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The Seattle Seahawks still need a tight end to replace John Carlson.

Visanthe Shiancoe's name has highlighted a shallow pool of veteran free-agent options. Looks like we might be adding Kellen Winslow's name to the list at some point.

Winslow doesn't expect a return to Tampa Bay, according to Ross Tucker. While the Buccaneers might prefer to trade Winslow, an outright release appears more likely. That is because any team acquiring Winslow would also acquire his $4.8 million salary, a steep figure even though Winslow caught 75 passes last season.

Winslow, despite knee issues that have limited his practice time, has not missed a game over the past three seasons. He's from San Diego and might welcome a chance to play on the West Coast after five seasons in Cleveland and three in Tampa Bay.

Winslow has kept a low profile in recent seasons after an eventful few years.

Shiancoe, 32, remains the most logical target for Seattle given his ties to Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Both were together with the Minnesota Vikings.

The Seattle assistants with ties to Cleveland and Tampa Bay -- defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and quarterbacks coach Carl Smith come to mind -- were not with those teams when Winslow played for them. But Winslow is obviously talented.

"He is too fast and athletic for linebackers to cover and too big for defensive backs to match up against," the Scouts Inc. report on Winslow reads in part. "He has a wide receiving radius with soft, sure hands that allow him to make tough catches. He is a willing and physical blocker but lacks the size and strength to do much more than get in the way when blocking inside."

Seattle could use such a player after Carlson signed with Minnesota. The Seahawks did not draft a tight end this year.

While the Seahawks have quietly added veteran seasoning to their roster this offseason, they would still prefer to build with younger players. Shiancoe would have to come at the right price. That price might fall with another viable option on the market.

Life changed for Tarvaris Jackson when the Seattle Seahawks signed Matt Flynn and drafted Russell Wilson.

It's an upset, in my view, if Jackson remains with the team beyond his current contract, which runs through 2012. But it's also a little premature to suggest the team's offseason moves at the position will force out Jackson before the season. First the team needs to see what it has in Flynn and Wilson.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times thinks Jackson will remain with the team this season. O'Neil: "Seattle has not settled its quarterback situation. Not by a long shot. What the Seahawks have done is expand -- and hopefully improve -- the array of options they have with the immediate goal of improved quarterback play in 2012 and a long-term starter down the road. Maybe it is Flynn, who has passed for more yards in his first two NFL regular-season starts than all but one player in NFL history. Or perhaps it's Wilson, an incredible athlete who started for two different colleges in the previous two years in addition to playing professional baseball. And maybe -- just maybe -- it comes from Jackson who is recovered from the strained pectoral muscle that limited him the final 10 games of last season. Maybe he comes in for his second season in Seattle, cuts it loose and starts making plays in the fourth quarter." Noted: Josh Portis has practice-squad eligibility. Going with Flynn as the starter, Jackson as the backup and Wilson as the developmental third quarterback would seem to make the most sense. Wilson would seemingly have to make a big jump for a rookie to project in the No. 2 role right away.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team and eight of its draft choices saw benefits in reaching contract agreements sooner rather than later. Seahawks contract negotiator John Idzik: "It’s mutually beneficial. Obviously, we get our draft choices signed. But, from their end, they’re protected under their contract. They don’t have to concern themselves with these lengthy negotiations we’ve had in the past. Now, it’s just all about ball."

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle passes along thoughts from Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley regarding the team's secondary. Bradley: "Some guys have said, 'Well, they went to the Pro Bowl, and how is that going to affect them?' I know I got a text from Earl Thomas the other night, on Tuesday about 9:45 at night. He was trying to get the code for the DB room, to [watch] film. So right there that shows you their mentality. They'll sneak in here to try to get on the JUGS machine in the indoor practice facility at night. They're just driven that way. I think that's why we're so excited about this group."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals haven't gotten enough from their 2009 draft class. Somers: "What stands out to me is that three of the eight players have never played a down in the NFL. Cody Brown was the biggest bust, a second-round pick who couldn't get on the field. And he played a position, outside linebacker, where the Cardinals needed help desperately. The Cardinals released him after one season, and Brown bounced around the league for a couple of years. He couldn't get on the field for anyone else, either. The Lions released him last February."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com thought outside linebacker was a primary need for the Cardinals in the draft. Urban: "It’s not like the Cards didn’t sack opposing quarterbacks last year. As a team, they had 42, tied for seventh in the NFL. The Cards had an NFL-best nine different guys with at least two sacks. The way defensive coordinator Ray Horton does things, pressure by committee works and is much harder for which to handle. But developing those linebackers, especially the rushers on the outside, is one of the keys to any 3-4 scheme. After passing in the draft, development will be one of the things to watch at the position."

Also from Urban: 2011 second-round pick Ryan Williams feels good about his return from a knee injury.

Matthew Hathaway of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has details on plans to release proposals between the Rams and the local stadium authority. Hathaway: "The CVC maintains that -- as a party to the Rams' lease -- it legally is forbidden from making public any documents considered by the Rams to be confidential. If it does so, according the CVC, the Rams could use the disclosure as grounds to seek an immediate termination of the lease. In the lease, the state is considered a 'sponsor" of the Dome, along with the governments of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Every year since 2005, the three entities together pay off a $24 million chunk of the Dome's $720 million construction debt. Each of the governments also appoints commissioners to the CVC board." Noted: I didn't think the Rams were the ones insisting upon confidentiality.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says Alex Smith spent time this offseason to work on his mechanics. Smith: "I saw a mechanics guru, or specialist down in L.A. I went there to kind of clean some things up with my motion. I'm really focused on getting my fundamentals better. Really didn't have time last offseason to do it."

Also from Maiocco: Rookie receiver A.J. Jenkins will arrive for the 49ers' camp this weekend with plans to stay in the area.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says Jenkins will skip Illinois' commencement to attend the 49ers' rookie camp.

Figuring out who makes the personnel decisions for the Arizona Cardinals isn't easy.

More than any team in the NFC West, the Cardinals seem to take a group approach involving general manager Rod Graves, coach Ken Whisenhunt, president Michael Bidwill, and vice president of player personnel Steve Keim.

All four have been together since 2007, when Whisenhunt became coach.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Keim's role has grown, making him a logical candidate to succeed Graves in the GM role. Bickley: "Keim isn't a general manager by title. But he talks like one. He acts like one. He's not shy with his opinions. Recent draft classes reveal a franchise operating in sync, and a team enjoying a steady influx of young players. He knows what Ken Whisenhunt wants in a player, and over time, has earned the coach's trust." Noted: Sounds like an invitation to compare recent draft classes for NFC West teams. I'll take a look this week, although comparing one team's draft success against that of another can be tricky. For example, in recent seasons, the Cardinals have drafted later in the first round on average than any team in the division, about 19th overall since 2009. That compares to about eighth overall for St. Louis, 13th overall for Seattle and 15th overall for San Francisco.

Also from Bickley: The Cardinals have reason to consider legal action after losing 3,200 parking spots at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee runs through the San Francisco 49ers' undrafted free-agent class. Barrows: "Among the standouts are the three Stanford players, Chris Owusu, Matt Masifilo and Michael Thomas, and running back Jewel Hampton, whom I wrote about earlier in the week. Also of note is Clemson's Kourtnei Brown, who has Aldon Smith-like dimensions and who ran his 40-yard dash in the 4.6-second range."

Also from Barrows: Perrish Cox's legal troubles aren't finished. The cornerback, acquitted on criminal sexual assault charges, faces a civil suit stemming from the case.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the Pacific Northwest Football Hall of Fame welcomed Marcus Trufant and Jacob Green as members. Trufant: "This is a very cool deal. Just the whole organization in general is a good deal. There are a lot of important people here who have done a lot of good things in this area for a long time -- and they haven’t done it to make a lot of money, they’re doing it for the community and they’re doing it for the kids. So just to be mentioned in the same light as those people, it’s a big deal to me."

Also from Farnsworth: a look at the Seahawks' quarterback competition. Coach Pete Carroll: "There’s no timeline. The format is really just to do everything I can to organize it and orchestrate it so that they get a legit shot at showing what they can do with all the guys that are available. We’re going to have to mix and match it, and just make it a real cool process, and hopefully it will show itself somewhere down the road and we'll figure it out then."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says Carroll seems to be welcoming the quarterback competition in Seattle, counter to the way most coaches view uncertainty at the position.

Art Thiel of Sports Press Northwest says the Seahawks haven't had a quarterback competition like their current once since Matt Hasselbeck and Trent Dilfer were competing a decade ago.

Liz Mathews of 710ESPN Seattle passes along thoughts from Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill regarding the evolution of his game. Hill: "I wanted to hurt you and hit you harder than you hit me. That's how I played, and I think it caused a lot of injuries early on in my career. Now that I'm getting older, I'm more about making the tackle -- just get the man down. I want to play the way that I played, just in a more veteran way, you know?"

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle thinks Gus Bradley, the Seahawks' defensive coordinator, projects as a head coaching candidate. Noted: Not many coordinators keep their jobs when a team changes head coaches. Bradley did, remaining in the role after the switch from Jim Mora to Pete Carroll. Mora had planned to name Dan Quinn coordinator, but Bradley impressed him so much during his interview that Mora decided to make him coordinator instead.

Albert Breer of NFL Network runs through Rams GM Les Snead's priority list for St. Louis this offseason: "Snead, formerly personnel director for the Atlanta Falcons, was hired by the Rams in mid-February. His self-imposed directive since then has been to focus on four aspects of roster management. They were, in order, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of his new club; deal the second pick in the draft; prepare for and complete free agency; and then do the same with the draft. ... Snead can unpack and find a place to live now. His vision for the Rams, in this job he spent the better part of two decades preparing, is beginning to take shape."

Katie Felts of KDSK.com checks in with new Rams coach Jeff Fisher.

A few notes on NFC West coaching staffs after the St. Louis Rams announced theirs for 2012 in a news release Tuesday:

• The Rams are not listing suspended defensive coordinator Gregg Williams on their staff. They did not mention him in the news release. They did not list a defensive coordinator. Coach Jeff Fisher and assistant head coach Dave McGinnis will presumably take the lead. Secondary coach Chuck Cecil has also been a coordinator.
• Williams' son, Blake, coaches the Rams' linebackers.
• The Cardinals have 3-4 fewer assistants than the other teams in the division. I've noticed that to be the case in recent seasons. Staff sizes can vary. Arizona has one more than the NFL listed for New England heading into the most recent Super Bowl.
• Every team in the division has an assistant head coach. Two serve as offensive line coaches. Another coaches special teams. Assistant head coaches might earn more money than they otherwise would, but the title does not distinguish them from other assistants in relation to hiring protocol. The title affords no additional protections against losing an assistant to another team, in other words.
• Paul Boudreau is the Rams' offensive line coach. His son, also named Paul, is assistant special teams coach. They are not Paul Sr. and Paul Jr., however. It's not yet clear how the Rams intend to differentiate between the two. Middle initials?
• Niners offensive assistant Michael Christianson is also coordinator of football technology.

The chart lists full-time assistants, not interns or administrative assistants. Strength-and-conditioning coaches aren't involved in football strategy, but I have listed them.

A few thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks' recently announced contract agreements with guard Deuce Lutui, linebacker Barrett Ruud and cornerback Roy Lewis:

• Lutui: The Seahawks wanted a veteran guard at an affordable price after releasing Robert Gallery. They considered Steve Hutchinson, but he signed with Tennessee. Lutui has considerable starting experience with the Arizona Cardinals, but weight issues contributed to his decline into a backup role. Lutui and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll were together at USC. Can the Seahawks get more from Lutui than the Cardinals were getting from him recently?
• Ruud: Ruud, 28, was a longtime starter in Tampa Bay before signing with Tennessee last season. He played nine games for the Titans, starting all of them. But a groin injury forced him onto injured reserve. Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley was with Tampa Bay when Ruud played for the Buccaneers. Bradley coached linebackers for part of Ruud's tenure there. That connection means the Seahawks should have a good idea what they're getting. Ruud's arrival comes after the Seahawks watched starting middle linebacker David Hawthorne sign with New Orleans. I would expect Seattle to address linebacker in the draft as well.
• Lewis: Lewis returns for what will be his fourth season with the Seahawks. He played in 10 games last season, starting one, and participated in about 40 percent of the defensive snaps overall. Lewis adds depth and familiarity to the secondary.

On a side note, Lutui had worked out for the San Francisco 49ers earlier in free agency. San Francisco continues to look for veteran depth at guard.

The Seattle Seahawks wanted to keep Red Bryant, but they weren't going to name the big defensive end their franchise player.

The decision carried risk as Bryant headed toward free agency, but it all worked out in the end. The team reached agreement with Bryant on a five-year deal worth $35 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Bryant would have received $10.6 million for one season as a franchise player, setting an inflated average for any long-term deal.

Seattle has now re-signed its top free-agent defensive lineman in back-to-back offseasons. Brandon Mebane re-signed with the team a year ago.

The Seahawks and Bryant, 27, were the best fit for one another. Coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley created a role for Bryant with the former defensive tackle's specific skills in mind. Bryant lined up over the tight end as a five-technique lineman, anchoring a Seattle run defense that ranked 15th in total rushing yards allowed and fourth in yards per carry allowed. Bryant played about two-thirds of the defensive snaps.

Seattle has now re-signed its top two free agents. Marshawn Lynch was the other. Finding pass-rush help remains a priority, but the Seahawks were not among the teams linked to Mario Williams as the signing period opened.

The Seahawks valued Bryant not only for his strength against the run, but also for his affable personality in the locker room.

Defensive coordinator Ray Horton isn't the only Arizona Cardinals employee expected to interview with the St. Louis Rams this offseason. Steve Keim, director of player personnel, has surfaced as a candidate on the general manager front, according to Mike Jurecki of XTRA Sports 910 in Phoenix.

This is good strategy by the Rams even if they're still focusing primarily on hiring Jeff Fisher as head coach and a Fisher-vetted candidate for GM. The team gets a chance to learn more about its rivals in the division -- rivals that went 6-0 against St. Louis this season and 20-4 against the Rams since 2007.

Keim's name has surfaced previously in media speculation surrounding jobs in the division. That was the case back before the Seattle Seahawks hired John Schneider as general manager. Keim never interviewed with Seattle. His standing took a hit when the Cardinals went 5-11 last season and 1-6 to open 2011. But with the Cardinals rallying to 8-8, the overall success Arizona has enjoyed since 2007 comes back into focus.

The Rams would be wise to check out other candidates in the division as well. San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley are two assistants I would investigate. Both have overseen units that have gone young over the last few seasons. The 49ers' overall success under Jim Harbaugh should make Roman appealing. Seattle's defensive improvement has been striking.

The fact that current Seahawks coach Pete Carroll retained Bradley from Jim Mora's staff and kept him in place as coordinator also speaks well of Bradley. How many defensive-minded head coaches retain the defensive coordinators they inherit from previous regimes? That is highly unusual.

Seattle's assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable also stands out as a candidate to consider. Cable's history with Oakland included some controversial moments, but the Rams would have to like the way Seattle's ground game kept getting strong production despite suffering injuries similar to the ones that undermined the Rams' offense.

The Seahawks' ability to identify and acquire young talent through the draft and off the street should make members of their personnel department appealing to the Rams. Vice president of football operations Will Lewis and senior personnel executive Scot McCloughan are the most experienced high-ranking members of Schneider's staff. Both were with the Green Bay Packers with Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson in the 1990s; McCloughan helped to acquire much of the 49ers' current talent while serving in senior positions with the team.

The 49ers' more recent success in the draft and free agency reflects well on Tom Gamble, the team's director of player personnel.

The San Francisco 49ers appear highly likely to grab the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. They're leading the St. Louis Rams, 20-10, and driving late in the third quarter.

Looking ahead to the late NFC West game between Seattle and Arizona, I wanted to take a closer look at something Gus Bradley, the Seahawks' defensive coordinator, told reporters late in the week.

Bradley was lauding the Seahawks' corners, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, when he said their abilities in man coverage give the coaching staff greater flexibility.

"With the amount of eight-man fronts we're playing, it's a credit to the corners because you shouldn’t be able to get away with probably as much as we're doing," Bradley said.

I've put together a couple charts to illustrate when the Seahawks use eight-man fronts and when it matters. Counting defenders in the box area can give us a general feel for how a team plays defense. However, playing with eight-plus defenders in the box reveals less if the opposing offense has additional blockers available. For example, teams will naturally use eight-plus defenders more frequently against San Francisco because the 49ers use fullbacks and tight ends in greater quantities than other teams do.

In general, though, the Seahawks have used eight-man fronts more frequently in recent games. They have also used more "loaded" fronts -- those with more defenders in the box than the offense has blockers available -- over the same stretch.

The first chart shows an opponent-by-opponent look at how frequently the Seahawks have used loaded fronts this season. Sometimes, they have loaded up against teams with strong running games (Atlanta). Other times, they have loaded up against teams with limited passing games (Chicago), figuring they could get away with fewer players in coverage.

In reading their stats against Arizona, remember that the Cardinals were without Beanie Wells when the teams played in Week 3. Wells has carried against loaded fronts only 18 times in 260 rushes, however. They have used eight-man front against him 41 times. Update: Wells, slowed by a knee injury, is inactive against Seattle.

The numbers come from Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information.

The second chart shows an opponent-by-opponent look at how frequently the Seahawks have used eight or more defenders in the box, regardless of how many blockers were available to their opponents. This is where the 49ers' run-oriented offense and preference for heavier personnel groupings come into clearer focus. I was a little surprised to see the numbers so low against Baltimore.

The St. Louis Rams aren't getting much attention beyond periodic speculation about potential leadership changes.

One of the Rams-related questions in our latest NFC West chat caught my attention. Receiver Brandon Lloyd has been a bright spot for the team since the Rams acquired him. He makes spectacular catches appear routine and gives the Rams needed talent at receiver. But with his contract set to expire after the season, it's unclear whether Lloyd will remain with the team in 2012 and beyond.

We touched on that subject and a few others, including ...

Daniel from Alameda, Calif., asks whether Alex Smith's aversion to risk taking hurts his accuracy.

Mike Sando: Smith is definitely cautious about interceptions, but I think he has become more decisive this season. He isn't getting caught in a no-man's land as much. He'll usually take off running when something is not there, as opposed to drifting the way Tarvaris Jackson did on the play where Larry Grant forced the fumble Saturday. Accuracy-wise, I don't think Smith has been horribly inaccurate. He has been generally accurate, I would say. He has a 61 percent completion rate even though the 49ers rank tied for fifth with 27 drops, six more than the NFL average, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

B from Glendale, Ariz., sees asks whether NFC West assistant coaches could draw attention from other teams now that Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh have won division titles in their first seasons. He also points to the Arizona Cardinals' success under Ken Whisenhunt.

Mike Sando: Seattle's Tom Cable and Gus Bradley are two guys I think could get consideration as head coaches down the line. Arizona's Russ Grimm was once such a candidate, but he has faded from those conversations and seems content doing what he is doing. Greg Roman could be someone to watch in San Francisco. It's too early to know whether Ray Horton is going to succeed as coordinator in Arizona, so I would not expect any change there.

Mackay from Utah asks whether I'm amazed by Larry Fitzgerald's production. He notes that other top receivers tend to play with better quarterbacks.

Mike Sando: Yes. I was watching the Cardinals-Bengals game again this morning and wondering how Fitzgerald has avoided injury while going after so many passes thrown too high. He really is an unbelievable player. The biggest surprise, to me, has been the Cardinals' ability to generate big plays -- more completions of at least 40 yards than all but one team -- without consistent play from their quarterbacks. Fitzgerald's yards per catch has jumped by 5 from last season. That is amazing.

Nick from St. Louis asks what are the chances the Rams re-sign Brandon Lloyd.

Mike Sando: I'd say outside chance of it. One, Josh McDaniels could very well be gone. He was the connection between Lloyd and the Rams. Two, how much is Brandon Lloyd really worthy on a long-term deal? Is he the type of guy teams make mistakes on? I think he could be.

Following up on that last item, Lloyd has been quite productive when playing for McDaniels, but not when playing for other coaches. Coincidence? The Rams would need to feel good about the answer to that question before committing starting-receiver money.

If McDaniels winds up coaching elsewhere in 2012, Lloyd could conceivably follow.

A few thoughts and notes on former Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora emerging as the next coach at UCLA:

• Mora's contract with the Seahawks runs through the 2012 season. The team is still paying him.
• The Atlanta Falcons were still paying Mora when the Seahawks hired him as an assistant under Mike Holmgren before the 2007 season. A year later, the Seahawks announced Mora had signed a five-year deal that would make him Seattle's head coach once Mike Holmgren stepped down.
• Mora has been working for NFL Network and as a Fox game analyst with play-by-play man Ron Pitts. He was scheduled to work the Atlanta-Carolina game Sunday. Update: This section amended after another member of the Pitts-Mora broadcast team, sideline reporter Drea Avent, deleted her tweet about Mora expressing interest in the UCLA job last week.
• I've long thought Mora might be well suited for the college game, but I never envisioned him coaching for one of Washington's conference rivals. Mora played for the Huskies. He was blindsided when the Seahawks fired him to hire Pete Carroll. Now, he'll be coaching for UCLA against his alma mater -- and against Carroll's former right-hand man at USC, Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian. Weird.
• Mora is tireless. He keeps himself in freakishly good physical condition. He's extremely competitive. Those qualities should serve him well as a recruiter and in general. The college game also requires coaches to become schmoozers. It requires them to relate with boosters, speak at banquets and kiss up to high school players (and their parents). Mora has a hard time hiding his true feelings. He is not a schmoozer. This could be interesting. Eventual clashes with university administrators would come as no shock.
• Mora will probably be back in the NFL at some point. I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually coached at his alma mater, either. He's only 50 years old.
• Mora's search for a staff at UCLA could target some current NFL assistants. Mora has ties to San Francisco 49ers running backs coach Tom Rathman. They were assistants together for the 49ers years ago. Greg Knapp, quarterbacks coach for the Houston Texans, was Mora's offensive coordinator for the Seahawks. Ed Donatell, the 49ers' secondary coach, was Mora's defensive coordinator in Atlanta. Mora's defensive coordinator in Seattle, Gus Bradley, remains in that role and presumably would have nothing to gain by taking a college job. Seahawks line coach Tom Cable was once rumored as a candidate for the UCLA job. Mora's hiring ends any shot at that happening, a good thing for the Seahawks.

Looking forward to Mora's introductory press conference. He could be entertaining -- sometimes a little too entertaining for his own good -- in those settings.

Steven Jackson has played 14 regular-season and postseason games against the Seattle Seahawks, more than he's played against any other team.

Not once in those 14 games has Jackson reached 100 yards rushing. He has reached 100 yards in 30 career games and is riding a three-game streak with at least 128. But with the Seahawks coming to the Edward Jones Dome in Week 11, that streak appears in danger.

"Those four down guys for Seattle are disruptive," Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels told reporters this week. "They're very big. It’s probably one of the better fronts we'll play all year."

The Seahawks rank fourth in rushing yards allowed per play. They ranked first not long ago, but a rough game against the Dallas Cowboys' DeMarco Murray set back the average. Baltimore hardly tried to run against Seattle last week, a surprise even though the Ravens fell behind early.

The Cowboys gave the Seahawks' linebackers problems with a two-back offense featuring fullback Tony Fiammetta. The Rams' Jackson has gained 541 of his 707 yards rushing without a second back on the field, according to ESPN Stats & Information. St. Louis has been effective running Jackson from shotgun formations.

"They're doing some shotgun split bellies and (other) misdirection things to try to create confusion and blocks that really aren't held for a long periods of time," Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley told 710ESPN Seattle. "He's been successful. They are gaining confidence in doing it. We're anticipating some of the same things we saw against Dallas and then some of the plays they've been successful the last few weeks."

Depth at running back wasn't supposed to be a problem for the St. Louis Rams this season.

Signing veterans Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood gave the team better options behind starter Steven Jackson.

Two games into the season, a quadriceps strain is threatening to keep out Jackson for another week, while hamstring problems are keeping Williams from practicing.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Jackson took limited reps in practice Thursday, while Williams hoped to get some work in Friday. Jackson: "I was able to get out there today, practice a little bit, get a few reps in. I'm starting to familiarize myself with the game plan and knowing what Baltimore does. So mentally, I'm right on key with the team. I just have to continue over the next few days to see how the quad reacts to me actually doing physical work that's football related."

Also from Thomas: Williams takes responsibility for a "bonehead move" against the Giants on Monday night.

Will Horton of RamsHerd breaks down Sam Bradford's pass distribution against the Giants. Horton: "After drafting Lance Kendricks, there was talk that Josh McDaniels might try to emulate the 2010 Pats. But if Monday's game is any indication, expect much more of a Broncos-like attack. Fantasy prognosticators, take note of how often Mike Sims-Walker and Brandon Gibson were targeted between 10 and 20 yards out from the line of scrimmage. Both could fill that coveted 'Brandon Lloyd' slot." Noted: We should find out over the course of the season how much the Rams' success in the passing game had to do with their own improvement vs. the Giants' injury problems on defense.

Also from Horton: Thoughts on the Pro Football Focus review of the Rams' effort in Week 2.

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis thinks the Rams can beat the Ravens, a team he sees living on reputation defensively.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers think officials erred on a critical offside penalty against Ahmad Brooks in Week 2.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers quarterback Alex Smith felt fine Monday, a day after suffering a concussion.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Jim Harbaugh must open up the 49ers' offense after gaining no more than 209 yards in either of the team's first two games. Noted: Establishing some semblance of a running game would give the 49ers much better options on offense while boosting their yardage totals.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers will spend 10 days on the road during their trip to Ohio. Inman: "Sandwiched between games Sunday at Cincinnati and Oct. 2 at Philadelphia is a five-day layover in Youngstown, Ohio, hometown of the DeBartolo family, which purchased the 49ers in 1977."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers' extended road trip is designed to combat a poor record in the Eastern time zone, but the team has struggled similarly on the road in other time zones, too. Branch: "San Francisco is 3-19 in the Eastern time zone since 2003. Then again, the 49ers aren't so hot in the Central time zone (4-20) over their past eight non-winning seasons. And they've gone 2-7 away from home in the Pacific time zone since 2003 -- proving they can get their clocks cleaned without moving their clocks forward."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley for thoughts on the switch from Aaron Curry to K.J. Wright at strong-side linebacker. What Bradley has to say about Wright differentiates the rookie from Curry. Bradley: "K.J. is very instinctive. He plays very smart situational football. He’s just such a quick study. He picked up on this stuff that we taught him playing Sam linebacker."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks "finally ran out of patience" with Curry. Williams: "While Curry has floundered, other linebackers taken after him in his same draft class have flourished. Washington’s Brian Orakpo (selected No. 13), Houston’s Brian Cushing (No. 15) and Green Bay’s Clay Mathews (No. 26) all have a Pro Bowl to their credit in young careers. Earlier this season during training camp the Seahawks restructured Curry’s contract, making it easier to part ways with the underperforming linebacker at season’s end if they choose." Noted: The Seahawks' general manager, John Schneider, was with the Packers when they took Mathews and B.J. Raji in the first round of that 2009 draft.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says it's not clear how serious Beanie Wells' hamstring injury might be. Noted: Wells' durability has been a concern throughout his NFL career. Hamstring injuries tend to linger. The Cardinals lack sufficient depth behind Wells to challenge defenses over the course of a game without him. They can be much more physical in the running game with Wells than they can be without him.

Also from Somers: Darnell Dockett says the Cardinals need to reduce penalties without letting opponents push them around. Dockett: "We just have to be smart. I always emphasize to my team, 'Don't never be a punk. If somebody do something to you, you do something back.' If you just continue to let them do it, then you're going to have a long day. We're not going to let nobody just push us in the helmet, push in the back, step on our hands and do crazy stuff. You have to respond sometimes but also you got to be smart about it." Noted: Over the last couple seasons, Dockett has tried to push around the Seahawks. He elbowed Matt Hasselbeck in the neck area after a play two seasons ago. He also hit Chris Spencer in the back area with his helmet. Neither of those incidents carries much weight when the teams play again Sunday because there's been so much roster turnover. I informally polled Seahawks offensive linemen to see whether the elbowing incident had come up among them this week. The few I spoke with didn't even know about it.

More from Somers: The Cardinals' offensive line played well at Washington.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers more thoughts on Steve Largent and Walter Jones in asking fans to name the best player in franchise history. Both were highly consistent and among the very best at their positions. Both had longevity. I would give the tiebreaker to Jones based on superior talent. He was frighteningly athletic. Not that Largent would be a bad choice. Will Lewis on Largent: "The crazy thing about it, he could come off the line and be looking one way, but the body is going the other way. The body control was just amazing. And then he had those strong ankles. He could just stick his foot in the ground and then be gone. You’d be breaking one way and he’d be breaking the other way, because he could make his cuts at full speed. It was enlightening. And I had a chance to see him every day for two years because I was always the nickel or dime corner with the first defense, so the No. 1 offense was always going against the young guys in practice. So we saw plenty of Steve Largent."

Also from Farnsworth: a look back at the 1980 Seahawks.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune takes a closer look at Seahawks rookie cornerback Byron Maxwell, a sixth-round selection. Williams: "There’s no denying that Maxwell has the physical ability to play in the NFL. At 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, he bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times, ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and broad jumped 10 feet, 4 inches, all marks that placed him among the top 10 corners at February’s NFL scouting combine. Maxwell, 21, is a hard hitter and was a valuable special teams player at Clemson, finishing with 45 career special-teams tackles. But what Maxwell will have to prove is that he has fluid enough hip movement and route anticipation to remain a corner for Seattle, where he will receive some intense competition for a spot on the final roster with players who already have some experience in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s system."

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is making an effort at self-improvement.

ESPN's John Clayton sounds skeptical when asked whether Matt Hasselbeck would want to play for the Titans. I agree, particularly if he's seeking job security beyond one season. Jake Locker projects as the Titans' likely starter in 2012. The situation in Seattle appears less settled for the long term unless the Seahawks make a bold move for another veteran quarterback this offseason.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals and other NFL teams will be slammed once a new labor agreement is in place. Urban: "It’s going to be even more work than normal too, since many reports say the teams will have 90 on the roster instead of 80 for camp, a little more leeway for injuries and such in this uncertain season. You have to figure resolving the QB situation will be at the top of the to-do list, but then which way does it go? Are the Cards able to keep guys like Lyle Sendlein, Steve Breaston and Deuce Lutui? How many undrafted free agents are going to be targeted? More important, which veteran free agents will the team chase? And where does Larry Fitzgerald’s extension fit in?"

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers would sign about 30 players if the next labor agreement included 90-man rosters for the 2011 season. About half of those 30 players would be undrafted college free agents, he estimates. Maiocco on the 49ers: "They can be expected to make an offer to Louisville quarterback and Santa Rosa native Adam Froman, who might also consider the Miami Dolphins as a landing spot. Stanford offensive linemen Chase Beeler and Derek Hall also are possible 49ers targets."

Also from Maiocco: why moving Nate Clements to safety would make no sense for the 49ers or Clements. Cornerbacks do sometimes move to safety later in their careers, but financial and personnel-related realities diminish the likelihood for such a conversion involving Clements in San Francisco heading into the 2011 season.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at one potential NFL calendar from a 49ers perspective.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Bruce Miller faces a significant transition in his move from playmaking defender in college to fullback with the 49ers. Miller: "Everything is so different on the other side of the ball. There are all brand-new terms. There are things that are common knowledge for offensive players and fullbacks that I'm just picking up. Learning these things -- the terminology -- is going to be the hardest part."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com confirms reports saying the Rams will hold training camp at their St. Louis-area headquarters for a third time in three seasons under coach Steve Spagnuolo. Wagoner: "Times and dates for this year’s camp will be announced at a later date. As has been the case the past couple of years, the Rams will have open practices for fans to attend throughout camp. Those specific days will also be announced later on." The Rams' headquarters are convenient to the airport. Fans can enjoy clear sight lines to the practice fields. On the downside, hot and humid weather often make camp less enjoyable than if the Rams secured another venue. And the setting within a business park cannot compete with what the Rams would likely encounter if they held camp at a college or university.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald organized workouts for himself and teammates at Arizona State University. Fitzgerald arranged for former Cardinals and 49ers receivers coach Jerry Sullivan to help out. Somers: "Fitzgerald loves gathering information. He'll pick the brains of everyone around him about most any subject. So it was interesting to watch him work on routes with Sullivan. On Tuesday, Sullivan spent a lot of time with the group working on the '5' route. On that one, the receiver sprints about 11 yards or so, then quickly makes a cut to the sideline, but back to the quarterback. It's not an "out" route. When performed correctly, the route looks like half of an arrow. Sullivan showed Fitzgerald a different way to make his break, one that could pay benefits on Sundays. Fitzgerald is a great deep threat and will win most jump balls with defensive backs. If he runs this route correctly, he can fool corners into thinking he's going long. And it could give him the extra step or so needed to make a play when he does go deep."

Also from Somers: About 20 Cardinals players attended the first workout. Guard Rex Hadnot: "Fitz put the word out and guys have responded. This is what being a pro is about, when things aren’t going the way they’ve always gone, you must continue to do what you must do to put yourself in a successful situation."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks out the team's exhibition schedule. Urban: "It’s the seventh time in eight seasons the Cards have closed with the Broncos, with only last year – when the Broncos were on the regular-season schedule – left without a preseason meeting. The Cardinals faced the Packers in the preseason in 2009, when the teams completed a trifecta of meeting in the preseason, regular season and playoffs. All three games were at University of Phoenix Stadium. The last time the Cards traveled to Green Bay was in 2006 during the final season of coach Dennis Green’s tenure."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says University of Washington linebacker Mason Foster visited the Rams this week and could be an option for the team in the second or third round of the draft. Foster: "I know they're an up-and-coming team, led by a great linebacker in the middle with (James) Laurinaitis. So, I'm excited to meet the Rams, and I think it'll be a good fit for me. And I definitely know they need the help at the linebacker position, so it's just a great opportunity for me." As Thomas notes, pre-draft visits aren't reliable indicators of how a team will proceed. For example, the Rams did not bring in linebacker James Laurinaitis for a visit the year they drafted him in the second round.

Stlouisrams.com says the team's scheduled appearance in the Hall of Fame Game will be the fourth in franchise history. Coach Steve Spagnuolo: "It’s an honor to play in Canton and pay tribute to the careers of our own Marshall Faulk and Les Richter, as well as the other outstanding individuals who are being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. What a great NFL event to be a part of and a tremendous experience for our team. We are excited to kickoff the 2011 season by competing against our preseason slate of opponents as well as participating in the Hall of Fame game."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times sizes up the Seahawks' exhibition schedule. O'Neil: "The Seahawks went 1-3 in exhibition games last season, their first under coach Pete Carroll. It was Seattle's first losing record in the exhibition season since 2002. This is the sixth consecutive season Seattle will conclude its exhibition schedule against Oakland, and the sixth time in eight years the Seahawks are playing the Vikings before the regular season."

Joe Kazmar of The Record passes along thoughts from Seahawks scout Matt Berry regarding safety Earl Thomas, the team's first-round choice in 2010. Berry: "Earl is one of my favorite players. The first thing that sticks out about Earl on the field is how hard he practices and just the tempo he carries himself with. Texas is a little bit different place. You walk out and there are athletes everywhere. Earl sort of stuck out in my early visits. Then you watch him play and you see the instincts, you see the range."

Wday.com says Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley was back at North Dakota State University, where he used to coach, for an annual coaching clinic. Bradley: "I pulled up our facilities and showed them to coaches like Ken Norton and Pete Carroll, they said, 'That's better than what we've got at USC.' They said that place is something special. It’s unbelievable, the passion that the people, the community, the state have for this program. And I think people don’t fully realize that. Once they see those pictures and they realize what the program is all about, it hits you."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com checks in with former South Florida coach Jim Leavitt, the 49ers' new linebackers coach. Maiocco: "Leavitt had the appearance of a lifer at South Florida before getting fired under a cloud of controversy 15 months ago. He took a $20,000 pay cut from his job as defensive coordinator at nationally ranked Kansas State to return to his hometown of Tampa to take on the daunting challenge of creating the South Florida football program in 1997. Under its charismatic leader, South Florida played in five consecutive bowl games and rose to as high as No. 2 in the BCS standings in 2007. But Leavitt's head-coaching career came crashing down when he was fired in January 2010 after a university investigation concluded he hit a player during halftime of a November 2009 game." I feel confident saying Leavitt will not strike Patrick Willis during halftime or any other time.

Also from Maiocco: a look at which college players are visiting the 49ers before the draft.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Alex Smith has a one-year offer on the table, pending the lockout, to stay with the 49ers. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he's not concerned about fans booing every Smith misstep. Harbaugh: "Well, the question is, 'Do you have baby deer skin or skin like an armadillo?' That's where the rubber meets the road there. If someone doesn't like me or doesn't cheer loud for me -- is he going to be deep and emotionally scarred by that? I mean, most true competitors, most men like that would take offense to somebody inferring that about him."

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says a raunchy radio interview played a role in Gary Plummer's departure from the 49ers as the team's color commentator. Brown: "Deadspin.com on Tuesday unearthed a recent interview in which Plummer recounts his sexual exploits -- in sometimes graphic detail -- and tells the story of how team employees helped arrange postgame trysts for players during his days as a 49ers linebacker in the 1990s." Plummer said the 49ers cited the interview in terminating him, but he blamed his firing primarily on the team's dissatisfaction with on-air criticisms of the team. Plummer said the team warned him repeatedly last season. Plummer: "I literally asked them, 'How much powdered sugar do you want me to put on dog (waste) to make it taste good? We're 0-5. We're last in the league in offense, and we've had three players quit.'"

Those over-the-counter drug commercials filled with hope, sunshine and a long list of potentially disastrous side effects come to mind when NFC West teams hire coordinators these days.

Ray Horton, fresh off a Super Bowl appearance and a successful run as the Pittsburgh Steelers' secondary coach, should be thrilled to have emerged as a favorite to run the Arizona Cardinals' defense.

Becoming a coordinator for the first time stands as a career achievement, particularly for someone such as Horton, who has invested more than 25 years as an NFL player and position coach.

But if the NFC West were living under the same guidelines pharmaceutical companies must follow, the Cardinals would punctuate their interview with Horton by listing the primary side effect associated with the job: quick unemployment.

High rate of turnover

NFC West teams have employed 22 coordinators since 2008. Horton would make it 23.

Only four NFC West coordinators are returning from last season.

Two -- Russ Grimm and Mike Miller in Arizona -- divide responsibilities for the running and passing games, respectively. They work under an offensive-minded head coach, Ken Whisenhunt, who has frequently handled the play calling. The division's two other returning coordinators -- St. Louis' Ken Flajole and Seattle's Gus Bradley -- are defensive coordinators under defensive-minded head coaches.

Since 2008, NFC West teams have fired six coordinators. They have decided against retaining five left over from previous staffs. They have lost two to head coaching jobs and allowed another, Greg Manusky in San Francisco, to make a lateral move while the new head coach, Jim Harbaugh, pursued others for his staff.

Four NFC West coordinators are heading into their first season on the job, with Horton potentially becoming the fifth.

The situation in Arizona

Whisenhunt has sought to transfer the Pittsburgh model to Arizona since leaving the Steelers to become the Cardinals' head coach before the 2007 season. Grimm, who coaches the offensive line and running game while serving as assistant head coach, came along with him from Pittsburgh.

The Cardinals have twice tried and failed to land Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler as their defensive coordinator. They interviewed Todd Bowles, the assistant head coach and secondary coach for the Miami Dolphins, before the Super Bowl. They reportedly reached out to Green Bay Packers assistant head coach and linebackers coach Winston Moss.

But it's the Pittsburgh model they want to establish in Arizona.

Whisenhunt's background on offense makes him ideally suited to oversee that side of the ball. That offensive background also makes him more reliant on his defensive coordinator to run the defense. Hiring the right defensive coordinator can be critical for an offensive-minded head coach. That is the case here.

Don't forget the players

Horton's immediate boss in Pittsburgh, defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, likes to dispel the notion that he's some sort of defensive guru devising novel schemes to outwit less resourceful opponents.

LeBeau provided one of my favorite quotes from Super Bowl week when a reporter asked how he manages to disguise his defenses.

"That’s easy," LeBeau said. "You just get Troy Polamalu in your backfield and he’ll move around and disguise anything you want to do. Usually it works when he’s doing it."

The Steelers have dynamic players at outside linebacker, a position critical to making a 3-4 defense succeed. The Cardinals have gotten old at the position without developing suitable replacements, one reason Bill Davis lasted only two seasons as coordinator.

"The bottom line is always going to be who is playing for you and how good are they," LeBeau said, "because they are the ones, in the final analysis, who are going to go out there and make your defense successful."

Horton's credentials

Whisenhunt and Grimm can tap into their own playing careers when relating to players. I've always sensed that Whisenhunt valued that part of the coaching equation.

Neither of the Cardinals' previous two coordinators under Whisenhunt played in the NFL. Horton, a second-round draft choice in 1983, played six seasons for Cincinnati and four for Dallas, transitioning from cornerback to free safety. Being a former player isn't enough by itself, obviously, but Horton's playing career could make him more credible initially.

And for the first time, Whisenhunt would have a defensive coordinator versed in the Steelers' scheme and mindset.

Horton's background coaching the secondary, as opposed to linebackers, further distinguishes him from his immediate predecessor. It also distinguishes him from most coordinators running a 3-4 scheme under offensive-minded head coaches, a distinction I find relevant because defensive-minded head coaches tend to oversee that side of the ball.

Arizona was among eight NFL teams that went into the 2010 season with an offensive-minded head coach and a defensive coordinator running a 3-4 scheme. Six of the eight defensive coordinators had backgrounds coaching linebackers. One, Romeo Crennel in Cleveland, traced his coaching roots to the defensive line. The Packers' Dom Capers was the only one with a background in the secondary, although he had been a head coach twice before joining Green Bay.

Three-four schemes rely heavily on blitz combinations featuring linebackers. Horton's background coaching the secondary wouldn't preclude him from knowing the ins and outs of linebacker blitzes. At the least, he might approach the defense a little differently than a former linebackers coach might.

"He’s been around the game a lot and he’s won a Super Bowl as a coach and as a player," Polamalu said of Horton. "He’s had so much to do with the success that we’ve had as a secondary."