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A quick spin around NFC West rookie camps in search of notes to file away:

• Arizona Cardinals: Tight end Steve Skelton, brother of quarterback John Skelton, might have a shot at earning a roster spot this season. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic made that observation. Todd Heap, Jeff King, Rob Housler and Jim Dray would outrank Skelton on the depth chart at tight end. Those four stuck on the initial 53-man roster last season. Arizona had opened with three tight ends on its roster in every other season since Ken Whisenhunt became head coach in 2007.
• San Francisco 49ers: Quarterback Alex Smith took the time this offseason to work on his mechanics. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle has the details. Some offseason stories can be overblown (players adjusting their workout routines, etc.). This one intrigues because the coach Smith consulted has worked with Tom Brady, Drew Brees and other top quarterbacks. An assistant coach once told me Brady had better mechanics entering the NFL than any quarterback he had evaluated. Mechanics matter a great deal for quarterbacks. Brady remains close to perfect in that area. The question for Smith or any quarterback is whether he'll revert to bad habits under pressure.
• St. Louis Rams: The team has high expectations for rookie receivers Brian Quick and Chris Givens. Quick, a second-round choice from Appalachian State, was supposed to be raw. Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com called Quick "smooth and more polished that expected" during the first practice of camp. Coach Jeff Fisher singled out Quick's "good hips" relative to his size (Quick is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds). The plan has to be for Quick in particular to develop quickly enough to help right away. Initial reports suggest the Rams are optimistic on that front.
• Seattle Seahawks: I forgot to mention second-round pick Bobby Wagner in my report from Seahawks camp Friday. His body type was notable. Wagner is shorter than the prototypical linebacker. He also appears thicker through his lower body. The Seahawks pointed to his 4.4-second speed when they selected him. Position coach Ken Norton Jr. was noncommittal when asked whether Wagner, a middle linebacker, could project to the outside (K.J. Wright would play the middle in that scenario). The staff would prefer to keep Wright, a 2011 fourth-round choice, on the strong side. That is where fifth-round rookie Korey Toomer projects as well. Toomer's athleticism jumped out right away, including when he picked off a tipped pass.

These are day-one impressions, so they come with all the usual disclaimers. It'll be interesting to revisit them during the season.

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

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

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

RENTON, Wash. -- Retired three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Ken Norton Jr. faced newly enshrined Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk six times during their playing careers.

Faulk finished those games with 134, 126, 103, 83, 61 and 6 yards rushing. Faulk topped 200 total yards in one of those matchups. His teams went 5-1 in those games, including four times in 1999 and 2000, when Faulk's St. Louis Rams were peaking and Norton's San Francisco 49ers were caught in transition.

Norton, now linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks, offered thoughts on Faulk following practice Saturday:

"Really special guy. The fact that he could do so much, you never were sure what he was going to do. You knew he could run really well, he had really good patience behind the line of scrimmage and one-on-one, almost impossible to bring down. And he was always thinking. He was a thinking man. He would not put his head down and just go. He was thinking about what he was doing and he knew what I was thinking. It was really a challenge every time I played against him.

"His versatility, he was a running back when he was in the backfield and a wideout when he was not. He could run routes, he had great hands, he had great body movement and position, he could read the defensive coverages. He was like a coach on the field.

"I just remember him being on that turf, just really special. He had Barry Sanders in him, he had a little Marcus Allen in him, he had a little Emmitt Smith in him and then he had all that made him Marshall. He had some coach in him, too. He was just really a challenge and it was an honor to play against a guy like that."

Free agency and training camps have taken some of the spotlight away from Hall of Fame proceedings this year. It's been fun taking some time to appreciate one of the all-time greats.

RENTON, Wash. -- Seeking pay reductions from proud athletes qualifies as one of the more awkward NFL realities.

Teams essentially tell players they no longer value their services as they had at some point in the past, but they would still like that player to stick around and give his very best anyway.

The St. Louis Rams have done this with left guard Jacob Bell, who might remain with the team anyway.

Also this week, the Seattle Seahawks have asked middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu to cut his pay, Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times reports, and that one remains unresolved. Tatupu isn't just another highly paid player left over from the Seahawks' previous regime. He played for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll at USC. His current position coach, Ken Norton Jr., also coached Tatupu in college.

Tatupu, cast as undersized coming out of USC, has long been driven by those who have doubted him. The Seahawks' request, though unsurprising to someone assessing the situation coldly from the outside, comes as a challenge to his pride. I'd expect a quick resolution and would not be surprised if Tatupu turned down the Seahawks' request.

The injuries Tatupu played through last season required surgery to both knees. He's 28 years old and has worn down, but his $4.2 million scheduled base salary for 2011 hardly seems exorbitant by NFL standards for a team with ample salary-cap space. This isn't a situation like the one San Francisco faced with Nate Clements, whose contract was scheduled to count more than $17 million against the cap.

I'm not sure what Seattle would gain if Tatupu declined the reduction and Seattle released him. Tatupu is a leader on defense and a player whose presence has, by all accounts, helped the team get more from fellow linebacker Aaron Curry. He's no longer a Pro Bowl player, but does his salary appear all that exorbitant?

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle passes along thoughts from John Clayton on Seattle's options in free agency. Clayton: "I think by [Tuesday] Tarvaris Jackson could be agreeing to a deal that's going to make him a Seahawk. ... Everything I heard today, he's on a fast-track waiting for that offer and he's willing to take it."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks have told Stacy Andrews they play to release the veteran tackle. Andrews had an outside shot at becoming the right tackle until the team used a first-round draft choice for James Carpenter. Andrews' salary was a factor. He was scheduled to earn $5.25 million, plus a $500,000 workout bonus. The team will have to pay $100,000 of that workout bonus if it releases Andrews before Friday. Teams can begin releasing players Thursday.

Also from O'Neil: a look at the Seahawks' priorities in free agency. O'Neil: "The team's preference remains re-signing Matt Hasselbeck, but that doesn't mean the Seahawks are inclined to increase the offer they made him in March. In fact, it's quite possible -- perhaps even likely -- they'll hold firm." My understanding is that the offer made before free agency likely will not be there now.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks need to make a decision on Hasselbeck. Brewer: "The Seahawks' challenge is to find the best placeholder until they identify their next franchise quarterback. In this case, it might be more enticing to give someone new a chance rather than stick with the old guy. Can the Seahawks do better than Hasselbeck? It's debatable. Can they do worse? Oh, that's the scary part of this movie."

Ben Malcolmson of seahawks.com posts photos Rod Mar took around team headquarters as the team prepared for free agency. Ken Norton Jr., Pete Carroll and John Schneider were among those making the cut.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com looks back at the Seahawks' 2002 season. Farnsworth: "Matt Hasselbeck led the NFC in completion percentage (.637) and was second in passer rating (87.8) while throwing for 3,075 yards and 15 TDs in 10 starts."

Christian Caple of seattlepi.com rounds up reported contract agreements for Seattle involving rookie free agents.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune catches up with Lofa Tatupu and Golden Tate on the golf course. They were playing in a charity tournament in Tacoma. Tatupu said the team should could win another NFC West title with Hasselbeck. Tatupu: "Absolutely. With the knowledge he has and our new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell coming in and his scheme, it kind of takes him back to from what I’ve heard the Holmgren era, and puts him in that true West Coast system, where he gets to his timing routes. And there’s nobody better than Hasselbeck when you give him protection and a running game, which from my feeling with what we did in the draft, with our first two picks being offensive linemen, I think they are building on trying to get him that protection and get him comfortable. As far as I’m concerned, when you get him protection and get him in his zone, I don’t think there’s much better."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune considers whether Seattle should bring back Hasselbeck. Boling: "As for his place in the market, Hasselbeck is more valuable to an established team lacking only a quarterback than to a Seahawks team rebuilding in so many areas. Another club could easily woo him with a longer and more lucrative deal. It’s clear he’s not the long-range answer here, so he might relish the chance of getting another shot at a ring with another club, despite his often-stated affection for the community."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with the Cardinals for thoughts on free agency and the trading period. Whisenhunt: ""It's going to go from zero to 100 from a working perspective for us. It's going to be 24 hours a day, seven days a week just because of the volume of what you have to get done."

Also from Somers: setting the scene at Cardinals headquarters. Somers: "The second floor of the Cardinals' Tempe facility could look more like a call center Tuesday than the offices of coaches and front-office executives. It's the first day of negotiations for free agents and trades, and by the time the football people see their families again, the kids will have grown a foot, gone off to college, or both. Practically everyone who knows a 3-technique from a 3-iron is being called into duty as the NFL begins its mad season at 7 a.m."

More from Somers: Cardinals players will begin reporting Thursday. They'll head to training camp at Northern Arizona University on Friday.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com passes along a photo showing Larry Fitzgerald on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expects the Rams to practice beginning Saturday. Coats: "Although nothing is official yet, it looks as if the St. Louis Rams will have their first training camp practice on Saturday -- two weeks before their preseason opener vs. the Colts on Aug. 13 at the Edward Jones Dome. Rams players would report for physicals and other pre-camp activities on Friday. The team will hold training camp at Rams Park for the third year in a row."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams players are ready to dive back into work. Guard Adam Goldberg: "I think here in St. Louis we have a great football season ahead of us, I just hope to be a part of it. I love the locker room. I love my teammates. I love playing for Spags. I love my line coach (Steve Loney). I'm excited to play in (offensive coordinator) Josh McDaniels' system. I think it'll be explosive and dynamic. So this is obviously a great situation for me. Then again it's a business, so we'll have to see how things work it."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com outlines the Rams' upcoming schedule. Wagoner: "The Rams cannot hold a padded practice until Monday, August 1. In addition, they will not hold an actual practice until Saturday as Friday is for reporting, physicals and meetings."

VanRam of Turf Show Times rounds up reported contract agreements for the Rams.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com lists undrafted free agents expected to sign with the 49ers. On Notre Dame nose tackle Ian Williams: "In nine games last season, he recorded 38 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He played against Stanford throughout his career, and said that experience of playing against Jim Harbaugh's team every season was beneficial."

Also from Maiocco: Harbaugh has some nervous energy heading into 49ers camp. Harbaugh: "We had scheduled two-a-days as part of our plan, but the plan has changed. There are new rules that will go into affect this training camp. There's been a lot of thinking, how best to manage the time we have. The teaching, the quality reps on the field, who can do that best will get the leg up. It takes some thinking through."

More from Maiocco: thoughts on Hasselbeck and the 49ers. Maiocco: "Why would the 49ers add Hasselbeck via free agency? The answer is simple: The 49ers believe Hasselbeck would be an upgrade over Carr and he could supply serious competition for Alex Smith."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at undrafted free agents expected to sign with the 49ers. On Stanford center Chase Beeler: "CBS Sports ranked him as the 15th-best center in the draft. Earned second team All-Pac-10 Conference honors in his first season as Stanford's starting center after taking over for Alex Fletcher ... made a smooth transition from left guard to the center position ... started all 13 games and played a key role on a line that allowed the fewest sacks (7) in the Pac-10 and helped pave the way for the top rushing attack in school history (2,837) ... earned second team All-Pac-10 academic honors ... recipient of the Vardell Award as the player who best combines athletics and academics."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News offers a transcript from Harbaugh's media session. Harbaugh: "As I understand it, our own unrestricted free agents will be allowed in the building tomorrow right up until the time that we start training camp on Thursday then they will not be in the building until Friday when they can sign. That’s the way I understand the rule."

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News also reports from Harbaugh's news conference. Harbaugh: "I can’t tell you how good it’s going to be having those guys in the building, face to face, knee to knee, smelling their breath, just getting to know them and letting them know me. That’s what I’m looking forward to most."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch finds one guy who thinks the Rams don't necessarily need to add a veteran running back. Steven Jackson: "Having a veteran at this point of the game now, I don't know if it's as big a concern as everyone is making it to be. I feel great physically. The younger guys are coming along just fine. And if we continue to stay healthy, I don't think it'll be a concern." Jackson has bounced back strong from back surgery, but injuries have affected him in recent seasons. Chris Ogbonnaya did show promise late last season.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams linebacker Larry Grant likes moving to the weak side, away from opposing tight ends. Coats: "Another potential bump in Grant's journey popped up in May, when the Rams acquired linebacker Bobby Carpenter from Dallas for tackle Alex Barron. Carpenter spent the spring with the starters at weakside linebacker. During training camp, though, Grant has supplanted Carpenter at the 'will' position, with James Laurinaitis in the middle and free-agent pickup Na'il Diggs at strongside linebacker, or 'sam.' All three are ex-Buckeyes."

Also from Coats: Steve Spagnuolo took the Rams to a movie.

More from the Post-Dispatch: Oshiomogho Atogwe wants back on the field for the Rams.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Leon Washington keeps making progress toward a successful return from a broken leg. Farnsworth: "If you didn’t know he was coming off a serious injury, you wouldn’t know it by watching him practice."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times revisits Matt Hasselbeck's 2009 season and agrees with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who says the quarterback tried too hard last season. Hasselbeck tried too hard because the team around him wasn't very good. Improve the team and Hasselbeck won't feel the pressure to make plays.

Also from O'Neil: highlights from Seahawks practice Wednesday.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com checks in with Seattle linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr., who says David Hawthorne is a "rising star" at linebacker. Hear that, Leroy Hill?

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune seeks clarification from former Seahawks safety Deon Grant regarding comments about the team's 2009 training camp wearing out players. I do remember players saying they wore down some during camp. That's not a concern this summer.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune offers observations from Seahawks camp. Boling: "I haven’t been to every practice, but I haven’t seen a great deal out of Lawrence Jackson to cause me to jot down notes. What do you think the odds would have been, on the day of the 2008 draft, that fourth-rounder Red Bryant might be starting ahead of first-rounder Jackson?"

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals are making Beanie Wells work to earn the starting job from Tim Hightower. There's plenty of time and also nothing stopping Wells from getting more carries, even if Hightower is the starter. I'd expect Wells to start more games this season if healthy, however. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "Tim is versatile, he's tough, and he runs well with the ball," Whisenhunt said. "And we have a lot more information about Tim in different situations than we do with Beanie. The way we've set things up with our team, Beanie's got to earn that. Beanie's working hard to try to do that. That's what you want."

Also from Somers: Darnell Dockett expects to get a new contract sooner rather than later.

More from Somers: Matt Leinart looked good during the afternoon practice Wednesday. Big deal? Hey, it beats the alternative.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Dockett wants to leave a legacy of hard work.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says receiver Dominique Zeigler continues to impress at 49ers camp. I did see him make impressive catches last week.

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers' reputation for holding tough practices in pads can be misleading sometimes. No question about it. I didn't see anything unusual by NFL standards. Even the nutcracker drills were modified to emphasize technique more strongly, and linemen were not participating.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Michael Crabtree has a sore neck after landing hard in practice.

Also from Barrows: The 49ers are running out of patience with defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer.

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says the team is preparing for the Indianapolis Colts.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News quotes Balmer as saying he plans to return and his absence is overblown. Balmer: "People are making a big deal about nothing. I feel like the 49ers could do a better job of saying that, but it's not my place to say."

Also from Brown: Tony Wragge's thoughts on playing center after Eric Heitmann's injury. Wragge: "I’m ready to go. It is a process of getting reps in practice. Eric was out early in training camp with another injury and David (Baas) was obviously sidelined also. So I got a lot of reps in the first week of double-day, full-pad twice a day. I felt like I took advantage of them and I’m still looking forward to taking an advantage of the opportunities that I get."

RENTON, Wash. -- News and notes following the first training camp practice of the Pete Carroll era in Seattle:

• Receiver Mike Williams checked in at 233 pounds and passed a conditioning test requiring receivers to run 20 sprints of 60 yards in 8 seconds apiece. Williams' body fat is also down. This is a big deal for Seattle because Williams is so obviously talented -- if only he could stay in shape. He's stayed in shape to this point and made an impact in practice. Seattle fans used to seeing undersized corner Kelly Jennings bounce off Larry Fitzgerald of the division-rival Arizona Cardinals instead saw Jennings bounce off the 6-foot-5 Williams, who snatched the ball cleanly and didn't seem to notice Jennings.
• Williams appeared to be in an affable mood. After spotting rookie receiver Golden Tate speaking with reporters, Williams broke into the conversation and jokingly asked Tate to carry his shoulder pads. Everyone got a laugh out of it.
• One-on-one pass-rush drills are a staple of NFL training camps and one of the more entertaining and instructive drills. I did not see the Seahawks hold any Saturday and it's looking like line coach Alex Gibbs prefers to have the line work together -- exactly as they'll need to do when running his zone scheme. The scheme depends on all five players working together, so there's less emphasis on individual matchups.
• Offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates has no reservations about Matt Hasselbeck's ability to run bootlegs, which are a staple of the new offense. I'll develop this angle later in camp, but it's important for Hasselbeck to move well -- and Bates thinks it's a non-issue based on what he's seen.
• Deion Branch made a few impact plays, including when he stayed with a deflected ball, made the grab and turned upfield. It's good news for Seattle that the oft-injured Branch is practicing to open camp, but we'll want to see how his surgically repaired knee holds up over multiple practices.
• Players wore shoulder pads and shorts with helmets. Some wore full-sized pads, not the lighter "shells" players often wear with shorts. There was a fair amount of hitting, particularly with running backs. Quinton Ganther ran over one defensive back whose jersey number was tough to see.
• Leon Washington participated in individual drills and was limited the rest of the time. He did not run with the ball during team drills. Washington said the plan is to ease back into a full workload. Coaches are monitoring his participation.
• Rookie Walter Thurmond participated wearing a brace on his right knee. I didn't see him do much, but he was out there and in pads. Thurmond is coming off serious knee surgery. Fullback Owen Schmitt, cornerback Josh Pinkard (knee) and newly signed offensive lineman Chester Pitts (knee) opened camp on the physically unable to perform list. They count against the 80-man limit but cannot practice without first passing a physical examination. Schmitt had his left elbow wrapped.
• Linebacker David Hawthorne, the NFL's last unsigned exclusive-rights free agent, signed in time to practice.
• Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck described the atmosphere under Carroll as "fun, fresh" and invigorating. At one point this offseason, Carroll asked Hasselbeck and No. 2 quarterback Charlie Whitehurst to find a receiver so they could work on various throws. The receivers had just finished running, however, so Hasselbeck didn't ask one of them to participate. The 58-year-old Carroll wound up running routes for both quarterbacks despite a bad knee. Hasselbeck said he sensed Carroll was trying to throw the balls back to the quarterbacks with more velocity than Hasselbeck or Whitehurst had shown -- an example of the coach's competitiveness.
• Hasselbeck also described an "old-school, new-school" feel. On the old-school side, linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. told the team Friday night that curfew was at 11 p.m. and the hotel where the team was staying would be turning off the in-room phones at that time. The 34-year-old Hasselbeck said he took the information in stride, but some younger players weren't sure what Norton was talking about. They had grown up with cell phones and had no use for hotel phones, anyway.
• Temperatures were in the 50s at practice and breezes off nearby Lake Washington added a chill to the air. Players said they were hoping for warmer weather this afternoon.
• Thomas and fellow first-round choice Russell Okung remained unsigned. Okung's absence made it tough to evaluate combinations on the offensive line. Ray Willis worked at left tackle with the starters. Mansfield Wrotto worked at left tackle with the second unit. They need Okung, in other words. They might also need Pitts, who is recovering from microfracture knee surgery.
• About 1,500 fans watched practice from a hill adjacent to the practice field.
• The Seahawks' roster lists Hill at 238 pounds and Lofa Tatupu at 250 pounds. Those are not official. Tatupu appeared trimmer to me. Hill appeared heavier.
• Cornerback Kennard Cox put a big hit on receiver Ben Obomanu.
• Defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, acquired from the Tennessee Titans, certainly looks the part. Seattle lists him at 6-5 and 320 pounds. Note: He left practice with a wrap on his left knee at one point. Not sure of the severity.

Carroll did not address reporters following the morning practice. The team practices again at 7 p.m. ET. I'll be heading to Arizona for a few days at Cardinals training camp beginning Sunday. The plan is to check back at Seahawks camp next week.

Thanks to those who kept the NFC West chat moving Thursday. The transcript is here. Highlights below:

Chris Fiegler (Latham, NY): How do you think that Sam Bradford will do as the quarterback for the St. Louis Rams?

Mike Sando: Bradford seems to have the right overall makeup to weather the storm that awaits. He's going to get beaten up this year and he's going to struggle some. I think he'll hold up mentally. We'll see how well he holds up physically. The key for Bradford is having a strong organization around him. He needs continuity on the staff. He needs the right staff. Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch took the unusual step of calling for the team to reassign quarterbacks coach Dick Curl. I tend to agree based on what I've heard from a couple NFL quarterbacks who have played under him. The odd thing is that Curl succeeded Terry Shea in Kansas City (indirectly) and St. Louis (directly), yet Shea was the guy Bradford and other quarterbacks have hired to get ready for the draft.

Willie (South Bend): From what I've been reading from the reports from minicamps and OTAs, it seems to me that we are going to have a two new starters at wide receiver. I think Mike Williams will start at flanker and Golden Tate will be the split end. I say this because Mike Williams has the physical size that both Carroll and Jeremy Bates like at flanker, and Golden has the speed to stretch the field. I know it's early, but Mike Williams has been running with the first unit and Golden won't be a real threat if he's only on the field as a situational player. What's your thoughts on this? PS: No, I don't think much of T.J. Houshmandzadeh or Deion Branch and I don't think the coaches do, either.

Mike Sando: Reading about minicamps and OTAs is essential for anyone following teams closely, but the important thing is to read only so much into what you read. Otherwise you might emerge from this offseason thinking Alex Smith is Johnny Unitas, the 49ers will never field a punt successfully, the Cardinals will never attempt another pass and Steven Jackson will be unable to take more than one or two hits. Let's see what Mike Williams and Golden Tate do in August before anointing anyone just yet. Few rookie receivers step in right away and do what Michael Crabtree was able to do last season, or what Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald were able to do in Arizona. I do think Seattle will covet size at receiver, and I do think the new leadership will want to go young. I also think Williams and Tate will contribute this season. But I also need to see more.

Brian Staley (Frederick MD): Thanks Mike for the Chats and Blogs. In your opinion what team in the NFC West do you feel has the strongest coaching staff? Some teams made some small changes, while others have cleaned house. Thanks mike.

Mike Sando: The Cardinals get the edge in this category because Ken Whisenhunt has proven it. The Rams' staff has the most to prove: Pat Shurmur, Ken Flajole, even Steve Spagnuolo. For the 49ers, Mike Singletary still has to prove himself over time, and we need to see more from Jimmy Raye too. Pete Carroll has questions to answer. I think Carroll did a nice job putting together a strong staff featuring Alex Gibbs, Ken Norton Jr., Jerry Gray and the potentially up-and-coming Jeremy Bates. I still come back to Arizona with Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm, at least for now.

Tully (Irvine, CA): Mike, great blog. I am a longtime 49ers fan. I have heard that Nate Clements is doing some personal training in Arizona. Can you explain what exactly is going on and why he is doing this. He was signed from the Bills a few years backc as an "elite corner" but things haven't panned out that way for him. Thanks.

Mike Sando: Players routinely train in Arizona or elsewhere during the offseason. Teams have put more emphasis on attendance rates at their offseason conditioning programs. I think teams just like keeping close tabs on their players. That's why we have all these minicamps and OTAs spread out through the offseason. Some vets aren't going to play that game. They'll get ready on their own terms. You worry as an organization if that player hasn't been a self-starter. Deuce Lutui's situation in Arizona comes to mind. But with a Nate Clements, you know he's going to report in shape.

The Seahawks have a largely new coaching staff and lots to sort through even before training camp.

This is a good time for rookies and veterans to make a positive first impression on the new staff, and to figure out how they'll fit. Even 15-year vet Lawyer Milloy decided it was important to sign in time for the postdraft camp.

That's why it's a little curious for the team to tell linebacker Leroy Hill to stay away for the first two minicamps, ostensibly to let Hill get his personal life in order following a recent domestic-violence arrest. The team also reportedly didn't want Hill to become a distraction.

That could be all that's at work here, but the circumstances are also consistent with what happens when a team is considering whether to keep a player at all. At the very least, Hill cannot afford another misstep.

Keeping Hill away in the short term makes good business sense for Seattle. The team could have been liable for all or part of Hill's $6 million salary this season if he reported to camp and suffered a serious injury. Keeping Hill away prevents that from happening. In the meantime, hard-charging new linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. can figure out whether he thinks the team can proceed at linebacker without Hill. Will Herring and David Hawthorne played pretty well at times last season. The team also signed linebacker Matt McCoy, who had been with Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley at Tampa Bay.

Hill's long-term future with the team was already muddy in May 2009, when he signed a long-term deal that gave the Seahawks an easy out after two seasons. The abolition of a salary cap for the 2010 season made it easy for the Seahawks to bail on the deal even earlier. Hill's subsequent domestic-violence arrest and plea deal in a marijuana-possession case could even give Seattle grounds to recoup bonus money paid on the deal if the team decides to move on without him. The absence of a salary cap also makes it easier to trade Hill.

The deal featured a $5 million salary in 2009 and a $2 million option bonus for 2010. The option bonus was triggered early enough for $400,000 in annual proration to count against the 2009 cap. If the Seahawks decided to part with Hill to save that $6 million in salary, they could conceivably try to recoup $1.6 million of the $2 million option bonus.

I don't think the Seahawks are to that point in their thinking. It's just something to keep in mind when mapping out the possibilities.

RENTON, Wash. -- Thoughts and observations after watching the Seahawks' first post-draft minicamp practice Friday:

• Receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh underwent hernia surgery recently. He's expected back in a couple of weeks.
• Former 49ers Roderick Green and Joe Toledo are participating in Seahawks camp on a tryout basis.
• Former Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell told reporters covering the Bears that he had no plans to bring along any Seattle personnel people to his new job as personnel director in Chicago. The Bears' situation appears less stable and by extension less appealing than the situation in Seattle right now.
• First-round choice Earl Thomas will be a coverage safety for the Seahawks, basically playing center field. That makes sense because Thomas looks like a cornerback out there. He is listed at 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds. Starting corner Marcus Trufant goes 5-11 and 197.
• Speaking of Trufant, he made a statement with two impressive interception returns, jumping routes on passes from Matt Hasselbeck to Deon Butler. Trufant had trouble recovering from back issues last season. He appeared flexible and nimble Friday.
• Receiver Deion Branch is sidelined after having surgery to clean out a knee. The surgery was considered minor, but any lingering knee issues are a concern for Branch.
• Rookie second-round choice Golden Tate was one of the stars of practice. He made a leaping grab down the middle between Trufant and safety Jordan Babineaux, then followed up by getting behind cornerback Josh Wilson for a catch up the left sideline. Tate later used his body to shield Wilson from the ball, making another grab. Tate dropped one pass.
• The offensive staff crammed far more plays into the team session than might be typical. Coach Pete Carroll keeps score, too, periodically announcing whether the offense or defense is leading.
• With most of the 101 signed or tryout players participating, competition was the No. 1 theme.
• First-round choice Russell Okung made a positive impression in run-blocking drills. He crouches low to the ground, helping with leverage.
• Second-year linebacker Aaron Curry was offside a couple times, but I didn't necessarily take that as a bad sign for the team. Curry appeared very active. That's a good idea as long as linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. is out there. Norton is one of the more vocal coaches on the staff and he's not afraid to let players know how they are performing.
• Newly acquired running back LenDale White appears slimmer than I would have expected. White said he weighs 225 pounds. Carroll thought White's weight was closer to 217. Either way, White appears to be in shape.
• Safety Lawyer Milloy said he signed in time for the post-draft camp because he thinks he'll have a better chance to play this year in a role more suited to his skills. Players sound optimistic about the new staff's ability to use personnel. That was supposed to be a theme last season, but the results weren't there.

Players wore helmets but no pads for this practice. It's important to remember how much things change once players put on the pads. A week or two into training camp is when it becomes easier to tell which players are truly on their way to making an impact.

RENTON, Wash. -- You aren't the only one biding your time til the NFL draft begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

NFL people are waiting, too.

The Seahawks have set up their draft-day media center in a defensive meeting room. Peter King of Sports Illustrated is among those here to see how Seattle uses two of the top 14 choices in the draft (no other team has more than one pick that early). ESPN's Brock Huard is hosting a radio show for 101ESPN Seattle from a table nearby. Another former NFL and University of Washington quarterback, Hugh Millen, is here for 950KJR.

Former 49ers linebackers Ken Norton Jr. and Jeff Ulbrich walked past recently as part of a group featuring former Seahawks cornerback Kris Richard. All three are assistants under Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. They've got time to kill.

We're about an hour away from putting St. Louis on the clock.

Should be a fun night.

Update: ESPN's Shelley Smith is here also. She filed this report:

The buzz is starting to pick up at the Seahawks' facility. Just popped into Pete Carroll's corner office with an amazing view of Lake Washington and its own bathroom! He was on the phone talking to his son, Brennan, and then later walked down the hall into the cafeteria to grab a cookie.

A bunch of players were around this morning, working out, watching film. One was Mike Williams, the former USC wide receiver who just signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks. Another was former Oregon center Max Unger, who was headed home to see where his fellow Ducks would land.

Most of the coaches went home early last night and stayed away until lunchtime, some getting a quick workout in in the massive weight facility, which has garage-like doors that open onto the three outdoor practice fields and a hill strength coach Chris Carlisle uses for conditioning.

The draft room is around the corner from where we, the media, are hanging out drinking coffee. I'm told it will contain just a few people to keep it orderly and quiet. That said, I'm sure the noise factor will start to heat up as the first round nears.

RENTON, Wash. -- Thoughts and observations following the Seattle Seahawks' first minicamp practice under new coach Pete Carroll:

• Offensive line coach Alex Gibbs is more, uh, aggressively vocal than past line coaches in Seattle. He had a lot of barking to do while players tried to meet his standards in a new scheme.
• This team needs a left tackle badly. We knew that, but seeing Ray Willis with the first team at left tackle drove home the point. Don't read too much into this first-team line, but the group consisted of the following players, left to right: Willis, Mike Gibson, Chris Spencer, Max Unger and Sean Locklear. The backup line I saw most frequently featured Anthony Davis (not the draft prospect from Rutgers, but a free agent participating on a tryout basis), Mitch Erickson (another tryout player), Steve Vallos, Mansfield Wrotto and free agent Terrence Metcalf. I also saw Wrotto at center.
• Carroll has preached competition throughout the roster and he's getting it at this camp. The team had 17 players participating on a tryout basis. That's more than I can remember seeing in any Seahawks camp.
• Receiver Mike Williams said he weighs 235 pounds and I believe him. He was pretty trim. His abs weren't sculpted, but they weren't flabby, either. He was winded while conducting an interview immediately following practice. Williams said the standard is higher for him because he played for Carroll at USC. He also blamed past problems in part on a bad attitude he had toward coaches. Williams looked decent to me, but the Seahawks don't have much to offer for comparison at the position. T.J. Houshmandzadeh was there, but he did not participate. No immediate word why.
• Recently arrested linebacker Leroy Hill did not attend. I'd take that as a sign of him keeping a low profile during a voluntary camp.
• Carroll plays hoops after hours on a regulation basket installed on the concrete outside the weight room.
• Carroll shakes hands with players after plays. I saw him do that with Matt Hasselbeck after a completed pass. I would expect Hasselbeck to practice with added purpose now that Charlie Whitehurst is onboard as competition and signed through 2011.
• Whitehurst appears quite lean and quick. His physique reminds me a little bit of Hasselbeck before he became more serious in the weight room. That could just be a body-type thing. These are first impressions, not lasting judgments.
• Linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. took special interest in second-year linebacker Aaron Curry. They walked off the field together, moving slowing and communicating the whole way. Norton could be a valuable resource for Curry and the other linebackers.
• Defensive linemen nearly trampled assistant secondary coach Kris Richard early in practice. Players were moving quickly between stations and Richard went to the grass. An alert lineman caught him and removed him from danger.
• Vallos and defensive lineman Lawrence Jackson tangled at one point.

Those were some initial thoughts. This camp runs through Thursday.

MIAMI -- With the Seahawks announcing their 2010 coaching staff, I went through every NFC West team's staff to produce a chart allowing for easy comparison.

It's pretty clear the Cardinals do more with less than the other teams in the division. They have fewer assistants than the other teams in the NFC West.

In most cases, I have recreated official titles for each assistant coach. That explains why the Cardinals have no offensive coordinator listed (Russ Grimm coordinates the running game, Mike Miller coordinates the passing game and Ken Whisenhunt calls the plays). I did not create a special category for 49ers receivers coach Jerry Sullivan (he also carries the title senior assistant). Seattle's Carroll is also executive vice president. I did not create an extra category to reflect that title.

I have listed no offensive line coach for the Cardinals. Grimm handles those duties. The 49ers do not list a defensive quality control coach, but clearly someone must break down the upcoming opponents' offensive video (I am checking to see which assistant handles those duties). Update: Outside linebackers coach Jason Tarver handles those duties. Also, I updated the chart to reflect Curtis Modkins' departure from the Cardinals to become Buffalo's offensive coordinator. Ray Brown is the new assistant offensive line coach in San Francisco.

The Rams are expected to hire a receivers coach after Charlie Baggett left. They could hire an assistant offensive line coach to replace Art Valero, who took the same job with Seattle. The 49ers might need to find a new offensive quality-control coach (Shane Day is interviewing with the Bears to coach quarterbacks for Mike Martz).

The Rams and Seahawks list special assistants to the head coach. These are largely administrative positions.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says during a chat that he thinks the Rams are "seriously considering" making a play for Michael Vick this offseason. Vick would already know the Rams' offense, which Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur brought from Philadelphia. Vick would sell tickets, a challenge for any team coming off a 1-15 record and lacking star power. Shurmur's relationship with Eagles coach Andy Reid could give the Rams access to more reliable information as to how Vick would fit into a new team. Vick would probably be better than any other quarterback on the Rams' roster. General manager Billy Devaney knows Vick from when both were with the Falcons. Those are all reasons for the Rams to consider Vick if the Eagles make the quarterback available.

Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com says former Rams and 49ers coach Mike Martz could be losing interest in coordinating the Bears' offense after the team has reached out to lots of candidates, but not him. Martz: "It sounds like there's something they want to do. I just want to move on. I just worry about Lovie (Smith). I just want to see him do well. That was the reason for my interest."

Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times says the Bears will hear about it if their offense struggles with someone other than Martz as coordinator. Hayes: "Maybe (Jay) Cutler is nixing Martz because Martz was critical of Cutler's demeanor during a news conference earlier this season. Should the quarterback be making this call? Former Lions coach and current Bears assistant Rod Marinelli butted heads with Martz when they both were in Detroit. Are the Bears going to let their defensive line coach scuttle this hire?"

ESPN's Adam Schefter says former NFC West assistants Al Saunders and Jim Zorn are candidates to interview with the Ravens.

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says former 49ers punter Tom Wittum, who passed away recently, still followed the team and attended games periodically.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee passes along comments from 49ers president Jed York. York on playing the Broncos in London: "It's a tough trip, and hopefully we'll be able to have an East Coast road game the week before and be able to cut that trip in half and have a 6-hour flight to London as opposed to a 12-hour flight from San Francisco, which I think the San Diego Chargers did a few years ago."

Scott Kegley of 49ers.com checks in with linebacker Patrick Willis and punter Andy Lee as both arrived at the Pro Bowl.

Greg Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel checks in with new Seahawks general manager John Schneider, focusing on how the Packers will adjust without him. Ted Thompson, Reggie McKenzie and John Dorsey will pick up the slack. However, the Packers were admittedly a bit top-heavy after replacing former coach Mike Sherman, who had doubled as GM. Bedard: "McKenzie will become more involved with college scouting leading up to the draft, while Dorsey will be asked to contribute more to pro personnel during the season. Dorsey will deal more with agents, which was a major component of Schneider's duties. Also, Thompson will become more personally involved in trade talks. He often left McKenzie and Schneider to find deals and bring them to his attention."

John Morgan of Field Gulls links to an item with background information on new Seahawks strength and conditioning coach Chris Carlisle.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle says former Seahawks offensive coordinator Greg Knapp is the new quarterbacks coach for the Texans. McClain: "Knapp and new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison are replacing Kyle Shanahan. He was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Shanahan’s contract expired, and he went to Washington to become the offensive coordinator under his father, new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times checks in with new Seahawks linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr., who wanted to coach in Seattle or San Francisco if he couldn't remain at USC. He is reunited with Lofa Tatupu. Norton: "Lofa has always been a very special guy to my heart. He was a guy I coached at USC, one of my first years at coaching. It was unfortunate to see him go down last year with the injury, but I'm expecting him to get this defense back to where it was before."

Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle says he thinks Kurt Warner will retire. Rolle: "Judging from conversations that I've had with him I think he understands that he's had a great, Hall of Fame career. I think football has taken its course. But he's the best teammate I've ever had. He's been a leader on and off the field." Warner has said he wants to feel good about retiring. Can he walk away and feel good about it? That is the key question.

Revenge of the Birds' Andrew602 passes along thoughts from Cardinals safety Hamza Abdullah, who played extensively in the divisional-round playoff game after Arizona lost Rolle to injury. Playing with Adrian Wilson was a highlight for Abdullah. Abdullah: "Oh, man, did I learn anything? I could talk to you about two or three hours just strictly on that. Adrian Wilson is a great safety, obviously. ... It's just a privilege. I really believe that God has blessed me to not only be with a great organization but to learn from a veteran like Adrian Wilson. To be honest with you, it doesn't get better than Adrian Wilson."

RENTON, Wash. -- Thoughts and observations from the Seahawks' news conference to introduce new general manager John Schneider, hired away from the Packers:

• This is all about fit. Specifically, it's about Schneider fitting with coach Pete Carroll and helping to find players that fit precisely what Carroll wants. The Seahawks didn't do this as well in recent seasons when former GM Tim Ruskell was identifying players to fit his long-range plans while the team tried to win with Mike Holmgren's offense. Seattle should get more from its personnel this way.
• Carroll holds the authority over personnel, CEO Tod Leiweke said, noting that Carroll would win any coin tosses. Schneider then said he would never try to cram a certain player into his head coach's roster, regardless of who had ultimate control of personnel. The structure arguably makes Schneider a better candidate than GM finalist Floyd Reese, who is older and more established in his ways. I got the sense Schneider and Carroll would work well together. It's in Schneider's nature to make this work. I sense he's a pure personnel guy, not someone who cares about getting the credit.
• The Seahawks will not be making sweeping changes to their front office or scouting staff. Schneider knows quite a few of the people already in place. Ruston Webster, John Idzik and Will Lewis will remain with the organization, Leiweke indicated. Lewis and Schneider worked together in Seattle previously. The team's salary cap and contract negotiating arm -- headed by Idzik -- will report to Schneider. Carroll wants to pick players, but he doesn't want to be a GM or cap guy.
• The Seahawks will become younger not by design but through an effort to encourage competition. The Packers have been one of the NFL's two youngest teams (along with the Colts) in recent seasons. Carroll was opposed to playing rookies during his past incarnation as a head coach. His outlook changed after coaching in college (Carroll compared that experience to being coach and GM, with the GM part changing his view). Personnel guys love to play young players. Seattle was the NFL's eighth-oldest team this week, not counting players signed to future contracts. That ranking will fall, no doubt.
• The Seahawks are better off now than they were a few weeks ago. I do think the front office has a better chance to function without the infighting and competing agendas that marked previous regimes in recent seasons. That can help the Seahawks regain credibility lost over the last couple seasons.
• Carroll addressed a few hires relating to his coaching staff. Jeremy Bates (offensive coordinator), Alex Gibbs (offensive line), Jedd Fisch (quarterbacks), Pat McPherson (tight ends), Gus Bradley (defensive coordinator), Dan Quinn (defensive line), Jerry Gray (secondary), Ken Norton Jr. (linebackers) and Brian Schneider (special teams) are in place.
• The Seahawks are weighing the possibility of trying a 3-4 defensive alignment, but it's early.

Those were a few highlights. Heading home now.