from the airport on his way home from the combine. Maiocco: "My initial thoughts are the 49ers would select Russell Okung and Trent Williams, for sure, with the No. 13 pick. They'd probably go with Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Davis, too. Bruce Campbell seems way too risky in the top half of the first round. I'd probably even place Charles Brown ahead of him."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says USC safety Taylor Mays enjoyed seeing Seahawks coach Pete Carroll at the combine. Mays: "It’s like seeing your dad, kind of."

Also from Farnsworth: Clausen chose Notre Dame over USC so he wouldn't have to play behind Mark Sanchez, Carroll notes.

More from Farnsworth: The Seahawks seek to upgrade their pass rush this offseason. Farnsworth: "The scavenger hunt for help has moved into high gear at the combine. It’s fitting that the event is being held at the Lucas Oil Stadium, because it was in Week 4 last season that the Colts’ Peyton Manning victimized the Seahawks in this very building. Unable to generate enough pressure with a four-man rush, the Seahawks were forced to blitz. Almost every time they did, Manning beat it by throwing to the vacated area."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the "vote of confidence" the Seahawks paid to Deion Branch could be designed to enhance the receiver's trade value.

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune provides a transcript to an interview with Carroll and Seahawks general manager John Schneider. Schneider on Nate Burleson: "We've talked to him. We totally understand he’s going to explore free agency. We’re just going to stay in touch. Nobody really knows where this market is going to go in free agency. We sure don’t. He needs to do what’s best for himself and for his family. We like Nate and we’re going to stay in touch with him the whole way. And that was expressed to him."

The NFL's list of projected unrestricted free agents for 2010 included one column showing agents and another showing starts.

This made it easy to see which agents had the most projected UFA clients, and how many starts those clients averaged in 2009.

The result is the chart below. Drew Rosenhaus has more than 100 clients across the league, more than any agent. The NFL lists 15 of them on its projected UFA list, including Terrell Owens and three NFC West players (Randy McMicahel, Anthony Becht and Olindo Mare).

Agents Peter Schaffer and Brian Mackler are next on the list with seven projected UFA clients apiece, but no agent with at least four players listed can match Tony Agnone for players with lots of 2009 starts. Agnone's list features 16-game starters Casey Rabach, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Bobbie Williams, plus seven-game starter Michael Gaines.

The NFL has no agents listed for Phillip Daniels, Tully Banta-Cain, Leigh Bodden, Mike Furrey, Damion Cook, Tank Johnson and Matt Ware.

Jeff Feagles, Jeff Zgonina, Daunte Culpepper, Paul Spicer, Clinton Hart and Vernon Fox are listed as representing themselves.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says one of the potential buyers for the Rams is from Canada. Miklasz: "One of the three potential buyers is a group of investors organized by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts. Multiple sources tell me that another group has strong ties to Toronto, which should concern those who want to see the Rams remain in St. Louis. As for the third potential buyer ... candidly, I've been unable to nail down that part. But I know it isn't anyone from St. Louis. And I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the bidder is based in Chicago." That makes Checketts' bid the one most likely to keep the Rams in St. Louis for the long term.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch quotes Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom as saying the team is closer to being competitive than some people think. "I think fans should be optimistic about the direction of this organization," Rosenbloom told the Post-Dispatch in a rare interview. "We made a sweeping restructuring of the entire organization so that we could be winners on the field — to put us in position to start winning games. Now, this is not a one-season fix. This past season was sort of an interim year in my opinion before we see a more successful on-field product. I think this year it was necessary to get through a lot of stuff."

Also from Thomas: says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo expects a good Super Bowl game after facing both participants during the regular season. Rams defensive end Leonard Little: "Drew Brees has great receivers, and he's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. But Peyton Manning is a totally different beast. I'm not saying that because me and him went to school together [at Tennessee]. He's a totally different animal at quarterback because he's so aware of what the defense is doing. I don't know if he calls his own plays, but sometimes it seems like he calls his own plays because he knows where the defense is going. And when he does that, when he gets on a roll like that, he's hard to stop."

Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times says Rams and 49ers alumnus Mike Martz flew to Jay Cutler's home following an interview with the Bears, but it remains unclear which candidate the Bears will hire as their offensive coordinator.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says 49ers safety Dashon Goldson has hired Drew Rosenhaus as his agent, dumping Peter Schaffer. Maiocco: "Rosenhaus also represents Frank Gore, Jason Hill, Demetric Evans, Moran Norris and Marcus Hudson" in addition to guard Chilo Rachal, another recent convert.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers should make a strong play for Donovan McNabb this offseason. Kawakami: "Instead of cautiously tiptoeing into playoff contention, why shouldn't the 49ers embrace this opportunity and try to make a bold quarterback move that might vault them beyond the confines of their paltry division? By the way, that's exactly what they tried last year when they attempted to steal Warner away from Arizona. Why not check with the Philadelphia Eagles and see what it would take to pry loose Donovan McNabb? Would it cost a second-round pick? More? Would McNabb, whose contract expires next season, want a massive new deal, or would he be OK with a more moderate two- or three-year tack-on?" Going after McNabb should be an easy decision. Whether or not the Eagles would trade him -- within the conference, no less -- is another question.

Tom Pedulla of USA Today quotes former 49ers receiver Terrell Owens as saying he would be chasing Jerry Rice's records if only he had played with better quarterbacks. Owens: "I know hands-down I'd be close to Jerry Rice's records if I had been with quality quarterbacks like he had," Owens said. "He had Joe Montana and he finished with Steve Young. That wasn't a drop-off. Say I had been with a guy like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Drew Brees all of my career. Are you kidding me?"

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Pete Carroll is holding his first staff meeting as Seahawks head coach Monday. O'Neil: "Carroll has assembled a staff that includes one of the league's most respected rushing-game architects in Alex Gibbs and a passing-game whiz kid of an offensive coordinator in Jeremy Bates."

Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says the Browns have hired former Seahawks offensive coordinator Gil Haskell as a football adviser. With former assistant Keith Gilbertson already on staff in a scouting capacity, Browns president Mike Holmgren has the makings of a future offensive coaching staff in place. No one should be surprised if Holmgren returns to the sideline at some point in the future. He is a coach at heart. Gilbertson and Haskell are coaches at heart, not football advisers.

Bob Young of the Arizona Republic looks at reasons for worry and reasons for hope as the Cardinals enter the 2010 offseason with Matt Leinart as their starting quarterback. Young: "Maybe the thing we like most about Coach Ken Whisenhunt is that when he came here, entitlement went right out the door along with Dennis Green. Leinart has a team around him that should be able to move the ball without depending solely on his left arm. We expect to see a more run-oriented, grind-it-out offense featuring running back Beanie Wells, especially if the Cardinals can make defensive improvements so that they don't have to depend strictly on piling up the points to win every Sunday. When Leinart shows that he can operate the offense efficiently and protect the ball, then we'd expect Whisenhunt to start letting him open it up. It's sort of an earn-as-you-learn program."

Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register says Kurt Warner is probably the best Iowa product to play in the NFL. Ed Podolak: "Without question. Kurt was more of a major factor in a team getting to and winning a Super Bowl than any of us. It makes me proud to be an Iowan, because of the way he's represented our state and what I think is good in an athlete at the professional level today. He seems to be somewhat of a throwback from earlier days in sports -- where good athletes were also good guys."

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Seahawks running back Julius Jones and new teammate Edgerrin James will share more than carries this season. They also share an agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

That's something to consider as we figure out how comfortably these players will assimilate into the same locker room. The players have no choice or say, but how they feel about a major personnel move could affect their outlooks and dynamics in the lcoker room.

Rosenhaus presumably at least spoke with Jones prior to this move.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Dockett

Darnell Dockett's announcement that he has full faith in the Cardinals after meeting with the team shows the defensive lineman and agent Drew Rosenhaus have been paying attention.

Anquan Boldin waged a public battle in an attempt to leverage a new contract. The team drew a hard line. Boldin, pretty much stuck with two years remaining on his contract, fired his agent -- Rosenhaus -- and appears to be taking a lower profile. Dockett, with three years left on his deal, is wise to do the same.

While Boldin's tactics were taking him nowhere, the Cardinals rewarded safety Adrian Wilson with a new deal [after Wilson took the high road during negotiations]. The precedent appears to be set. Players without significant leverage will have to bide their time and negotiate on the Cardinals' timeline.

Here is what Dockett wrote on his Twitter page:

I am happy to announce that after meeting with the team recently, I have full faith and confidence in the Cardinals organization and I am looking forward to a great season. From the first day of training camp and on, I will not let my contract issues distract me or my team from reaching our goals-. I also look forward to playing with my teammates and defending our NFC championship title and I appreciate the support I've received from all my fans this offseason. - WE WILL WIN THE NFC WEST

The Cardinals couldn't have written it any better. This is good news for the team and a good move by Dockett. There's no use in pretending to have leverage. Dockett can cash in eventually if he continues to play at a high level.