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Aaron Curry, apparently headed for Oakland, has plenty of company among 2009 NFL draft choices failing to meet expectations with their original teams.

The player Seattle's previous leadership drafted fourth overall was part of a draft featuring quite a few underwhelming players near the top.

Thirteen NFC West choices from the 2009 draft remain with their teams: Max Unger, Deon Butler and Cameron Morrah in Seattle; Beanie Wells, Rashad Johnson, Greg Toler and LaRod Stephens-Howling in Arizona; Jason Smith, James Laurinaitis, Bradley Fletcher and Darell Scott in St. Louis; and two players in San Francisco, Michael Crabtree and Ricky-Jean Francois.

Let's sift through the rubble ...

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Cool note from ESPN Stats & Information: First-year San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is the last quarterback other than Peyton Manning to start a regular-season game for the Indianapolis Colts.

That will change when Kerry Collins replaces an injured Manning in the Colts' lineup for Week 1.

The first preseason game I covered as an NFL beat reporter featured Manning making his first start against the Seattle Seahawks in the Kingdome. His very first pass found Marvin Harrison for a 49-yard touchdown. Preseason games are generally without much meaning, but could there have been a more fitting beginning for Manning?

For a fuller appreciation of Manning's durability and consistency in starting 227 consecutive games, I went through Pro Football Reference counting how many quarterbacks had started for current NFC West teams since Manning made his regular-season debut. There have been 48. That figure includes 14 for the St. Louis Rams, 13 for the 49ers, 11 for the Arizona Cardinals and 10 for the Seahawks.

A few notes on the 48 players to start for current NFC West teams since 1998:

• There have been two Brocks (Berlin, Huard), two Charlies (Frye, Whitehurst), two named Chris (Chandler, Weinke), two Jeffs (Plummer, Martin), three Johns (Friesz, Navarre, Skelton), one Jon (Kitna), two Matts (Hasselbeck, Leinart), two Shauns (Hill, King), three Steves (Young, Bono, Stenstrom) and two Trents (Dilfer, Green).
• Two, Young and Warren Moon, have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame since Manning's streak began.
• Dilfer and Warner started for more than one current NFC West team since Manning's streak began. Warner started 57 games for Arizona and 50 for St. Louis. Dilfer started 12 for Seattle and six for San Francisco.
• Hasselbeck has the most total starts for current NFC West teams with 131, followed by Marc Bulger (95 for St. Louis), Jake Plummer (73 for the Cardinals) and Jeff Garcia (71 for the 49ers).
• Smith -- Alex, not Troy -- owns the most starts among current NFC West players with 50, all for San Francisco.
• Eight of the 48 were one-and-done as starters: Berlin, Scott Covington, Ty Detmer, Glenn Foley, Friesz, Frye, Navarre and Weinke. Nineteen have made at least 10 starts.

The NFC West will have two starters new to the division in Week 1: Tarvaris Jackson and Kevin Kolb.

The chart shows start totals by team for the 48. The NFC West changed membership with realignment in 2002. I'm going back to 1998 for the four teams currently in the division.

Some narration is in order while looking back at every quarterback current NFC West teams have selected over the past 15 NFL drafts.

Back up the Brink's truck. We're all in with these guys ...


Rolling the dice at the top of the draft is risky. Good thing so many top quarterbacks are available a little later ...

How are these guys still on the board? We must know something other teams do not ...

You mean we haven't selected a quarterback yet? Better grab one now ...


Signing free agents after the draft is a pain. Let's save some time, and if we luck into the next Tom Brady, everyone will call us geniuses ...

The St. Louis Rams needed more offensive firepower last season, particularly at wide receiver.

That was obvious at critical moments.

Left unsaid: The Rams have addressed the position. Since 2008, the team has used three draft choices in the first four rounds to select wideouts, tied with six other teams for second-most in the league. But Donnie Avery (2008 second round), Keenan Burton (2008 fourth round) and Mardy Gilyard (2010 fourth round) combined for six receptions last season.

Avery is doing much better following reconstructive knee surgery. Burton is off the roster and has not played in a regular-season NFL game since suffering a torn patella against New Orleans in 2009. Gilyard is recovering from wrist surgery after playing little and failing to catch a pass in the Rams' final 10 games.

The chart shows how many skill-position players NFL teams have drafted in the first four rounds since 2008. I excluded tight ends because some project more as blockers.

I'll break them out by NFC West team:

[+] Enlarge
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesSam Bradford is coming off a record-breaking rookie season in which he threw for over 3,500 yards.
• St. Louis Rams (4): Quarterback Sam Bradford (2010 first round) is coming off a record-setting rookie season. He could use some help from Avery and Gilyard.
• Arizona Cardinals (3): Receiver Andre Roberts (2010 third round), running back Beanie Wells (2009 first round) and receiver Early Doucet (2008 third round) remain prominent in the Cardinals' plans. The 2011 season will be a big one for Wells, who looked better as a rookie than he did last season. The knee injury Wells suffered during the exhibition season required surgery. That presumably affected his play.
• San Francisco 49ers (2): Receiver Michael Crabtree (2009 first) had 55 catches last season, including six for touchdowns. His season was a bit underwhelming, however, as the 49ers' quarterback and coordinator instability continued. Running back Glen Coffee (2009 third round) became a bust when he retired after only one season, citing a lack of love for the game.
• Seattle Seahawks (2): Receiver Golden Tate (2010 second round) made an immediate impact during minicamps last offseason, only to justify the usual disclaimers about rookie receivers often struggling when the games start counting. Tate's game needs refinement, by his own admission. He has the athletic ability to make plays on the ball and gain big chunks after the catch. Meanwhile, Deon Butler (2009 third round) is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a career-threatening leg injury, coach Pete Carroll said. Butler's on-field future remains in question, however.

I singled out the first four rounds because those choices are more valuable.

NFC West teams have found some bargains at the skill positions in the later rounds since 2008, including: Tim Hightower, LaRod Stephens-Howling and possibly John Skelton in Arizona; Josh Morgan and Anthony Dixon in San Francisco and Justin Forsett in Seattle.

The Rams' late-round selections -- Keith Null, Chris Obgonnaya and Brooks Foster -- no longer play for the team.

A quick look at the St. Louis Rams' 2009 draft class ...

Best pick so far: James Laurinaitis, MLB, Ohio State. The Rams took him in the second round when some thought USC's Rey Maualuga was the better prospect. The Rams were right. Laurinaitis became a starter right away and he continues to improve.

Second-guessing: The Rams wound up using the second overall choice for a right tackle. Conventional wisdom says that's not great value even though Jason Smith looks like he'll be a solid starter for years to come. Smith looks better than some of the players taken immediately after him, including fellow tackle Andre Smith.

Key variable: Third-round choice Bradley Fletcher. The Rams paid a steep price for moving him into a backup role against the San Francisco 49ers.

Roster turnover is a leading topic for discussion in Seattle following the release of T.J. Houshmandzadeh in particular.

I've addressed the subject in depth across the division -- first May 26 and again July 30 -- and it's worth another look now that teams have reduced to 53 players for the regular season.

This time, I'm going to break down the changes by position, listing players no longer on the active roster at each main position group (with new players in parenthesis). Departures outnumber replacements because some players finished last season on injured reserve, meaning they were not part of the 53-man roster.

Some players no longer on the active roster remain with the team (they could be suspended, deemed physically unable to perform or part of the practice squad).

St. Louis Rams (34 off roster)

Defensive back: Eric Bassey, Quincy Butler, Danny Gorrer, Clinton Hart, Cordelius Parks, David Roach, Jonathan Wade (added Kevin Dockery, Jerome Murphy, Darian Stewart)

Defensive line: Victor Adeyanju, Adam Carriker, Leger Douzable, Leonard Little, LaJuan Ramsey, James Wyche (added Jermelle Cudjo, Fred Robbins, George Selvie, Eugene Sims)

Linebacker: K.C. Asiodu, Paris Lenon (added Na'il Diggs, Josh Hull)

Offensive line: Roger Allen, Alex Barron, Ryan McKee, Mark Setterstrom, Phillip Trautwein, Eric Young (added Renardo Foster, Hank Fraley, Rodger Saffold)

Quarterback: Kyle Boller, Marc Bulger, Keith Null, Mike Reilly (added Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Thaddeus Lewis)

Running back: Samkon Gado, Chris Ogbonnaya (added Keith Toston)

Special teams: Ryan Neill

Tight end: Randy McMichael (added Mike Hoomanawanui, Fendi Onobun)

Wide receiver: Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Brooks Foster, Jordan Kent, Ruvell Martin (added Mark Clayton, Dominique Curry, Mardy Gilyard)

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Seattle Seahawks (33 off roster)

Defensive back: Jamar Adams, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson (added Kam Chancellor, Kennard Cox, Nate Ness, Earl Thomas, Walter Thurmond)

Defensive line: Lawrence Jackson, Patrick Kerney, Cory Redding, Nick Reed, Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill (added Kentwan Balmer, Raheem Brock, Chris Clemons, Dexter Davis, Junior Siavii, E.J. Wilson)

Linebacker: Leroy Hill, Lance Laury, D.D. Lewis (added Matt McCoy; note that Hill is suspended for the first regular-season game)

Offensive line: Trevor Canfield, Brandon Frye, Walter Jones, Damion McIntosh, Rob Sims, Steve Vallos, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto (added Stacy Andrews, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Ben Hamilton, Russell Okung, Chester Pitts, Tyler Polumbus)

Quarterback: Mike Teel, Seneca Wallace (added Charlie Whitehurst)

Running back: Justin Griffith, Louis Rankin, Tyler Roehl, Owen Schmitt (added Quinton Ganther, Michael Robinson, Leon Washington)

Special teams: Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson (added Clint Gresham)

Tight end: John Owens (added Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy)

Wide receiver: Nate Burleson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh (added Golden Tate, Mike Williams)

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Arizona Cardinals (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Ralph Brown, Bryant McFadden, Antrel Rolle (added A.J. Jefferson, Trumaine McBride, Brandon McDonald, Kerry Rhodes)

Defensive line: Jason Banks (added Dan Williams)

Linebacker: Monty Beisel, Bertrand Berry, Cody Brown, Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Chike Okeafor, Pago Togafau (added Paris Lenon, Cyril Obiozor, Joey Porter, Daryl Washington; Hayes can return from the physically unable to perform list after six games)

Offensive line: Mike Gandy, Herman Johnson, Reggie Wells (added Alan Faneca, Rex Hadnot)

Quarterback: Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Kurt Warner (added Derek Anderson, Max Hall, John Skelton)

Running back: Justin Green, Dan Kreider (added Jerome Johnson)

Special teams: Neil Rackers (added Jay Feely)

Tight end: Anthony Becht (added Jim Dray)

Wide receiver: Anquan Boldin, Sean Morey, Jerheme Urban (added Andre Roberts, Stephen Williams)

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San Francisco 49ers (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Dre' Bly, Walt Harris, Marcus Hudson, Mark Roman (added Phillip Adams, Tramaine Brock, William James, Taylor Mays)

Defensive line: Kentwan Balmer, Derek Walker

Linebacker: Scott McKillop, Jeff Ulbrich, Matt Wilhelm (added NaVorro Bowman, Travis LaBoy)

Offensive line: Tony Pashos, Chris Patrick, Cody Wallace (added Alex Boone, Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati)

Quarterback: Nate Davis, Shaun Hill (added David Carr, Troy Smith)

Running back: Thomas Clayton, Glen Coffee, Brit Miller, Michael Robinson (added Anthony Dixon, Brian Westbrook)

Special teams: Shane Andrus, Ricky Schmitt

Wide receiver: Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill, Brandon Jones (added Ted Ginn Jr., Kyle Williams, Dominique Zeigler)

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The first chart shows how many players are back -- at least for now -- from Week 17 rosters and injured reserve lists. Seattle has the fewest number back with 26.

The second chart shows how many players each team has shed since Week 17 last season. This counts players who were on injured reserve. Teams with lots of players on injured reserve had more players to lose.

Five thoughts on the Sporting News' rankings for NFL head coaches, which I know about because of this:

1. Timing can be everything. Awful nice of Matt Leinart to provide the testimonial for Ken Whisenhunt's No. 8 ranking. Leinart, obviously speaking before his release: "Just looking back at my rookie year, what we were as a team until now -- it's night and day. That’s due a lot to his philosophy and the attitude and discipline he’s brought to us. He’s been extremely hard on me, but I think it’s helped me to be mentally tougher and I think all that will pay off for both of us." In separate cities.

2. Someone has to be ranked last. Not sure what Steve Spagnuolo did to command that ranking, but a 1-15 record in his only season with the St. Louis Rams made him an easy target. Sam Bradford might wind up making him look a little more effective, which leads to the next point.

3. Quarterbacks make coaches look smart. The two highest-ranked coaches line up with Tom Brady and Drew Brees on their side, respectively. That helps.

4. Quarterbacks make coaches look dumb. The five lowest-ranked coaches played last season with unestablished quarterbacks. A question from Week 15 last season: What is more impressive, nearly beating the Houston Texans with sixth-round rookie Keith Null making his second career start for you (behind a line featuring Mark Setterstrom and John Greco), or needing four touchdown passes from Peyton Manning to eke out a victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars?

5. The jury is out on Mike Singletary and Pete Carroll. They were ranked 21st and 23rd, respectively. Singletary has a good enough team this season to rise in the rankings, Alex Smith permitting. I know the 49ers see Smith as only one piece of the puzzle, but he's also one link in the chain, to borrow another analogy.

Thoughts on the list?

NFL teams can begin signing eight or fewer players to their practice squads once the players clear waivers Sunday.

Players on practice squads earn $5,200 per week for the 2010 season. The collective bargaining agreement sets the following parameters for eligibility:

• Players without an accrued season of NFL experience;
• Free-agent players who were on the 45-man active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season;
• Players who have not served more than two previous seasons on a practice squad.

According to the CBA, "A player shall be deemed to have served on a practice squad in a season if he has passed the club's physical and been a member of the club's practice squad for at least three regular-season or postseason games during his first two practice squad seasons, and for at least one regular season or postseason game during his third practice squad season."

What about bye weeks? More CBA: "A bye week counts as a game provided that the player is not terminated until after the regular-season or postseason weekend in question."

The first chart shows eligible players released by the Arizona Cardinals. Chris Johnson, Alfonso Smith and Mark Washington were waived/injured. Dean Muhtadi was released from injured reserve.

The second chart shows eligible players released by the Rams.

The third chart shows eligible players released by the 49ers (Brandon Long was released with an injury settlement).

The fourth chart shows eligible players released by the Seahawks (Jonathan Lewis was released with an injury settlement).

Biggest surprise: The Rams aren't good enough yet to produce a big surprise on cutdown day. I'll address a few mild ones. Rookies Jermelle Cudjo and George Selvie stuck on the defensive line, where Victor Adeyanju was the odd man out. The Rams parted with third-string quarterback Keith Null, who started four games last season. They dumped linebacker Bobby Carpenter, acquired from Dallas in the Alex Barron trade, after trying him at defensive end. In the secondary, I thought Quincy Butler might stick at cornerback after serving as a spot starter amid injury problems last season. At running back, Chris Ogbonnaya looked good in relief against Arizona last season and the Rams had some hopes for him early in the offseason, but he simply didn't run the ball well enough to earn a roster spot (even though the Rams' poor depth behind Steven Jackson has been a primary storyline all offseason).

No-brainers: The Rams kept only eight offensive linemen initially because the depth beyond their starters simply wasn't very good. On defense, safety Kevin Payne's injury situation cost him a chance at providing depth while James Butler recovers from a knee injury. Coach Steve Spagnuolo talked up rookie running back Keith Toston a few times, and he has long appreciated Kenneth Darby's toughness. But if the Rams can find upgrades, they should consider their options.

What’s next: The Rams hold the NFL's No. 1 waiver priority following their 1-15 record last season. Expect them to make a few claims in an effort to upgrade their roster. Most teams keep nine offensive linemen. The Rams could be active at that position. They could use a backup for Jackson. And with receiver Donnie Avery on injured reserve, the Rams could explore the trade market.

Rams players cut:
QB Keith Null
RB Chris Ogbonnaya
FB Dennis Morris
WR Danario Alexander
WR Jordan Kent
WR Brandon McRae
TE Darcy Johnson
OL Roger Allen
OL Tim Mattran
OL Ryan McKee
OL Drew Miller
OL Eric Young (IR).
DL Victor Adeyanju
DL Ernest Reid
LB Devin Bishop
LB Bobby Carpenter
LB Cardia Jackson
CB Quincy Butler
CB Marquis Johnson
CB Antoine Thompson
SS Brett Johnson
SS Kevin Payne (IR)

Sam Bradford is the St. Louis Rams' starting quarterback.

Keith Null, who started four games as a rookie in 2009, will not be the third-stringer behind A.J. Feeley.

Bradford's elevation, announced by coach Steve Spagnuolo, and Null's release brought clarity to the Rams' quarterback picture. The Rams have not announced all their cuts, but with Null out, rookie Thaddeus Lewis becomes the third quarterback heading into the regular season.

Starting Bradford was the most logical decision after the rookie No. 1 overall choice shined during much of the exhibition season, plus training camp. There's no sense in stunting Bradford's development if he appears mentally, emotionally and physically strong enough to dive right in.

Two other Rams moves: Kevin Payne and Eric Young to injured reserve.

On the radar: Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams could show interest in San Diego Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson. Recently released Seattle Seahawks receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is also a consideration, but I'm not sure what type of situation Houshmandzadeh might prefer. He's from Southern California, he's a veteran and he's guaranteed $7 million no matter what, so why not target a winning team somewhere relatively close to the West Coast? Just a thought.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals are open to trading Matt Leinart and guard Reggie Wells. Somers: "The Cardinals became overstocked at guard this offseason when they signed Alan Faneca and Rex Hadnot in free agency. Wells moved from left guard to right guard to make room for Faneca and has been on the first team since last spring. Lutui reported to training camp overweight but has been dropping pounds and making the contest closer. With Hadnot and Jeremy Bridges capable of playing guard, there has been speculation that the Cardinals could part with either Lutui or Wells, barring injuries at the position. Wells is in the last year of his contract and is due to make $2.4 million this year."

Trading Wells would make sense given the depth Arizona enjoys, but how many teams would want to absorb that salary two days before roster cuts?

Also from Somers: says Darnell Dockett wants to retire as a member of the Cardinals. Somers: "This is Dockett's second extension and was two years in the making. Until this year, Dockett didn't hesitate to express his unhappiness with his contract. In 2009, he sat out minicamp because of a hamstring injury that coach Ken Whisenhunt compared to a seasonal allergy. Dockett also skipped all off-season workouts. Cardinals management, meanwhile, was adamant about not extending any contract that had more than two years left. This year, however, Dockett was a regular at off-season workouts. His goal, he said, was not to convince the Cardinals to pay him, but to keep his word to free agents he helped recruit, including outside linebacker Joey Porter."

More from Somers: key players in the Dockett negotiations. No mention of general manager Rod Graves, though, and that's probably fine by Graves, who prefers a low profile. It's also a reflection of Whisenhunt's standing within the organization.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com passes along this thought from Dockett regarding the players Arizona has lost recently: "Granted, we can’t keep everybody. We wish we had those guys, but we tried to get those guys. That’s what a lot of people have to understand, we tried to keep people, it wasn’t like we ignored them and let them go. I have talked to Coach about those things. I wanted to make sure I am here and will do whatever I can to keep other guys around with a winning attitude."

Ben Malcolmson of seahawks.com says Jerry Rice surprised Seahawks players by showing up at their team meeting in Oakland on Wednesday. A photo shows a smiling Matt Hasselbeck greeting his former teammate. Sean Locklear and Craig Terrill were rookies when Rice played for Seattle in 2004. Rice: "If you want me to play 10-15 plays tomorrow night, I could probably do it."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com updates Mike Williams' progress in the receiver's return from career irrelevance. Williams' signing could stand as one of the most improbable home runs in recent NFL personnel memory. There are times when Williams appears to be the best receiver on Seattle's roster. He has excellent hands and he's a willing blocker, too. Coach Pete Carroll: "To see Mike come out and be effective, that’s a really good sign for him. Physically, it’s the best I’ve seen him since maybe his sophomore year of college. He’s very serious about it, so maybe he has a chance to give us some help."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times singles out veterans to watch in the Seahawks' final game of the 2010 exhibition season: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Owen Schmitt, Julius Jones and Jordan Babineaux. A scout I spoke with Wednesday thought releasing Babineaux could be a consideration. Babineaux is scheduled to earn $2.45 million in salary this season, hardly a prohibitive number, but more than his role might justify. Babineaux has had additional value in the past because the Seahawks knew he could play some cornerback if necessary. Rookie Earl Thomas provides even greater flexibility that way, and the Josh Wilson trade showed how much Seattle likes its depth at cornerback anyway.

Also from O'Neil: a run through the Seahawks' roster. He thinks the Tyler Polumbus trade could put Mansfield Wrotto on notice. Polumbus did start eight games for the Broncos last season.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com checks in with Lawyer Milloy. Carroll: "He's had an excellent preseason. He's been all over the place. He's shown the kind of hitting that we love to see on defense, the toughness that he brings. He's been very, very studious as far as his alignments and calls and all that kind of stuff. It doesn't matter how old he is, he's a good football player and we're lucky to have him."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Ben Obomanu finds himself in a familiar position heading into the final exhibition game of the season.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald has the Seahawks keeping 11 defensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster. That's an unusually high number, but Seattle did keep 11 in Week 1 last season -- the highest number I can recall for any team in the NFC West.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams kicker Josh Brown is seeking greater accuracy after a down 2009 season. A hip injury this summer has actually helped Brown get needed rest, the kicker said. Brown on his 2009 stats: "Those numbers are not the numbers I want to have or to reflect how much I care about what I'm doing. Took a lot of inventory this year in what we were doing and how we were approaching the game, and it's been paying off."

Also from the Post-Dispatch: a look at the Rams' roster. Daniel Fells and Fendi Onobun reside on the bubble.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at Rams roster battles. Quarterback Keith Null: "I don't think anybody in this business can ever really get comfortable. I think once you do that, then you're not really giving out your full effort -- you're not really competing like you should. I still feel like I'm trying to get here (on the final 53), and even get on the field somehow."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers will give Alex Smith the night off when the team plays its final game of the exhibition season, an indication the coaching staff is pleased with Smith to this point and no longer concerned about getting reps for him.

Also from Maiocco: a 49ers roster projection showing Nate Davis, Kyle Williams, Tony Wragge, Alex Boone, Dominique Zeigler and Phillip Adams earning roster spots.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee wonders whether Michael Crabtree will play in the 49ers' final exhibition game.

Sam Good of 49ers.com checks in with Khalif Mitchell, who is fighting for a roster spot with the 49ers.

Also from 49ers.com: a transcript from coach Mike Singletary's media session, featuring comments about the confrontation involving Crabtree and Vernon Davis. Singletary: "They were both wrong. And we will not have distractions on this team. Vernon just forgot temporarily, and that is not allowed. We don’t do that. We don’t treat family like that. We don’t disrespect each other. And I just needed to remind him that that’s not who we are. He’s fine. He did a great job. He’s one of the captains. He did the right thing, but he did it the wrong way. So, that’s all I’m going to say about that."

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat checks in with the 49ers' Adams.

More from Barber: Could the 49ers' entire 2010 draft class earn roster spots?

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle details the Crabtree-Davis dispute.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says Crabtree's extended injury-related absence from practice could have been a point of contention between Crabtree and Davis. That stands as a logical issue.

The St. Louis Rams hold the No. 1 priority for waiver claims and they'll probably put that status to work following the mandatory reduction to 53 players Saturday.

With that in mind, let's take a position-by-position look at the Rams' roster heading into their second season under coach Steve Spagnuolo (current roster counts listed in parentheses):

Quarterbacks (4)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.9

Keepers: Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley

Looking safe: Keith Null

On the bubble: Thaddeus Lewis

Comment: Lewis has played well enough to intrigue the Rams, but probably not well enough for another team to claim him off waivers. That makes Lewis a natural choice for the practice squad.

Running backs (5)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: Steven Jackson, Mike Karney

Looking safe: Kenneth Darby

Not sure what to think: Keith Toston, Chris Ogbonnaya

Comment: The Rams are carrying as many running backs as teams typically keep, but multiple spots could be up for grabs depending on which running backs become available via waivers. I'd rather list Toston, Ogbonnaya and Darby in one group until it becomes clear which backs -- and which types of backs -- hit the waiver wire. Ogbonnaya showed potential last season and looked good early in camp, but his performance hasn't carried over to exhibition games and that could cost him. Perhaps expectations were too high. Darby's toughness and special-teams contributions could help him. Toston runs hard and could land on the practice squad.

Wide receivers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: Laurent Robinson, Mardy Gilyard, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Keenan Burton

On the bubble: Dominique Curry

Also: Brandon McRae, Jordan Kent, Danario Alexander

Comment: Curry stood out as an undrafted steal during camp. He has excellent size and has showed good ability on special teams. Burton's durability should remain a concern, but that's the case with Robinson and even Gibson at this point. Gibson's value rises with Donnie Avery on injured reserve.

Tight ends (6)

Average number kept since 2003: 3.0

Keepers: Billy Bajema, Mike Hoomanawanui

Looking safe: Fendi Onobun

Not sure what to think: Daniel Fells, Darcy Johnson

Also: Dennis Morris

Comment: But wait, Fells is the incumbent starter, right? Yes, but he hasn't been durable and there's so much to like about the rookies Onobun and Hoomanawanui. Bajema is an obvious keeper for his blocking and all-around game (he has caught the ball well on limited chances). Johnson has shown toughness and blocking ability, so he could be an option if the team wants to move on from Fells. Perhaps I'm over thinking things here, but the emergence of Onobun and Hoomanawanui during camp creates dilemmas.

Offensive linemen (13)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.3

Keepers: Jason Brown, Jacob Bell, Rodger Saffold, Jason Smith, Adam Goldberg, Hank Fraley

Looking safe: John Greco, Roger Allen III

Also: Eric Young, Drew Miller, Ryan McKee, Renardo Foster, Tim Mattran

Comment: It's tough finding nine keepers here, so the Rams could be active in the waiver-claim game. Greco's versatility works in his favor. Are the Rams still high on Allen's prospects? I know they liked him last season, but that was before reconstructive knee surgery. Trading Alex Barron made sense in the big picture, but the Rams would have better depth here if Barron were still around.

Defensive line (12)

Average number kept since 2003: 8.6

Keepers: Chris Long, Fred Robbins, Clifton Ryan, James Hall, Gary Gibson, Darell Scott

Looking safe: George Selvie

On the bubble: Victor Adeyanju, C.J. Ah You, Jermelle Cudjo

Also: Ernest Reid, Eugene Sims

Comment: Durability concerns could cost Ah You. Adeyanju also could be on the bubble depending on what options the Rams have beyond their own roster. Cudjo has made a positive impression during camp and preseason. Same goes for Selvie, although an injury sidelined him part of the time.

Linebackers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 6.3

Keepers: James Laurinaitis, Larry Grant, Na'il Diggs, Chris Chamberlain

Looking safe: Bobby Carpenter

On the bubble: David Vobora, Josh Hull

Also: Devin Bishop, Cardia Jackson

Comment: Carpenter has gotten some work at defensive end. Perhaps his presence in an emergency capacity at that position could allow the Rams to keep one fewer defensive lineman, at least early. Chamberlain is probably the best special-teams position player on the Rams, enhancing his value. Hull could provide depth behind Laurinaitis because he's a true middle linebacker, whereas Vobora can back up every position. That could be a close call.

Defensive backs (14)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.7

Keepers: Oshiomogho Atogwe, Ron Bartell, Justin King, Bradley Fletcher, James Butler, Kevin Payne, Craig Dahl, Jerome Murphy, Kevin Dockery

Looking safe: Quincy Butler

On the bubble: Darian Stewart

Also: Brett Johnson, Marquis Johnson, Antoine Thompson

Comment: James Butler's knee injury probably makes keeping Payne a higher priority. Stewart could be a candidate for the practice squad.

Specialists (3)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.7

Keepers: Josh Brown, Donnie Jones, Chris Massey

Comment: Strong group here.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Arizona Cardinals will look beyond the stats when naming their starting quarterback for the 2010 regular season. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "It's not as much about stats as it is about chemistry with the team. In that position it's about how you handle everything that's thrown at you." If the Cardinals were happy with Matt Leinart on this front, they never would have named Derek Anderson their starter for the third exhibition game. It's also unlikely Leinart would suddenly meet expectations in these areas. Anderson would appear to be the favorite to start, then, unless he also appears deficient in these areas. Whisenhunt previously said he thought through the decision. Why make the change without being reasonably certain Anderson would measure up more favorably in these areas? Anderson and Leinart both put up good numbers against Chicago on Saturday night.

Also from Somers: He thinks the Cardinals have probably made their decision at quarterback, and probably in favor of Anderson. He also asks a logical question: "Maybe the tepid endorsements (of Leinart from teammates) had something to do Whisenhunt's approach with Leinart. The coach never went all in with him, so why would the players?" Somers thinks the Cardinals would try to trade Leinart instead of releasing him, should the team decide Leinart no longer has a place on the roster.

More from Somers: Cardinals players steer clear of the quarterback discussion.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com also thinks Anderson is the favorite to start. Urban: "It was interesting that twice, Whisenhunt noted the quarterback choice will come down to chemistry with the team and how the QB handles things when he is in the fray -- and that it won’t necessarily be about stats. Given that Leinart has completed 19-of-23 preseason passes and not turned it over, Whiz’s comments seem to pump the brakes on the idea Leinart could be the favorite. One of the issues swirling around Leinart for a while has been whether he is able to inspire the team."

Bob Young of the Arizona Republic handicaps the Leinart-Anderson race to start for Arizona.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says rookie safety Earl Thomas was the team's top defensive player in the third exhibition game Saturday night. Coach Pete Carroll: "We drafted him because he’s a playmaker. He was the best playmaker in the country."

Also from Farnsworth: a closer look at Thomas' interception return for a touchdown. Strong safety Lawyer Milloy said he hasn't played with a faster teammate. Milloy: "The one thing I like about Earl, he has an attitude, too. He definitely has the potential to be very good, very special in this league if he does the right things."

More from Farnsworth: Carroll liked what he saw from his defense, even though the Seahawks lost the game at Minnesota. Also, the team might be changing its mindset on the road, as this strong statement from Matt Hasselbeck suggests: "Pete has done a great job of really changing our mindset when we go on the road. Understanding how to handle what we’re really up against when we’re on the road. If anything, I think we proved to ourselves things that have really been annoying issues on the road in the past are nothing we need to worry about because we kind of dealt with it and we know how to handle it."

Brian McIntyre of scout.com says the Seahawks' inability to get off the field on third down stands out as a problem for Seattle on defense despite some solid individual efforts against the Vikings.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Charlie Whitehurst has appeared "progressively worse" during the preseason. O'Neil: "He remains firmly entrenched as the back-up, but he was particularly bad in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game. His 47-yard pass to Golden Tate was a highlight, but his next three throws were increasingly worse, culminating in an interception that two different Minnesota defenders were vying for."

Also from O'Neil: It's been a while since anyone in the Seahawks' secondary has generated excitement the way Thomas has lately. Ken Hamlin's rookie season comes to mind. A few hard hits early in Hamlin's rookie season drew comparisons to Kenny Easley, but Hamlin could not sustain his early success. By 2005, the Seahawks found out they were better with the steadier, headier Marquand Manuel in the lineup.

More from O'Neil: The Seahawks' running game is stuck in neutral.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com didn't see much from Seahawks rookie Dexter Davis against Minnesota, and I would agree. Davis appeared to be running in sand on a couple pass-rush chances I saw.

John Morgan of Field Gulls counts the ways Seattle protected left tackle Mansfield Wrotto against the Vikings, noting that such tactics will not work as well over the long term.

Also from Morgan: high marks for Walter Thurmond even though the Packers exploited Seattle's rookie corner. I would agree. Thurmond is playing aggressively.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks Donnie Avery's injury will lead to more playing time for Danny Amendola, who has been nicknamed "White Chocolate" by rookie teammate Mardy Gilyard. Thomas: "It looks like Amendola gets the first crack at replacing Avery in the starting lineup opposite Laurent Robinson. Amendola already was playing a lot as the slot receiver in three-receiver sets, but this would basically put him on the field for every play on offense. The Rams didn't make a lot of personnel changes at wide receiver over the offseason. Much of their hope at the position lies in developing young returning players, many of whom got their first taste of extended NFL playing time last season." The fact that Gilyard is handing out nicknames to veterans reflects the needed swagger the rookie receiver brings to the Rams.

Also from Thomas: Patriots owner Robert Kraft prank-called new Rams owner Stan Kroenke during the recent preseason game between the teams. Fun stuff.

More from Thomas: a game-by-game look at the Rams' 2010 schedule, with a predicted upset victory over the Cardinals in Week 1.

More still from Thomas: an entertaining look at the Rams' past quarterbacks in St. Louis, featuring classic stories.

More yet from Thomas: a position-by-position look at the Rams' offense, noting that Keith Null appears likely to secure the No. 3 quarterback job.

One more from Thomas: a look at the defense, with special mention for linebacker Larry Grant, who has impressed.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Thaddeus Lewis as the rookie quarterback tries to unseat Null as the Rams' third-string quarterback.

Also from Coats: a look at how some big-name quarterbacks got their start, with Sam Bradford's development in mind.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are thrilled with Bradford. Guard Adam Goldberg: "Sam is super impressive at everything. He's super impressive in the huddle, super impressive in the meeting room. He's obviously super impressive with the ball in his hands, in the pocket, outside the pocket, handing the ball off, following through with his fakes after he hands off. He just does everything right. His [voice] volume is right. He's loud enough and clear enough so we can all hear him, but he's not nervous and yelling so the defense can hear him. He's calm and composed and nothing really shakes him."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com gives high marks to several 49ers players for their efforts against Oakland on Saturday night. Maiocco on rookie tight end Nate Byham: "He entered the game on the 49ers' second offensive snap. He's a blocking tight end who has the versatility to play in the backfield, making it unnecessary for the 49ers to retain a second fullback."

Also from Maiocco: Coach Mike Singletary was pleased with David Carr's performance under the circumstances. Nate Davis had virtually no shot at unseating Carr this offseason based on the money the 49ers committed to Carr and the experience Carr offered. We could take away the "virtually" after Singletary criticized Davis last week.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee sizes up the 49ers' roster and sees the team saving a spot for its best backup left tackle, Barry Sims. Barrows: "Sims is a known commodity, and that's what a team that expects to make the playoffs wants if something should happen to its left tackle."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers are a tough, hard-hitting team.

Also from Cohn: Two days before the 49ers had trouble getting plays into the huddle on time, Alex Smith complained about headset troubles.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says Raiders coach and former Idaho offensive lineman Tom Cable gave high marks to 49ers rookie guard Mike Iupati, also from Idaho.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider thinks Smith could do a better job leading his receivers.

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Footballs were flying and so were receivers Tuesday night at St. Louis Rams training camp.

Among the highlights:

• Rookie Mardy Gilyard gathering a low-and-away ball from Sam Bradford and running through the coverage with authority;
• Tight end Billy Bajema catching a Bradford pass that first bounced off Daniel Fells;
• Third-year receiver Donnie Avery elevating and laying out for an A.J. Feeley pass along the right sideline -- perhaps the best catch I've seen at a training camp this summer. Avery had a rough day from a physical standpoint, taking a hard shot to the back when a defender landed on him awkwardly, but he bounced back and caught a sideline pass right away. Avery put on weight this offseason in an effort to become more durable. Looks like he passed an initial test Tuesday;
• Second-year receiver Brooks Foster diving to catch a pass from Keith Null, also along the right sideline. Foster was running full speed and he landed hard -- the sound suggested his helmet hit the grass -- but he still held on;
• Rookie tight end Fendi Onobun outleaping a defender to catch a deep pass in the back-left corner of the end zone;
• Fells catching a high pass over the middle;
• Danny Amendola, building on a terrific camp so far, snatching a pass over the middle from Bradford.

Cornerback Quincy Butler picked off Feeley at one point, but the receivers won this practice -- not necessarily by beating defensive backs, but by making spectacular grabs. The Rams have lacked playmakers. It was tough to tell Tuesday. Gilyard in particular was catching passes left and right.

ST. LOUIS -- Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford showed he could run the St. Louis Rams' offense competently in his first NFL exhibition game. He appeared comfortable and in command. He threw accurately.

Bradford, sidelined 10 games by a shoulder injury at Oklahoma last season, also showed he could take a hit. Multiple hits. Too many hits.

The No. 1 overall draft choice started quickly in his NFL exhibition debut against the Minnesota Vikings. Fans rose from their seats in the Edward Jones Dome and welcomed Bradford with the loudest ovation of the night. They rose again when Bradford completed passes for first downs on his first two third-down plays.

"It was exciting," Bradford said following the 28-7 defeat. "It was the first time I had been in a game situation for a long time. It was fun to get out there, get hit a couple times, get knocked down, get back up -- just getting back into the flow of a football game was fun."

Bradford's first pass went through the hands of tight end Darcy Johnson. He faced third-and-5 from the St. Louis 27 on the next play and found receiver Laurent Robinson over the middle for an 18-yard gain. Overall, Bradford completed 6 of 13 passes for 57 yards and a 58.8 rating. But he was sharp early -- as long as his protection lasted.

"Sam sounded confident in the huddle, real calm and comfortable out there," Robinson said. "Threw a great ball, just put it on me and I was able to make the catch and get the first down. It felt good to get his first completion out there."

Two plays later, also on third-and-5, Bradford found receiver Danny Amendola underneath for a 5-yard gain.

"He is a leader," Amendola said. "He is a smart guy, he is a quarterback by nature."

Bradford completed a 9-yard pass to running back Chris Ogbonnaya on the next play, but the Vikings hit Bradford hard -- a sign of things to come.

The longer Bradford stayed in the game, the less reliable his protection became. Those wondering whether Bradford's surgically repaired throwing shoulder might be vulnerable should know the Vikings drove that shoulder into the turf at least twice. Bradford completed the 9-yarder to Ogbonnaya right before taking the first shoulder-crunching hit. The second hit came on the final play of the final Bradford-led drive of the evening.

Bradford said his shoulder felt fine afterward. More evidence the shoulder was fine: In the locker room, veteran starter A.J. Feeley repeatedly slapped Bradford on the shoulder to congratulate him on his first NFL action.

"The shoulder feels great," Bradford said. "I took a couple hits tonight, landed on the shoulder. Feels great, not sore at all. We'll see tomorrow how it feels, but right now it feels great."

Protection problems aren't always a big deal during the exhibition season. Teams aren't preparing for their opponents nearly as much. Coaches sometimes call plays designed more for evaluation purposes than to put individual players in the best possible position to succeed.

In this case, though, the Rams were certainly trying to set up Bradford for success as they sought to build his confidence and feed fan excitement (the dome was sparsely populated on a day when the Chicago Cubs visited Busch Stadium, always a hot ticket here, and a local MMA card attracted more sports dollars).

Unfortunately for Bradford, right tackle Jason Smith could not block backup Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jayme Mitchell, a player whose most recent regular-season sack came in 2007 (one of 4.0 career sacks for Mitchell). It's not good when the player St. Louis drafted second overall in 2009 cannot prevent an NFL backup from roughing up the new franchise quarterback. But there were mitigating factors. Smith has missed time to injury lately. He improved significantly through the course of the preseason a year ago, and he has time to do the same this summer.

Perhaps this was merely an off night for Smith, but I came out of this game with more questions about Smith's pass protection than about Bradford's poise or potential. Consider it a reminder that quarterbacks, though increasingly important as the NFL becomes more pass-oriented, still need considerable support to function, let alone flourish.

Bradford's third and final series of the first half went like this:

First down: Mitchell drives Smith off the ball, raises his hands and bats down Bradford's pass.

Second down: Mitchell beats Smith again, disrupting Bradford and collecting a half-sack on the play.

Third down: Mitchell beats Smith for a full sack this time.

Both teams were without multiple key players. Running back Steven Jackson, the only Rams player with a Pro Bowl on his resume, was among those sitting out. This game ultimately mattered more for what Bradford showed than for the protection issues.

"I felt like I did some good things tonight," Bradford said. "I felt like I did some things not-so-good, but that's what the preseason is for. When we get in there tomorrow and look at the tape, I'm sure we'll find a lot of things to work on."