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Seth from Newport News, Va., says the ESPN.com/ESPN The Magazine's NFL Any Era team "is a joke" if the St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson does not appear on the list.

Mike Sando: Jackson did not appear on the list. Tim Tebow did. That seems wrong. We do not even know for sure whether Tebow will be good in this era, do we?

The overall list is strong. Ray Lewis, Troy Polamalu, Charles Woodson, Brian Urlacher, Patrick Willis, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Ed Reed, Darrelle Revis, Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney are among those listed.

I thought the San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith was an obvious omission among those watching him play regularly. But how many people, Hall of Famers or otherwise, have watched the 49ers' defensive line in recent seasons?

People should know plenty about Steven Jackson, because he carries the ball and, quite frequently, defenders trying to tackle him. Seth is surely right about the Rams' poor record hurting Jackson in these types of polls.

In retrospect, I should have broken out an item about Jackson's omission without any prompting. He has demonstrated all the necessary qualities -- toughness, grit, consistency, leadership, versatility, production -- to make him a timeless player. Very few running backs have run with more ferocity than Jackson.

The way Jackson has played through injuries becomes more impressive when we consider the stakes for his team were relatively low. I'll never forget watching him slam himself into the 49ers' defense while trailing 35-0 a few years ago. He made a statement to his teammates and anyone watching. Circumstances would not diminish what he represented. I'll also never forget how he fought through a 2009 back injury that would require surgery. He started 15 games even though his team was 1-15 that season.

A lesser man -- even a normal one -- would have shut it down late in that season. What was the point? Jackson refused to do that. He kept coming back for more and finished with 324 carries, the second-highest total of his career.

Jackson was clearly qualified for the Any Era team. So were Larry Fitzgerald and others. But as with voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there are usually more worthy candidates than spots available for enshrinement. That means very good candidates do not always get their due, at least right away. That should not diminish them in any way.

The San Francisco 49ers step onto the national stage Thursday, which means it's time to consider five things to watch in the most highly-anticipated game of the season for an NFC West team to this point:

Special teams must bounce back. The 49ers' victory over the Arizona Cardinals last week looked good from afar, but this was easily the worst special-teams performance of the season for San Francsico. David Akers had two field-goal tries blocked. Akers missed another attempt. The 49ers incurred three penalties on their punt-coverage team. Ted Ginn Jr. averaged four yards per punt return and 21 yards per kickoff return, pedestrian numbers. All this came one week after coach Jim Harbaugh pointed to 49ers special-teams coach Brad Seely as a head-coaching candidate. Harbaugh's brother, John, became the Baltimore Ravens' head coach after making a name for himself coaching special teams. Seely will be looking for a bounce-back effort from his unit this week.

49ers left tackle Joe Staley vs. Terrell Suggs. Suggs has gone three games in a row without a sack for the first time since the 2009 season. Staley has been solid for the 49ers. Durability has been a concern for him the last two seasons, however. He made nine starts in 2009 and nine last season, suffering injuries both seasons. Staley has made all 10 starts this season. He now faces a tough matchup on a short week. I'll be watching to see how he fares and how well he holds up physically.

Patrick Willis on a national stage. The 49ers are playing in Ray Lewis' house. It'll be fitting, in a way, if Lewis' injury situation prevents him from playing. Willis, more than any other inside linebacker, appears positioned to pick up where Lewis eventually leaves off. Lewis has said so. The 49ers haven't gotten to play in many prime-time games since Willis arrived as a first-round pick in 2007. This stage provides an opportunity for Willis to show the nation what he's shown 49ers fans for years, that he's the best inside linebacker around.

Big hits from the safeties. Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson have been big hitters for the 49ers all season. The Ravens' Ed Reed continues to set a high standard for the position overall. The 49ers need continued feisty play from Whitner and Goldson, plus heightened awareness from them when the Ravens look for receiver Torrey Smith on deep passes.

The postgame handshake. The Harbaugh-against-Harbaugh storyline has already gotten tiring. The matchups on the field are so much more compelling, at least in my view. Still, I'll be interested in seeing the dynamic after the game given the overall competitiveness of the two. This would be an emotional game even without the sibling rivalry element. The sight of Jim Harbaugh untucking his shirt and dancing around the Ravens' field is one John Harbaugh surely wants to avoid.

In one month's time, we've gone from discussing the St. Louis Rams' playoff prospects to how they might handle the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

The chances suddenly appear very real. The Rams are 0-4 heading into their bye week. Their top receiver and top three cornerbacks are out for the season. Their remaining receivers lead the NFL in dropped passes. Their offensive line and defensive front seven aren't meeting expectations. Their quarterback is on pace to absorb 72 sacks, three shy of the NFL record.

Amid those troubling indicators, the Rams visit Green Bay and Dallas before returning home for a game against New Orleans. They then play two more games on the road before a four-game stretch of NFC West matchups. They have a road game against Pittsburgh later in the year.

Six division games in the final nine weeks still might save the Rams, but if the Arizona Cardinals could go 1-5 against the NFC West in 2010, which they did, the Rams in their current state could finish in that range.

To the point: The Rams already have 2010 No. 1 overall choice Sam Bradford on their roster. They're not in the market for a quarterback. They would have some thinking to do if sitting atop the 2012 draft with Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck available.

Let's get this conversation going.

Matt from Tucson, Ariz., asks whether the Seattle Seahawks would move to acquire the first pick from St. Louis.

Mike Sando: Yes, the Seahawks would certainly consider that type of move for a quarterback, in my view. I just do not see the Rams helping a division rival land a franchise quarterback. Instead, if the Rams traded the pick, I would look for them to deal it to an AFC team located far, far away. Miami?

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Tim from Olympia, Wash., asks whether the Rams would consider trading Bradford if they entered the 2012 draft in position to draft Andrew Luck.

Mike Sando: Interesting concept. I question whether that would work very well from a salary-cap standpoint. I do not think the Rams' current leadership would consider making that move. If new leadership were in place, anything could be possible. But an organization cannot casually consider trading its franchise quarterback without risking its relationship with that player. The team would have to know for certain it could get a deal done.

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William from Bloomington, Ind., isn't ready to give up on the Rams just yet given their second-half schedule, but he wonders what the team could expect the top pick to fetch. He notes that the Atlanta Falcons gave up quite a bit in moving up to the sixth pick in 2011.

Mike Sando: The Falcons paid such a high price because they were moving up from so far down in the draft order (27th overall). Any team moving up for Luck would likely be doing so from nearer the top of the order. Still, the price would have to be high. Multiple teams could be bidding, as well.

San Diego, having whiffed on Ryan Leaf in 1998, traded the first pick of the 2001 draft to Atlanta for the fifth pick, the 67th pick, a second-rounder the next year and receiver Tim Dwight. The Falcons then took Michael Vick. Rams general manager Billy Devaney had already left the Chargers when that deal went down.

The Cleveland Browns picked first overall in 2000, one season after making quarterback Tim Couch the top pick. That was an odd situation, however, because the 2000 draft featured no quarterbacks taken before Chad Pennington at No. 18. The Browns took defensive end Courtney Brown first overall.

The Indianapolis Colts picked fourth overall in 1999, a year after they took Peyton Manning first overall. Quarterbacks went 1-2-3 before the Colts made Edgerrin James the fourth player taken in that 2000 class.

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Rob from Augusta, Ga., asks whether Josh McDaniels' hiring in St. Louis has done more harm than good because the personnel was acquired for another system. He thought a conservative, West Coast system helped the Rams compete in 2010, and he fears the team will need years to build its roster for McDaniels' more aggressive approach. He also thinks it's clear the Rams needed to pursue a top-flight receiver more aggressively.

Mike Sando: The Rams did not want to change coordinators. Pat Shurmur's departure forced the Rams to make a choice. They could promote continuity by hiring someone familiar with the system Shurmur was running. Or, they could search for the best candidate they could find, regardless of system. They chose the latter approach with an eye toward the longer term because they thought McDaniels was an excellent candidate.

This was before the lockout, at a time when teams did not know how the offseason would unfold. The Rams' thinking seemed sound at the time. In retrospect, I don't think the offense would be dramatically better had the team gone with someone else at coordinator. Injuries have played a significant role in the Rams' struggles.

Your thinking at wide receiver makes sense. The Rams were among the few who thought they were OK at the position in terms of top-end talent. McDaniels had gotten good production from Brandon Lloyd in Denver, counter to outside expectations, so there was some thought he might coax similar production from players already on the Rams' roster. While Danny Amendola was the one receiver he could least afford to lose, it's fair to say the Rams failed to sufficiently protect themselves at a position decimated by injuries in 2010.

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Mackay from Pleasant Grove, Utah, thought the Arizona Cardinals failed to use play-action passes against the New York Giants even though Beanie Wells was on his way to a 27-carry, 138-yard performance. He would expect play-action passes to help Kevin Kolb, but wonders whether lack of success has steered the Cardinals away from using that tactic.

Mike Sando: It's a little early in the season to draw conclusions from the Cardinals' use of play-action passes. This is an area to monitor as the season progresses.

Kolb completed 4 of 7 passes for 78 yards and one interception against the Giants on play-action passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He has completed 12 of 22 passes for 231 yards with one touchdown, one interception and two sacks on play-action plays this season. Twenty-four quarterbacks have more play-action attempts than Kolb this season. Fourteen quarterbacks have at least 30 attempts.

Kolb ranks 24th in Total QBR (52.9) and NFL passer rating (87.5) on play-action passes this season. His yards per attempt on these throws, 10.5, ranks fifth in the league behind Matt Stafford, Matt Schaub, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo and Chad Henne. But four of those players (all but Henne) are completing at least 75 percent of these passes. Kolb is at 54.5 percent, which ranks 26th among the 32 quarterbacks with more than 10 such attempts.

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Colin from Santa Rosa, Calif., agrees that San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman has stood out this season, but he says this doesn't reflect poorly on teammate Patrick Willis. "It doesn't seem like Willis has stepped back at all," he writes. "Takeo Spikes isn't there eating up blocks, so Willis is having to take on more of that duty, and offenses are targeting Willis with more resources anyway, freeing up Bowman."

Mike Sando: One question would be to what degree the 49ers' new defense in combination with Bowman's abilities has affected what the team asks from its inside linebackers. I appreciate your points and will explore this subject in greater detail as the season progresses.

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Terrell from San Francisco likes what he sees from the 49ers' front seven, but he thinks the team needs a playmaking safety to pair with Willis, giving San Francisco something along the lines of what Baltimore has enjoyed with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed working together.

Mike Sando: The 49ers had a chance to add a playmaking safety in the 2010 draft, but they traded up for right tackle Anthony Davis instead of drafting free safety Earl Thomas. The 49ers then used their second-round choice for safety Taylor Mays. I see absolutely no way to justify those decisions based on what we've seen from those players so far.

The 49ers' efforts to upgrade their offensive line by drafting Davis and guard Mike Iupati made sense in theory, but Davis hasn't become nearly the player Thomas has become, and Mays lasted only one season with the team. Worse, the 49ers will have to play against Thomas twice a season for years to come.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc., like just about every other football analyst, pulled no punches in assessing the Seattle Seahawks' chances with Tarvaris Jackson as their quarterback.

Back in August, he called Jackson the NFL's worst starting quarterback.

"I still think Tarvaris Jackson is terrible," Williamson said this week after Jackson and the Seahawks claimed their first victory of the 2011 regular season.

But focusing disproportionately on what Jackson offers the team right now should not obscure a fuller analysis. The contracts Seattle has committed to Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst tell us the organization isn't banking on either player for more than what a placeholder would provide -- short-term stability until the team finds a brighter prospect, most likely in the 2012 draft. There is much more going on in Seattle than what is happening at quarterback.

"I like just about everything else," Williamson said. "They have set themselves up big-picture to bring up Andrew Luck or Matt Barkley and make a pretty comfortable transition."

A few additional thoughts from Williamson on the Seahawks coming out of Week 3:

• [+] Enlarge
  Charles LeClaire/US PresswireThe Seahawks appear set for the future at the safety position with Earl Thomas, left, and Kam Chancellor.
  On the defense: "Their front seven is dynamite. That defensive line with Chris Clemons, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant and that crew is good. They have a lot of pieces in place on defense. Earl Thomas is the real deal -- explosive, fast. He is not Ed Reed, but that is the comparison, a true free safety who covers a ton of ground. Kam Chancellor is almost a linebacker. He's a playmaker, a hitter, an Adrian Wilson type. The two of them complement each other well. They have had a revolving door at linebacker with injuries and the Aaron Curry situation, but they will get that worked out. David Hawthorne is a very good player once he gets healthy. They are a No. 1 corner away on defense."
• On offensive skill positions: "I like what they did getting the big pass-catchers. I'm a big Sidney Rice fan. My only concern is just team speed. There are no fast guys. That is not the end of the world. Larry Fitzgerald is not the fastest guy, but he is still a deep threat. Sidney Rice can be that type of guy to go over a defensive back and get a 60-yarder. Zach Miller runs well for a tight end. Justin Forsett and especially Leon Washington are really good pass-catchers who can be like a Reggie Bush on the perimeter. Marshawn Lynch is fine. I'm not a real believer. He has not done anything in three years except the one game everyone saw in playoffs. Eventually, you have to upgrade, but that is the easiest position to upgrade. That might be a third-round pick next year."
• On the offensive line: "It stinks right now, but I tend to think it won’t. Offensive lines take a long time to gain continuity. It is so young. They had no minicamps this year. It is almost unfair to look at the line and expect it to be even average. They are well coached. Russell Okung can be a star, though he has not proved it this year, either. He has taken a ton of penalties, but he can be a franchise left tackle. Robert Gallery will come back. It’s just going to take time."
• On the quarterbacks: "The position is a mess, but if the guys they have are their second and third guys in the future, that is not so bad. Get a rookie you have something for the long haul."

Back in a bit with Williamson's thoughts on the St. Louis Rams.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com updates Michael Crabtree's injury situation. Maiocco: "There were encouraging signs Monday, as Crabtree was seen walking briskly from the locker room to the parking lot and back without an orthopedic boot on his left foot. It's the first time Crabtree has been spotted wearing two athletic shoes -- and no orthopedic boot this summer. Crabtree, who had surgery to repair a stress fracture on his left foot after the 2009 college season, experienced problems with his left foot on June 6 in a 49ers players-organized workout at San Jose State during the lockout. He did not take part in any of the other on-field practice sessions that quarterback Alex Smith organized during the lockout."

Also from Maiocco: Smith is getting the vast majority of first-team reps as the 49ers' starting quarterback.

Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com calls Daunte Culpepper "the free couch on the front lawn" as a quarterback out of the NFL since 2009. The 49ers' interest in Culpepper for their No. 3 job had not yet resulted in a signing.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Crabtree has remained engaged during team meetings, according to 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Roman: "He's working very diligently to get back out there, and I think he's really on top of things mentally, which is a credit to him. ...Our meetings are very interactive, and he's very much a part of those meetings."

Also from Branch: Options for veteran quarterback help aren't very appealing. Branch: "The list includes Brodie Croyle (Chiefs), Charlie Frye (Raiders), J.P. Losman (Seahawks), J.T. O'Sullivan (Bengals) and Troy Smith, who started six games for the Niners last year. The Niners could also wait to pluck a quarterback from the waiver wire."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee passes along thoughts from Roman regarding Culpepper. Roman: "I believe that I guy like Daunte that's been around and seen everything he's seen can certainly offer the other quarterbacks a unique perspective on everything whether it be coverage, how to read a certain pass play protection and whatnot. He's got a lot of skins on his belt, so he'd be an interesting guy."

Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Colin Kaepernick was exceptionally sharp during practice Monday, with Smith finishing strong following a slow start.

Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury News updates the 49ers' push for a new stadium. Rosenberg: "After months of trying to keep the state's hands off the millions of tax dollars needed to fund a new 49ers stadium, Santa Clara has finally found the answer -- albeit one with a hefty price tag. The new plan, expected to be approved Tuesday, would allow the city to keep its redevelopment agency after paying the state $11.2 million this year and $2.7 million each year after that. That should solidify what had been a squishy part of the plan to fund the stadium, but because the state will be taking its cut of the redevelopment agency's proceeds, the city may need more time to pay the 49ers its share of the project."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with Marshawn Lynch for thoughts on the Seahawks' running game. Williams: "All runners are instinctual, but Lynch is probably more than most. And sometimes the rigid nature of the zone blocking scheme can take away a running back’s ability to use his vision and feel for what is happening in front of him. But Lynch said he doesn’t feel like that will happen in Tom Cable’s system."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks kicker Brandon Coutu pleads ignorance regarding the team's unusual decision to keep two kickers on its 53-man roster a few years ago.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers practice notes, capped by a photo showing Russell Okung participating in a walk-through four days after suffering a sprained ankle.

Also from Farnsworth: Lynch and the art of the stiff-arm.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times thinks there's no way the Seahawks would part with second-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst going into the season. O'Neil: "The only real question about the exact shape of the roster is if Seattle has three quarterbacks on it to begin the season, which is not unprecedented recently." I would expect fewer teams to keep more than two quarterbacks on their 53-man rosters this season given rules changes involving third quarterbacks on game days.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times checks in with Seahawks safety Earl Thomas, who is looking to tighten up his game. Brewer: "Thomas has been a standout in camp. He still makes highlight-reel plays, using his video-game speed. But just as impressive is the fact that the coaches aren't on him that much about being in the wrong place. Thomas is learning when to be aggressive and when to simply be there for his teammates. If he combines his natural instincts with better football savvy, then perhaps he will live up to those comparisons to all-everything Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic explains why the Cardinals don't feel pressure to add another receiver. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "Everybody is asking that question, but I don't ever recall saying we had an issue with our receivers. You look at the preseason game [against Oakland]. You tell me how many receivers had productive nights, made plays for us in the game. That doesn't mean if there's an availability to help make our team better, that we're not going to look at it." More on this subject in a bit.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals have $13.2 million in salary-cap space, ample room to re-sign Larry Fitzgerald. Somers: "It's possible that re-signing Fitzgerald could give the team additional cap space. Fitzgerald's cap figure for 2011 is $11.25 million. A new contract could lower that. The Cardinals also could choose to front load the contract to lighten the impact in the later years of the deal."

More from Somers: The Cardinals had one of their better practices in years.

More yet from Somers: salary-cap figures for Cardinals players. Cap figures include base salaries, roster bonuses and prorated portions of signing bonuses.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Deuce Lutui is spending extra time on conditioning after reporting to camp out of shape.

Also from Urban: Darnell Dockett says these Cardinals aren't complainers.

More from Urban: Kevin Kolb's mobility is an asset, but not necessarily a defining one.

More yet from Urban: a look at the competition for roster spots among backup quarterbacks, with a funny quote from Richard Bartel.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at what linebacker Brady Poppinga brings to the Rams. Poppinga: "They called me 'The Hammer' up in Green Bay and they did that for a reason. I'm a physical guy. I'm not one to tiptoe in any kind of situations where the run is coming at me. I'm extremely physical at the point of attack, and so I bring an element to this defense they haven't had for a couple years. Yeah, I'm a very sound run stopper. That is my strength." Just about every move the Rams made on defense in free agency was designed to upgrade the run defense.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com offers a Rams injury update. Also, Ben Leber worked in both outside linebacker spots.

Also from Wagoner: a look at the competition for starting spots at outside linebacker. Wagoner: "In Saturday night’s preseason opener against the Colts, the Rams started incumbent Na’il Diggs on the strong side with Bryan Kehl (who started a game last season) on the weak side. With Laurinaitis out, Josh Hull stepped in for the start in the middle. Diggs is a proven commodity and played just six snaps in an effort to help preserve him some for the season. Kehl played about 15 snaps. But the Rams made a concerted effort to get a look at two of their newest additions while the other watched from the sidelines."

More from Wagoner: injuries are affecting the Rams' depth at cornerback.

Usually I'm one to dive into the comments sections on blog entries to engage in conversations or at least monitor them.

I recommend you do the same for James Walker's piece ranking the 10 best safeties in the NFL. I've been putting it off to this point because I didn't feel good about the ballot I submitted.

The first few choices were easy. Troy Polamalu was a unanimous pick for the No. 1 spot. Ed Reed was a unanimous choice at No. 2. Most of the other players listed should carry asterisks, disclaimers, qualifiers, etc. Filling out the final five or six spots proved nearly impossible for me. I kept ruling out players for various reasons, only to come back to them when better candidates failed to materialize.

Ranking defensive backs is tricky, anyway. The complex coverages NFL teams use make it tough to know which players were responsible for what. It's one reason I'm careful about blaming cornerbacks for specific lapses without following up.

Brandon Meriweather made the list. He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection, but questions about consistency have lingered for some time. Should he be in the top 10? Is he even the best safety on the New England Patriots?

In the end, the rankings I put together elicited responses such as this one from an Arizona Cardinals fan named Rick:

Mike, I only write to you because you have a history of being fair and using logic and empirical evidence to back up your (usually sound) arguments. So. Um. Antrel Rolle at No. 7 and no mention of Kerry Rhodes? What gives? Ask anyone who follows the Cardinals and they will tell you that the team UPGRADED by letting Rolle go and trading for Rhodes.

My response: "There is no logic to the safety rankings after 4-5 guys. I didn't feel good about any of them."

That is a slight overstatement. Eric Berry and Earl Thomas project as emerging talents with very bright futures. Adrian Wilson belongs on the list if we accept the premise that his 2010 struggles had more to do with an injury that require surgery than his sharp decline. If we include Wilson, do we include one of his teammates from a defense that was very bad in 2010?

This was a tough one. All criticism is welcome and justified. Time to move on. Seeking closure.

A personal aside I shared with Facebook friends several weeks ago:

One day I looked outside my office window and saw our 9- and 6-year-old sons playing football with friends on a modest strip of severely worn grass in our side yard.

Our youngest was standing near one of the make-shift end zones, jumping up and down in an exaggerated fashion. He was raising both knees almost as though he were playing on a trampoline. What was this? Turns out he was "getting hyped" before the opening kickoff, just like the return specialists do in the "Madden" video games.

My wife and I got a good laugh out of that one. It was yet another example of the Madden game's cultural influence. As much as my kids love playing football outside, they learn the game through "Madden." The game has taught them the dangers associated with throwing near Ed Reed in coverage, the tactical trade-offs when playing against a mobile quarterback, how to use timeouts in a 2-minute situation and so much more.

When Matt Hasselbeck threw incomplete in the red zone during a televised game last season, our then-5-year-old turned to my wife and said, "Mom, he should have audibled there."

That's why I was intrigued to see the "Madden" creators saying they wanted to emphasize concussion awareness in the latest version of the game. This is a fantastic idea and not just a politically convenient one. Kids really do learn the game through "Madden." If they see dangerous tactics penalized and concussed players sidelined, they'll accept that as part of the game. They'll take into account ways to avoid concussions -- something I've thought about quite a bit as our 9-year-old has pressed us to play tackle football beginning this summer.

Also on the "Madden" front, we'll find out Monday whether Sam Bradford and Patrick Willis have pulled upsets in the ongoing race to grace the cover of the 2012 game.

Bradford is facing Aaron Rodgers. Willis is facing Hines Ward.

Jon Robinson of The Gamer blog says it's looking as though Michael Vick has more momentum than any other candidate, no surprise to anyone who has played "Madden 11." The game was shipped with Kevin Kolb as the default starter, but every time I see my kids playing the game, the Philadelphia Eagles are on the screen and our oldest has subbed Vick into the starting lineup.

Kids know which players are the most dynamic.

The Bradford-Rodgers winner is likely to face Danny Woodhead in the next round, according to Robinson. If Willis moves past Ward, he'll be facing Vick, most likely.

Facebook friend Tom challenges references to the Seattle Seahawks' Earl Thomas as being undersized for the safety position -- and he's right.

I've said Thomas looks more like a cornerback than a safety.

But in comparing Thomas' listed dimensions to those of prototypical "center fielder" NFL safeties Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu, it became evident Thomas measured up OK.

The chart shows listed heights and weights for those safeties, plus a few others familiar to NFC West fans. I left off the bigger, more powerful safeties teams use more in run support. Comparing Thomas to Adrian Wilson wouldn't make sense, for example.

When not providing regular updates about his own workouts or lauding a teammate for his, the Arizona Cardinals' Darnell Dockett was putting pressure on globetrotting teammate Kerry Rhodes.

Dockett made reference to the trips Rhodes has tweeted about, including one to the Bahamas, before delivering this jab: "I hope u getting ready to play some FOOTBALL cuz antrell rolle would be ready."

Dockett isn't the only one wondering whether the switch from Antrel Rolle to Rhodes will represent a drop not only in production but overall approach to the game.

As Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. put it earlier this offseason, "I liked Rolle a lot because everything was in front of him still. He has only been a free safety for a couple years now. He spends offseasons with Ed Reed and is very conscientious about becoming a great player. Rhodes is a finesse player and still an above-average starting safety who at times can look better than he is, but is not a banger, not an elite cover guy and it's going to be a little tougher to do things you want to do with Adrian Wilson. I would rather have Rolle."

The part about Rolle spending his offseasons chasing greatness with Reed came to mind after reading Dockett's comments. It's ridiculous to assume Rhodes isn't preparing sufficiently just because he mentioned a couple offseason trips. Plenty of conscientious NFL players take trips even during regular-season work weeks. There's nothing wrong with a player getting some rest and relaxation in the Bahamas before training camp.

It's also clear, however, that the Cardinals' strength-and-conditioning coach, John Lott, has established quite a culture in Arizona. Some of the team's best and most outspoken players, including Dockett, have embraced that culture. It's important for newcomers to embrace that culture and it's clear from Dockett's comments that Rhodes hasn't made an immediate positive impression along those lines.

Now we'll see what, if anything, Rhodes offers in return.

The 1983 NFL draft might have been the best of the modern era even without Hall of Fame quarterbacks John Elway, Jim Kelly or Dan Marino.

It was that good.

"I think if you asked each guy to a man, in particular the Hall of Fame guys, there has always been a pride about our class," said cornerback Darrell Green, the 28th overall choice in 1983 and a Hall of Famer. "Without ever discussing it, we knew we were a pretty special class of athletes."

The class produced six Hall of Famers –- Elway, Kelly, Marino, Green, Eric Dickerson and Bruce Matthews -– in addition to recent Hall finalists Richard Dent and Roger Craig. Of the 335 players drafted, 41 combined for 142 Pro Bowl appearances.

No other draft class has produced more than 34 Pro Bowl players since the NFL and AFL combined for a common draft in 1967, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That year served as the starting point for this project ranking the five best draft classes. The 1996, 1981, 1969 and 1985 drafts also made the cut.

Not that making the cut was good enough for some.

"If you took the defensive players in our draft and put them on the field against any class, we would shut them out," said Ronnie Lott, one of the more decorated members of a 1981 class featuring Lawrence Taylor, Mike Singletary, Rickey Jackson, Howie Long and Kenny Easley.

The project was biased against recent classes because their players haven’t had time to achieve in ways that set apart the older classes. The 2001 class has already produced 33 Pro Bowlers, same as the 1996 class and more than every other class but 1983, 1987 and 1988. But the best players from that class aren't finished achieving.

The biggest challenge, at least to me, was settling on the right criteria. ESPN Stats & Information provided an updated version of the spreadsheet used to identify elite draft classes for a previous project . The spreadsheet awarded points to players based on:

• Hall of Fame enshrinement (15 points)
• MVP awards (8)
• Player of the year awards (6)
• All-Pro first-team awards (4)
• All-Pro second-team awards (3)
• Super Bowl victories (3)
• Pro Bowls (2)
• Rookie of the year awards (2)
• Super Bowl defeats (1)

I used the spreadsheet as a starting point.

From there, I assigned 15 points to current or recently retired players likely destined for Canton. The players I singled out were: Troy Polamalu, Dwight Freeney, Ed Reed, LaDainian Tomlinson, Steve Hutchinson, Brian Urlacher, Tom Brady, Champ Bailey, Peyton Manning, Randy Moss, Alan Faneca, Orlando Pace, Walter Jones, Tony Gonzalez, Jason Taylor, Jonathan Ogden, Marvin Harrison, Ray Lewis, Brian Dawkins, Terrell Owens, Derrick Brooks, Marshall Faulk, Larry Allen, Michael Strahan, Brett Favre, Junior Seau and Deion Sanders.

I added five points for Hall of Fame finalists not yet enshrined -- Cortez Kennedy, Shannon Sharpe, etc. These changes allowed the rich to get richer, of course, because all those players already had lots of Pro Bowls on their resumés. But if it was important to recognize current Hall of Famers -- and it was, I thought -- then it was important to acknowledge the strongest candidates not yet enshrined.

Another thing I noticed: These changes didn't significantly alter results, which were predicated mostly on Pro Bowl appearances, a statistical correlation revealed.

The next challenge was making sure the formula didn't acknowledge great players at the expense of good ones. ESPN's John Clayton and Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. felt the formula should take special care in this area. I wasn't as adamant.

"You love the Hall of Famers," Horton said, "but I like the class where the guy plays at a high level for a long time. I love those third-round picks that just play and play. We shouldn’t make a mistake at the first pick. That guy should be a great player."

Clayton used approximate-value ratings from Pro Football Reference to produce averages for each draft class. The 1993 class produced the highest average, followed by the 1996, 1983, 1975 and 1971 classes. Clayton also plugged in total games played. The 1983 class edged the 1993 class for the most, followed by the 1990, 1976 and 1988 classes.

A few key variables changed along the way.

Teams drafted at least 442 players annually from 1967 to 1976. They drafted more than 330 players each year from 1977 through 1992. The 1993 class featured only 224 players, fewer than any class under consideration. The first 224 players drafted in 1969 had much higher average approximate-value ratings than the 1993 class, for example. More recent draft classes also benefited from league expansion, which opened roster spots and opportunities for additional players.

NFL regular seasons also grew in length from 14 to 16 games beginning in 1978.

My focus was more on what the draft classes produced and less on extenuating circumstances.

The 1993 class is among those deserving honorable mention. Do the most decorated members of that class -- Strahan, Willie Roaf, Will Shields, John Lynch, Jerome Bettis and Drew Bledsoe among them -- hold up to the best from other years?

Take a look at my top five classes and decide for yourself.

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1983

Why it's the best: No other class came close using the point system from ESPN Stats & Information. The 1983 class finished in a virtual tie with the 1996 and 1981 classes even when I removed from consideration the three Hall of Fame quarterbacks -- Elway, Marino and Jim Kelly. No class had more combined Pro Bowls from its top-10 picks (42) or more combined Pro Bowls from players drafted later than the 200th overall choice (26). Five of the six Hall of Famers played their entire NFL careers with one team for 83 combined seasons, or 16.6 on average.

Hall of Famers: Elway (Broncos), Kelly (Bills), Marino (Dolphins), Green (Redskins), Dickerson (Rams), Matthews (Oilers)

Hall of Fame finalists: Richard Dent (Bears), Roger Craig (49ers)

Other big names: Karl Mecklenburg (Broncos), Joey Browner (Vikings), Chris Hinton (Broncos), Charles Mann (Redskins), Dave Duerson (Bears), Leonard Marshall (Giants), Albert Lewis (Chiefs), Curt Warner (Seahawks), Jimbo Covert (Bears), Henry Ellard (Rams), Mark Clayton (Dolphins), Tim Krumrie (Bengals), Greg Townsend (Raiders), Gill Byrd (Chargers), Don Mosebar (Raiders), Darryl Talley (Bills).

Late-round steals: Mecklenburg was the 310th overall choice. Dent went 203rd overall. Clayton went 223rd. They combined for 15 Pro Bowls.

Ah, the memories: Green grew up in Houston rooting for the Oilers, but his hometown team wasn't very accommodating on draft day. His family didn't have cable TV, so they couldn't watch the draft on ESPN. They had heard the Oilers would be showing it at their facility, or at least providing real-time updates, but Green was turned away.

"They sent my little behind on out of there," Green said. "That is the way that went. What is funny, I’m a Houstonian, I played 20 years in the NFL, started 18 years and I never played in Houston but one time, so I couldn’t stick it to them. ... But you always love your hometown. I was a Luv Ya Blue, Bum Phillips, Kenny Burrough, Earl Campbell, Dan Pastorini fan."

Green was used to the cold shoulder. Tim Lewis, drafted 11th overall by Green Bay, was supposed to be the superstar cornerback that year. Looking back, Green liked going one spot after Marino. Green also values being a bookend to a first round featuring Elway on the other side.

"[Redskins general manager] Bobby Beathard told me if I was there, he would take me," Green said. "I'd always been told by pro players, 'Hey, don’t believe anything they say.' As an adult, I know why. Things change. But the man told me. We got down to Dan Marino at 27 and I knew I wouldn't be 27. Then when we got to 28, the last pick of the first round, now I’ve got nothing else to do but believe it. I was extremely excited he maintained his word."

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1996

Why it's No. 2: Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis arguably rank among the three best players at their positions in NFL history. Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens arguably rank among the 10 greatest receivers. Between four and seven members from this class have strong credentials for Canton. Only the 1983 class produced more total Pro Bowl appearances. Unlike some other classes -- 1988 comes to mind -- this one provided star power deep into the draft.

Hall of Famers: none yet.

Hall of Fame finalists: none yet.

Strongest Hall credentials: Jonathan Ogden (Ravens), Marvin Harrison (Colts), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Brian Dawkins (Eagles), Terrell Owens (49ers), Zach Thomas (Dolphins), La'Roi Glover (Raiders).

Other big names: Mike Alstott (Bucs), Willie Anderson (Bengals), Simeon Rice (Bucs), Lawyer Milloy (Patriots), Tedy Bruschi (Patriots), Eddie George (Titans), Jeff Hartings (Lions), Keyshawn Johnson (Jets), Donnie Edwards (Chiefs), Jon Runyan (Oilers), Amani Toomer (Giants), Muhsin Muhammad (Panthers), Stephen Davis (Redskins), Joe Horn (Chiefs), Marco Rivera (Packers).

Late-round steals: Fifth-rounders Thomas, Glover and Horn combined for 17 Pro Bowls. Another fifth-rounder, Jermaine Lewis, added two more. No other fifth round produced more total Pro Bowls during the period in question. Although expansion added additional picks to more recent fifth rounds, those picks were also later in the draft. Thomas and Glover should get strong Hall of Fame consideration.

Ah, the memories: Glover was the 16th defensive tackle drafted in 1996. He wasn't even invited to the combine initially, and when he did get the call, there wasn't enough time to prepare for the specialized events. Glover, who weighed about 265 pounds at San Diego State, was in trouble and he knew it.

"It's funny to me now, but it wasn't funny then," Glover said. "I got a call maybe a week before the combine, so I wasn’t prepared. I was out there doing my long-distance conditioning training and I wasn’t doing speed-type training. I may have ran like a 5.1 or 5.2, a very bad time."

Glover performed much better at his personal workout, dropping those times into the low 4.9s. Oakland made him the 166th player chosen that year.

"I just remember feeling goosebumps and I started sweating -- the dream is coming true," Glover said. "And then I was put on the phone with Mr. Al Davis. He asked me a very specific question: 'How would you like to be an Oakland Raider?' And I damn near lost it. I didn’t cry or anything. I kept my composure over the phone. As soon as I hung up and saw my name come on the ticker -- I lived in a tiny 2-3 bedroom home -- the place just erupted. All the women were crying and all the men were asking for tickets."

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1981

Why it's No. 3: This was arguably the greatest defensive draft under consideration, particularly near the top. The NFL's best athletes typically played offense, but 1981 draftees Taylor, Lott and Easley helped change the dynamics. This draft wasn't as strong as some throughout, but its star power on defense set it apart. Key players from this draft helped the 49ers, Redskins, Giants, Bears and Raiders dominate at times during the decade. Only the 1986 draft produced more Super Bowl winners.

Hall of Famers: Taylor (Giants), Lott (49ers), Mike Singletary (Bears), Howie Long (Raiders), Rickey Jackson (Saints), Russ Grimm (Redskins).

Hall of Fame finalists: none.

Other big names: Easley, Eric Wright (49ers), Dennis Smith (Broncos), Cris Collinsworth (Bengals), Hanford Dixon (Browns), Freeman McNeil (Jets), James Brooks (Chargers), Brian Holloway (Patriots), Hugh Green (Bucs), Carlton Williamson (49ers), Neil Lomax (Cardinals), Dexter Manley (Redskins), Mark May (Redskins), E.J. Junior (Cardinals).

Late-round steals: Charlie Brown, chosen 201st overall by the Redskins, caught 16 touchdown passes in his first two seasons, earning Pro Bowl honors both years. Wade Wilson, chosen 210th, played 19 seasons and earned one Pro Bowl berth, in 1988.

Ah, the memories: Once the 49ers drafted Lott eighth overall, the USC safety headed to the airport to use a ticket the team had held for him. Easley, chosen sixth by the Seahawks, was the other great safety in that draft class and the two were so closely linked that the person behind the airline counter mixed up Lott's destination.

"You are going to Seattle?"

"No, San Francisco," Lott replied.

Lott often looks back on how things might have been different if the Saints had drafted Taylor instead of George Rogers first overall. That wasn't going to happen because the Saints wanted a running back to help them control the clock, and they were especially particular about character in that draft -- their first with Bum Phillips as head coach.

"Lawrence Taylor, I didn't realize he was going to be that type of player, but Rickey Jackson did turn out to be the player we needed [in the second round]," Phillips said. "We needed a great player and a great individual. We needed some leadership and we needed the right kind of character to be leaders."

The 49ers needed a new secondary. They used that 1981 draft to select Lott, Wright and Williamson.

"I talked to Bill Walsh and his statement was, 'If I see it on film once, then my coaches should be able to get it out of a guy,'" said Horton, the Scouts Inc. founder and veteran NFL talent evaluator. "That always stuck with me. He was amazing at seeing things on tape. That '81 draft was a smart draft. You could look at that draft and you could see what teams were thinking."

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1969

Why it's No. 4: Roger Wehrli's 2007 Hall of Fame enshrinement gave this class five inductees. Only three other classes managed more combined Pro Bowl appearances. Some of the names in this class won't resonate with recent generations, and that is understandable. But this was still a strong class and one worthy of our consideration.

Hall of Famers: Joe Greene (Steelers), Ted Hendricks (Raiders), O.J. Simpson (Bills), Wehrli (Cardinals), Charlie Joiner (Oilers).

Hall of Fame finalists: L.C. Greenwood (Steelers), Bob Kuechenberg (Eagles).

Other big names: George Kunz (Falcons), Bill Bergey (Bengals), Bill Stanfill (Dolphins), Calvin Hill (Cowboys), Ed White (Vikings), Gene Washington (49ers), Jack Rudnay (Chiefs), Bill Bradley (Eagles), Ted Kwalick (49ers), Jim Marsalis (Chiefs), Ron Johnson (Browns), Fred Dryer (Giants).

Late-round steals: Greenwood was a six-time Pro Bowl choice and was the 238th overall pick. The Falcons found five-time Pro Bowler Jeff Van Note with the 262nd choice. Larry Brown, chosen 191st overall, was a four-time Pro Bowl selection.

Ah, the memories: There was no scouting combine back then. Wehrli couldn't remember seeing a pro scout, even at Missouri practices. He had never even run a 40-yard dash until a Cardinals scout asked him to run one at the Hula Bowl all-star game in Hawaii.

Wehrli agreed to run on the spot even though he was wearing pads, the playing surface was natural grass and the stakes were higher than he realized.

"At the time, I didn’t know it was a Cardinals scout," Wehrli said. "I ran the 40, came back and he said, 'Man, we didn’t realize you were that fast.' Later, he told me that timing moved me up to a first-round draft choice [from the third round]."

Wehrli had clocked in the 4.5-second range. He would run 4.4s on Astroturf later in the pros.

"You never really trained for it back then," he said.

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1985

Why it's No. 5: Just as the 1983 class featured more than quarterbacks, the 1985 version offered much more than the most prolific receiver in NFL history. Yes, Jerry Rice was the 16th overall choice, helping set apart this class from some others. But the supporting cast featured elite talent, from Bruce Smith to Chris Doleman and beyond.

Hall of Famers: Rice (49ers), Smith (Bills).

Hall of Fame finalists: Andre Reed (Bills).

Other big names: Lomas Brown (Lions), Steve Tasker (Oilers), Ray Childress (Oilers), Kevin Greene (Rams), Jay Novacek (Cardinals), Bill Fralic (Falcons), Jerry Gray (Rams), Randall Cunningham (Eagles), Ron Wolfley (Cardinals), Al Toon (Jets), Jim Lachey (Chargers), Kevin Glover (Lions), Mark Bavaro (Giants), Herschel Walker (Cowboys), Duane Bickett (Colts), Doug Flutie (Rams), Jack Del Rio (Saints).

Late-round steals: Tasker became a seven-time Pro Bowl choice on special teams as the 226th overall choice (albeit with Buffalo, after the Oilers waived him). Greene was a fifth-rounder, Novacek was a sixth-rounder and Bavaro, one of the toughest tight ends, provided excellent value in the fourth round.

Ah, the memories: Bill Polian was a little-known pro personnel director with USFL roots when Bills general manager Terry Bledsoe suffered a heart attack two months before the draft. The Bills had already landed their franchise quarterback in Kelly two years earlier, but his two-year detour through the USFL had set back the organization. Buffalo held the No. 1 overall pick, and the stakes were high.

Polian took over GM duties. Norm Pollom, a holdover from the Chuck Knox years, headed up the college scouting side.

The Bills were in great hands. Although some fans hoped the team would draft Flutie, Polian and Pollom found building blocks.

Aggressive wheeling and dealing allowed Buffalo to land cornerback Derrick Burroughs with the 14th choice, acquired from Green Bay, even after drafting Smith first overall. Reed was a steal in the fourth round. The decision to draft Smith over Ray Childress was the right one even though Childress became a five-time Pro Bowl choice for the Oilers.

Acquiring Kerry Rhodes after losing Antrel Rolle showed the Cardinals could quickly rebound from a disappointing development.

But they still probably downgraded the position, a trend this offseason (Rolle, Karlos Dansby, Anquan Boldin, Kurt Warner).

"I dont get the the Cardinals plan," Dmyth12 wrote in the comments section of this item. "Get rid of Dansby a young elite player to possibly bring in two 30-plus players in (Larry) Foote and (Joey) Porter. Let Rolle walk for an older Rhodes. It seems they are working against themselves."

Rhodes and Rolle are both 27, so the age difference isn't an issue. But the points you raised lined up with comments from Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. during our conversation Monday morning. Porter, 32, and Foote, 29, were expected to visit the Cardinals this week.

"I guess Porter could sort of be a bridge player until (younger guys) are ready," Williamson said. "He is inspirational and well-liked by teammates. He could have some leadership skills. But he is not nearly the player he was. I thought his play was just above average even when he had all those sacks a couple years ago. He played against some bad tackles. But if you are the Cardinals, you have to stop the bleeding. At least he brings in something that helps."

Foote played well for the Lions last season, but he wasn't a fit in their defense. He would fit better in a 3-4.

"Dansby to Foote would be a big dropoff," Williamson said. "You go from Rolle to Rhodes, that is a drop-off. I liked Rolle a lot because everything was in front of him still. He has only been a free safety for a couple years now. He spends offseasons with Ed Reed and is very conscientious about becoming a great player. Rhodes is a finesse player and still an above-average starting safety who at times can look better than he is, but is not a banger, not an elite cover guy and it's going to be a little tougher to do things you want to do with Adrian Wilson. I would rather have Rolle."

The Cardinals can come out of this OK if they develop linebackers Will Davis and Cody Brown into quality players. Davis showed quite a bit of promise last season. Brown, a second-round choice in 2009, is starting over after a wrist injury wiped out his rookie season.

Of course, the Cardinals do not play a game this week. They have time to improve their roster. It's too early to write them off, particularly in the current NFC West.

The latest NFC West chat has come and gone. Full transcript here. Highlights below:

Chris (Broadview Heights, Ohio): Word is that Warner's coming out with his retirement decision on Friday. IF he does retire, do you have any faith in Matt Leinart to lead the Cardinals to a 3rd straight NFC West title? The team is built to contend now and I'd hate to start a rebuild project.

Mike Sando: Leinart is a tough sell based on what we've seen from him. The Cardinals gave him every chance to win the job heading into the 2008 season. The decision to go with Warner was a no-brainer in part because Leinart didn't look great. The reality is that Leinart's contract remains relatively cheap for one more season. I would expect the Cardinals to use that season to find out for sure what they've got in Leinart.

Jerry (Laredo, Texas): Mel Kiper has the 49ers taking an OT and S (Earl Thomas) with their two 1st rounders, wouldnt a OT and DE like Dunlap make more sense or is Safety a big need for them.

Mike Sando: The 49ers need to identify a replacement for Michael Lewis at strong safety. I wouldn't take one early unless the player in question were a force from sideline to sideline. This team has Pro Bowl-caliber players in the front seven (Justin Smith, Aubrayo Franklin, Patrick Willis). Dashon Goldson showed good things in his first season starting at free safety. Lewis had three concussions. It's time for the 49ers to plan for the future at that position and upgrade if possible. That doesn't necessarily mean using a first-round pick on a safety, but it could include such a move.

Matt (Reno): Are the Rams going to let Atogwe walk, and is there any chance the Niners get him?

Mike Sando: The Rams probably will not pay elite money to Oshiomogho Atogwe. They will not pretend he is Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu, in other words. And I don't think they would consider franchising him again. So, yes, Atogwe could find his way on to the market. The 49ers could be a fit because of Atogwe's relationship with Mike Singletary's daughter, but it seems to me as though San Francisco really needs a strong safety.

Calum (Scotland): I'd like to see Seattle use their early draft picks on the O line and a RB. This would allow the team to draft a QB next year in to an offense that should be fairly settled and should provide the basis of the offense for the long term. Hasselbeck is good enough for another year but the defense may suffer in the short term. How feasible is this?

Mike Sando: Sounds logical even though it's hard not to strongly consider a quarterback when you've got two No. 1 picks. I'm not convinced they'll address the offensive line that early, just because that hasn't always been the Alex Gibbs way. The defense will be as good as its pass rush, probably. Getting a playmaker on offense does seem like a must for Seattle. By the way, hope you're OK with me changing cees to esses in offense and defense.

Rank NFC West Player Pos. Team Scouts Inc. Rating 13t Larry Fitzgerald WR ARI 92 18t Walter Jones OL SEA 91 23t Adrian Wilson DB ARI 90 23t Patrick Willis LB SF 90 39t Karlos Dansby LB ARI 86 45t Steven Jackson RB STL 85 55t Patrick Kerney DL SEA 84 55t Marcus Trufant DB SEA 84 64t T.J. Houshmandzadeh WR SEA 83 88t Anquan Boldin WR ARI 81 99t Kurt Warner QB ARI 80 124t Nate Clements DB SF 79 124t Leroy Hill LB SEA 79 124t Lofa Tatupu LB SEA 79 144t Frank Gore RB SF 78 169t Jason Brown OL STL 77 169t Darnell Dockett DL ARI 77

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Scouts Inc.'s Top 200 list ranking NFL players found 12 players better than Larry Fitzgerald, 44 better than Steven Jackson, 63 better than T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 87 better than Anquan Boldin, 98 better than Kurt Warner and 143 better than Frank Gore.

As for you, Darnell Dockett? Might there really be 168 players with higher rankings? 'Nine-Oh' might need to change his nickname to 'One-Six-Nine' if the folks at Scouts Inc. are right.

A few of these rankings might provoke thoughtful ruminations. The rest could instigate mayhem.

Scouts Inc. gave Fitzgerald a 92 rating on a 100-point scale, highest among NFC West players. Twelve players had higher ratings: DeMarcus Ware, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Randy Moss, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, Antonio Gates, Albert Haynesworth, Haloti Ngata, Ed Reed and Andre Johnson.

The chart shows all 17 NFC West players included in the Top 200. The scouting report on Fitzgerald reads this way:

Fitzgerald has established himself as one of the game's most consistent and productive playmakers at wide receiver. He is an excellent athlete with very good size and adjustment skills. He accelerates well into routes and has enough quickness to create some separation at the breaks. He is strong enough to have success against physical corners and agile enough to get smaller defenders turned. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination and very good leaping ability. He's one of the better red-zone receivers due to his ability to catch the ball at the high point. After the catch, he can shake off loose tackles or slip around bad closing angles from defenders. Overall, he has very few weaknesses. He is a difference-maker at the position and a player whom opposing teams must be aware of on every play.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Adam from Seattle writes: Nice Hall of Fame article. Cortez Kennedy deserves a spot by the way he dominated. What current players, such as Shaun Alexander, Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Julian Peterson (no longer in the NFC West, but spent most of his career here), Walter Jones, Orlando Pace, Patrick Kerney, Matt Hasselbeck, etc., do you think will make the Hall of Fame? I believe that Warner, Pace, Jones and Holt will make it, but Im uncertain about what other players may have a shot. What do you think?

Mike Sando: Bruce needs to make it. Jones, Pace and Holt are easy choices. Warner probably belongs. He can help himself with another good season. Alexander? I'm not sure. A couple more good years really would have helped him.

The retiring La'Roi Glover didn't spend much time in the division, but I think he deserves strong consideration. Larry Fitzgerald is headed in the right direction and is young enough to have a good chance. Anquan Boldin has a chance if he can play long enough. Enshrinement obviously awaits Jerry Rice. Steve Hutchinson has a good chance. Roger Craig's candidacy is worth discussing. Same for Ricky Watters.

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Ryan from Denver writes: I have a question about Brian Dawkins. I know this is outside of your division of expertise, but your recent post on Cortez Kennedy inspired me to ask: Is Brian Dawkins a Hall of Fame player? I say likely, a friend of mine is positive he's not. I'd appreciate your take.

Mike Sando: He brought so much to the Eagles during his career -- enough for me to consider him a Hall of Fame player. He did not earn a spot on our all-decade team only because Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu needed to be on there, in our view. But he has been playing at a high level since 1996. Seven Pro Bowls. Five times All-Pro. He is on the Eagles' 75th anniversary team. I just love what he represents on the field. Tough player. Receivers can definitely feel his presence out there. I thought Boldin felt it last season at Philly.

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James from Alberta, Canada writes: The Cardinals' successful run last year was obviously thanks in large part to Kurt Warner's season. But he's 38 years old. I'm wondering what the odds are of a 38 year old QB playing the entire season? Any chance you could whip together some stats on the average number of games played in a season by starting QBs based upon age, or age range? Or maybe games missed due to injury based upon age/age range, since 'starting' QB might be difficult to capture?

Mike Sando: There is always a chance. Thanks for asking. Brett Favre, Warren Moon, Phil Simms, Vinny Testaverde and Doug Flutie all started 16 games in a season at age 38 or older. Moon had another season with 15 starts and one at 14, all past age 37. Joe Montana made it 14 starts at that age, as did Brad Johnson and Ken Stabler.

(Read full post)

	ESPN.com Illustration
	Best of the best: Michael Strahan, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Randy Moss.

 Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Ranking the 25 best NFL players of the decade seemed easy.

AFC West blogger Bill Williamson sent an initial list to me for review. The list appeared strong. I suggested a couple minor tweaks.

All-Decade Honors Monday: Defense Tuesday: Offense Wednesday: Moments Thursday: Team, coach, MVP | Rankings Friday: Top players | Special teams Related Content • Karabell: Decade's top fantasy players • Rank 'Em: Players of the decade • Football Outsiders: Most overrated • Football Outsiders: Most underrated

The hard part came when we considered those who fell just short of the list.

Guard Alan Faneca has gone to eight Pro Bowls this decade. John Lynch and Will Shields went to seven. Brian Dawkins, La'Roi Glover, Kevin Mawae, Olin Kreutz, Matt Birk, Larry Allen, Chris Samuels and Zach Thomas went to six. Ronde Barber, Keith Brooking, Al Wilson, Julian Peterson, Donovan McNabb, Antonio Gates, Jason Witten and Chad Ochocinco were among those with five.

None of them made the top 25 list. Had all of them made it, only six spots would have remained for the 25 players you see in the chart.

We settled on five quarterbacks, four receivers, four offensive linemen, three linebackers, three defensive ends, two running backs, two safeties, one cornerback, one tight end and zero defensive tackles (few dominated consistently for extended periods).

Seven of 10 league MVPs this decade made the top 25. Marshall Faulk, Rich Gannon and 2003 co-MVP Steve McNair were the exceptions.

Ben Roethlisberger made the list despite only one career Pro Bowl appearance. It's not his fault Manning and Brady play in the same conference.

2 ESPN.com's Top 25 Players of the Decade Rk Player Pos. Team Pro Bowls This Decade Analysis 1 Tom Brady QB NE 4 The NFL's Horatio Alger hero in cleats was drafted in the sixth round and became one of the greatest quarterbacks of a generation. The four-time Pro Bowler played in four Super Bowls this decade, winning three and being named MVP of two. (TG) Peyton Manning QB IND 8 The three-time MVP made eight Pro Bowls, was first-team All-Pro four times and won a Super Bowl this decade. Widely regarded as the league's most irreplaceable player. (PK) 3 LaDainian Tomlinson RB SD 5 Without a doubt, Tomlinson is the best non-quarterback to play in this decade. He has gained at least 1,000 yards in each of his eight NFL seasons. One of the most consistent running backs ever to play. (BW) 4 Walter Jones T SEA 8 Mike Holmgren called Jones the best offensive player he ever coached. That's saying something. (MS) 5 Jason Taylor DE MIA 6 Few defenders can match Taylor's résumé. The NFL's active career sacks leader was chosen for six Pro Bowls this decade. Taylor was named the league's defensive player of the year in 2006 and the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2007 for his community service. (TG) 6 Champ Bailey CB DEN 8 The gold standard of cornerbacks this decade. Bailey is a complete player who shut down the left side of the field nearly all decade. (BW) 7 Marvin Harrison WR IND 7 Seven straight Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro selections and a Super Bowl win this decade. His 143 receptions in 2002 stand as the single-season record and he's got a 20-catch cushion on the next closest player. (PK) 8 Michael Strahan DE NYG 4 One of the most prolific pass-rushers in history of the league. He was relentless and he helped lead the way to a world title in 2007. (MM) 9 Ray Lewis LB BAL 7 Lewis is the top-rated linebacker of this decade with a Super Bowl victory and seven Pro Bowls since 2000. But No. 9 still seems a little low for the future Hall of Famer and one of the most dominant defenders ever to play the game. (JW) 10 Tony Gonzalez TE ATL 9 The best receiving tight end ever to play in the NFL. If you don't think so, look at the top of every important receiving record for NFL tight ends. You'll see Gonzalez's name on every list. (BW) 11 Jonathan Ogden T BAL 8 As the most consistent player on Baltimore's usually inconsistent offense, Ogden will probably never get as much credit as he deserved. But his football journey will land him in Canton soon. (JW) 12 Ed Reed S BAL 5 In a decade when mostly hard-hitting safeties ruled the NFL, Reed brought "ball-hawking" back to the position. His hands, anticipation and knack for the spectacular play are as good as any safety in NFL history. (JW) 13 Torry Holt WR JAC 7 Seven Pro Bowls, one first-team All-Pro selection, two Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl win this decade with the St. Louis Rams. A major component of an out-of-nowhere team that became "The Greatest Show on Turf." (PK) 14 Randy Moss WR NE 4 He was edged out by Torry Holt for the all-decade team, but Moss is one of the league's all-time greats. He has gone to four Pro Bowls this decade, averaging 77 catches for 1,164 yards and 12 touchdowns. (TG) 15 Derrick Brooks LB TB 8 Best player in Tampa Bay's history. Most important building block in Bucs going from laughingstock to Super Bowl champions. Brooks was a leader on the field and in the community. (PY) 16 Orlando Pace T CHI 6 At the height of his career, Pace was the most dominant left tackle in the game. No one could get around him as the St. Louis Rams set a series of offensive records. Injuries have slowed him down recently, but he hopes to finish his career strongly in Chicago. (KS) 17 Kurt Warner QB ARI 3 Took two franchises to the Super Bowl this decade and had three total appearances (one following the 1999 season). Still going strong. (MS) 18 Shaun Alexander RB SEA 3 The only player in NFL history to score 15 touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. Averaged 1,501 yards rushing and 17.4 rushing touchdowns per season over a five-year period. (MS) 19 Troy Polamalu S PIT 5 Polamalu is just approaching his prime, but already has two Super Bowl wins and five Pro Bowls in six seasons. He has the potential to make the next decade's list as well. (JW) 20 Richard Seymour DE NE 5 The Patriots defensive end has been All-Pro three times and a Pro Bowler five times. He's strong against the run and can create havoc in the pocket, collecting 39 sacks in eight seasons. (TG) 21 Ben Roethlisberger QB PIT 1 "Big Ben" joins Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks to win multiple Super Bowls in this decade. Despite joining the NFL in 2004, that was enough for Roethlisberger to make the cut. (JW) 22 Steve Hutchinson G MIN 6 Considered the best guard in the game since shortly after Seattle drafted him in 2001. Has helped Minnesota rank in the NFL's top five in rushing twice in three seasons with the Vikings. (KS) 23 Brett Favre QB -- 5 Finished last season atop the NFL's list for all-time passing yardage and touchdowns. (Interceptions, too.) Named to his 10th Pro Bowl at age 39. (KS) 24 Terrell Owens WR BUF 6 He has put up Hall of Fame-worthy numbers and he continues to be a dangerous receiver into his mid-30s. (MM) 25 Brian Urlacher LB CHI 6 The NFL's best defensive rookie in 2000, the best defensive player in 2005 and the captain of a team that went to the Super Bowl in 2006. A quasi-defensive back in college, Urlacher is a perfect fit for the Tampa 2 scheme that requires the middle linebacker to cover the deep third of the field. (KS)

Glossary TG -- Tim Graham (AFC East); JW -- James Walker (AFC North); PK -- Paul Kuharsky (AFC South); BW -- Bill Williamson (AFC West); MM -- Matt Mosley (NFC East); KS -- Kevin Seifert (NFC North); PY -- Pat Yasinskas (NFC South); MS -- Mike Sando (NFC West)