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Alex Smith's comments referencing Cam Newton, featured here and elsewhere, have caught the Carolina Panthers' attention.

Perhaps they have been overblown. Smith isn't the type to talk trash or disrespect an opponent. He did seem to cross a line when mentioning Newton by name in a manner that diminished Newton's accomplishments as a rookie quarterback.

"Alex smith, don't hate on Cam Bc your stats would've gotten u cut if Peyton decided to come 2 San Fran.Truth b told..That's after a 13-3 yr.," Panthers linebacker Jon Beason said through his verified Twitter account.

Smith isn't on Twitter, to my knowledge, but I would expect some sort of response or clarification from him at some point. He'll be asked about it, for sure.

As for Beason, he's naturally going to stand up for his teammate. Using the 49ers' interest in Peyton Manning against Smith served that purpose, although Manning's status as an all-time great attracted lots of teams, not just San Francisco. Beason has been a better linebacker than Smith has been a quarterback, but if the Panthers could upgrade at his position, they would consider making a move as well. It's what teams do.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says Randy Moss has found friends on the 49ers' defense, not just their offense. Linebacker Patrick Willis: "He's my best fishing buddy. We went fishing a couple times now, and I've out-fished him both times. ... It's an honor to have a guy like that on our team. For people to say the things they said about him, that's in the past. All we know is what we've seen here, and that's all that counts to us. So far he's been unbelievable."

Also from Inman: Smith's thoughts on the 49ers' pursuit of Peyton Manning. Smith: "It was more strange that anything. Looking back, I’d been in constant communication the entire time with Jim (Harbaugh) and Trent Baalke, even before the season ended, about a new contract and going to get things worked out. We were doing the back and forth, them and my agent. The contract was out there. It was about getting the language right and the numbers right. Then all of a sudden, you think you’re close, free agency is approaching and the deal is about to get done, then obviously a little strange to get the Peyton Manning thing thrown in there. But the thing through all of it, Jim has always been up front with me, has never lied to me and that’s what I’ve appreciated that through all of it."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals signed free-agent linebacker Quentin Groves from Oakland. Urban: "There has been speculation the Cards will bring back Clark Haggans, who has been with the Cards since 2008. Regardless, the team probably needed to add depth at outside linebacker, where much is unproven. Sam Acho and O’Brien Schofield are the projected starters, but beyond that are untested veterans Brandon Williams and Antonio Coleman, along with undrafted rookies Zach Nash and Broderick Binns." Noted: Groves' signing did make me wonder whether Haggans remained in Arizona's plans at this point. But with only 2.5 career sacks and none since 2008, Groves wouldn't seem to replace what Haggans provided. Then again, Haggans had only three sacks in 16 starts last season, his lowest single-season total as a starter.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams running back Steven Jackson, who compares the team's new offense to the one it ran in 2010. Jackson: "This offense is very similar, not identical. The learning curve has not been too harsh on myself. Sam (Bradford) is looking good, our receivers, we have a deep group that is very competitive that's going to not only help us, but is also going to bring the best out of each individual guy. All in all, as an offense we're looking good. And especially Coach (Paul T.) Boudreau up front, what he's doing with the offensive line is very impressive as well." Noted: The Rams are banking on Boudreau to help Jason Smith and others realize more of their potential on the line.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers notes from the most recent organized team activities. On rookie Bobby Wagner: "The team’s second-round draft choice continues to work at middle linebacker with the No. 1 defense, and also is seeing time in the No. 1 nickel. Today, he showed why by making an impressive read and an even more athletic move to intercept a Jackson pass over the middle. Wagner’s play came in the same 7-on-7 drill where Pro Bowl strong safety Kam Chancellor jumped a Russell Wilson pass to make an interception along the sideline."

Also from Farnsworth: Kellen Winslow describes himself as the "knight in the chess game" for creating mismatches. Noted: Winslow does almost resemble a large wide receiver.

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times says Pete Carroll remains vague on the Seahawks' quarterback competition. Noted: That will continue in the absence of meaningful evidence. It's tough to get more than an early feel watching non-contact practices.

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times explains why the Seahawks wanted Winslow. General manager John Schneider: "He's a guy that brings that energy and passion that fits our group and our locker room right now. Kellen is so passionate about the game. He really is all ball. And those are the kind of guys you feel like it's worth bringing into your program. He's the type of guy who wants to be great."

NFC West teams owned six first-round choices in the 2010 NFL draft.

Sam Bradford, Russell Okung, Anthony Davis, Earl Thomas, Mike Iupati and Dan Williams were the selections.

One of them has emerged as a Pro Bowl performer (Thomas). Another has shown signs of reaching that level (Iupati).

One has been up and down to this point, subsequently drawing high marks from his coach for his footwork and overall improvement this offseason (Davis). Another is coming off a rough second season and learning his third offensive system in as many years (Bradford).

That leaves Okung and Williams in another category: highly valued players coming off season-ending surgeries.

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic says Williams has reported to the Cardinals' organized team activities in much better shape than when the nose tackle reported to camp following the lockout last offseason. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "He had conditioning at the end of practice (Tuesday), and he made it, which is a great sign for where we are. The big thing with Dan is there have been a lot of players who have told him how much they are counting on him this year. And I think that has an impact on Dan. He's working hard, have to give him a lot of credit, especially coming back from the arm. But I'm excited to see how he continues to progress."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Greg Toler as the cornerback works his way back from knee surgery. Toler is wearing a brace in practice.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh stands by his comments about Michael Crabtree owning the best hands of any receiver the coach has ever seen. Also, Alex Boone is the starting right guard at this point, with Daniel Kilgore as the backup center. Harbaugh: "The comment stands on its own merit. I know you guys have dissected it about every which way it can be dissected. But it is literal. It is a literal fact, what I believe as I see it and believe it to be."

Also from Maiocco: Andy Lee's new deal is for $20.5 million over six years, with $7.1 million in the first two years.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers this from Alex Smith regarding the quarterback's rapport with Crabtree: "We're a little further along. I feel good about body language and things like that. The thing I'm excited for him is not only is it his first offseason, he's healthy. I think he's excited about that. He's feeling really good. It shows up here. He's running better than he ever has since I've seen him."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says much is on the line for Smith this season.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith sees no problem with the 49ers' No. 29 ranking in passing yards per game given how the team played overall. Smith: "I could absolutely care less on yards per game. I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you’re losing games in the second half, guess what, you’re like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That’s great. You’re not winning, though." Noted: Does anyone care much about passing yards per game?

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Kellen Winslow has no hard feelings about being traded to Seattle, according to Winslow's famous father. The elder Winslow, as quoted by the Chicago Tribune: "This came out of the blue that the trade was going to be going down. I was hoping he would be traded someplace that had the possibility of making the playoffs. He was happy. He knew Coach (Pete) Carroll from his days of being recruited to USC. So there is knowledge there. So many people take a trade as something negative. And it’s not. He may not fit in one team’s plan, but you fit in another team’s plan. So it is a good thing. In today’s game, a player moving around is nothing new. It is rare to see a guy stay with one team, unless you’re a quarterback or a left tackle."

Also from Farnsworth: Local product Donny Lisowski has impressed the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. Carroll: "I like Donny Lisowski. He was all over the place out here. I had no (idea about him), other than he ran extremely fast when he showed up for a workout day. Then he went out here and made a bunch of plays. So I was really fired up about him. I think he’ll surprise you. I’m anxious to see what he can do on special teams, and all kinds of stuff. He’s a playmaker and was all over the field."

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle explains why he thinks the quarterback job is Matt Flynn's to lose in Seattle.

Brent Schrotenboer of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Winslow's former landlord is trying to recoup $133,000 in alleged damages. Winslow's attorney denies any wrongdoing.

Danny Kelly of Field Gulls offers Winslow-related thoughts from Seahawks general manager John Schneider, as told to PFT Live. Schneider: "First and foremost, we've been looking for that position. We've been looking for a guy that can get down the field. Obviously, Kellen's been very productive the past couple of years down in Tampa Bay, I think second only to Jimmy Giles in team history. Secondly, I have a great relationship with Mark Dominik. We've known each other probably fifteen, twenty years now. When you have a strong relationship with someone like that, you're able to share situations, share experiences, and be able to work rather quickly with each other, and we have a specific trust level in place, and we were able to work it out."

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and select teammates. Rookie receiver Chris Givens, on Bradford: "He makes everything a lot easier for us. He's everything I heard about and more. He makes every throw, and he's always on point. He's just a great leader. He does a good job of picking us up after practice, working on the things where we had mistakes. Even during practice, he's there in our ear telling us 'Good job,' whether it was a bad play or a good play."

Also from Nelson: a look at the Rams' tight ends.

SeattleAztec from San Diego asks whether Matt Flynn might be the "most developed" quarterback in the NFC West after learning from Mike McCarthy in Green Bay.

"Alex Smith and Sam Bradford seem to be the least developed with having multiple offensive coordinators and no great vets to learn behind," he writes. "Kevin Kolb had a good upbringing in Philadelphia and Arizona has shown an ability to handle QBs, but Flynn had the benefit of learning in the Green Bay system. Learning behind Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy will give him an advantage, assuming he wins the starting job. Thoughts?"

Mike Sando: Flynn's background with McCarthy and the Packers appealed to the Seahawks. McCarthy, with nothing more than a compensatory draft choice to gain from advocating for Flynn in free agency, gave glowing reviews in conversations with the Seahawks. Those conversations appear more credible based on Seahawks general manager John Schneider's long association and friendship with McCarthy.

"We really respect the job that they’ve done with their offense and their quarterbacking and Matt is a beneficiary of that, so therefore we are also," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after signing Flynn in March. "His process to learn as Aaron Rodgers has learned has really been helpful to him. There are a lot of similarities in their style of movement and decision-making, play and conscience that I think helps us."

That doesn't necessarily mean Flynn will be the "most developed" quarterback in the division. A few thoughts on what the other NFC West quarterbacks have going for them:

• Smith (49ers): Jim Harbaugh should know the position better than any head coach in the division. Smith has more experience than any quarterback in the division. Harbaugh and Smith meshed well last season. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman and quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst round out what looks like a solid support group. Smith has finally had time this offseason to work on his mechanics. He's getting a second season in the offense. Spending one season with McCarthy and a second with Norv Turner probably counts for something, too, despite the passage of time.
• Kolb (Cardinals): Kolb did not practice with the Cardinals until 38 days before the 2011 opener. That made it tough for Kolb to learn a new system and settle into the role. Injuries derailed Kolb once he finally did get experience in the system. The Cardinals fired quarterbacks coach Chris Miller and promoted receivers coach John McNulty to the position. Arizona valued McNulty enough to block Tampa Bay from pursuing him as its offensive coordinator. The team's new receivers coach, Frank Reich, was an NFL quarterback for 14 seasons. What does it all mean? It's a little early to tell.
• Bradford (Rams): New coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was with Mark Sanchez previously. One line of thinking says Schottenheimer led Sanchez as far as Sanchez could go, then took the fall when Sanchez failed to carry more of the offensive load. Another line of thinking says Schottenheimer couldn't get Sanchez past a certain point. Bradford is on his third coordinator in as many seasons. The Rams went through 2011 without a quarterbacks coach. The new quarterbacks coach, Frank Cignetti, coached the 49ers' Smith under coordinator Jim Hostler in 2007. That was one of the worst offensive seasons in 49ers history. Hostler took the blame. It's tough to fault Cignetti in that context, but also tough to offer a strong endorsement without seeing results.

Circling back to the original question, we could make a case that Flynn should be the most developed quarterback in the division.

Other factors go into success, of course. Bradford and Smith were No. 1 overall choices, indicating that teams thought they were more talented than Flynn, a seventh-rounder who drew moderate interest in free agency this offseason. And if the Seahawks were convinced Flynn were the answer, they would have had less reason to use a third-round choice for a quarterback after signing Flynn.

I do think Flynn's background with the Packers was crucial for the Seahawks. Schneider's first-hand knowledge of Green Bay's quarterback training techniques was a factor.

Jerry from Benicia, Calif., thought the Seattle Seahawks might have drafted Bruce Irvin a little earlier than anticipated in part because they feared division-rival San Francisco might take him later in the round.

"People say, 'Well, Irvin will be a third-down man only,'" Jerry writes. "I remember Fred Dean. That was his M.O.

"Whether or not Seattle stretched a little on this pick," Jerry continued, "I think the real reason they didn't care is that their No. 1 competitor in the division was considering Irvin, and if the 49ers got him, how could Seattle hold off Aldon Smith and Irvin from both ends?"

Mike Sando: One week before the draft, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee did identify Irvin as a potential person of interest for the 49ers in the first round.

"What's unknown," Barrows wrote at the time, "is how the 49ers interpret someone like Irvin, who has gotten in a scrape or two -- he had two stints in jail before the March incident -- but who also has overcome a very difficult upbringing."

The Seahawks were worried about losing Irvin to teams selecting before San Francisco was scheduled to be on the clock at No. 30. They thought the New York Jets were a strong possibility to select Irvin at No. 16.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider indicated the team had three players remaining on its short list when Seattle traded back three spots to No. 15, and that two of those players were gone when the team decided to select Irvin.

Fletcher Cox and Michael Brockers were the defensive players taken at Nos. 12 and 14, respectively. I think those were the players, along with Irvin, that Seattle had in mind once the first 11 players were drafted. Receiver Michael Floyd, chosen 13th overall by Arizona, was the other player drafted in that window.

Schneider said there wasn't much chatter about Irvin leading up to the draft, and it made him nervous.

After the draft, Barrows wrote that the 49ers obviously wanted to help their pass rush in the draft, noting that outside linebacker was the only position at which the team drafted two players, getting Darius Fleming in the fifth round and Cam Johnson in the seventh.

As for Irvin projecting as only a third-down player, that perception is premature.

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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks said they would have strongly considered drafting Ryan Tannehill with the 12th overall choice, had the quarterback been available.

Tannehill was gone to the Miami Dolphins by the time Seattle selected. The Seahawks, by selecting Wisconsin's Russell Wilson in the third round Friday, proved they were serious about considering a quarterback in the draft -- the first time the team has drafted one since hiring coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider in 2010.

Matt Flynn remains the favorite to start for Seattle in 2012. Tarvaris Jackson projects as a veteran backup, at least; Carroll has promised him a chance to compete for the starting job. Wilson gets a roster spot by virtue of his draft status, calling into question what this move means for developmental quarterback Josh Portis.

Teams generally keep two or three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. Flynn and Wilson will almost certainly be part of that mix. Jackson and/or Portis could be, too. Would the Seahawks keep four? Could Portis land on the practice squad? All of that will shake out during training camp. For now, the Seahawks have a competitive situation at quarterback, and quite a few unanswered questions.

ESPN's Bill Polian pointed to Bruce Irvin (Seattle Seahawks) and A.J. Jenkins (San Francisco 49ers) as two surprising first-round selections.

Polian liked the Jenkins selection relative to where the 49ers got him. His concerns on Irvin related only to off-field issues that raised character concerns for some teams.

Irvin, Fletcher Cox and Michael Brockers were three players the Seahawks were considering when they traded back three spots into the 15th overall slot. Cox went to Philadelphia at No. 12. Brockers went to St. Louis at No. 14. Seattle was contemplating moving back again to the No. 20 range, but general manager John Schneider had heard rumblings about teams' potential first-round interest in Irvin over the previous couple days.

The Jets were picking 16th, and they were also interested in pass-rush help. That was one reason the Seahawks felt as though they'd better take Irvin where they got him.

"Irvin's problem was not football," Polian said. "He is an outstanding rusher. ... Pete Carroll knows him well. Pete's had a history of being able to coach those kinds of guys and do well with them. Hopefully, for the young man's sake, it will work out fine."

The St. Louis Rams enter the second round of the 2012 NFL draft with the 33rd, 39th and 45th overall choices.

They're in prime position to help themselves at wide receiver, in other words.

But they won't be upgrading with a certain receiver from the University of Illinois. That is because the San Francisco 49ers snapped up A.J. Jenkins with the 30th overall choice.

A.J. who? Well, turns out personnel people around the league, and specifically in St. Louis, knew plenty about Jenkins.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams had Jenkins ranked nearly as high as Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon, who went to Jacksonville with the fifth overall choice. He says the Rams "almost certainly" have to take a receiver with the first pick of the second round. Thomas: "League sources told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday afternoon that the Rams liked Jenkins so much that his grade wasn't much different than the one given Blackmon by the team's personnel department." Noted: That Thomas' sources passed along that information in the afternoon is noteworthy. At that point, the Rams presumably would have wanted to explain why they felt OK failing to land Blackmon. They would not have known Jenkins would land in San Francisco. This lends credence to the idea St. Louis liked Jenkins quite a bit. The Rams hold the first pick of the second round, so they'll have first crack at the next receiver, should they choose to target that position.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains the thinking of Rams general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher. Burwell: "I know it isn't that exciting. I know it's actually deflating to the casual fan who can only go on highlight films and drool over offensive weapons with which they are familiar such as Blackmon. But Snead and Fisher are convinced that they will use the four picks they have among the first 45 selections, as well as the early third-round pick, to come out of the draft having plugged quite a few holes."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch generally approves of the Rams' approach Thursday. Miklasz: "If the Rams don't take a WR early in the second round, then I'll co-sign on your dissent. But at the end of the first day, as I write this late Thursday night/early Friday morning, I certainly won't rip Snead and Fisher team for drafting a promising run-stopping defensive tackle who kicked arse in the toughest college football conference in the nation. That would be the SEC. No, I'm not going to have a coronary episode over this pick after I've spent the last six years of Sundays watching this Rams defense getting prison-yard stomped by bullying offensive lines that rammed the football at will against soft or invisible DTs."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has this to say on Jenkins: "There's no assurance that Jenkins will be as good a receiver as Aldon Smith is as a pass rusher, but we know the 49ers have a similar feel for this. Can he give the 49ers a long-range deep threat? Who knows? It's a mystery. At this point, Baalke and Harbaugh are the ones who know best, and they love surprises. It's apparently how they do some of their best work." Noted: I'd resist any parallels to Smith. Jenkins was drafted much later, and at a position where it's tougher to make an immediate impact.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' selection of receiver Michael Floyd puts pressure on quarterback Kevin Kolb to get more from the offense. Somers: "If Floyd is the player the Cardinals think he is, this offense has threats. Larry Fitzgerald, Beanie Wells, Ryan Williams (if healthy) and some tight ends who can catch the ball. Yes, the offensive line, (guard or tackle) still needs [to be] addressed. I look for that to happen Friday in the third round. But in Fitzgerald and Floyd, Kolb has two big receivers who have the size and skills to beat press coverage and make catches when tightly covered. That's essential in today's game." Noted: Failing to upgrade at offensive tackle could also put more pressure on Kolb, in the form of a pass rush.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune sees a pattern to the Seahawks' last couple first-round picks. Boling: "They love players who have unique physical gifts and fit special niches in their schemes. And you can see the positive effects of the approach in their first two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. But you start getting the sense they also take some extra joy in doing the unconventional, the unexpected, the risky. Going against the grain."

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks took an unconventional route by drafting Irvin. Kelley: "They had their pick of pass-rushers, and they chose the most obscure and the most controversial. Bruce Irvin better be good. And, both Carroll and general manager John Schneider practically promised he would be."

RENTON, Wash. -- There were no bold strikes up the draft board for NFC West teams Thursday night.

There was resignation among those hoping the St. Louis Rams would emerge with a No. 1 wide receiver for quarterback Sam Bradford. The Rams traded down instead, taking LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers after wideouts Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd vanished from the talent pool right before St. Louis picked.

There was the expected in Arizona, where the Cardinals went with Floyd over tackle Riley Reiff, no slam dunk but a widely projected scenario in recent weeks.

There was waiting in San Francisco, where the 49ers did not pick until No. 30, where they selected Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins shortly after two top guards landed elsewhere.

And then there was utter shock in Seattle, where the Seahawks used the 15th overall choice for a player with more time logged in jail than in the mainstream media mock drafts circulating recently.

The Seahawks could have had pass-rushers Quinton Coples, Melvin Ingram or Chandler Jones, but instead they went with West Virginia's Bruce Irvin, a former junior-college transfer with a rough past, a sensational first step and a history with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who once recruited him to USC.

Irvin is not Charles Haley, Chris Doleman, Derrick Thomas or Dwight Freeney. He is not even Von Miller or Jevon Kearse. The Seahawks think he'll become that type of player quickly, however, and they are not shy about leaving that impression. It's an upset if Irvin fails to reach double digits in sacks this season, to hear the Seahawks speak of him.

"This guy comes off the ball like Dwight Freeney and Von Miller and Jevon Kearse," general manager John Schneider said.

Irvin is not for everyone. At 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, he's a pure pass-rusher, not a player with the strength to anchor against the run on early downs. Irvin represents what Carroll wants for the "Leo" role manned capably by Chris Clemons in recent years. Irvin will play immediately as a situational pass-rusher. The plan will be to groom him as Clemons' successor eventually.

"He is exactly the makeup that you are looking for," Carroll said. "This goes all the way back to Charles Haley and Chris Doleman and Derrick Thomas. That is the kind of effect this guy has a chance to have. He has a lot to learn. He is going to have to grow up with us and learn our system. But the makeup of this player is so rare. He looks like a carbon copy of Von Miller rushing the passer."

Seattle spent big to retain run-stuffing defensive end Red Bryant in free agency. The money Bryant commanded means he'll be on the field for early downs. And with Clemons coming off an 11-sack season, that meant the Seahawks weren't looking for an every-down defensive end. They were looking for a player with a unique set of skills, and Irvin fits on that front. His 6.7-second time in the three-cone drill was the fastest for any player at the scouting combine.

"This position is so rare to find a guy that runs this fast," Carroll said.

Irvin follows a pattern in Seattle. Bryant is much bigger than the typical defensive end. Brandon Browner (6-4) and Richard Sherman (6-3) are taller than the typical cornerback. Kam Chancellor is the biggest strong safety in the league. Earl Thomas might be the NFL's fastest free safety. Linebacker K.J. Wright stands 6-4 and is rangier than most.

Now comes Irvin, who played wide receiver in high school before flunking out as a junior. Irvin was living on the streets for two years, at one point keeping his possessions in a bag. He spent a couple weeks in jail after allegedly robbing a drug dealer. Irvin pulled himself together, earned his GED and landed, eventually, on the football team at Mount San Antonio College.

"I went through a lot of stuff in my life," Irvin said. "I've seen a lot. The average person would not be on this call."

Nothing came of a more recent arrest for destruction of property.

"The Lord knew it was B.S.," Irvin said, drawing laughter from reporters huddled around a conference-call speaker at Seahawks headquarters.

A year ago, the Seahawks shocked draft analysts by selecting tackle James Carpenter with the 25th overall choice. Carpenter hadn't appeared in many first-round mock drafts, but the Seahawks weren't the only team with a first-round grade on him. Pittsburgh and Green Bay also liked him. An injury derailed Carpenter last season, making it tough to evaluate that choice. The Irvin selection was similar in that virtually no one projected the move.

So far, though, Carroll has usually been right when targeting specific defensive players for specific roles. And there is precedent within the division for surprise first-round selections making an immediate impact.

The 49ers selected Aldon Smith seventh overall last year when few projected the Missouri pass-rusher to San Francisco. Smith, unlike Irvin, was widely considered a top-15 prospect by analysts. Smith finished his rookie season with 14 sacks, finishing behind only Miller in defensive-rookie-of-the-year balloting, even though conventional wisdom suggested Smith would need time to develop.

Smith succeeded right away largely because the 49ers used him properly, asking him to do the one thing he could do best: rush the passer.

The bar has been set high for Irvin.

"I'm just a great athlete," Irvin said. "I'm going to do great things for this organization. The sky is the limit for me."

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks wanted to trade back from the 12th overall spot in the 2012 NFL draft.

General manager John Schneider indicated as much last week.

That's what happened Thursday when Seattle sent the 12th pick to Philadelphia for the 15th, 114th and 172nd overall choices.

That trade left the NFC West with the 13th (Arizona), 14th (St. Louis) and 15th overall choices.

Buckle up.

The Rams previously traded down from sixth to 14th with Dallas. Looks like the NFC West is valuing quantity over quality in this draft.

Seattle was without a fifth-round pick. The team now has two fourth-rounders and two sixth-rounders.

RENTON, Wash. -- A buzz is rising in the Seattle Seahawks' draft media room as the main event approaches.

Radio shows are broadcasting live from this room, with others taking their spots at tables like the one I'm using here.

The whiteboard in front of the room features rows for each round of the draft and columns for all 32 teams. A member of the media relations staff places the appropriate magnetic cards with players' names onto the board as teams make their picks. There's space for an eighth round on the board -- presumably left over from years past.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider popped in a few minutes ago. I also ran across senior executive Scot McCloughan, the former San Francisco 49ers GM, a bit earlier. Their prep work is finished, and now they wait.

I'll be heading over to our "Countdown Live" conversation shortly. See you there.

NFL general managers put their reputations on the line come draft day.

Some fare better than others.

The chart shows how many Pro Bowl players current NFC West GMs have drafted or helped draft over the past 10 years.

The numbers are not definitive. Current GMs from the division weren't always primary decision makers during the period in question. They do not deserve all the credit (or blame) for the players their teams drafted.

In some cases -- think first-team All-Pro choice NaVorro Bowman in San Francisco, for example -- very good players have not yet achieved Pro Bowl acclaim. In other cases, a single decision -- say, drafting Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay -- improved an organization's trajectory enough to launch other players to the Pro Bowl.

What we have, basically, is a starting point for discussion heading into the 2012 draft. Here's a look at each current NFC West GM and the associated 2002-2011 draft choices with Pro Bowls on their résumés:

• John Schneider, Seattle Seahawks (10): Schneider is entering his third draft as a GM after joining the Seahawks from Green Bay, where he worked under Ted Thompson. Seattle safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor went to the Pro Bowl after last season. Schneider was in Green Bay when the Packers drafted eventual Pro Bowl choices B.J. Raji, Javon Walker, Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Nick Collins, Greg Jennings, Aaron Kampman and Scott Wells. Three notable non-Pro Bowl picks: Jermichael Finley, Richard Sherman, Matt Flynn.
• Trent Baalke, San Francisco 49ers (8): Baalke was with the Washington Redskins when they selected Sean Taylor and Chris Cooley. He was with the 49ers in a sub-GM role when San Francisco selected Vernon Davis, Patrick Willis, Joe Staley, Frank Gore, Dashon Goldson and Michael Robinson. Three notable non-Pro Bowl picks: Bowman, Aldon Smith, Ray McDonald.
• Rod Graves, Arizona Cardinals (7): Graves has been the Cardinals' GM for the entire period in question, although personnel director Steve Keim is ultimately responsible for setting the draft board. Draft choices Larry Fitzgerald, Patrick Peterson, Antrel Rolle, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Anquan Boldin, Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith achieved Pro Bowl status. Smith went to the Pro Bowl with Houston last season. That counts for the purposes of our discussion. Three notable non-Pro Bowl picks: Calais Campbell, Karlos Dansby, Daryl Washington.
• Les Snead, St. Louis Rams (4): Snead enters his first draft as a GM after a long run with Atlanta. The Falcons selected eventual Pro Bowl choices Matt Ryan, DeAngelo Hall, Roddy White and Matt Schaub when Snead was with the team. Again, the period in question covers only the last 10 drafts, excluding from consideration other players (Michael Vick comes to mind among Snead-era Falcons choices). Three notable non-Pro Bowl picks: Curtis Lofton, Thomas DeCoud, Laurent Robinson.

Whoa, the NFC West chat is getting under way now. Gotta run.

We've made it, just about, to the 2012 NFL draft.

The anticipation kept at least one NFC West fan and probably a few NFL general managers from sleeping Wednesday night (throw me into that category as well, given that I was up to receive the above-linked tweet).

Let's pass at least some of the remaining time with a spin around the division.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with draft analyst Rob Rang for thoughts on defensive backs the Seahawks could consider in each round. South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore is one consideration. Rang: "An athletic cover corner with the size and physicality to be successful in Seattle’s press scheme, Gilmore’s stock is on the rise as the draft approaches."

Also from Williams: Sounds like the Seahawks plan to keep Kam Chancellor at safety, an indication Mark Barron isn't a likely first-round selection for Seattle. General manager John Schneider: "We usually try not to move Pro Bowl players to different positions."

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle thinks Luke Kuechly would be the best choice for the Seahawks with the 12th overall choice if the Boston College linebacker remains available at that point.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic considers the Cardinals' draft options and offers this: "The Cardinals have had their shares of busts, such as linebackers Cody Brown (second round, 2009) and Buster Davis (third round, 2007). Others haven't played up to their lofty draft status, such as tackle Levi Brown (fifth overall, 2007). And others have developed slower than the team had hoped, such as nose tackle Dan Williams (first round, 2010). But early returns suggest the Cardinals had one of their better draft classes in 2011. Three of the eight picks became regular starters on a team that went 8-8."

Also from Somers: what draft analysts are saying about Riley Reiff and Michael Floyd.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com has the Cardinals selecting Reiff at No. 13. He has Justin Blackmon to St. Louis, Melvin Ingram to Seattle and Amini Silatolu to San Francisco.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com also has the 49ers selecting Silatolu in the first round. Maiocco: "Offensive line coaches Mike Solari and Tim Drevno drove to meet Silatolu last week at his old high school. They drew up several 49ers offensive plays on the board, along with the corresponding adjustments based on the defense. And then they had Silatolu repeat the plays back to them. Silatolu told CSNBayArea.com on Wednesday that the zone blocking scheme he ran in college is similar to the 49ers' system."

Also from Maiocco: thoughts on why the 49ers should wait until after the first round before selecting a wide receiver.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers would be much better off drafting Fleener than their next starting right guard. Cohn: "Right guard is the least important offensive lineman. Because Trent Baalke moved up in the draft last year to take Daniel Kilgore, so Baalke and his brain trust must feel Kilgore has potential. Because a good right guard is not hard to find in later rounds."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News lays out a case for the 49ers drafting Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News explains why he thinks receiver Alshon Jeffery will be the 49ers' choice at No. 30.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Jeff Fisher downplayed "rumors" regarding running back Steven Jackson being unhappy with his contract or on the trading block. Fisher: "Steven's here in the offseason program. He's upstairs every other day (where the coaches’ offices are located). He’s doing great. Having fun. Learning the offense. No discussion, conversation, or anything along that sort to my knowledge."

Also from Thomas: thoughts on the Rams possibly trading down. Thomas: "If they stay at No. 6, Justin Blackmon is the logical choice -- and it looks like he’ll be there when they pick. But the Rams need more picks, and if the right offer presents itself to trade down, the Rams will do that."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams should use the sixth overall choice for Blackmon. Miklasz: "It makes no sense to draft quarterback Sam Bradford No. 1 overall, invest $50 million guaranteed in his rookie (2010) contract, then continue to surround him with mediocrity. I agree with those who say Blackmon isn't the prototype No. 1 wideout. But here are the names of the seven wide receivers on the Rams' roster: Danny Amendola, Danario Alexander, Brandon Gibson, Steve Smith, Austin Pettis, Greg Salas and Dominique Curry."

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com passes along highlights and notes from Fisher's news conference.

Back-to-back seasons with a 7-9 record felt like progress for the Seattle Seahawks under coach Pete Carroll.

Another season with that record would feel like stagnation.

That is one reason the Seahawks would be best off, at least in theory, using their early draft choices for immediate contributors. Selecting a quarterback in the first round Thursday would qualify as more of a long-term move -- and perhaps as a redundant one, given Matt Flynn's addition through free agency.

Art Thiel of Sports Press Northwest says there's no way the Seahawks should select Ryan Tannehill in the first round. Thiel: "Carroll had so many good quarterbacks at USC that he tends to see the world behind center in Trojan colors. But as has been pointed out to him numerous times, relative to their respective empires, the Seahawks aren’t the Trojans. Tannehill isn’t the next Matt Leinart. Actually, maybe he is, which is even worse." Noted: Carroll and general manager John Schneider continue to speak glowingly of Tannehill. The team could be interested in Tannehill and/or trading back in the draft with a team eager to land him.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com has this to say about the team's needs: "An edge pass-rusher is high on Carroll's list, but he’d also like to add to competitive aspect of the roster by adding a touchdown-maker on offense, a young quarterback and depth and unique qualities at linebacker. Carroll said he’s even open to adding to the already large pile on the offensive line and the talented collection in the secondary, if the right player is there."

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times likes what he sees from Carroll and Schneider. Carroll on going young: "One of my favorite coaches ever, Bud Grant, said one time, 'For every young guy you start, you lose a game.' That was classic, traditional thinking. I was of that mindset in classic fashion until I had to be in charge of calling all the shots, and then it just flipped in me that we don't know where we're going unless we find these guys out."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along notes from the Seahawks' pre-draft news conference Monday, including this one: "Barrett Ruud, Seattle's projected starting middle linebacker, is not healthy. Carroll said he’s still recovering from groin, knee and shoulder injuries that landed him on the injured reserve while he was with Tennessee last year." Noted: Seattle will presumably find a starting linebacker in the draft. Ruud is veteran insurance, but not a player to count on at this stage.

Draft analyst Rob Rang considers wide receivers and running backs Seattle could consider, one per round in the upcoming draft.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams ran top receivers Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd and Kendall Wright through last-minute pre-draft workouts. Thomas: "A six-person Rams contingent traveled from site to site via private jet, a contingent that included coach Jeff Fisher, general manager Les Snead, and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Kevin Demoff, the Rams' executive vice president for football operations, joined the others for the Blackmon workout."

Also from Thomas: Gil Brandt thinks the Rams strongly need to consider selecting Blackmon. Thomas: "Former Rams general manager Billy Devaney was known to say that you could always find a receiver. Thus, it is not a surprise that the team has not used any of its 14 first-round picks since 2000 on the position. The only second-round receiver was Donnie Avery. Instead, the Rams have hoped that lesser-known names would produce. Since drafting Holt they have picked 13 receivers, who have averaged 1 1/2 years with the team each and produced a combined 450 catches, 5,420 yards and 26 touchdowns."

More from Thomas: The Rams need help at linebacker. Thomas: "There are some legitimate options for the Rams in rounds 2-4, including Mychal Kendricks of California and Sean Spence of Miami, who paid pre-draft visits to Rams Park. Kendricks was named Pacific-12 Conference defensive player of the year last season after racking up 107 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. Under defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, Cal ran a complex scheme, and Kendricks was used in a variety of ways -- playing inside, outside and used as a blitzer. (He had 8.5 sacks in 2010.)"

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic asks whether the Cardinals would select receiver Floyd even if offensive tackle Riley Reiff were available to them with the 13th overall choice.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Floyd-Reiff dilemma is a tough one. Somers: "And depending upon the day, I've taken both players. I guess I have myself covered. My thinking today is that the Cardinals will take Reiff, figuring that they are good enough at receiver with Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Roberts, Early Doucet and whomever emerges from the rest of the pack. They haven't taken an offensive lineman above the fifth round since 2007, so it's time."

Also from Somers: The Cardinals have become more apt to trade draft choices since Ken Whisenhunt succeeded Dennis Green as head coach, with mixed results. Somers: "Green, who coached the team from 2004-06, preferred to stay rooted in the team's original draft slot. His mantra was to never fall in love with players. But since 2007, coincidentally the year Ken Whisenhunt became coach, the Cardinals have been more active during draft week. That year, they made two trades on draft week. In 2010, they made three during the draft in addition to two others that came before. The results have been mixed, but the Cardinals have shown they won't always sit still during the three days of the draft."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks the 49ers will address guard, running back and wide receiver in the 2012 draft. Barrows: "While the need for an offensive tackle in 2010 and a quarterback last year helped narrow the list of draft candidates, San Francisco's stacked roster this year means it can go in many directions."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com picks one player per round for the 49ers. On first-round projection Kevin Zeitler: "Right guard might be the only starting job on the team that's up for grabs, and Zeitler would enter that competition against Alex Boone and Daniel Kilgore. Zeitler fits the 49ers' style. He started three seasons and won the Badger Power Award for he weight-room dedication. At the combine, he bench-pressed 225 pounds 32 times -- 14 more than his former Wisconsin teammate Peter Konz."

What's going on: Our eight divisional bloggers are participating in an ongoing mock draft Monday. Each blogger can make selections or trade picks for the four teams in his division.

The latest: I selected Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones for the Seattle Seahawks with the 27th overall choice, acquired from New England as part of a deal involving the 12th pick.

My rationale: The Seahawks like defensive players with unusual physical characteristics. Jones has freakishly long arms and would upgrade a pass rush that was lacking in 2011. "Highly athletic, vine-armed, havoc-wreaking pass-rusher with rare dimensions and a developing frame to fill out and become a pass-rushing force," Nolan Nawrocki writes in his annual draft guide for Pro Football Weekly. Seattle still needs help at linebacker, but this draft is deep at that position, according to Seahawks general manager John Schneider. The team landed starting linebacker K.J. Wright in the fourth round a year ago. Finding an impact pass-rusher later would be more difficult. Jones fills a primary need, and he does so 15 selections later than the Seahawks were originally scheduled to select. That seems like a welcome development for the Seahawks, who get another chance to help themselves at No. 31.

What's next for the NFC West: The San Francisco 49ers hold the 30th choice.