NFC West: Jeff Fisher
The most recent NFC West chat is heading into overtime thanks to Jeff from Seattle.
"I enjoyed it when the chat wrap used questions that weren't answered," Jeff wrote. "Any plans to bring that back to the feature?"
Sometimes there's not time, but this time, there is. It's May 24 and we -- OK, I -- recently ran a weather report, after all. The first section begins with a question about Kellen Winslow, but the answer touches on teams beyond Seattle. It also lets me break out a chart, always a plus.
Robert from Georgia asked whether Kellen Winslow's addition in Seattle will lead the Seahawks to use more personnel groupings with two tight ends.
"The way New England uses Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez is unbelievable," he wrote, "and while I am in no way trying to compare, does the addition of Winslow increase Zach Miller's production? Could Seattle have the second-best two-tight-end set in the NFL?"
That sounds optimistic. I expect the San Francisco 49ers to field the best two-tight end tandem in the division once again. Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker are very good together. Each is faster than his Seattle counterpart, although Winslow has obviously been more productive than Walker as a receiver (with quite a few more opportunities).
I've put together a chart showing how frequently NFC West teams and Winslow's former team, Tampa Bay, used two or more tight ends. John Carlson's injury suppressed the numbers for Seattle. The St. Louis Rams have a new coaching staff, so numbers from last season might not mean as much.
Seattle will use two-plus tight ends more frequently as long as Miller and Winslow are healthy. Winslow amassed 74 percent of his receiving yardage (565 of 763) as the only tight end on the field last season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That figure mirrored the percentage of snaps when Tampa Bay used fewer than two tight ends, disregarding kneeldowns and spikes.
Miller's receiving numbers were going to climb anyway after he bottomed out at 25 receptions. Winslow has consistently been a 70-catch player. I would expect that figure to fall as he plays alongside another tight end to a degree he did not last season.
There is a chance Winslow will catch more passes than Miller.
Miller will likely be the in-line tight end, meaning he'll be more involved in run blocking. Winslow will be more of an H-back. That is consistent with assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable's vision for the offense.
Jacob from Missouri says it's easy to become optimistic while hearing good things from organized team activities and such.
"As a Rams fan, I could really use some optimism, but when is the best time to actually believe all the good things I'm hearing?" he writes.
Mike Sando: It's OK to believe the good things you're hearing now. Just remember to keep it all in perspective. For the Rams, pay close attention to the injury situation. This team was hit hard by injuries last season. It's important for the Rams to get through the offseason without starting to head down the path that led to the training room last season.
We should pay close attention to what the Rams are saying about Jason Smith at right tackle. We should listen for clues about Brian Quick's readiness to contribute right now, not just at some point in the distant future. We should pay attention to the source of information. When Jeff Fisher, a former defensive back, gushes over Janoris Jenkins and indicates he expects immediate contributions, that means something. I'd go ahead and buy into that a little bit.
Jeff from Fowler, Calif., asks whether NaVorro Bowman is the most logical young player to receive a contract extension from the 49ers.
Mike Sando: Yeah, I would think so. Dashon Goldson is operating on the franchise tag, so he could get a new deal as well. But he's been around a little longer. Bowman is younger and quickly became an All-Pro player. The 49ers should not feel pressure to do a deal with him right now, however. Bowman has the 2012 and 2013 seasons remaining on his contract. Waiting another year isn't disrespectful to Bowman. Why not get one more cheap season from Bowman and then reward him accordingly if Bowman backs up his strong 2011 season with another big year?
kualla83 from Phoenix asked whether the Arizona Cardinals' defense should be regarded on par with those from Seattle and San Francisco, even though those defenses were more consistent from start to finish.
"Obviously they have to prove it a little more on the field," he wrote, "but if the second half of last season is any indication of what is to come, I am really excited."
Mike Sando: First off, this question was one I answered in the chat. We had very few Cardinals questions and I answered them. FearTheTweetTweet even complained during the chat, asking whether I'd ever answer another Arizona question. I was looking for them and found only three (out of 140 questions, which was a low number for a chat anyway). So, we get a rerun of an answer.
It's fair to say the Cardinals should be optimistic based on the improvement they saw late in the season. It's fair to say the Cardinals have to prove it over the course of the season, which you indicated to be the case. The 49ers are in a different class defensively right now. Justin Smith and Patrick Willis were the two best defensive players in the division last season. The Cardinals do not have players quite on that level defensively. Now, they do have some very good players. The key variable, in my mind, is what production the team gets from its young outside linebackers. Again, there is reason for optimism there, but also much for the team to prove.
"I enjoyed it when the chat wrap used questions that weren't answered," Jeff wrote. "Any plans to bring that back to the feature?"
Sometimes there's not time, but this time, there is. It's May 24 and we -- OK, I -- recently ran a weather report, after all. The first section begins with a question about Kellen Winslow, but the answer touches on teams beyond Seattle. It also lets me break out a chart, always a plus.
Robert from Georgia asked whether Kellen Winslow's addition in Seattle will lead the Seahawks to use more personnel groupings with two tight ends.
"The way New England uses Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez is unbelievable," he wrote, "and while I am in no way trying to compare, does the addition of Winslow increase Zach Miller's production? Could Seattle have the second-best two-tight-end set in the NFL?"
That sounds optimistic. I expect the San Francisco 49ers to field the best two-tight end tandem in the division once again. Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker are very good together. Each is faster than his Seattle counterpart, although Winslow has obviously been more productive than Walker as a receiver (with quite a few more opportunities).
I've put together a chart showing how frequently NFC West teams and Winslow's former team, Tampa Bay, used two or more tight ends. John Carlson's injury suppressed the numbers for Seattle. The St. Louis Rams have a new coaching staff, so numbers from last season might not mean as much.
Seattle will use two-plus tight ends more frequently as long as Miller and Winslow are healthy. Winslow amassed 74 percent of his receiving yardage (565 of 763) as the only tight end on the field last season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That figure mirrored the percentage of snaps when Tampa Bay used fewer than two tight ends, disregarding kneeldowns and spikes.
Miller's receiving numbers were going to climb anyway after he bottomed out at 25 receptions. Winslow has consistently been a 70-catch player. I would expect that figure to fall as he plays alongside another tight end to a degree he did not last season.
There is a chance Winslow will catch more passes than Miller.
Miller will likely be the in-line tight end, meaning he'll be more involved in run blocking. Winslow will be more of an H-back. That is consistent with assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable's vision for the offense.
Jacob from Missouri says it's easy to become optimistic while hearing good things from organized team activities and such.
"As a Rams fan, I could really use some optimism, but when is the best time to actually believe all the good things I'm hearing?" he writes.
Mike Sando: It's OK to believe the good things you're hearing now. Just remember to keep it all in perspective. For the Rams, pay close attention to the injury situation. This team was hit hard by injuries last season. It's important for the Rams to get through the offseason without starting to head down the path that led to the training room last season.
We should pay close attention to what the Rams are saying about Jason Smith at right tackle. We should listen for clues about Brian Quick's readiness to contribute right now, not just at some point in the distant future. We should pay attention to the source of information. When Jeff Fisher, a former defensive back, gushes over Janoris Jenkins and indicates he expects immediate contributions, that means something. I'd go ahead and buy into that a little bit.
Jeff from Fowler, Calif., asks whether NaVorro Bowman is the most logical young player to receive a contract extension from the 49ers.
Mike Sando: Yeah, I would think so. Dashon Goldson is operating on the franchise tag, so he could get a new deal as well. But he's been around a little longer. Bowman is younger and quickly became an All-Pro player. The 49ers should not feel pressure to do a deal with him right now, however. Bowman has the 2012 and 2013 seasons remaining on his contract. Waiting another year isn't disrespectful to Bowman. Why not get one more cheap season from Bowman and then reward him accordingly if Bowman backs up his strong 2011 season with another big year?
kualla83 from Phoenix asked whether the Arizona Cardinals' defense should be regarded on par with those from Seattle and San Francisco, even though those defenses were more consistent from start to finish.
"Obviously they have to prove it a little more on the field," he wrote, "but if the second half of last season is any indication of what is to come, I am really excited."
Mike Sando: First off, this question was one I answered in the chat. We had very few Cardinals questions and I answered them. FearTheTweetTweet even complained during the chat, asking whether I'd ever answer another Arizona question. I was looking for them and found only three (out of 140 questions, which was a low number for a chat anyway). So, we get a rerun of an answer.
It's fair to say the Cardinals should be optimistic based on the improvement they saw late in the season. It's fair to say the Cardinals have to prove it over the course of the season, which you indicated to be the case. The 49ers are in a different class defensively right now. Justin Smith and Patrick Willis were the two best defensive players in the division last season. The Cardinals do not have players quite on that level defensively. Now, they do have some very good players. The key variable, in my mind, is what production the team gets from its young outside linebackers. Again, there is reason for optimism there, but also much for the team to prove.
JohnnyP from St. Louis, Mo., wants to see NFC West awards patterned after the major NFL awards: MVP, offensive and defensive players of the year, top rookies, etc.
Mike Sando: We've done all-division teams since 2008 and I'll reproduce the choices here.
What we should do, I think, is make projections for the coming season.
It's a little early to have a great feel for the rookies, but I think we'll likely see one of the receivers make an impact.
Brian Quick of the St. Louis Rams is my early choice on the suspicion Sam Bradford enjoys a bounce-back season. The team doesn't necessarily have an established No. 1 option even though Danny Amendola is returning from injury. Perhaps that gives Quick an immediate opportunity. That could change as we learn more, of course.
Michael Floyd of the Arizona Cardinals is an obvious contender. How many passes will come his way given Larry Fitzgerald's presence and established third-down options elsewhere? I'm less certain where the San Francisco 49ers' A.J. Jenkins will fit into an offense with Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and, potentially, Randy Moss.
Defensively, Bruce Irvin will have sack opportunities for the Seattle Seahawks. Janoris Jenkins could have opportunities to pick off passes and factor in the Rams' return game. Those are two players to watch right away. The Rams' run defense figures to improve with Michael Brockers on the line, but he won't have as many chances for stats.
Let's revisit this one in a separate item.
First, I'll dust off the all-division teams since 2008, beginning with the offensive choices.
Defensive choices are next. Note that I went with four defensive ends in 2011, my attempt to include the best defensive linemen.
The specialists featured 49ers punter Andy Lee, who cashed in with a six-year contract Wednesday.
Moving along to other subjects ...
Richard from Tucson, Ariz., thinks the NFL's push for players to wear knee and thigh pads beginning in 2013 stems in part from injuries such as the one Kevin Kolb suffered last season.
Mike Sando: The San Francisco 49ers' Ahmad Brooks did not appear to be wearing kneepads when his knee accidentally struck Kolb's helmet during a scramble for the football. I went back and watched the play a few more times to be sure. Would kneepads have spared Kolb from the concussion he suffered? That's not something anyone can determine with any certainty.
The injury San Francisco's Delanie Walker suffered at Seattle two weeks later also comes to mind. Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill was wearing thigh pads. He did not appear to be wearing knee pads when his knee accidentally struck Walker in the side of the helmet, breaking Walker's jaw. Again, it's tough to say if padding would have made any difference for Walker.
Requiring knee and helmet pads seems like a logical move even in the absence of evidence proving additional pads would reduce concussions. The league is working with Nike to develop padding players consider more comfortable. I'd like to know whether these sleeker pads will provide as much protection for those on the receiving end of blows like the ones Kolb and Walker absorbed.
Miles from Seattle questions asks whether the salaries for Zach Miller and Kellen Winslow would force them into competition for a single roster spot at tight end.
Mike Sando: Miller is scheduled to earn $6 million in base salary. His contract is scheduled to count $7 million against the salary cap this year. Winslow has a $3.3 million salary. His contract could count up to $4.8 million. Indeed, that's a hefty chunk of money tied up in two tight ends, but Seattle has the salary cap room to absorb the charges comfortably.
The five-year deal Miller signed before the 2011 looks more like a three-year contract for practical purposes. Miller's base salary rises to $6.8 million in 2013, with another $3 million due in a roster bonus. His cap number spikes to $11 million. Those numbers appear steep even for a top tight end.
A.J. from Mendham, N.J., thinks the recent item criticizing Stephen Ross was overkill.
"I don't think the Dolphins were sold on Matt Flynn," he writes. "Jim Harbaugh wanted to stay in Northern California much more than he was uncomfortable with Miami's owner. Jeff Fisher would have taken the Miami job had he been granted total personnel control."
Mike Sando: That's a fair criticism. I'm finished with Ross and suspect he'll be OK, but the way he runs the franchise has benefited teams in the NFC West, in my view. Wait, I thought I was finished with Ross. OK, now I'm finished.
Mike Sando: We've done all-division teams since 2008 and I'll reproduce the choices here.
What we should do, I think, is make projections for the coming season.
It's a little early to have a great feel for the rookies, but I think we'll likely see one of the receivers make an impact.
Brian Quick of the St. Louis Rams is my early choice on the suspicion Sam Bradford enjoys a bounce-back season. The team doesn't necessarily have an established No. 1 option even though Danny Amendola is returning from injury. Perhaps that gives Quick an immediate opportunity. That could change as we learn more, of course.
Michael Floyd of the Arizona Cardinals is an obvious contender. How many passes will come his way given Larry Fitzgerald's presence and established third-down options elsewhere? I'm less certain where the San Francisco 49ers' A.J. Jenkins will fit into an offense with Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and, potentially, Randy Moss.
Defensively, Bruce Irvin will have sack opportunities for the Seattle Seahawks. Janoris Jenkins could have opportunities to pick off passes and factor in the Rams' return game. Those are two players to watch right away. The Rams' run defense figures to improve with Michael Brockers on the line, but he won't have as many chances for stats.
Let's revisit this one in a separate item.
First, I'll dust off the all-division teams since 2008, beginning with the offensive choices.
Defensive choices are next. Note that I went with four defensive ends in 2011, my attempt to include the best defensive linemen.
The specialists featured 49ers punter Andy Lee, who cashed in with a six-year contract Wednesday.
Moving along to other subjects ...
Richard from Tucson, Ariz., thinks the NFL's push for players to wear knee and thigh pads beginning in 2013 stems in part from injuries such as the one Kevin Kolb suffered last season.
Mike Sando: The San Francisco 49ers' Ahmad Brooks did not appear to be wearing kneepads when his knee accidentally struck Kolb's helmet during a scramble for the football. I went back and watched the play a few more times to be sure. Would kneepads have spared Kolb from the concussion he suffered? That's not something anyone can determine with any certainty.
The injury San Francisco's Delanie Walker suffered at Seattle two weeks later also comes to mind. Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill was wearing thigh pads. He did not appear to be wearing knee pads when his knee accidentally struck Walker in the side of the helmet, breaking Walker's jaw. Again, it's tough to say if padding would have made any difference for Walker.
Requiring knee and helmet pads seems like a logical move even in the absence of evidence proving additional pads would reduce concussions. The league is working with Nike to develop padding players consider more comfortable. I'd like to know whether these sleeker pads will provide as much protection for those on the receiving end of blows like the ones Kolb and Walker absorbed.
Miles from Seattle questions asks whether the salaries for Zach Miller and Kellen Winslow would force them into competition for a single roster spot at tight end.
Mike Sando: Miller is scheduled to earn $6 million in base salary. His contract is scheduled to count $7 million against the salary cap this year. Winslow has a $3.3 million salary. His contract could count up to $4.8 million. Indeed, that's a hefty chunk of money tied up in two tight ends, but Seattle has the salary cap room to absorb the charges comfortably.
The five-year deal Miller signed before the 2011 looks more like a three-year contract for practical purposes. Miller's base salary rises to $6.8 million in 2013, with another $3 million due in a roster bonus. His cap number spikes to $11 million. Those numbers appear steep even for a top tight end.
A.J. from Mendham, N.J., thinks the recent item criticizing Stephen Ross was overkill.
"I don't think the Dolphins were sold on Matt Flynn," he writes. "Jim Harbaugh wanted to stay in Northern California much more than he was uncomfortable with Miami's owner. Jeff Fisher would have taken the Miami job had he been granted total personnel control."
Mike Sando: That's a fair criticism. I'm finished with Ross and suspect he'll be OK, but the way he runs the franchise has benefited teams in the NFC West, in my view. Wait, I thought I was finished with Ross. OK, now I'm finished.
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross checked in Monday with thoughts on the team's quarterback situation.
There was nothing too earth-shattering from a news standpoint, but if you're a head coach or quarterback, these are the sorts of public musings from an owner that are unwelcome.
"I don't think they're going to rush (Ryan Tannehill) into anything," Ross told NFL.com. "He's going to have to win the starting job. I think Matt Moore will probably be the starter, and I wish him the best."
Ross' aggressive public style played a role in Jim Harbaugh and Jeff Fisher choosing NFC West teams over the Dolphins during the last couple offseasons, in my view. Separately, free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn was widely linked to the Dolphins through their new coach, Joe Philbin, but Flynn identified Seattle as his preferred destination.
Coaches in particular appreciate their owners leaving the football commentary to others. They don't want to feel public pressure from above, especially from owners without strong football backgrounds.
Ross' comments Monday appeared reasonable. It's just that head coaches generally do not want their team owners setting expectations for a quarterback race, especially when they've gone out of their way to emphasize competition for the starting role.
Also: James Walker's thoughts on Ross.
There was nothing too earth-shattering from a news standpoint, but if you're a head coach or quarterback, these are the sorts of public musings from an owner that are unwelcome.
"I don't think they're going to rush (Ryan Tannehill) into anything," Ross told NFL.com. "He's going to have to win the starting job. I think Matt Moore will probably be the starter, and I wish him the best."
Ross' aggressive public style played a role in Jim Harbaugh and Jeff Fisher choosing NFC West teams over the Dolphins during the last couple offseasons, in my view. Separately, free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn was widely linked to the Dolphins through their new coach, Joe Philbin, but Flynn identified Seattle as his preferred destination.
Coaches in particular appreciate their owners leaving the football commentary to others. They don't want to feel public pressure from above, especially from owners without strong football backgrounds.
Ross' comments Monday appeared reasonable. It's just that head coaches generally do not want their team owners setting expectations for a quarterback race, especially when they've gone out of their way to emphasize competition for the starting role.
Also: James Walker's thoughts on Ross.
Danario Alexander has proved he can be a big-play receiver for the St. Louis Rams when healthy enough to get on the field.
Alexander played 41 percent of the offensive snaps last season, up from 19 percent as a rookie in 2010. He owns a healthy 16-yard average on his 46 receptions over the past two seasons. But he missed a five-game stretch in the middle of the season and is having some issues this offseason.
With bigger numbers at the position this offseason, Alexander could have a harder time earning a roster spot.
Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis offers thoughts on Alexander as the Rams conduct organized team activities. Softli: "His multiple knee surgeries are well documented, but now soft-tissue injuries are creeping back into the picture -- and the Rams just started the offseason program. In order to impress the new regime of head coach Jeff Fisher, general manager Les Snead and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, the former Missouri Tiger must stay healthy, compete and put his full set of talents on display." Noted: This is a tough situation for Alexander. He has fought through serious injuries, enduring pain and disappointment. He is only 23 years old, but chronic injuries can worsen over time.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Aldon Smith denied any intent to injure Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at Candlestick Park last season. Smith: "Our goal was to win the game. We don't go out and talk about hurting other players, their ankles or injuries or any of that. We were going out to win the game. The quarterback, he controls the game. So if he got hit, it happens."
Also from Barrows: 49ers rookie Trenton Robinson comes to the team with something to prove. Robinson lacks ideal height for a safety, but he's relatively rangy.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers have lots of fallback options behind starting fullback Bruce Miller. Maiocco: "Technically, there's only one player listed behind Miller on the depth chart: undrafted rookie Cameron Bell, a fullback from Northern Illinois. But, unofficially, there are a lot of players on both sides of the ball who can lend assistance."
Also from Maiocco: Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham skipped the Giants' Super Bowl ring ceremony to practice with the 49ers. Jacobs: "I think winning a championship is important, not many people have one and not many people have had a chance to play in a Super Bowl. I respect that, but right now, I'm working towards the same goal with a new team. I think my goal here is pretty clear on what I'm trying to achieve as an individual player and as a team."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Doug Baldwin was the sixth player to lead the team in receptions during his first year with the team. Steve Largent, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, John Carlson, Mike Williams and Derrick Mayes were the others.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Baldwin is one of eight wide receivers on the roster who caught at least one pass for the team last season. O'Neil: "The exact pecking order of those receivers, though, is going to be something that will be sorted out in one of the most wide open competitions over the course of this offseason and into training camp. Can Sidney Rice stay healthy? Can Mike Williams rebound to the form he showed in 2011? Can Golden Tate continue the progress he showed in the second half of last season."
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks safety Earl Thomas downplays the individual honors he's won to this point in his career. Thomas: "I don’t know what everybody else thinks, but in my eyes, if you’re a great player, the personal accolades are going to come, but you just let them fall and play ball. I’ve been playing ball since I was little, and I love doing it. If people like the way I play, that’s fine. If they don’t, that’s fine, too. I just like to play ball."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic notes that Nate Potter is the fifth of seven Cardinals draft choices to sign with the team.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team will open training camp July 24, an early start reflecting the Cardinals' participation in the Hall of Fame game against New Orleans on Aug. 5. Urban: "The Cardinals could have gone to camp 15 days prior to that -- three days before they will end up going -- but coach Ken Whisenhunt had said the Cards wouldn’t go that early."
Alexander played 41 percent of the offensive snaps last season, up from 19 percent as a rookie in 2010. He owns a healthy 16-yard average on his 46 receptions over the past two seasons. But he missed a five-game stretch in the middle of the season and is having some issues this offseason.
With bigger numbers at the position this offseason, Alexander could have a harder time earning a roster spot.
Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis offers thoughts on Alexander as the Rams conduct organized team activities. Softli: "His multiple knee surgeries are well documented, but now soft-tissue injuries are creeping back into the picture -- and the Rams just started the offseason program. In order to impress the new regime of head coach Jeff Fisher, general manager Les Snead and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, the former Missouri Tiger must stay healthy, compete and put his full set of talents on display." Noted: This is a tough situation for Alexander. He has fought through serious injuries, enduring pain and disappointment. He is only 23 years old, but chronic injuries can worsen over time.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Aldon Smith denied any intent to injure Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at Candlestick Park last season. Smith: "Our goal was to win the game. We don't go out and talk about hurting other players, their ankles or injuries or any of that. We were going out to win the game. The quarterback, he controls the game. So if he got hit, it happens."
Also from Barrows: 49ers rookie Trenton Robinson comes to the team with something to prove. Robinson lacks ideal height for a safety, but he's relatively rangy.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers have lots of fallback options behind starting fullback Bruce Miller. Maiocco: "Technically, there's only one player listed behind Miller on the depth chart: undrafted rookie Cameron Bell, a fullback from Northern Illinois. But, unofficially, there are a lot of players on both sides of the ball who can lend assistance."
Also from Maiocco: Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham skipped the Giants' Super Bowl ring ceremony to practice with the 49ers. Jacobs: "I think winning a championship is important, not many people have one and not many people have had a chance to play in a Super Bowl. I respect that, but right now, I'm working towards the same goal with a new team. I think my goal here is pretty clear on what I'm trying to achieve as an individual player and as a team."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Doug Baldwin was the sixth player to lead the team in receptions during his first year with the team. Steve Largent, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, John Carlson, Mike Williams and Derrick Mayes were the others.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Baldwin is one of eight wide receivers on the roster who caught at least one pass for the team last season. O'Neil: "The exact pecking order of those receivers, though, is going to be something that will be sorted out in one of the most wide open competitions over the course of this offseason and into training camp. Can Sidney Rice stay healthy? Can Mike Williams rebound to the form he showed in 2011? Can Golden Tate continue the progress he showed in the second half of last season."
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks safety Earl Thomas downplays the individual honors he's won to this point in his career. Thomas: "I don’t know what everybody else thinks, but in my eyes, if you’re a great player, the personal accolades are going to come, but you just let them fall and play ball. I’ve been playing ball since I was little, and I love doing it. If people like the way I play, that’s fine. If they don’t, that’s fine, too. I just like to play ball."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic notes that Nate Potter is the fifth of seven Cardinals draft choices to sign with the team.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team will open training camp July 24, an early start reflecting the Cardinals' participation in the Hall of Fame game against New Orleans on Aug. 5. Urban: "The Cardinals could have gone to camp 15 days prior to that -- three days before they will end up going -- but coach Ken Whisenhunt had said the Cards wouldn’t go that early."
After taking a closer look at the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson in the most recent mailbag, I've set aside this one for the St. Louis Rams.
Colin from Venice, Calif., hopes the Rams move back to Los Angeles, but he's not clear what happens next in the dance between the team and the St. Louis stadium authority.
"The articles I've read say that if the stadium authority rejects the proposal, it goes to arbitration," Colin writes. "But what happens then? If the arbitrator comes back with a solution the Rams don't like, can they walk? Can the stadium authority walk if they don't like the proposal? Or are both parties bound to whatever the arbitrator comes up with?"
Mike Sando: This part of the protocol wasn't clear to me until the last week or so. The stadium authority has until June 1 to accept or reject the Rams' proposal. A rejection appears imminent. The sides would then be free to negotiate until the arbitration process begins June 15. That process would be expected to conclude by the end of the year.
Once the arbiter makes a compromise proposal, the stadium authority will then have an opportunity to accept or reject. If the stadium authority accepts, the plan would become binding for the Rams, extending their lease through 2015. If the stadium authority rejects, the Rams' lease would proceed on a year-to-year basis beginning in March 2015.
Most NFL reporters cover stadium issues from afar and only reluctantly. I'm in that camp. We're then forced into catch-up mode when actual stadium news breaks out. Those with greater interest in stadium issues seem far better informed, but even that can be difficult to discern for those of us without a feel for the subject matter.
Footballphds.com has shown interest in covering stadium issues pertaining to the NFL potentially returning to Los Angeles. It considers the Rams to be a secondary player for that market, with the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders as the primary players. Its Rams coverage could be worth a look for those interested in another voice on the matter.
Anthony from Headrick, Texas asks whether the Rams will "be any good" this year.
Mike Sando: They'll be better simply because so many things had to go wrong for the team to finish 2-14 last season. How much better? I'd expect the Rams to get into that 5-11 or 6-10 range in their first season under Jeff Fisher. But when I look at the schedule, it's tougher to single out which five or six games the team would likely win. Home games against Seattle and Arizona in Weeks 4-5 appear pivotal.
Joe from Phoenix asks whether the Rams could be in play for Jake Long if the Miami Dolphins' tackle become a free agent next offseason.
"The current left tackle situation could be improved," he writes, "and if Long's brother, Joe, sticks on the Rams' roster this year, St. Louis would have a connection with Jake. Do the Rams have the cap room for another mega-deal? And if they do, could you defend this move?"
Mike Sando: The Rams should be set up very well from a salary-cap standpoint. They have many potentially early choices over the 2012, 2013 and 2014 drafts, but the rookie wage scale makes those players' contracts easy to absorb. However, I also think those early choices put the Rams in position to build with lower-cost players. They shouldn't need to spend lavishly for free agents, as a general rule.
ESPN's Andrew Brandt recently laid out just how the rookie wage scale has affected the process. I then followed up with him to ask how the new structure could affect the Rams given all their early picks.
"Having a top pick is no longer a millstone around a team's neck and they can amass multiple first-round picks without weighing down future payrolls," Brandt replied. "Especially in later years of these contracts, the cash commitment represents great value compared to highly-paid veterans. Thus, having multiple first-round pick gives a team options whether to package them to go up as, again, the numbers are down from the previous CBA, or move back for more 'value' picks later in the draft."
Colin from Venice, Calif., hopes the Rams move back to Los Angeles, but he's not clear what happens next in the dance between the team and the St. Louis stadium authority.
"The articles I've read say that if the stadium authority rejects the proposal, it goes to arbitration," Colin writes. "But what happens then? If the arbitrator comes back with a solution the Rams don't like, can they walk? Can the stadium authority walk if they don't like the proposal? Or are both parties bound to whatever the arbitrator comes up with?"
Mike Sando: This part of the protocol wasn't clear to me until the last week or so. The stadium authority has until June 1 to accept or reject the Rams' proposal. A rejection appears imminent. The sides would then be free to negotiate until the arbitration process begins June 15. That process would be expected to conclude by the end of the year.
Once the arbiter makes a compromise proposal, the stadium authority will then have an opportunity to accept or reject. If the stadium authority accepts, the plan would become binding for the Rams, extending their lease through 2015. If the stadium authority rejects, the Rams' lease would proceed on a year-to-year basis beginning in March 2015.
Most NFL reporters cover stadium issues from afar and only reluctantly. I'm in that camp. We're then forced into catch-up mode when actual stadium news breaks out. Those with greater interest in stadium issues seem far better informed, but even that can be difficult to discern for those of us without a feel for the subject matter.
Footballphds.com has shown interest in covering stadium issues pertaining to the NFL potentially returning to Los Angeles. It considers the Rams to be a secondary player for that market, with the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders as the primary players. Its Rams coverage could be worth a look for those interested in another voice on the matter.
Anthony from Headrick, Texas asks whether the Rams will "be any good" this year.
Mike Sando: They'll be better simply because so many things had to go wrong for the team to finish 2-14 last season. How much better? I'd expect the Rams to get into that 5-11 or 6-10 range in their first season under Jeff Fisher. But when I look at the schedule, it's tougher to single out which five or six games the team would likely win. Home games against Seattle and Arizona in Weeks 4-5 appear pivotal.
Joe from Phoenix asks whether the Rams could be in play for Jake Long if the Miami Dolphins' tackle become a free agent next offseason.
"The current left tackle situation could be improved," he writes, "and if Long's brother, Joe, sticks on the Rams' roster this year, St. Louis would have a connection with Jake. Do the Rams have the cap room for another mega-deal? And if they do, could you defend this move?"
Mike Sando: The Rams should be set up very well from a salary-cap standpoint. They have many potentially early choices over the 2012, 2013 and 2014 drafts, but the rookie wage scale makes those players' contracts easy to absorb. However, I also think those early choices put the Rams in position to build with lower-cost players. They shouldn't need to spend lavishly for free agents, as a general rule.
ESPN's Andrew Brandt recently laid out just how the rookie wage scale has affected the process. I then followed up with him to ask how the new structure could affect the Rams given all their early picks.
"Having a top pick is no longer a millstone around a team's neck and they can amass multiple first-round picks without weighing down future payrolls," Brandt replied. "Especially in later years of these contracts, the cash commitment represents great value compared to highly-paid veterans. Thus, having multiple first-round pick gives a team options whether to package them to go up as, again, the numbers are down from the previous CBA, or move back for more 'value' picks later in the draft."
The San Francisco 49ers' Jim Harbaugh, known to walk past the first-class cabin to his seat in coach, should be relieved to have missed Forbes' list of 10 highest-paid coaches.
Harbaugh's three NFC West contemporaries made the list, with the St. Louis Rams' Jeff Fisher and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll earning a reported $7 million annually.
Coaches presumably do not make available their contracts or tax returns, so these listings qualify as unofficial. They are generally consistent with media reports, at least.
The Arizona Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt checks in at tied for eighth ($5.8 million).
Note that the listings include sports beyond football, but not including hockey. Five of the 10 highest-paid coaches have won championships: Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan, Doc Rivers, Gregg Popovich and Mike Tomlin.
Harbaugh, who promoted a blue-collar culture complete with work shirts last season, reportedly earns $5 million per season. That would rank Harbaugh among the higher-paid coaches in the NFL, but with 14 regular-season and postseason victories last season, the price tag has been a bargain to this point.
Carroll and Fisher would have to produce 19.6 victories in a season to match the $357,142-per-victory average for Harbaugh. Whisenhunt would have to produce 16.2 victories.
Harbaugh's three NFC West contemporaries made the list, with the St. Louis Rams' Jeff Fisher and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll earning a reported $7 million annually.
Coaches presumably do not make available their contracts or tax returns, so these listings qualify as unofficial. They are generally consistent with media reports, at least.
The Arizona Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt checks in at tied for eighth ($5.8 million).
Note that the listings include sports beyond football, but not including hockey. Five of the 10 highest-paid coaches have won championships: Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan, Doc Rivers, Gregg Popovich and Mike Tomlin.
Harbaugh, who promoted a blue-collar culture complete with work shirts last season, reportedly earns $5 million per season. That would rank Harbaugh among the higher-paid coaches in the NFL, but with 14 regular-season and postseason victories last season, the price tag has been a bargain to this point.
Carroll and Fisher would have to produce 19.6 victories in a season to match the $357,142-per-victory average for Harbaugh. Whisenhunt would have to produce 16.2 victories.
Alex Smith's commitment to improving his throwing mechanics promises to turn analysts into amateur position coaches during the upcoming NFL season.
Every touchdown pass or interception will invite questions about whether Smith's shoulders were square or whether his front knee was bent sufficiently at delivery.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains the changes Smith has made to his mechanics by incorporating more of his body into the throw. Maiocco: "The most noticeable difference is that Smith also has greater flex in his left knee. ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski, speaking in December, repeated what he has said since 2007: Smith's knee lock was a major issue."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith's work with pitching coach Tom House also addressed the psychological aspect of the game. Branch: "Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who recommended the pitching coach to Smith, credits his meeting with House after the 2003 season for transforming his previous nice-guy style of leadership."
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Dashon Goldson played well last season with minimal offseason preparation, something to keep in mind as Goldson remains unsigned this year. Barrows: "Furthermore, Goldson's absence gives the younger players more exposure. As of now, C.J. Spillman is filling in at free safety when the first-team defense takes the field. The 49ers signed Spillman to a three-year extension this offseason. Spillman may be the most physically gifted of all of the team's safeties -- he's certainly one of the more aggressive -- but he lacks experience. Newcomers Mark LeGree and Trenton Robinson, a sixth-round draft pick, also get a bit more action with Goldson's absence."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team's emphasis on speed in the draft should help the special teams, which were already pretty good. Farnsworth: "Red Bryant set franchise records by blocking two field goals in a game and four kicks during the season. Jon Ryan led the NFL and tied a club record with 34 punts downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, broke his club single-season records for average (46.6 yards) and net average (39.3) and also got off the longest punt (77 yards) in franchise history. Steven Hauschka tied club records by kicking five field goals in the upset victory over the Ravens and converting at least one three-pointer in 12 consecutive games. Doug Baldwin blocked a punt that Michael Robinson returned for a touchdown, while Farwell also had a blocked punt to set up a TD."
Also from Farnsworth: Why Jeremy Lane appealed to Seattle in the draft.
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks owner Paul Allen has denied rumors his sports empire could be for sale.
Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says no one is quite sure why Marshawn Lynch calls teammate Matt Flynn by the name "Antonio" -- that's just Lynch.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Landon Cohen's addition to the Cardinals' roster gives the team 90 players. Somers: "The Cardinals had one spot open on the roster and obviously needed some depth at defensive end. Signing Cohen doesn't preclude them from reaching agreement with defensive end Vonnie Holliday or outside linebacker Clark Haggans. Whenever that happens, the club will make a corresponding roster move."
Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis offers thoughts on the Rams' proposed stadium upgrades. Softli: "While there may seem to be a short-term downside, there is also a huge potential for economic growth that all Missourians can be very proud of once a top-flight facility is built. The bottom line is that this current stadium needs a major facelift, or else another one needs to be built, because this community can’t afford to lose another NFL team and millions of dollars in future revenue."
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with new Rams linebacker Mario Haggan, the oldest player on the team at 32. Haggan: "Fresh start for me. Fresh opportunity. This is a young team with an established quarterback. I've heard so many good things about Coach [Jeff] Fisher; you talk to guys across the league and they all wish they could play for him. And it's close to home. Maybe my family can come see me play more in St. Louis."
Also from Thomas: a report from Fisher's first full-squad practice as Rams coach. Fisher: "We added a bunch of things today. We've got a lot of 'base' in, we've got third down, and red zone. Friday, we'll probably do some 2-minute. So we're throwing a lot at 'em. But they've responded very well and they're practicing well together."
Every touchdown pass or interception will invite questions about whether Smith's shoulders were square or whether his front knee was bent sufficiently at delivery.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains the changes Smith has made to his mechanics by incorporating more of his body into the throw. Maiocco: "The most noticeable difference is that Smith also has greater flex in his left knee. ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski, speaking in December, repeated what he has said since 2007: Smith's knee lock was a major issue."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith's work with pitching coach Tom House also addressed the psychological aspect of the game. Branch: "Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who recommended the pitching coach to Smith, credits his meeting with House after the 2003 season for transforming his previous nice-guy style of leadership."
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Dashon Goldson played well last season with minimal offseason preparation, something to keep in mind as Goldson remains unsigned this year. Barrows: "Furthermore, Goldson's absence gives the younger players more exposure. As of now, C.J. Spillman is filling in at free safety when the first-team defense takes the field. The 49ers signed Spillman to a three-year extension this offseason. Spillman may be the most physically gifted of all of the team's safeties -- he's certainly one of the more aggressive -- but he lacks experience. Newcomers Mark LeGree and Trenton Robinson, a sixth-round draft pick, also get a bit more action with Goldson's absence."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team's emphasis on speed in the draft should help the special teams, which were already pretty good. Farnsworth: "Red Bryant set franchise records by blocking two field goals in a game and four kicks during the season. Jon Ryan led the NFL and tied a club record with 34 punts downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, broke his club single-season records for average (46.6 yards) and net average (39.3) and also got off the longest punt (77 yards) in franchise history. Steven Hauschka tied club records by kicking five field goals in the upset victory over the Ravens and converting at least one three-pointer in 12 consecutive games. Doug Baldwin blocked a punt that Michael Robinson returned for a touchdown, while Farwell also had a blocked punt to set up a TD."
Also from Farnsworth: Why Jeremy Lane appealed to Seattle in the draft.
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks owner Paul Allen has denied rumors his sports empire could be for sale.
Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says no one is quite sure why Marshawn Lynch calls teammate Matt Flynn by the name "Antonio" -- that's just Lynch.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Landon Cohen's addition to the Cardinals' roster gives the team 90 players. Somers: "The Cardinals had one spot open on the roster and obviously needed some depth at defensive end. Signing Cohen doesn't preclude them from reaching agreement with defensive end Vonnie Holliday or outside linebacker Clark Haggans. Whenever that happens, the club will make a corresponding roster move."
Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis offers thoughts on the Rams' proposed stadium upgrades. Softli: "While there may seem to be a short-term downside, there is also a huge potential for economic growth that all Missourians can be very proud of once a top-flight facility is built. The bottom line is that this current stadium needs a major facelift, or else another one needs to be built, because this community can’t afford to lose another NFL team and millions of dollars in future revenue."
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with new Rams linebacker Mario Haggan, the oldest player on the team at 32. Haggan: "Fresh start for me. Fresh opportunity. This is a young team with an established quarterback. I've heard so many good things about Coach [Jeff] Fisher; you talk to guys across the league and they all wish they could play for him. And it's close to home. Maybe my family can come see me play more in St. Louis."
Also from Thomas: a report from Fisher's first full-squad practice as Rams coach. Fisher: "We added a bunch of things today. We've got a lot of 'base' in, we've got third down, and red zone. Friday, we'll probably do some 2-minute. So we're throwing a lot at 'em. But they've responded very well and they're practicing well together."
Looking forward to Fisher's relative candor
May, 16, 2012
May 16
5:32
PM ET
By
Mike Sando | ESPN.com
An established head coach can feel more comfortable speaking his mind.
That could be one underrated benefit to Jeff Fisher's hiring in St. Louis this offseason.
Fisher is entering his 20th season as an NFL head coach. He has served for years on the NFL's competition committee. He's confident in his approach and comfortable in the role.
Former Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, a first-timer in the role, was often guarded in his public comments. Fisher isn't exactly Rex Ryan, but he should be freer with his observations.
I appreciated Fisher's comments Wednesday after several of his rookies missed practice to attend mandatory NFL orientation sessions in California. Those sessions do cover matters of import, but players also avail themselves to photographers for companies producing trading cards.
"It's a photo thing and the cards and those kinds of things," Fisher told reporters. "Really great timing."
Great timing, indeed. The Rams convened for the second day of organized team activities this week. Receiver Brian Quick, receiver Chris Givens and running back Isaiah Pead attended the rookie orientation instead. Other rookies could not participate in OTAs under rules requiring them to wait until their colleges hold graduation.
While players' careers will not hinge on a couple missed OTA practices scheduled for mid-May, every offseason practice carries additional value under a labor agreement with stricter limits on minicamps. The Rams, with a new head coach, do benefit from additional practice time this offseason.
That could be one underrated benefit to Jeff Fisher's hiring in St. Louis this offseason.
Fisher is entering his 20th season as an NFL head coach. He has served for years on the NFL's competition committee. He's confident in his approach and comfortable in the role.
Former Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, a first-timer in the role, was often guarded in his public comments. Fisher isn't exactly Rex Ryan, but he should be freer with his observations.
I appreciated Fisher's comments Wednesday after several of his rookies missed practice to attend mandatory NFL orientation sessions in California. Those sessions do cover matters of import, but players also avail themselves to photographers for companies producing trading cards.
"It's a photo thing and the cards and those kinds of things," Fisher told reporters. "Really great timing."
Great timing, indeed. The Rams convened for the second day of organized team activities this week. Receiver Brian Quick, receiver Chris Givens and running back Isaiah Pead attended the rookie orientation instead. Other rookies could not participate in OTAs under rules requiring them to wait until their colleges hold graduation.
While players' careers will not hinge on a couple missed OTA practices scheduled for mid-May, every offseason practice carries additional value under a labor agreement with stricter limits on minicamps. The Rams, with a new head coach, do benefit from additional practice time this offseason.
A look at the St. Louis Rams' offseason to this point ...
What went right: The Rams beat out the Miami Dolphins for coach Jeff Fisher and then hired the first general manager's candidate they interviewed, Les Snead. That seemed like a good way to open the offseason. ... The Rams found a willing trade partner and good value for the second overall choice in the 2012 draft. That was critical for their future once the team quickly determined Sam Bradford would remain the franchise quarterback. ... Cornerback Cortland Finnegan, the player St. Louis targeted most strongly in free agency, signed with the team quickly. ... Adding Pro Bowl center Scott Wells from Green Bay should give the offensive line needed leadership and personality. Wells will also make Bradford's job easier, in theory, by handling protection calls. ... The Rams addressed their weak run defense by adding Kendall Langford in free agency and Michael Brockers in the draft. ... St. Louis went from one of the oldest teams to one of the youngest, the logical way to go when rebuilding.
What went wrong: The NFL suspended newly-hired defensive coordinator Gregg Williams for the 2012 season and possibly beyond. The team was counting on Williams to instill the defensive swagger that led Williams astray in New Orleans. ... The Rams emerged from free agency and the draft without clear answers at outside linebacker, a position of obvious need. ... Owner Stan Kroenke has been unable or unwilling to allay fears the team is angling to leverage its way out of its stadium lease. The stadium issue continues to hang over the team, making it tougher, in theory, for fans to buy in fully. ... Moving one home game to London might help the Rams score points with the NFL and in global branding circles, but any coach will tell you eight home games are better than seven. ... Adding an elite offensive playmaker with the sixth overall pick would have been ideal for Bradford, but the Rams didn't see the value.
The bottom line: The Rams had more needs than they could reasonably fill in one offseason. They began to address quite a few of them, however, and they have the draft capital to continue the process over the next two seasons. We'll find out in a hurry how well Snead and the personnel department can draft in the first couple rounds.
Your turn: Any significant omissions here?
What went right: The Rams beat out the Miami Dolphins for coach Jeff Fisher and then hired the first general manager's candidate they interviewed, Les Snead. That seemed like a good way to open the offseason. ... The Rams found a willing trade partner and good value for the second overall choice in the 2012 draft. That was critical for their future once the team quickly determined Sam Bradford would remain the franchise quarterback. ... Cornerback Cortland Finnegan, the player St. Louis targeted most strongly in free agency, signed with the team quickly. ... Adding Pro Bowl center Scott Wells from Green Bay should give the offensive line needed leadership and personality. Wells will also make Bradford's job easier, in theory, by handling protection calls. ... The Rams addressed their weak run defense by adding Kendall Langford in free agency and Michael Brockers in the draft. ... St. Louis went from one of the oldest teams to one of the youngest, the logical way to go when rebuilding.
What went wrong: The NFL suspended newly-hired defensive coordinator Gregg Williams for the 2012 season and possibly beyond. The team was counting on Williams to instill the defensive swagger that led Williams astray in New Orleans. ... The Rams emerged from free agency and the draft without clear answers at outside linebacker, a position of obvious need. ... Owner Stan Kroenke has been unable or unwilling to allay fears the team is angling to leverage its way out of its stadium lease. The stadium issue continues to hang over the team, making it tougher, in theory, for fans to buy in fully. ... Moving one home game to London might help the Rams score points with the NFL and in global branding circles, but any coach will tell you eight home games are better than seven. ... Adding an elite offensive playmaker with the sixth overall pick would have been ideal for Bradford, but the Rams didn't see the value.
The bottom line: The Rams had more needs than they could reasonably fill in one offseason. They began to address quite a few of them, however, and they have the draft capital to continue the process over the next two seasons. We'll find out in a hurry how well Snead and the personnel department can draft in the first couple rounds.
Your turn: Any significant omissions here?
Russell Wilson served notice over the weekend that he'll factor into the Seattle Seahawks' quarterback competition right away.
That was easily the No. 1 development from NFC West rookie camps.
"He showed us enough," coach Pete Carroll told reporters Sunday. "He's in the competition. That is going to tax us, as we know, and it was already going to be taxing with two. But he’s showed us enough that we need to see where he fits in with these guys."
Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson are the other candidates to start. The contract Flynn signed makes him the early favorite. Wilson, as a third-round draft choice this year, was going to factor into the equation. While there was very little chance Carroll was going to rule out anyone as a candidate so early in the process, Wilson did show enough during the rookie camp to justify inclusion. Carroll wasn't blowing smoke, in other words.
Wilson demonstrated during this camp an ability to throw open receivers by anticipating with his passes. That was not a strength for Jackson, the starter last season. Jackson was more apt to see a receiver open and then use his strong arm to rifle the ball to the target. Wilson also appears to have a strong arm (Carroll used the word "terrific" to describe it).
Some coaches prefer a quick resolution to a quarterback competition. I would expect Carroll to keep alive this one well into the summer.
"It's going to take us a long time to do this," he said. "It's going to be frustrating for you guys. You’re going tokeep asking and wanting to know and I’m just going to be more patient than you can imagine as we go through this process and we’ll just figure it out when we do."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers highlights from the Seahawks' three-day camp.
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' 2011 injury problems on the offensive line could put them in position to have greater depth this season. Line coach Tom Cable: "We know we have a group, top to bottom, where your eighth or ninth guy can go in and win for you. So our depth got taken to a new level."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic offers notes on some of the players participating in Cardinals rookie camp on a tryout basis. Former Rams receiver Keenan Burton was one of them. Somers: "The Cardinals' positional needs, as well as a player's talent, will factor into the decisions to sign any of the tryout players. The Cardinals, for instance, might need an extra running back in organized-team activities because starter Beanie Wells is coming off a postseason arthroscopic knee surgery, and backup Ryan Williams isn't expected to participate much as he rehabilitates from a torn patellar tendon. So that helps the chances for tryout running backs such as Javarris James and Keola Antolin, a rookie from Arizona."
Also from Somers: Cornerback Jamell Fleming made an immediate positive impression on Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. Horton: "I don't remember (Fleming) making a mental mistake, which was great. We're going to start throwing more things at him, but he has the demeanor of an NFL guy. He reminds me of Patrick (Peterson). He came in and said, 'OK, this is what I am. I'm a pro football player.'"
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at the Cardinals' approach to developmental quarterback Ryan Lindley. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "After a couple of years ago, I hope we’ve learned you can never have enough at that position."
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams rookie linebacker Sammy Brown, signed as a free agent, is hoping to prove critics wrong after going undrafted. Questions about the consistency of Brown's effort hurt his stock. Brown on watching the draft: "When it got to the sixth and seventh round, I just said, 'Man, I don't even want to watch it no more.' I was mad. I see other people going. I see them picking punters, kickers. Am I that sorry? What have I got to do?"
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers his take on the Rams' willingness to take chances on some players. Burwell: "If this plan works, the reward will be so much greater than the risk. Better yet, if it turns out these high-risk, high-reward guys can really play -- and if the plan of Jeff Fisher and Les Snead plan keeps most of them on the right path -- no one in St. Louis will care about anything else. The coach and the GM are smart enough and bold enough to know that."
Barry Bolton of cougfan.com says former Washington State head coach Paul Wulff has joined the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive assistant. Noted: Wulff competed against Jim Harbaugh and several 49ers assistants in the Pac-10 Conference. Wulff and 49ers assistant Michael Christianson both worked under Mike Kramer at Big Sky programs. Kramer worked on Wulff's staff in 2010.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee updates scouting changes involving the 49ers. Barrows: "The 49ers parted ways with Todd Brunner, their Northeast Area scout who had been with the team for 12 years, and he promptly was hired by his former boss, Scot McCloughan, with the Seahawks. Brunner handled most of the area scouting on the east coast and was the point man on recent picks like Anthony Davis and Cam Johnson."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle examines why Cameron Johnson fell to the seventh round, where the 49ers selected him, after analysts suggested the outside linebacker would be chosen much earlier.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers thoughts on the 49ers' receiver situation and rookie A.J. Jenkins in particular. Conditioning was a concern initially. Maiocco: "But in the afternoon, Jenkins rebounded nicely and put together a pretty solid showing."
That was easily the No. 1 development from NFC West rookie camps.
"He showed us enough," coach Pete Carroll told reporters Sunday. "He's in the competition. That is going to tax us, as we know, and it was already going to be taxing with two. But he’s showed us enough that we need to see where he fits in with these guys."
Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson are the other candidates to start. The contract Flynn signed makes him the early favorite. Wilson, as a third-round draft choice this year, was going to factor into the equation. While there was very little chance Carroll was going to rule out anyone as a candidate so early in the process, Wilson did show enough during the rookie camp to justify inclusion. Carroll wasn't blowing smoke, in other words.
Wilson demonstrated during this camp an ability to throw open receivers by anticipating with his passes. That was not a strength for Jackson, the starter last season. Jackson was more apt to see a receiver open and then use his strong arm to rifle the ball to the target. Wilson also appears to have a strong arm (Carroll used the word "terrific" to describe it).
Some coaches prefer a quick resolution to a quarterback competition. I would expect Carroll to keep alive this one well into the summer.
"It's going to take us a long time to do this," he said. "It's going to be frustrating for you guys. You’re going tokeep asking and wanting to know and I’m just going to be more patient than you can imagine as we go through this process and we’ll just figure it out when we do."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers highlights from the Seahawks' three-day camp.
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' 2011 injury problems on the offensive line could put them in position to have greater depth this season. Line coach Tom Cable: "We know we have a group, top to bottom, where your eighth or ninth guy can go in and win for you. So our depth got taken to a new level."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic offers notes on some of the players participating in Cardinals rookie camp on a tryout basis. Former Rams receiver Keenan Burton was one of them. Somers: "The Cardinals' positional needs, as well as a player's talent, will factor into the decisions to sign any of the tryout players. The Cardinals, for instance, might need an extra running back in organized-team activities because starter Beanie Wells is coming off a postseason arthroscopic knee surgery, and backup Ryan Williams isn't expected to participate much as he rehabilitates from a torn patellar tendon. So that helps the chances for tryout running backs such as Javarris James and Keola Antolin, a rookie from Arizona."
Also from Somers: Cornerback Jamell Fleming made an immediate positive impression on Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. Horton: "I don't remember (Fleming) making a mental mistake, which was great. We're going to start throwing more things at him, but he has the demeanor of an NFL guy. He reminds me of Patrick (Peterson). He came in and said, 'OK, this is what I am. I'm a pro football player.'"
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at the Cardinals' approach to developmental quarterback Ryan Lindley. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "After a couple of years ago, I hope we’ve learned you can never have enough at that position."
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams rookie linebacker Sammy Brown, signed as a free agent, is hoping to prove critics wrong after going undrafted. Questions about the consistency of Brown's effort hurt his stock. Brown on watching the draft: "When it got to the sixth and seventh round, I just said, 'Man, I don't even want to watch it no more.' I was mad. I see other people going. I see them picking punters, kickers. Am I that sorry? What have I got to do?"
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers his take on the Rams' willingness to take chances on some players. Burwell: "If this plan works, the reward will be so much greater than the risk. Better yet, if it turns out these high-risk, high-reward guys can really play -- and if the plan of Jeff Fisher and Les Snead plan keeps most of them on the right path -- no one in St. Louis will care about anything else. The coach and the GM are smart enough and bold enough to know that."
Barry Bolton of cougfan.com says former Washington State head coach Paul Wulff has joined the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive assistant. Noted: Wulff competed against Jim Harbaugh and several 49ers assistants in the Pac-10 Conference. Wulff and 49ers assistant Michael Christianson both worked under Mike Kramer at Big Sky programs. Kramer worked on Wulff's staff in 2010.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee updates scouting changes involving the 49ers. Barrows: "The 49ers parted ways with Todd Brunner, their Northeast Area scout who had been with the team for 12 years, and he promptly was hired by his former boss, Scot McCloughan, with the Seahawks. Brunner handled most of the area scouting on the east coast and was the point man on recent picks like Anthony Davis and Cam Johnson."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle examines why Cameron Johnson fell to the seventh round, where the 49ers selected him, after analysts suggested the outside linebacker would be chosen much earlier.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers thoughts on the 49ers' receiver situation and rookie A.J. Jenkins in particular. Conditioning was a concern initially. Maiocco: "But in the afternoon, Jenkins rebounded nicely and put together a pretty solid showing."
A quick spin around NFC West rookie camps in search of notes to file away:
These are day-one impressions, so they come with all the usual disclaimers. It'll be interesting to revisit them during the season.
- Arizona Cardinals: Tight end Steve Skelton, brother of quarterback John Skelton, might have a shot at earning a roster spot this season. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic made that observation. Todd Heap, Jeff King, Rob Housler and Jim Dray would outrank Skelton on the depth chart at tight end. Those four stuck on the initial 53-man roster last season. Arizona had opened with three tight ends on its roster in every other season since Ken Whisenhunt became head coach in 2007.
- San Francisco 49ers: Quarterback Alex Smith took the time this offseason to work on his mechanics. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle has the details. Some offseason stories can be overblown (players adjusting their workout routines, etc.). This one intrigues because the coach Smith consulted has worked with Tom Brady, Drew Brees and other top quarterbacks. An assistant coach once told me Brady had better mechanics entering the NFL than any quarterback he had evaluated. Mechanics matter a great deal for quarterbacks. Brady remains close to perfect in that area. The question for Smith or any quarterback is whether he'll revert to bad habits under pressure.
- St. Louis Rams: The team has high expectations for rookie receivers Brian Quick and Chris Givens. Quick, a second-round choice from Appalachian State, was supposed to be raw. Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com called Quick "smooth and more polished that expected" during the first practice of camp. Coach Jeff Fisher singled out Quick's "good hips" relative to his size (Quick is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds). The plan has to be for Quick in particular to develop quickly enough to help right away. Initial reports suggest the Rams are optimistic on that front.
- Seattle Seahawks: I forgot to mention second-round pick Bobby Wagner in my report from Seahawks camp Friday. His body type was notable. Wagner is shorter than the prototypical linebacker. He also appears thicker through his lower body. The Seahawks pointed to his 4.4-second speed when they selected him. Position coach Ken Norton Jr. was noncommittal when asked whether Wagner, a middle linebacker, could project to the outside (K.J. Wright would play the middle in that scenario). The staff would prefer to keep Wright, a 2011 fourth-round choice, on the strong side. That is where fifth-round rookie Korey Toomer projects as well. Toomer's athleticism jumped out right away, including when he picked off a tipped pass.
These are day-one impressions, so they come with all the usual disclaimers. It'll be interesting to revisit them during the season.
No doubt about it, the St. Louis Rams are in good position to install their defense without suspended coordinator Gregg Williams.
Their head coach (Jeff Fisher), assistant head coach (Dave McGinnis) and secondary coach (Chuck Cecil) have all been coordinators.
ESPN's Adam Schefter offers thoughts along those lines in the video above.
Another consideration: What might be the impact on play-calling during games? Coordinators tend to have their own styles, tendencies, preferences, etc.
Williams was supremely confident in his approach and it showed in his aggressive play-calling. He blitzed with abandon and was entirely unapologetic about it. New Orleans sent five or more pass-rushers on more than 50 percent of opposing dropbacks when Williams was the Saints' coordinator in 2011, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Cecil was less established while coordinating under Fisher in Tennessee. He called games more conservatively. The Titans sent five-plus rushers on about 30 percent of dropbacks in 2010, when Cecil was their coordinator.
McGinnis was linebackers coach under Fisher in Tennessee. He was a primary play caller as Arizona's defensive coordinator under Vince Tobin from 1996-2000, and his approach was more conventional.
Fisher has not been a coordinator since 1994.
So, while the Rams should be fine without Williams this offseason, replicating his approach on game days could be unrealistic.
The St. Louis Rams hired Jeff Fisher as coach for quite a few reasons.
They valued his experience, for sure.
Fisher"He's a great coach, he's a great teacher, he's a great leader," team owner Stan Kroenke said when the Rams introduced Fisher as their new head coach this offseason.
Bernie Miklasz asked specifically about Fisher's reputation as a teacher and developer of talent during our latest conversation on 101ESPN St. Louis.
The answer I provided could use some strengthening. After my mostly fruitless run through various online archives, Paul Kuharsky came through with a strong take based on first-hand observations. Paul covered the NFL and Fisher's Tennessee Titans for the Tennessean newspaper before becoming our AFC South blogger.
Paul's quick take on Fisher as a teacher:
Fisher played defensive back and returned punts during his own career. That would explain his particular interest in those roles. He has been a defensive coordinator as well, and with Gregg Williams serving a suspension, it's possible Fisher could become more directly involved on that side of the ball. It might also be plausible, in my view, for Fisher to take more of a hands-on approach in his first year with the Rams. A coach might feel more comfortable stepping back after his program has been established.
They valued his experience, for sure.
Bernie Miklasz asked specifically about Fisher's reputation as a teacher and developer of talent during our latest conversation on 101ESPN St. Louis.
The answer I provided could use some strengthening. After my mostly fruitless run through various online archives, Paul Kuharsky came through with a strong take based on first-hand observations. Paul covered the NFL and Fisher's Tennessee Titans for the Tennessean newspaper before becoming our AFC South blogger.
Paul's quick take on Fisher as a teacher:
"He is a good teacher and can be hands-on, particularly with punt returners and defensive backs. He didn't wander into individual periods or even special-teams periods very much. He worked with returners once in a while post-practice, but less frequently in his later years. I think he's a good teacher. He would talk about how 'we teach this when we talk about a penalty call' or 'we teach that the guy has to get his head across before he makes contact.'
"He had very specific things from the top down as far as their philosophy for doing this or that. He let his position coaches do most of that hands-on teaching stuff. He'll be far more hands-on with Janoris Jenkins than with anyone else. He'll talk about treating him the same as everyone else, and he'll baby him. The two most predictable picks in the draft after Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were Jenkins and the Montana kid, Trumaine Johnson, who went to school with Fisher's son."
Fisher played defensive back and returned punts during his own career. That would explain his particular interest in those roles. He has been a defensive coordinator as well, and with Gregg Williams serving a suspension, it's possible Fisher could become more directly involved on that side of the ball. It might also be plausible, in my view, for Fisher to take more of a hands-on approach in his first year with the Rams. A coach might feel more comfortable stepping back after his program has been established.
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.
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 word for those curious about comment functionality on the blog lately: Changes made to some of the commenting infrastructure could require users to log out and then log back into ESPN.com. This did not resolve the issue for me, and I've passed along the word.
Update: Issue resolved. Looks like we're fully operational. Thanks for hanging in there.
Now, back to the NFC West mailbag.
JohnBloodletter from right here asks about the Arizona Cardinals' secondary and, specifically, what to expect from Patrick Peterson in his second season. He asks about the Cardinals' third-round corner, how the safeties are holding up and how important the secondary will be to the team's overall success.
Mike Sando: Expect Pro Bowl-caliber play from Peterson. His defensive coordinator, Ray Horton, is a former NFL cornerback and should know exactly how to bring along such a highly talented player. Peterson works hard and wants to be great, by all accounts. There should be no limitations for him. He should take a big jump forward given the advantages he'll have in terms of experience and offseason preparation time.
The NFC West sent multiple corners to the Pro Bowl last season (Carlos Rogers, Brandon Browner). Peterson should be the best of the group from a talent standpoint.
I did think the secondary would have benefited from the right pass-rusher, had the Cardinals chosen to go in that direction early in the draft. But the sack numbers in Arizona were already good. I just thought a more dominant presence at outside linebacker would have further unlocked this defense.
File this away: Arizona was the only team to select zero front-seven players in the 2012 draft.
The third-round corner, Jamell Fleming, will presumably contribute on special teams right away, with a chance to earn playing time in multiple roles on defense. Kevin Weidl of Scouts Inc. mentioned Fleming as a later-round possibility
for Arizona back in March.
Horton, speaking to reporters in Arizona during the draft, said Fleming's smarts were appealing. The team plans to try Fleming in some of the roles Richard Marshall played previously.
"I'm going to try him at the nickel, I'm going to try him at the corner, I'm going to try him at the safety," Horton said. "He'll get the opportunity to show me what he can do. If you don’t have this kind of depth going against the Green Bay Packers, who are on the schedule and running five wides, New England with the big tight ends, with New Orleans and the Hall of Fame game with the big tight ends -- if you can’t play more than one thing, you are kind of forcing yourself to the way of the fullback, which is a kind of an extinct position right now."
Miles from Seattle asks whether the Seattle Seahawks might be wise to sign a veteran stopgap wide receiver, or would they be OK sticking with their current group.
Mike Sando: I'd stick with the current group. Drafting a receiver would have made sense if that receiver were a special player. There was no sense in drafting another receiver indistinguishable from the group. There would likewise be no advantage to signing a veteran stopgap in free agency.
We might revisit that stance if Sidney Rice doesn't rebound from the two shoulder surgeries he underwent this offseason. But with Rice back and the team also expecting more in the receiving game from tight end Zach Miller, I'd be inclined to give the younger players a shot.
Golden Tate finished strong last season. He had no dropped passes. He has a chance to take a big step forward now that he's been in the offense for a year.
Doug Baldwin is already a good slot receiver and top option on third down.
Ricardo Lockette flashed ability late last season and has a chance to become a dynamic threat down the field (two catches for 105 yards in the final two games last season).
Kris Durham is back from injury and projects as a potential replacement for Mike Williams. He's a big receiver. Ben Obomanu is still an option. Deon Butler will get another chance.
I'd rather give snaps to some of the younger prospects than lean on a stopgap veteran unnecessarily.
Bryan from Philadelphia liked the recent piece examining where draft analysts -- all of us -- might have erred in making projections this year.
Mike Sando: The key will be to remember the errors of our ways.
We're still getting a feel for how the San Francisco 49ers will operate with Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke, how the Seattle Seahawks will operate with Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider, and how the St. Louis Rams will operate with Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead.
The one NFC West pick I got right in our ESPN Blogger Mock 2.0 -- Michael Floyd to Arizona at No. 13 -- was for the team in the division with the longest-tenured head coach and general manager. That was also the easiest pick to forecast given that St. Louis and Seattle traded out of their spots.
Matt from Santa Cruz, Calif., recently came away impressed after listening to San Francisco 49ers rookie LaMichael James on KNBR radio. He wondered why James remained available in the second round. "Sounds like a really good kid, and he was a beast (and super fast) in college," Matt writes.
Mike Sando: I can think of a few reasons.
James is a change-of-pace back with limited size and questionable blocking ability. That limits his snaps in a conventional offense, diminishing his value. Teams around the NFL are valuing the passing game in general, knocking down the value for runners in general and one-dimensional ones in particular. James also came into the draft with a couple off-field concerns, one relating to a domestic incident and others to NCAA violations.
James was the fifth running back drafted, behind Trent Richardson, Doug Martin, David Wilson and Isaiah Pead. Pead and James were the first change-of-pace backs selected. They were the only second-round backs selected.
The 49ers had a better feel for James because their staff coached against him in the Pac-12.
"I've seen all the things he can do and lost games to his team, in large degree because of his efforts," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. "We felt like we knew this player. All of the background information, people that we've talked to, the tape we've watched. His reputation as a person and as a football player, is very near impeccable."
That last comment from Harbaugh will be one to file away given the off-field concerns mentioned by others.
abiRam from Simi Valley, Calif., asked before the draft about whether the St. Louis Rams should seek to acquire Mike Wallace from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The question was worth a followup, I thought, after the Rams waited until the second round to draft a wide receiver.
Mike Sando: The Steelers want to keep Wallace. I don't anticipate a trade. Wallace is doing what he can to increase his leverage, threatening to stay away until the last minute. That is typical under the circumstances.
The Rams do have four first-round selections over the next two drafts. They could dangle one or both of those picks to make an offer for Wallace, but this is probably fantastical thinking. I'll admit, the idea has appeal from a Rams perspective. Imagine injecting Wallace into the offense with slot receiver Danny Amendola and second-round pick Brian Quick. Sam Bradford would have to love that combination. But it's just not likely.
The Rams would have to overpay in draft compensation to pry away Wallace from the Steelers while Pittsburgh is trying to contend for a championship. The Rams would also have to fork over a huge contract to Wallace, disrupting their salary structure. The team's cap outlook is outstanding right now because the Rams have so many draft choices to use at a time when the rookie wage scale is depressing salaries for early draft choices.
As tempting as it might be to overpay in an effort to get better right now, that might not be the best move -- even if the Steelers were willing to let him go.
Update: Issue resolved. Looks like we're fully operational. Thanks for hanging in there.
Now, back to the NFC West mailbag.
JohnBloodletter from right here asks about the Arizona Cardinals' secondary and, specifically, what to expect from Patrick Peterson in his second season. He asks about the Cardinals' third-round corner, how the safeties are holding up and how important the secondary will be to the team's overall success.
Mike Sando: Expect Pro Bowl-caliber play from Peterson. His defensive coordinator, Ray Horton, is a former NFL cornerback and should know exactly how to bring along such a highly talented player. Peterson works hard and wants to be great, by all accounts. There should be no limitations for him. He should take a big jump forward given the advantages he'll have in terms of experience and offseason preparation time.
The NFC West sent multiple corners to the Pro Bowl last season (Carlos Rogers, Brandon Browner). Peterson should be the best of the group from a talent standpoint.
I did think the secondary would have benefited from the right pass-rusher, had the Cardinals chosen to go in that direction early in the draft. But the sack numbers in Arizona were already good. I just thought a more dominant presence at outside linebacker would have further unlocked this defense.
File this away: Arizona was the only team to select zero front-seven players in the 2012 draft.
The third-round corner, Jamell Fleming, will presumably contribute on special teams right away, with a chance to earn playing time in multiple roles on defense. Kevin Weidl of Scouts Inc. mentioned Fleming as a later-round possibility
for Arizona back in March.
Horton, speaking to reporters in Arizona during the draft, said Fleming's smarts were appealing. The team plans to try Fleming in some of the roles Richard Marshall played previously.
"I'm going to try him at the nickel, I'm going to try him at the corner, I'm going to try him at the safety," Horton said. "He'll get the opportunity to show me what he can do. If you don’t have this kind of depth going against the Green Bay Packers, who are on the schedule and running five wides, New England with the big tight ends, with New Orleans and the Hall of Fame game with the big tight ends -- if you can’t play more than one thing, you are kind of forcing yourself to the way of the fullback, which is a kind of an extinct position right now."
Miles from Seattle asks whether the Seattle Seahawks might be wise to sign a veteran stopgap wide receiver, or would they be OK sticking with their current group.
Mike Sando: I'd stick with the current group. Drafting a receiver would have made sense if that receiver were a special player. There was no sense in drafting another receiver indistinguishable from the group. There would likewise be no advantage to signing a veteran stopgap in free agency.
We might revisit that stance if Sidney Rice doesn't rebound from the two shoulder surgeries he underwent this offseason. But with Rice back and the team also expecting more in the receiving game from tight end Zach Miller, I'd be inclined to give the younger players a shot.
Golden Tate finished strong last season. He had no dropped passes. He has a chance to take a big step forward now that he's been in the offense for a year.
Doug Baldwin is already a good slot receiver and top option on third down.
Ricardo Lockette flashed ability late last season and has a chance to become a dynamic threat down the field (two catches for 105 yards in the final two games last season).
Kris Durham is back from injury and projects as a potential replacement for Mike Williams. He's a big receiver. Ben Obomanu is still an option. Deon Butler will get another chance.
I'd rather give snaps to some of the younger prospects than lean on a stopgap veteran unnecessarily.
Bryan from Philadelphia liked the recent piece examining where draft analysts -- all of us -- might have erred in making projections this year.
Mike Sando: The key will be to remember the errors of our ways.
We're still getting a feel for how the San Francisco 49ers will operate with Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke, how the Seattle Seahawks will operate with Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider, and how the St. Louis Rams will operate with Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead.
The one NFC West pick I got right in our ESPN Blogger Mock 2.0 -- Michael Floyd to Arizona at No. 13 -- was for the team in the division with the longest-tenured head coach and general manager. That was also the easiest pick to forecast given that St. Louis and Seattle traded out of their spots.
Matt from Santa Cruz, Calif., recently came away impressed after listening to San Francisco 49ers rookie LaMichael James on KNBR radio. He wondered why James remained available in the second round. "Sounds like a really good kid, and he was a beast (and super fast) in college," Matt writes.
Mike Sando: I can think of a few reasons.
James is a change-of-pace back with limited size and questionable blocking ability. That limits his snaps in a conventional offense, diminishing his value. Teams around the NFL are valuing the passing game in general, knocking down the value for runners in general and one-dimensional ones in particular. James also came into the draft with a couple off-field concerns, one relating to a domestic incident and others to NCAA violations.
James was the fifth running back drafted, behind Trent Richardson, Doug Martin, David Wilson and Isaiah Pead. Pead and James were the first change-of-pace backs selected. They were the only second-round backs selected.
The 49ers had a better feel for James because their staff coached against him in the Pac-12.
"I've seen all the things he can do and lost games to his team, in large degree because of his efforts," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. "We felt like we knew this player. All of the background information, people that we've talked to, the tape we've watched. His reputation as a person and as a football player, is very near impeccable."
That last comment from Harbaugh will be one to file away given the off-field concerns mentioned by others.
abiRam from Simi Valley, Calif., asked before the draft about whether the St. Louis Rams should seek to acquire Mike Wallace from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The question was worth a followup, I thought, after the Rams waited until the second round to draft a wide receiver.
Mike Sando: The Steelers want to keep Wallace. I don't anticipate a trade. Wallace is doing what he can to increase his leverage, threatening to stay away until the last minute. That is typical under the circumstances.
The Rams do have four first-round selections over the next two drafts. They could dangle one or both of those picks to make an offer for Wallace, but this is probably fantastical thinking. I'll admit, the idea has appeal from a Rams perspective. Imagine injecting Wallace into the offense with slot receiver Danny Amendola and second-round pick Brian Quick. Sam Bradford would have to love that combination. But it's just not likely.
The Rams would have to overpay in draft compensation to pry away Wallace from the Steelers while Pittsburgh is trying to contend for a championship. The Rams would also have to fork over a huge contract to Wallace, disrupting their salary structure. The team's cap outlook is outstanding right now because the Rams have so many draft choices to use at a time when the rookie wage scale is depressing salaries for early draft choices.
As tempting as it might be to overpay in an effort to get better right now, that might not be the best move -- even if the Steelers were willing to let him go.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
