ESPN NFL

Mackay from Lindon, Utah, wonders why the Arizona Cardinals did not pursue former Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley in free agency. Instead, Wimbley signed with Tennessee.

Mike Sando: The Cardinals seem to have it backward at linebacker. They've invested more at inside linebacker (Stewart Bradley and Daryl Washington) than outside linebacker at a time when teams are paying for perimeter players.

Bradley figures to get more comfortable with a full offseason in the Cardinals' defensive system, but even if that happens, he's still going to be a relatively average inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Washington is a very good player and an integral part of the defense, so no complaints there.

As for Wimbley, he's projected to play right defensive end in the Titans' 4-3 scheme. I'm not sure he would have been the answer for Arizona. The Cardinals do like their young players at outside linebacker. Sam Acho played nearly half the defensive snaps last season. O'Brien Schofield was at 38 percent. Those two players do have promise, but the Cardinals need help at that position, in my opinion.

Outside linebacker, offensive tackle and wide receiver are three positions for the Cardinals to consider targeting before the draft. I would want a tackle first. Demetrius Bell is one free-agent candidate there. If the Cardinals could address tackle to some degree in free agency, they could feel better about using the 13th overall pick for an outside linebacker type. They cannot expect the unsigned Clark Haggans, 35, to play forever.

Axel from Eagle River, Alaska, suggests that the St. Louis Rams should be more active in seeking out higher-quality free agents at outside linebacker, defensive tackle and on the offensive line. He asks why they would bring in Chilo Rachal and Robert Turner for visits when neither would seem to be better than Jacob Bell or Jason Brown. Why not check out Vernon Carey, Jake Scott and Chad Rinehart?

Mike Sando: I'm with you on this one, in theory, but I also see what the Rams are thinking. They are building for the long haul, so they do not want to throw money at too many older players, particularly at non-premium positions. They want to go young.

The Rams had the NFL's youngest roster by average age heading into the weekend. Players around the league are not lining up to play for a team that has gone 15-65 over the last five seasons. The Rams might have to pay a premium to land some of these free agents.

Adding 31-year-old Scott Wells in free agency gave Sam Bradford a veteran center to lean on. That could be important.

The Rams already invested in right guard Harvey Dahl last offseason. Carey, 30, played right guard for the Miami Dolphins. His versatility and durability would make him an appealing addition. But if the Rams are going to go the 30-something route at guard, why not bring back the affordable Jacob Bell, who played for Fisher in Tennessee?

The Rams exceeded expectations with their trade sending the second overall draft choice to the Washington Redskins. They have fallen short of expectations in free agency to this point by suffering a net loss in the playmaking department (none added, Brandon Lloyd subtracted). I expect they will address that area in a big, big way on draft day.

The Rams' current receivers, listed in the chart, have 11 combined career touchdown receptions. Restricted free agent Danny Amendola remains unsigned, but the Rams own his rights.

Kyle from Des Moines, Iowa, asks what the San Francisco 49ers should do at right guard. "Are they better off drafting to fill that gap and having an even younger and less experienced line," he writes, "or filling it with a veteran who might not have the same skill level but can provide leadership with fewer mistakes?"

Mike Sando: The 49ers have shown a willingness to invested high draft choices in offensive linemen. Joe Staley, Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis were first-round picks. The two right guards last season, Rachal and Adam Snyder, were relatively early choices as well.

Now would be a good time for the 49ers to show they can develop a later-round choice at guard.

They are proceeding at right guard as though confident in Daniel Kilgore's ability to take the job. Kilgore was a fifth-round pick from Appalachian State in 2011, known for his toughness and tenacity. He played left tackle as a senior in college, but the interior is where he projects in the future. I think the 49ers should sign a lower-priced veteran for insurance, then prove they were right in trading up for Kilgore.

Jeff from Las Vegas asks what the Seattle Seahawks are getting with Frank Omiyale. "Bears fans don't seem to think much of him," Jeff writes.

Mike Sando: The Seahawks are getting veteran depth and a player their line coach, Tom Cable, coached in Atlanta years ago. They are not expecting Omiyale to become a starter, but with Robert Gallery gone, they wanted someone with experience.

Bears fans weren't high on Omiyale because Chicago used him as a starter. You might recall Minnesota Vikings fans wondering why the Seahawks would sign Tarvaris Jackson. Seattle wanted someone to help the team get through the season. The Seahawks were not saying Jackson would become the answer for them. They're not projecting Omiyale as the answer, either.

Free agency has slowed considerably now that the quarterback market has settled out, save for Alex Smith's unresolved status in San Francisco.

I've put together a chart showing what happened to free agents known to have visited NFC West teams since the signing period opened one week ago.

Demetrius Bell showed promise at left tackle for Buffalo last season and would seem to make sense for Arizona.

New Orleans Saints free-agent corner Tracy Porter is not listed, but he remains one of the few young starting-caliber players at the position, and he has ties to the St. Louis Rams' coaching staff.

I've ordered the chart by how many starts each player made in 2011, an attempt to add a qualitative element to the listings.

Note: The 49ers brought in a long list of players for tryouts recently. I've focused on unrestricted free agents making visits. I have added Jacob Tamme, Corey Graham and Visanthe Shiancoe to the list. All three visited the Seahawks recently.

Filippo from Windsor, Canada, thinks Alex Smith, not Kyle Williams, was the 49ers' biggest problem in the NFC Championship Game. He wondered whether the team could trade for Peyton Manning this offseason.

Mike Sando: There will almost certainly be no trade for Manning. The Colts could not trade Manning without first paying a $28 million bonus to him. Failing to pay that bonus by March 8 would make Manning a free agent when the trading period opened five days later.

My early take on Manning was that the Colts would keep him as long as he were healthy. Sweeping changes in the organization have created the impression Indianapolis anticipates making a clean break at the position. Indianapolis appears increasingly likely to part with Manning unless the sides adjust that bonus to buy time. Manning will not want to do that, most likely, if he knows the Colts are going to draft his replacement, Andrew Luck.

This has become a perfect storm. Manning's injury was worse than anticipated. He missed the entire season, longer than expected. The Colts were worse than anticipated without him, so bad they secured the top pick. Manning's health did not improve as anticipated. One of the brightest college quarterback prospects in years happened to be available in the next draft. And then Manning had that $28 million lever in his contract.

Those are all extreme circumstances. Throw them together and it's tough to envision the Colts keeping Manning. That $28 million price tag is too high amid questions about Manning's health.

We're in a holding pattern until the March 8 bonus date. Perceptions could change by then. If Manning does become a free agent, his health will remain the key variable. It's too early to know where he might land.

I suspect the 49ers will re-sign Alex Smith before or around the March 13 start to free agency. Arizona has until March 17 to pay a $7 million bonus to keep Kevin Kolb. The gap could give the Cardinals a chance to at least consider Manning. Lots of other teams would have interest as well.

Manning's recent comments to Bob Kravitz were illuminating. Manning said he felt as though sweeping changes in the Colts' organization had left people there "walking on eggshells." But Manning is the one with reason to feel that way. He's no longer in control of his immediate future.

---

Dan from Portland asks why few people seem to be connecting Manning to the Seattle Seahawks. He thinks Kolb should get another chance in Arizona. He thinks Alex Smith should be the starter in San Francisco. And he sees Sam Bradford as the quarterback in St. Louis. Doesn't that leave Seattle as the most logical destination among NFC West teams?

Mike Sando: Yeah, I've wondered why Arizona has been mentioned in so many of the reports. It is possible people close to Manning are pushing Arizona as a possible destination because, one, Manning might see that as an appealing place to land and, two, the Cardinals do have that $7 million decision to make on Kolb. I see no reason for the Cardinals to push the Manning angle in the news, unless they hope to pressure Kolb into an adjusted contract.

I agree with you on Seattle making the most sense from a quarterback-need perspective. The fit from a system standpoint would take some adjusting. I also wonder how much the Seahawks would want to commit financially to such a high-profile player with clear health concerns. Would they see this as a risky two-year rental, or as a chance to become a championship contender quickly?

Manning's health is the No. 1 variable. If he hits the market in good physical condition, lots of teams will be interested.

---

Jeremiah from Germany thinks 49ers fans should be clamoring for Dwayne Bowe, not Marques Colston, in free agency this offseason.

Mike Sando: It's tough for me to envision the Chiefs letting Bowe get away. Smart teams re-sign their best players, especially when those players are young. I would also favor Bowe over Colston, all else being equal. But I also think the 49ers would be more likely to address the position in the draft and with a lower-priced free agent. That is how they believe in putting their team together. They have been averse to overpaying for players other teams have let hit the market. That was the case last offseason when the 49ers showed no interest in Nnamdi Asomugha and other top free agents.

---

Scott from Epsom, N.H., thinks I've failed to pay the New York Giants their proper respects and have instead sought to diminish their victory by branding them as concussion-inflicting cheaters. "Grow up," he writes. "It's a game."

Mike Sando: The stories about the Giants trying to inflict a concussion upon Kyle Williams originated in the Newark Star-Ledger and New York Magazine. I simply linked to them, which was pretty much a no-brainer from an NFC West perspective. These were direct quotes from Giants players speaking on the record in well-established publications.

On the game itself, the 49ers blew a prime opportunity to reach the Super Bowl, giving up 10 points on uncharacteristic special-teams turnovers. That was my focus from a 49ers/NFC West standpoint coming out of the game. There's no shortage of favorable Giants coverage out there. I just thought the 49ers did more to lose the game than their opponent did to win it. This being the NFC West blog, the 49ers were going to be my focus.

---

Adam from El Paso noticed that the last quarterbacks drafted in first rounds tend to struggle. He pointed to Patrick Ramsey (2002), Rex Grossman (2003), J.P. Losman (2004), Jason Campbell (2005), Jay Cutler (2006) and Brady Quinn (2007) as examples. He pointed to Joe Flacco (2008) and possibly Cutler as exceptions, but wondered if there was something to it.

Mike Sando: Interesting observation. There is nothing dooming these players. Overall, though, the quarterbacks with the most obvious skills tend to get drafted earlier. If you've reached the late first round and are thinking about a quarterback, you're probably gambling more than teams selecting them earlier. Perhaps you're more apt to be reaching for a prospect because you need one and fear missing out.

---

Joe from Phoenix sees Jeff Fisher delivering credible coordinators and asks whether we should expect him to land top free agents as well. He points to Cortland Finnegan as a possibility and wants to know if there are others with ties to Fisher or the current Rams coordinators.

Mike Sando: Yes, we should expect the Rams to have interest in free-agent players Fisher and his coordinators coached in the past. Finnegan is one of them.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer spent the last six seasons with New York, but the Jets do not have many potential offensive free agents of note. The list includes quarterback Mark Brunell, receiver Plaxico Burress, tight end Matthew Mulligan, quarterback Kevin O'Connell, running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tackle Robert Turner.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams spent the last three seasons with New Orleans.

The Saints' potential defensive free agents include linebacker Jonathan Casillas, defensive end Jeff Charleston, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin, linebacker Ramon Humber, defensive end Turk McBride, cornerback Tracy Porter, defensive tackle Shaun Rogers and cornerback Leigh Torrance.

Williams was also with 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers, another potential free agent, years ago in Washington.

Fisher's roots as head coach in Tennessee provide additional connections. The Titans' potential free agents include snapper Ken Amato, safety Jordan Babineaux, linebacker Patrick Bailey, defensive end Dave Ball, Finnegan, safety Michael Griffin, running back Ahmard Hall, receiver Lavelle Hawkins, defensive end William Hayes, safety Chris Hope, defensive end/tackle Jason Jones, tackle Mike Otto, guard Jake Scott, linebacker Tim Shaw and safety Anthony Smith.

With Peyton Manning's regular-season starting streak in question, I revisited the list of active leaders to see which NFC West players might be gaining.

There is one.

The San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith, the NFL's active ironman among defensive linemen with 155 starts in a row, would have to remain in the lineup continuously through the sixth game of the 2014 season to surpass Manning's 208-game streak.

Smith, 31, would be turning 35 at about the time he reached 209 starts.

The chart shows current starting streaks of at least 100 games, according to the NFL. Alan Faneca is retiring, so he'll come off the list. Atlanta Falcons center Todd McClure, tied with Faneca on the list, will miss the regular-season opener after having knee surgery.

Players need toughness, luck, consistency and talent to maintain such streaks in such a physically demanding sport. The position they play also matters.

The longest active starting streak for running backs stands at only 48 games, with the Chicago Bears' Matt Forte atop the list. The Tennessee Titans' Chris Johnson is next at 32 games, with the St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson third at only 17 regular-season starts in a row. Only three other running backs have started more than 12 games in a row.

Update: The NFL's internal statistics engine listed Ronde Barber with 179 consecutive regular-season starts. The Bucs' figure is 183. Game logs available on NFL.com confirm 183. I updated the chart to 183.

Third-and-7 became third-and-12 for the Seattle Seahawks when officials flagged left tackle Russell Okung for the first of two false-start penalties against him Sunday.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, admittedly vulnerable to turnovers this season when pressing to overcome difficult circumstances, tossed an interception on the next play.

The penalty hardly excuses the pick. The two weren't necessarily related. But in a division featuring teams with little margins for error, even little mistakes can be difficult to overcome.

Hours earlier Sunday, the St. Louis Rams' Billy Bajema, Jason Smith, Jerome Murphy, Jason Brown and Rodger Saffold committed false-start penalties during a 27-13 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. Some of those penalties contributed to stalled drives, adding to a long list of problems for St. Louis.

The Seahawks' Stacy Andrews and the San Francisco 49ers' Anthony Davis lead NFC West players with six false starts apiece. Only four NFL players -- Michael Oher (8), Ryan Diem (8), Phil Loadholt (7) and Jake Scott (7) have more.

The chart breaks down NFC West false-start penalties by team and position. I filtered out penalties against players from defensive positions, figuring most of those occurred on special teams.

Arizona's offensive line has done a good job avoiding these penalties even though multiple quarterback changes have forced players to learn varied cadences.
.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Yes, the Rams were awful in their exhibition opener. Allowing 340 yards rushing is never a good thing. The offense also struggled. A few observations after watching the first few series:

• The Rams have no chance on defense without Will Witherspoon at middle linebacker. A sore shoulder caused Witherspoon to miss this game. Without him, the Titans repeatedly exploited replacement Tim McGarigle, who came to the Rams as a seventh-round choice in 2006.
• Titans tight ends Bo Scaife and Alge Crumpler flattened McGarigle on a third-and-2 run up the gut. Third-and-2 is often a passing situation in the NFL, but not when the Rams have this personnel on the field defensively.
• Right after the third-and-2 play, LenDale White broke into the clear even though McGarigle was unblocked. The young middle linebacker simply missed. Crumpler engaged strong-side linebacker Quinton Culberson for a few yards and the Rams had no chance.
• White was at it again on the next play. Again, McGarigle wasn't there to stop him. Finally, on the next play, the Rams found a way to stop White. But defensive end Leonard Little was the one to bring him down.
• Rookie defensive end Chris Long made no discernable impact early in the game. I thought otherwise when the Rams stopped the Titans on a fourth-down running play, but replays showed Long's backup, James Hall, driving Scaife into guard Jake Scott on the play. Long was not on the field. Hall created a chain-reaction by pushing Scaife into Scott, who moved backward into White's path, blowing up the play. The Rams have been high on Hall in camp. This was an impressive play.
• On offense, Rams quarterback Marc Bulger had little chance to succeed early in the game. The Titans weren't going to respect the Rams' ground game without Steven Jackson. The Rams opened in one-back, two-tight end personnel. They pulled right tackle Alex Barron on a sweep to the right. Titans cornerback Nick Harper chopped down Barron as if Harper were the one delivering the block. The defense swarmed running back Brian Leonard.
• The Rams came back with four-receiver personnel on their second offensive play. They tried a draw play, but the Titans were not fooled. After two plays, the Titans had stuffed the Rams' real running game and sniffed out their manufactured one. This was going to be a long night for the Rams, particularly with left tackle Orlando Pace still getting his bearings after two injury-shortened seasons. Pace should be fine, but he wasn't close to peak level here.
• The Rams took over deep in their own territory after that fourth-down stop by Hall. They played it safe with heavy personnel (two backs, two tight ends). The Titans manhandled this grouping. On second down, Kyle Vanden Bosch crumpled Rams tight end Joe Klopfenstein. Titans rookie defensive end Jason Jones then knifed past Rams guard Richie Incognito before smashing into Leonard in the backfield.

This matchup was a very difficult one for the Rams. Tennessee is physical on both lines. Jeff Fisher's defense is well established. The Rams are still learning Al Saunders' playbook. They were without Jackson, the focal point of their offense. Pace was not 100 percent. The Titans were going to expose the Rams' poor depth at linebacker. I didn't know they would expose it for 340 yards, but the Titans might be better than expected.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic provides an approximate Cardinals two-deep depth chart  based on observations from training camp. Note that Lyle Sendlein is the starting center, ahead of Pat Ross. A knee injury could keep regular starter Al Johnson out another month. Third-team center Scott Peters landed on injured reserve.

Also from Somers: He singles out Steve Breaston, Lance Long, Tim Hightower, Keilen Dykes and Jason Banks as Cardinals players to watch against the Saints Thursday night.

Also from Somers: Kurt Warner might not play for the Cardinals tonight because the staff doesn't want to risk his health behind the second-team offensive line. This is further confirmation of the Cardinals' depth problems up front. Also, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie probably starts at corner while Rod Hood recovers from a heel injury.

Mark Wahlstrom of the Cardinals Report files nine in-depth observations from Cardinals camp. This is good reading for those looking to get a feel for Arizona. He likes the tight ends more than I might have expected. That's a position to watch for the Cardinals this season.

Mark Heller of the East Valley Tribune says the Cardinals are looking to cut down on penalties. Arizona finished last season with a league-high 137 penalties. Division-rival Seattle finished with a league-low 59 penalties. Also from Heller: Look for Antrel Rolle to return punts, perhaps against the Saints.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer describes the Seahawks' new facility, which features a 6,700-square-foot locker room. The previous locker room was 1,140 square feet, Farnsworth notes.  The waterfront facility will allow the team to deliver free agents by sea plane, something team president Tim Ruskell is already envisioning.

Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune says the new facility helped Seattle land Julius Jones in free agency.

Thomas James Hurst of the Seattle Times offers up photos of the Seahawks' new facility. The second photo shows cornerback Derrick Johnson catching a pass with Lake Washington in the background. Danny O'Neil and Jose Romero tag-teamed the accompanying story, which features middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu referring to team owner Paul Allen on a first-name basis.

Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald describes Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren as a survivor, which beats the alternative. Johnson: "During his first few months in Seattle, Holmgren lost defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur to cancer. In 2002, his mother Barbara passed away. There was a cancer scare for wife Kathy, and assistant coach and close friend Ray Rhodes suffered a minor stroke."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has round-by-round coverage of the Rams-Titans fights during their joint practices. The only upset: Rams guard Jacob Bell, formerly of the Titans, didn't square off with Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. A scrape did break out one play after Rams coach Scott Linehan warned against fighting.

Also from Thomas: a wide-ranging chat on all things Rams. Thomas was ready when chat participant Curtis T., upset with Steven Jackson for holding out, calls the running back a "piece of trash" and asks if the Rams could trade him. Thomas: "Well, the problem is, the 'piece of trash' just may be the best player on the team." No question.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was there when Rams rookie Chris Long beat Titans guard Jake Scott on consecutive plays during one-on-one pass-rush drills. The Rams are increasingly pleased with Long's progress. Long definitely works at the game.

Also from Coats: a throw-away line about right tackle Alex Barron standing out in team and individual drills. I take that as a good sign for the Rams. Barron commits too many penalties and he isn't a dominant tackle, but getting him back on the right side full time has to help.