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NFC West teams went 0-3 last season against the teams they face in Week 5.

They lost those games by a combined 99-31 score.

Much has changed since then. Let's take a look:

Cardinals at Vikings

Score last season: Vikings 27, Cardinals 24 (OT)

Key play: Brett Favre's 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe in the final minute of regulation tied the game, forcing overtime after the Cardinals had built a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead. Favre threw for a career-high 446 yards in the game.

Biggest change: Both teams have new quarterbacks, Kevin Kolb for Derek Anderson in Arizona, and Donovan McNabb for Favre in Minnesota. Also, the Vikings have a new head coach (Leslie Frazier) while the Cardinals have a new defensive coordinator (Ray Horton).

Storyline: McNabb keeps a home in Arizona and was available to the Cardinals when their quarterback situation was in flux, but the team showed no interest in him. He is now trying to hold off a change to rookie Christian Ponder.

Lineup changes for Arizona (12): Beanie Wells for Tim Hightower at running back, Kolb for Anderson at quarterback, Daryn Colledge for Alan Faneca at left guard, Rex Hadnot for Deuce Lutui at right guard, Todd Heap for Ben Patrick at tight end, Andre Roberts for Steve Breaston at receiver, Anthony Sherman for Reagan Maui'a at fullback (although the team opened its 2010 game at Minnesota without a fullback), Dan Williams for Bryan Robinson at nose tackle, Daryl Washington for Gerald Hayes at linebacker, Clark Haggans for Will Davis at linebacker, A.J. Jefferson for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at cornerback, Patrick Peterson for Greg Toler at cornerback.

49ers vs. Buccaneers

Score last season: Buccaneers 21, 49ers 0

Key play: Josh Freeman's 1-yard scoring pass to tackle Donald Penn midway through the fourth quarter put an exclamation point on the 49ers' first home shutout since 1977.

Biggest change: Jim Harbaugh has replaced Mike Singletary as the 49ers' head coach.

Storyline: Alex Smith gets a shot at Tampa Bay after watching Troy Smith struggle against the Bucs as the 49ers' starting quarterback last season. Troy Smith's approach centered around striking for big plays. The Bucs took away the big plays. Alex Smith gives the 49ers a chance to be more efficient.

Lineup changes for San Francisco (12): Alex Smith for Troy Smith at quarterback, Joe Staley for Barry Sims at left tackle, Adam Snyder for Chilo Rachal at right guard, Bruce Miller for Moran Norris at fullback, Isaac Sopoaga for Aubrayo Franklin at nose tackle, Ray McDonald for Sopoaga at defensive end, Ahmad Brooks for Manny Lawson at outside linebacker, NaVorro Bowman for Takeo Spikes at inside linebacker, Carlos Rogers for Nate Clements at cornerback, Tarell Brown for Shawntae Spencer at cornerback, Donte Whitner for Reggie Smith at strong safety.

Seahawks at Giants

Score last season: Giants 41, Seahawks 7

Key play: With Seattle already down 14-0 in the first quarter, the Giants returned Leon Washington's fumbled kickoff return to the Seattle 4, setting up Ahmad Bradshaw's touchdown run on the next play.

Biggest change: Tarvaris Jackson is the starting quarterback for Seattle. Charlie Whitehurst was a fill-in starter for Matt Hasselbeck when the teams played last season.

Storyline: The Seahawks' so-far-unproductive ground game faces a Giants run defense that has struggled. Seattle's young line improved in pass protection last week. Can it take a step forward in run blocking this week?

Lineup changes for Seattle (16): Sidney Rice for Deon Butler at receiver, Jackson for Whitehurst at quarterback, Russell Okung for Chester Pitts at left tackle, Paul McQuistan for Mike Gibson at left guard, Max Unger for Chris Spencer at center, John Moffitt for Stacy Andrews at right guard, James Carpenter for Sean Locklear at right tackle, Zach Miller for John Carlson at tight end, Brandon Mebane for Junior Siavii at defensive tackle, Alan Branch for Craig Terrill at defensive tackle, Red Bryant for Kentwan Balmer at defensive end, K.J. Wright for Aaron Curry at linebacker, David Hawthorne for Lofa Tatupu at linebacker, Leroy Hill for Hawthorne at linebacker, Brandon Browner for Kelly Jennings at right cornerback, Kam Chancellor or Atari Bigby for Lawyer Milloy, depending on Chancellor's availability.

The New York Giants' 41-7 victory at Seattle last season came a week after the Seahawks lost Red Bryant and one of their other top run defenders at the time, Colin Cole, to injuries. They were also without Brandon Mebane, another starting defensive lineman.

With Craig Terrill, Junior Siavii and Kentwan Balmer starting on the Seahawks' defensive line, the Giants carried 47 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns.

To say times have changed for Seattle's defense -- or offense, for that matter -- would be an understatement heading into the Week 5 Seahawks-Giants matchup. Overall, the Seahawks are expected to have at least 15 new starters since that 2010 game. Also, the Giants have made changes to their offensive line, further affecting the matchup.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin recognized the differences in sizing up Seattle's defense when speaking with reporters Wednesday:

"They give up literally no yards against the run. They're another team that sinks the safety pretty much according to formation and almost on every play. They have a unique ability -- [Earl] Thomas can come down from like 14 yards deep and be at the line of scrimmage. He’s very quick. They’ve done a nice thing with their personnel. They have a 318-pounder [Bryant] that sits on the inside eye of the tight end. The tight ends are in for an interesting week, for sure."

Thomas and Bryant are indeed the two defenders who stand out most when opponents evaluate Seattle's defense. Chris Clemons can be another.

The Arizona Cardinals' overall success slowing the Giants' ground game in Week 4 should be encouraging for Seattle. The Giants had 24 rushes for 54 yards, a 2.3-yard average. Those numbers ranked among the worst for the Giants since Coughlin became their head coach. They rank 24th in rushing yards per game and 29th in rushing yards per attempt.

NFC West teams drafted four players in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft.

The St. Louis Rams' Chris Long is the only one employed by an NFC West team.

Kentwan Balmer, chosen 29th overall by the San Francisco 49ers that year, had been holding on with Seattle. The Seahawks released him Wednesday after re-signing running back Vai Taua.

This may or may not be the end for Balmer in the NFC West, but with him gone for now, here's a quick look at what became of that 2008 first-round class in the division:

• Long: The Rams are increasingly getting sufficient return on a sizable investment after making Long the second player chosen overall. Long has become a consistently productive player since moving to the left side of the line. He had 8.5 sacks last season.
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: The Cardinals chose him 16th overall and liked what Rodgers-Cromartie offered. "DRC" went to one Pro Bowl before suffering through a down 2010 season. The Cardinals sent him to Philadelphia in the Kevin Kolb trade.
• Lawrence Jackson: The Seahawks drafted the defensive end 28th overall. Jackson started slowly and didn't fit when the team changed its scheme. Seattle traded Jackson to Detroit, where defensive ends face favorable matchup situations thanks to Ndamukong Suh's presence on the interior. Jackson had six sacks in 2010.
• Balmer: Nolan Nawrocki's pre-draft assessment for Pro Football Weekly ended this way: "Can disappear and fail to make an impact, and his overall career production is discouraging. ... Has some intriguing natural tools, but must first demonstrate that he is not motivated strictly by a contract. Could be satisfied as a career underachiever."

Among the good value picks for NFC West teams in that 2008 draft: Calais Campbell, Red Bryant, Tim Hightower, Josh Morgan, Brandon Keith and Justin Forsett.

Aaron Schatz's piece on defensive stop rates caught my attention for what it did not include, namely any mention of NFC West players among the highest- or lowest-ranked linebackers.

The San Francisco 49ers' Patrick Willis sets the standard at the position. The St. Louis Rams' James Laurinaitis has emerged as one of the better 4-3 middle linebackers. The Seattle Seahawks' Lofa Tatupu, slowed by injuries recently, also escaped mention.

Taking a closer look at the criteria allowed for a fuller understanding of the statistic. Stop rates reflect what percentage of a player's statistics produce successful outcomes against running plays. The stat defines successful outcomes as those when the opposing runner fails to gain certain percentages of the yards required for first downs. The percentage is 45 on first-down runs, 60 on second-down runs and 100 on third- or fourth-down runs.

So, if Willis tackled the opposing runner after a 4-yard gain on first-and-10, the tackle would qualify as a successful stop because the runner gained only 40 percent of the yards needed for a new set of downs. But if Willis tackled the opposing runner following a 4-yard gain on the ensuing second-and-5 play, his effort would count as a failure because the runner would have gained 80 percent of the yards needed for a first down.

The stat does not necessarily measure how well a specific defender plays the run, but it does paint a clearer picture of where defenders make their tackles in relation to the first-down marker. A player talented enough to make plays all over the field could have a lower stop rate than a player with less range. This likely explains Willis' relatively low stop rate (57 percent).

Schatz provided NFC West-specific information for the charts below. Each player had at least 25 tackles on running plays.

The stats for linebackers seem to penalize Willis in particular for his ability to make clean-up tackles anywhere.

The 49ers allowed 3.46 yards per rushing attempt, second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers (3.02) among NFL teams.

For defensive backs, note that strong safeties ranked higher than free safeties because they generally focus more on run support. Free safeties would be more apt to make tackles well downfield, whether or not they were primarily responsible for allowing the gains.

Michael from Seattle asked whether I noticed that the Seahawks had ranked last among NFL teams in Rick Reilly's recent re-drafting of the 2006, 2007 and 2008 first rounds, with cornerback Kelly Jennings going 210 spots later.

Mike Sando: Not only were the Seahawks last, but the St. Louis Rams were second-worst and the San Francisco 49ers third-worst. The Arizona Cardinals finished 22nd. Poor draft choices drag down teams, no doubt, but bad teams also drag down questionable draft choices. Some of these players walked into rough situations.

One of the Seahawks' recent first-round picks, Lawrence Jackson, appears better suited for Detroit's scheme. He had a career-high six sacks for the Lions last season and could get close to double digits playing with Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. But he was never going to enjoy that sort of success in Seattle, particularly as the team sought different qualities in its linemen. Jennings, Kentwan Balmer (49ers), Tye Hill (Rams) and Matt Leinart (Cardinals) dragged down their teams' drafts as well.

A quick look at the NFC West picks Reilly mentioned, and how many spots earlier or later they would have gone on a re-draft:

• Cardinals (minus-192): Leinart fell from 10th to undrafted (2006); Levi Brown fell from fifth to 32nd (2007); Steve Breaston rose from 142nd to 28th (2007); Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie fell from 16th to 50th (2008). Breaston was the only NFC West player to jump into a first round from lower in his draft class. Rodgers-Cromartie has played at a Pro Bowl level for stretches. He wasn't as good last season, but was he bad enough to fall 34 places? Reilly made him the seventh cornerback selected.
• 49ers (minus-323): Vernon Davis fell from sixth to 19th (2006); Manny Lawson fell from 22nd to 99th (2006); Patrick Willis jumped from 11th to third (2007), trailing only Adrian Peterson and Darrelle Revis in his class; Joe Staley dropped from 28th to 46th (2007); Kentwan Balmer dropped from 29th to undrafted (2008). Willis was the only NFC West first-rounder to gain ground in the re-draft. Reilly had Davis going one spot after Marcedes Lewis. Both are good tight ends. Both have been to the Pro Bowl.
• Rams (minus-351): Hill fell from 15th to undrafted (2006); Adam Carriker fell from 13th to 100th (2007); Chris Long fell from second to 26th (2008). Reilly had Long going after Pierre Garcon in the re-draft. I'd much rather have Long. Garcon would be far easier to replace. The Rams had less to gain in these rankings because they've drafted so early. The best Long could do was gain by one spot.
• Seahawks (minus-377): Jennings fell from 31st in 2006 to 241st; Jackson fell from 28th in 2008 to 195th. Seattle had no first-round choice in 2007. The team was picking late in the other first rounds, giving Seattle plenty of room for improvement. That makes the 377-point cumulative drop even more problematic. Adding 2009 wouldn't improve matters, either, as Aaron Curry would fall from No. 4 overall.

I've been meaning to address this re-draft. Thanks for bringing it up.

Ray Horton is the Arizona Cardinals' third defensive coordinator since Ken Whisenhunt became head coach in 2007.

He inherits a defense that has struggled despite significant investments.

Arizona has used six first- and second-round choices for defensive players since 2007, tied for the second-highest total in the league.

Only the New England Patriots have drafted more defensive players in those rounds over the past four drafts. Only the Patriots have used a higher percentage of first- and second-round choices for defense during the period in question.

A quick look at the defensive players NFC West teams have selected in the first two rounds since 2007:

• Arizona Cardinals (6): cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, nose tackle Dan Williams, nose tackle Alan Branch, linebacker Daryl Washington, defensive end Calais Campbell and outside linebacker Cody Brown. Branch is a role player. Brown is off the roster. Rodgers-Cromartie has been to a Pro Bowl, but is coming off a tough season. Williams appears to be ascending. Campbell has become a quality starter with the potential to become more.


• Seattle Seahawks (4): linebacker Aaron Curry, safety Earl Thomas, defensive end Lawrence Jackson and cornerback Josh Wilson. Thomas showed promise immediately as a rookie last season. Curry became an immediate starter at strongside linebacker, but is not yet an impact player. The team's current leadership traded away Jackson and Wilson.


• San Francisco 49ers (3): linebacker Patrick Willis, defensive end Kentwan Balmer and safety Taylor Mays. Willis is a perennial Pro Bowl selection and arguably the best linebacker in the NFL. The 49ers traded Balmer to Seattle following a disappointing start to his career. Mays started for a stretch as a rookie in 2010, but lost the job.


• St. Louis Rams (3): defensive end Chris Long, defensive tackle Adam Carriker and linebacker James Laurinaitis. Long and Laurinaitis are quality starters on the rise and players the Rams are building around. Carriker's career never got going in St. Louis. The team traded him to the Washington Redskins last offseason.

Overall, teams have drafted slightly more defensive players (133) than offensive players (122) in the first two rounds of the past four drafts. New England has used 11 of the 255 picks in question, tied for second-most in the NFL, even though the Patriots did not have their own first-round selection in 2008.

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NFC West teams have drafted 22 defensive ends since 2002, a number smaller than I would have anticipated.

An even smaller number -- two! -- start for the teams that drafted them.

One, Antonio Smith, starts for another team.

A few notes relating to this latest item in a series examining various positions:

• Kentwan Balmer appears as a defensive end because the San Francisco 49ers drafted him to play that position. Balmer played defensive tackle in college.
• Darnell Dockett does not appear as a defensive end because the Arizona Cardinals drafted him to play defensive tackle. Yes, Dockett plays defensive end in the Cardinals' current scheme, but the NFL lists him as a tackle for Pro Bowl voting and he is not a typical defensive end even by 3-4 standards.
• Of the 22, only Chris Long and Calais Campbell are starting for their original teams. Smith is starting for the Houston Texans.
• Six of the eight most highly drafted ends since 2002 came from teams most recently affiliated with the ACC.
• Long was the only player on the list drafted before the 28th overall choice.
• Will Davis and Parys Haralson were listed as defensive ends coming out of college, but both projected as outside linebackers. That is why they do not appear below. Cody Brown also projects at linebacker.
• I've used the term "not active" loosely in the charts to describe players who weren't on active rosters during the regular season recently.

Now, on to the charts. I've broken them up with italicized comments representing what NFL teams might have been thinking at corresponding stages of these drafts.

Playing it safe and hoping those NFL bloodlines pay off ...


Defensive linemen are at a premium, and we might find out why ...


The pure pass-rushers are gone by now ...


If these guys don't pan out, it'll be a while before we take another third-round end ...


It's an upset if we find a starter at this point ...


Time to fill out the practice squad, but you never know ...

A few notes on the choices NFL teams hold in the 2011 draft:

• The Seattle Seahawks have acquired a league-high four selections from other teams. They have a fourth-rounder acquired from New England for Deion Branch; a fifth-rounder from Baltimore for Josh Wilson; a sixth-rounder from Detroit for Lawrence Jackson; and a seventh-rounder from Cleveland for Seneca Wallace.
• The high number of acquired picks reflects the team's decision to get value for players it did not envision keeping for the long term.
• Only three teams -- New England, San Diego and Denver -- own picks in the first three rounds acquired from other teams. The Chargers have two, including the third-rounder they acquired from Seattle in the Charlie Whitehurst deal.
• The Seahawks have also given up a league-high four 2011 picks, including selections in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh rounds. Those picks helped to acquire Whitehurst, Marshawn Lynch, Kentwan Balmer and Stacy Andrews.
• The Arizona Cardinals are without the seventh-round pick they sent to the New York Jets in the Kerry Rhodes deal. They also parted with a 2010 fourth-rounder.
• The St. Louis Rams are without the sixth-round pick they sent to Baltimore in the Mark Clayton trade. They have the Ravens' seventh-rounder as part of that deal.
• The San Francisco 49ers hold the Chargers' fourth-round pick as part of a deal made with San Diego during the 2010 draft. San Diego sent the 91st and 173rd choices of the 2010 draft, plus the 2011 fourth-rounder, to San Francisco for the 79th pick last year. The Chargers drafted linebacker Donald Butler. The 49ers drafted NaVorro Bowman and Anthony Dixon with the picks from San Diego.
• The 49ers also hold Seattle's sixth-rounder from the Balmer deal and a seventh-rounder acquired from the Detroit Lions in the Shaun Hill trade.

So many of the picks mentioned above were acquired in deals involving veteran players. Those types of deals will not happen during a lockout.

» NFC Draft Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: draft rewind -- examining the past five drafts.

Arizona Cardinals

Best choice: Steve Breaston, WR, fifth round (2007). Tough, productive and team-oriented, Breaston embodies everything coach Ken Whisenhunt loves in a player. There were other considerations in this spot, including Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but Breaston was the choice for his consistency, bargain price and all-out approach.

Worst choice: Matt Leinart, QB, first round (2006). Other draft choices failed more quickly, from 2007 third-rounder Buster Davis to 2009 second-rounder Cody Brown. None set back the franchise as much as the Cardinals' decision to use the 10th overall choice for Leinart. The team invested four seasons in Leinart, then cut him right before the one season in which Leinart appeared best positioned to start.

On the bubble: Beanie Wells, RB, first round (2009). Injuries set back Wells before each of his first two NFL seasons, just as draft analysts warned. Wells has plenty of talent. He ran hard and effectively for flashes as a rookie, but the consistency and production simply haven't been there. This third season looks like a pivotal one for the 31st player chosen in the 2009 draft.

Seattle Seahawks

Best choice: Russell Okung, LT, first round (2010). A player coming off an injury-affected rookie season should not stand out as a team's best draft choice over the past five years. Okung gets the designation by default. Multiple coaching changes have contributed to Seattle getting less from some already ordinary draft classes. Seventh-rounders Cameron Morrah, Justin Forsett and Ben Obomanu might have better futures than the first-round choices from their respective draft classes.

Worst choice: Lawrence Jackson, DE, first round (2008). Jackson made little impact in his first two seasons, then got shipped to Detroit when his former college coach, Pete Carroll, took over. He fared better with the Lions, no doubt benefiting from Ndamukong Suh's disruptive presence. The Seahawks had little to show for his two seasons in Seattle.

On the bubble: Aaron Curry, LB, first round (2009). Curry's strength against the run has shined through at times, but he hasn't made impact plays or showed the anticipated growth. The Seahawks would like Curry to become more adept at rushing the passer. That wasn't his role in college, however, and others have done it better in Seattle.

San Francisco 49ers

Best choice: Patrick Willis, LB, first round (2006). Willis has earned four Pro Bowl berths in as many seasons. He's a dominant physical presence and the type of player a defense can build around. Willis, arguably the best inside linebacker in the NFL, has produced several signature plays already. Three off the top of my head: tracking down Sean Morey 62 yards downfield in overtime; crushing receiver Brad Smith on a pass over the middle; and knocking out Matt Hasselbeck with broken ribs.

Worst choice: Kentwan Balmer, DE, first round (2008). Balmer lasted only two seasons with the 49ers before the team traded him to Seattle for a sixth-round choice in the 2010 draft. It's telling when a team trades a recent high draft choice to a division rival without fearing the consequences. Running back Glen Coffee was another consideration in this spot. The 49ers used a third-round choice on him in 2009, then watched him retire before the 2010 season.

On the bubble: Manny Lawson, OLB (2006). Lawson stands out as one of the better special-teams players in the league. He had 6.5 sacks in 2009 and was entering a pivotal year in 2010. The production wasn't there, however, and now Lawson appears likely to hit the market when free agency opens.

St. Louis Rams

Best choice: Sam Bradford, QB, first round (2010). The Rams picked the right year to hold the No. 1 overall choice. Bradford made an immediate impact as the Rams won more games in 2010 than they had in their previous three seasons combined. Bradford played every snap even though scouting reports questioned his durability and wondered how quickly he would assimilate into a pro-style offense.

Worst choice: Tye Hill, CB, first round (2006). The Rams could have drafted quarterback Jay Cutler at No. 11, but they liked Marc Bulger and didn't see an immediate need. The Rams moved back four spots in a trade with Denver, choosing Hill with the 15th pick. The deal netted a third-rounder for the Rams, which the team wasted on troubled offensive lineman Claude Wroten. Hill's starts declined every season and the Rams traded him to Atlanta for a seventh-round choice before Hill's fourth NFL season.

On the bubble: Donnie Avery, WR, second round (2008). Avery had 100 catches, including eight for touchdowns, during his first two seasons. A knee injury sidelined him all of last season. The Rams have a new offensive coordinator. They'll probably address the position in the draft. Avery should re-emerge as part of the mix. This is a big year for him.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers plan to attend a private workout for Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Barrows: "The 6-5, 225-pound Kaepernick has the strongest arm of any quarterback in this draft, and he led the Wolf Pack to a 13-1 record this past season. He completed 233 of 359 attempts (64.9 percent) for 3,022 yards, 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also was a very good runner and is the only player in NCAA history with more than 4,000 rushing yards to go along with more than 10,000 passing yards. When the college season ended, Kaepernick was viewed as a mid-round selection. However, he showed better-than-expected touch and accuracy at the January Senior Bowl. He also was one of the better passers at the combine, and is now viewed as a second-round prospect."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch updates the Rams' situation at receiver, among other positions, during his most recent chat. Thomas: "All indications are that Donnie Avery and Mark Clayton are doing fine. But you never know for sure until they get back out on the field practicing. Maybe I'm blanking out, but I don't recall any surgery for Laurent Robinson. Robinson was tendered by the Rams as a restricted free agent (since he's a four-year man that tender wouldn't take effect if we return to the old standard for unrestricted free agency). If that's the case and Robinson becomes unrestricted once there's a new CBA, I don't think the Rams would extend themselves to get Robinson back."

Brian McIntyre of Mac's Football Blog, writing for the Tacoma News Tribune, lists which Seahawks players stand to lose the most financially during a lockout. McIntyre: "The Seahawks' player with the most to lose is offensive lineman Stacy Andrews, who is due a $500,000 workout bonus this off-season. 2010 first-round pick Russell Okung has a $200,000 workout bonus, while Marcus Trufant, Lofa Tatupu, Earl Thomas, Chris Clemons, and Mike Williams have $100,000 workout bonuses. Kentwan Balmer ($62,500) and John Carlson ($60,000) stand to lose five-figure workout bonuses this off-season. Marshawn Lynch has an $8,120 workout bonus from his Buffalo Bills contract, while Max Unger stands to miss out on a $7,000 workout bonus in his rookie contract."

Aaron Wilson of National Football Post lists the Cardinals among teams planning to visit with LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson as the 2011 draft nears. Wilson: "Peterson is scheduled to visit the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. Peterson also has a private workout Wednesday for the Cleveland Browns and is also expected to visit the Tennessee Titans and other teams prior to the NFL draft. ... At the Senior Bowl, Peterson met with the Panthers, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Broncos, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers."

Vernon Gholston's anticipated release from the New York Jets comes three years after the Ohio State defensive end dominated at the NFL scouting combine.

Gholston tied offensive lineman Jake Long for a combine-high 37 repetitions in the bench press. He clocked 4.67 seconds in the 40-yard dash as a 266-pound defensive end.

The Jets drafted Gholston sixth overall in the 2008 draft. They tried him at outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme, but Gholston has made no impact. As Rich Cimini notes via ESPN Stats & Information, Gholston has none of the 3,267 regular-season sacks NFL players have collected since 2008.

In retrospect, the Seattle Seahawks were much better off selecting Lawrence Jackson even though Jackson was, by all accounts, a disappointment before the team traded him to Detroit. He had 6.0 sacks in 11 games, all as a reserve, for the Lions last season. Two other NFC West teams, St. Louis and Arizona, came out much better with defensive ends Chris Long and Calais Campbell, respectively.

The chart shows defensive ends NFL teams selected in the first three rounds of the 2008 draft. I limited the chart to college defensive ends expected to fill similar roles in the NFL. Two defensive tackles in that draft class, Red Bryant and Kentwan Balmer, wound up playing defensive end.

Some on the list -- Jackson, Derrick Harvey and Phillip Merling come to mind -- never projected as elite pass-rushers. Cliff Avril, the last defensive end listed, has the most sacks. Long is probably the best all-around defensive lineman on the list, and he is improving.

With the offseason in full swing, let’s take a look at one major question facing each NFC West team as it begins preparations for the 2011 season:

ARIZONA CARDINALS

What happens to the offensive line?

We've been asking, answering and asking some more questions about the Cardinals' quarterback situation for months. Let's tap a few brain cells to discuss the guys up front.

Center Lyle Sendlein and right guard Deuce Lutui are without contracts for 2011. Left guard Alan Faneca might retire. Right tackle Brandon Keith is coming off hamstring and knee injuries that shortened his first season as a starter. The Cardinals do not have fresh talent in reserve. They have drafted only one offensive lineman in the first four rounds since Ken Whisenhunt became head coach in 2007. Twenty-seven teams have drafted more. As much as the team trusts assistant head coach Russ Grimm to get the most from its offensive line, Arizona could use fresh young talent for him to groom.

The Cardinals went through the 2010 season with the NFL's oldest offensive linemen, counting backups. That wouldn't matter so much if left tackle Levi Brown were meeting the Pro Bowl expectations that came with his status as a top-five overall selection in the 2007 draft. Brown was underwhelming at right tackle to begin his career and a liability at left tackle last season. His salary balloons in 2012, so this could be his last season in Arizona.

ST. LOUIS RAMS

Can the defense take the next step?

The Rams allowed 328 points last season, tied for the third-lowest total since the team moved from Los Angeles for the 1995 season. They allowed seven rushing touchdowns, their lowest total since 1999 and down from 50 combined over the previous two seasons. But with starting defensive linemen James Hall and Fred Robbins turning 34 this offseason, and with questions at linebacker, the Rams' defense will not automatically go from competitive toward dominant.

Hall will be looking to become the 14th player since 1982 (when the NFL began tracking sacks as an official stat) to collect 10 sacks in a season at age 34 or older. The others: Trace Armstrong, Chris Doleman, William Fuller, Kevin Greene, Rickey Jackson, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Tony McGee, Steve McMichael, John Randle, Warren Sapp, Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan and Reggie White.

Robbins is coming off one of his finest seasons. He joined Keith Traylor, Jeff Zgonina and Ray Agnew among defensive tackles to set career highs for sacks at age 32 or older in the free-agency era (since 1993).

Getting similar production and continued good health from two older players is no given. The Rams also need to find help at outside linebacker after losing 32-year-old Na'il Diggs to a torn pectoral muscle 12 games into the 2010 season. The Rams are set at middle linebacker with James Laurinaitis, but they could stand to upgrade around him.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

How well can Jim Harbaugh coach up a quarterback?

When the 49ers' new coach needed a quarterback at Stanford, he recruited one. Andrew Luck set records and led the Cardinal to national prominence. Recruiting isn't a significant part of the equation in the NFL, so Harbaugh will have to settle for the best quarterback he can draft or otherwise acquire. He might even have to give Alex Smith a shot.

The 49ers will need Harbaugh to do what his recent predecessors could not: get good production from limited or flawed talent at the most important position.

Rich Gannon was well-established as an NFL quarterback when Harbaugh arrived as his position coach in Oakland for the 2002 season. The pairing reflected well on all parties. Gannon set career highs for completed passes, attempts, completion percentage, passing yards and passer rating. Gannon was already a good quarterback and the Raiders were already a good team, so it's tough to measure Harbaugh's impact.

Gannon is long since retired. Harbaugh is back in the NFL for the first time since the two were together on the Raiders in 2003. The 49ers don't have a legitimate starting quarterback under contract. Harbaugh has been meeting with Smith and keeping open his options. The stakes are high in the short term because the 49ers have enough talent elsewhere on their roster to compete for a playoff spot.

Outside expectations for Smith are so low that Harbaugh could appear heroic if he could get even a 9-7 record out of the 49ers with Smith in the lineup.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

How much more roster turnover lies ahead?

The Seahawks were fearless in overhauling their roster during their first year under general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll.

The team added Marshawn Lynch, Leon Washington, Chris Clemons, Stacy Andrews, Tyler Polumbus, Kentwan Balmer, Kevin Vickerson, Robert Henderson and LenDale White, though Seattle parted with Vickerson, Henderson, White and 2009 regulars Deion Branch, Julius Jones, Owen Schmitt, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Josh Wilson, Lawrence Jackson, Rob Sims, Darryl Tapp, Deon Grant and Seneca Wallace. The Seahawks watched a couple other starters, Nate Burleson and Cory Redding, leave in free agency.

If those were the moves the Seahawks felt comfortable making right away, I figured there would be quite a few to come after the team's new leadership watched players for a full season. And there still could be, but similar wheeling and dealing could be impractical or even impossible if the current labor standoff continues deep into the offseason.

Teams cannot make trades without a new labor agreement. They cannot know for sure whether or not a salary cap will come into play as part of any new deal. It's just tough to act as decisively as Seattle acted last offseason without knowing the rules. That's a disadvantage for Seattle and other teams with much work to do this offseason.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' performance Thursday night against San Diego affirms their status as a bad team. Cohn: "The Chargers game was a terrific chance for the Niners, a juicy chance to prove they are good, to prove they’re not a joke, to prove they deserve our attention and maybe even our praise, a chance to make a statement to the league and their division. Oh, they made a statement all right. They demonstrated once again they are sub-mediocre. They are a bad outfit and, no matter what happens in their final two games, no matter if they make the playoffs, their confused coach needs to get fired for his own good."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat lists what the 49ers lost Thursday night, from one of their best defensive players to a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers suffered a self-inflicted defeat to San Diego. Maiocco: "And, now, the end appears near -- on so many different levels. The 49ers can be officially eliminated from the playoff hunt as early as Sunday, and coach Mike Singletary's tenure is likely winding to a close."

Also from Maiocco: Justin Smith says he didn't know it was an official he was shoving during a post-play dispute Thursday night.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers a 49ers report card from the team's game against San Diego. This one isn't going on the fridge anytime soon.

Also from Barrows: Singletary considered putting Troy Smith in the game at quarterback.

More from Barrows: The 49ers are pretty much toast.

More yet from Barrows: Broken hands could not sideline Patrick Willis or Takeo Spikes.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers again had trouble winning outside their division.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' performance against San Diego was a defining one for the team.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle passes along this damning quote from Singletary: "When we have an opportunity to take a step, I look for our team, in spite of the setbacks, to really take a step forward. We continue to stumble. It's a shame we missed a great opportunity right there."

Bob Young of the Arizona Republic explains why the touchdown Darnell Dockett scored for Arizona on a fumble recovery Sunday did not count as a defensive touchdown for fantasy purposes. Young: "Don't ask us to explain the logic on all this, but anytime there is a change of possession then the offense becomes defense and the defense becomes offense. Still, a defense is credited with a touchdown if the change of possession leads directly to a score. However, if the guy who picks up a fumble or intercepts a pass then turns the ball over and a teammate takes possession, he is no longer considered a defensive player. Thus, Dockett isn't credited individually with a defensive touchdown."

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says Jay Feely's performance against Denver has vaulted the kicker into the spotlight. On a side note: "Jay Feely is a direct descendent of one of our country's Founding Fathers, Roger Sherman, an influential member of the Continental Congress who was on the very committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals practiced in rainy weather Thursday, a departure from the norm. Somers also links to a story about quarterback John Skelton. That one is below.

Hank Gola of the New York Daily News offers a profile on Skelton featuring this comment from the quarterback's college coach: "I thought all along that John would be a better pro than Tim Tebow. John is suited to the pro game. He's 6-foot-6 and can throw the ball. I know this, John is not fazed by too many things and he loves to compete. Is he ready to play? Probably not as much as they'd like, but he did an awful lot of nice things out there Sunday and I'm sure he can build on those."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com links to video showing Cardinals teammates Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower racing one another.

Also from Urban: a look at Hightower's unusual season from Hightower's perspective.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Brandon Gibson is growing into a more prominent role in the Rams' offense. Gibson is getting more chances than teammate Danny Amendola, at least lately. Coats: "Over the last six games, Gibson has been targeted 45 times, has caught 32 passes and picked up 331 yards. In the same span, Amendola has been targeted 37 times, has 29 catches and 216 yards."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams could face quite a few Chiefs fans at the Edward Jones Dome in Week 15. Thomas: "When the teams last met here, in 2006, about one in five spectators in the dome was a Chiefs fan decked out in Kansas City red. They weren't shy about cheering for their Chiefs, either." Adam Timmerman, a guard with the Rams at the time, put it this way back then: It's pretty bad when you've got to go silent count in your home stadium."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the big-game buzz for the Rams-Chiefs matchup isn't something the Rams have experienced in a while. Burwell: "It is starting to feel like a big game now. The governor is coming to practice this morning. Seriously, Missouri's First Fan -- as knowledgeable and passionate a sports fan as any public servant I've ever known -- is hanging out with the Rams today (no word on when or if he will spend equal time with the lesser half on the other side of Interstate 70)."

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says the Rams' Steven Jackson badly wants a return to the playoffs. Jackson hasn't been part of the postseason since his 2004 rookie season. Jackson: "I thought it would be an every year thing. I thought the playoffs would be something I'm accustomed to. But God willing, if we make it back this time, I won't take it for granted. I'll play each and every game, and each and every play, like I may not be back."

Jonathan Webb of stlouisrams.com checks in with Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur regarding Gibson's development. Shurmur: "My goodness, what a great improvement he’s made. For a receiver like Brandon Gibson, I think it’s about consistency. He’s been targeted more but he’s been catching more balls. So I think that’s the key. We talk about making the routine plays routinely. He’s embraced that and has found a way to get that done."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says Brandon Fletcher is coming along in his development as a cornerback.

Also from Wagoner: The Chiefs-Rams game will be televised locally in St. Louis.

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis says Jackson knows it's crunch time, and he's excited.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Leon Washington is lending support to Deon Butler after Butler suffered a leg injury similar to the one Washington overcame. Washington: "I really felt his pain. I really, really felt his pain. But I told him, ‘Hey man, you’ve got an example. You’ve got somebody who’s going to help you through the whole, entire process. Because you can do it.’ I know everything there is to know about that type of injury. So I’m going to be there for him."

Also from Farnsworth: Washington has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns to go with a healthy average on punt returns.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times lays out how the Seahawks could qualify for postseason at 7-9, 8-8 or 9-7.

Also from O'Neil: Mike Williams is eager to get back on the field for Seattle. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: "If you were to go back in March and give these hypotheticals: 'OK, here's a guy who has been on the street for two years, that this whole organization and team would be so reliant on him being able to play,' you probably wouldn't believe it. But he has meant a lot to our team. He has really stepped up."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with Seattle secondary coach Jerry Gray, who expects more from his defensive backs as they adapt to playing more press coverage.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald says Barbara Babineaux will have a hard time knowing which team to support most when her sons play on opposite sides of the Atlanta-Seattle game at Qwest Field.

John Morgan of Field Gulls takes a closer look at Kentwan Balmer's performance with the Seahawks this season.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Top receiver Mike Williams moved fairly well during warm-ups Sunday.

Williams' foot and ankle injuries threatened his ability to play a full game, however, and the Seattle Seahawks felt they could not commit a roster spot to him against San Francisco, particularly after Williams did not practice all week.

Williams does not play special teams, another consideration.

Keeping Williams active as a luxury would have required paring the roster elsewhere. The team did not feel comfortable sitting down one of its eight active defensive linemen.

The team needed to guard against depth issues on the defensive line in case nose tackle Colin Cole suffered another injury. Cole is coming back from an ankle injury and well ahead of Williams in the recovery process. He practiced all week.

Seattle kept eight defensive linemen active Sunday: ends Chris Clemons, Raheem Brock, Dexter Davis and Kentwan Balmer, plus tackles Brandon Mebane, Cole, Junior Siavii and Craig Terrill.

I would expect Williams to start against Atlanta in Week 15.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says there's much to like about Seahawks rookie safety Earl Thomas. Veteran safety Lawyer Milloy: "I’m very happy with his progress, starting with draft day. He’s got that frame of mind; he wants to be great. He’s a perfectionist, and he gets mad when he doesn’t do it the right way. A lot of what separates the great ones from the average is the mental approach, and he’s doing everything the right way." I've been struck by Thomas' willingness as a hitter. He's not big by safety standards. He's been shaken up several times this season, but he hasn't missed much time.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald looks at the Seahawks' recently improved ground game.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers notes from practice Wednesday, including one showing camaraderie among running backs.

Also from Farnsworth: a look at what Colin Cole's return could mean for the Seattle defense. The team has missed Cole and defensive end Red Bryant. Farnsworth: "Junior Siavii (for Cole) and Kentwan Balmer (for Bryant) have done admirable jobs filling in, but they’re lighter and a lot less experienced in the nuances of the Seahawks’ defense – since Balmer was acquired in a mid-August trade with the 49ers and Siavii was signed in early September. With Cole’s return, Siavii can slide out and help Balmer man the five-technique end spot, as well as rotate with Cole at nose tackle."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times checks in with Cole, who explains how he suffered an ankle injury against Oakland. Cole: "You want me to go into detail? All right. I was moving to my right, 3 minutes left in the game. They were on their goal line. Really a needless thing to happen. I was going to my right, and a guy basically to my left -- their right guard -- kind of jumped on the side of my leg. I'll say he jumped on the side of my leg. There's a proper way of cut blocks, and he just took it upon himself to kind of jump on the side of my leg. But there's nothing I can do about that now. The only thing I can do is concentrate on moving forward and trying to help the team with the next few games."

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says Lofa Tatupu is relishing the Seahawks' playoff relevance and exciting developments in his personal life. Tatupu: "It's everything you dream of. Not to sound cliché, but it is. It's magical. In the NFL, when you're in the hunt this time of year, every little thing matters — every practice, every game, every day. It's football at its most intense. I love it. I know it hasn't looked pretty for us this year. But, really, it doesn't matter. We're right there."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt sounds much happier with Dan Williams than with Calais Campbell. Whisenhunt offered specific reasons why he thought Williams was performing well. Here is what he said regarding Campbell: "First of all, I don't like to evaluate players in-season. I don't believe in doing that. I think that, right now, there are a lot of guys on this team who haven't played the way we all thought or expected. Probably a lot of coaches haven't coaches the way we expected. That's something we'll look at after the season and evaluate. The only thing I'll say is I'm not questioning anyone's effort."

Also from Somers: New Cardinals quarterback Richard Bartel was hunting wild hogs as recently as one week ago.

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic offers thoughts on John Skelton's emergence as the Cardinals' likely starting quarterback. Boivin: "What can Skelton do? How does Larry Fitzgerald feel? Leaving Derek Anderson in, if he's healthy, feels a little bit like pushing Fitzgerald toward the door. His contract expires after the 2011 season and the team would like to begin talks on a new deal no later than the spring. Why not Skelton? His 6-foot-5, 244-pound frame screams NFL prototype. At the combine, he ran a 4.85 40, seventh-best among all quarterbacks. His vertical jump was fourth best. The Cardinals liked him enough to trade cornerback Bryant McFadden and a sixth-round pick to move to the fifth round. We just don't know enough."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team appears on the verge of starting three quarterbacks in a season for the sixth time since the franchise moved to Arizona. Urban: "Assuming Anderson doesn’t start, the Cardinals will use a third starting quarterback in a season for the sixth time since the franchise moved to Arizona in 1988, although it has only happened once since the Cards’ playoff year of 1998. That’s when Denny Green, in his first season of 2004, briefly derailed the Josh McCown experiment with two starts for Shaun King and then one for rookie John Navarre before going back to McCown. The other four times were 1989 (Gary Hogeboom 13 starts, Tom Tupa 2; Timm Rosenbach 1), 1991 (Tupa 11, Stan Gelbaugh 3, Chris Chandler 2), 1994 (Steve Beuerlein 7, Jim McMahon 1, Jay Schroeder 8) and 1997 (Kent Graham 6, Stoney Case 1, Jake Plummer 9)."

Doug Farrar of Football Outsiders offers thoughts on Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. Analyst Greg Cosell: "Because of his accuracy, he will always make his receivers better in the long run. Because he's very compact, and he's very accurate. Believe me, I'm not comparing him to Tom Brady at this point in time, but I think he has attributes like that. Brady had Moss for a few years, and Moss was a certain type of player, but for the most part, Brady has not has what you would call elite receivers. And Bradford is the kind of guy -- because he's so compact and accurate, and he's exhibited such great timing and anticipation -- who can make receivers that you would not say are Top 10, better."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are scrambling at linebacker after losing Na'il Diggs for the remainder of the season. Thomas: "Rams coaches have two more practice days to sort through their options at the strongside and weakside positions. But at face value, the most logical starting combination would be David Vobora at strongside linebacker — where he started 10 times in '09 — and either Chris Chamberlain or Larry Grant at the weakside position. Chamberlain has better coverage skills than Grant, so he makes more sense against a pass-happy team such as the Saints. But complicating matters is the fact that Chamberlain suffered a right hand injury against Arizona."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams linebacker David Nixon. Coats: "A former Eagle Scout, Nixon's road to the NFL was interrupted by a two-year Mormon mission to Quito, Ecuador, after his freshman season at BYU."

Also from Coats: Bradford got advice from Drew Brees regarding shoulder surgery. Bradford said Brees' shoulder injury was far worse, however.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says rookie left tackle Rodger Saffold has been playing well for the Rams. Saffold and the line face their toughest test of the season to this point when they visit the Superdome in Week 14. Miklasz: "How good is Saffold? Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian, one of the best talent evaluators in NFL history, volunteered on his radio show Monday night that he made a mistake in not drafting Saffold at the end of the first round. The Rams picked Saffold at the top of the second round. Polian doesn't toss out compliments like that unless he's very, very, impressed. And it takes a lot to impress Polian."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com has this to say about the Rams' linebacker situation: "It appears that David Vobora will get the first shot at replacing Diggs at SLB and Chris Chamberlain will work at WIL. Chamberlain is wearing a small cast on his wrist but says no surgery will be required on small fracture. He practiced fully on Wednesday."

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis says the Rams' secondary is dealing with quite a few injuries.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers and Seahawks took differing approaches to working new running backs into their offenses. One key difference: The 49ers already had Frank Gore, so there was less incentive to work Brian Westbrook into the offense initially. Seattle did not have a physical running back. Lynch: "Running back is one of those positions where you can come in and make an impact almost immediately. Basically, the protections and the running plays are the same, just worded differently. Just change up the terminology and you have the same playbook."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Alex Smith knows he needs to be more aggressive. One limiting factor: Smith is not aggressive by nature.

Also from Barrows: answering questions about the 49ers' quarterback situation.

More from Barrows: Mike Singletary says the 49ers' offense was limited with Troy Smith at quarterback.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says it's fitting the 49ers' top two quarterbacks have the same last name. Cohn: "Tweedle Alex allegedly gives the Niners the best opportunity to win because he knows the playbook better than Tweedle Troy, and it's always helpful in the NFL to know the playbook. Of course, Tweedle Alex also knew the playbook better when the 49ers and Tweedle Troy got run out of Green Bay. Why didn't Singletary start Tweedle Alex then? You tell me." Not that the 49ers' floundering ways have invited cynicism.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the departure of longtime assistant coach Johnnie Lynn heading into Week 14 counts as par for the course in San Francisco.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says Alex Smith feels as though he's a good quarterback. Smith: "Absolutely. I have the ability to make all the throws on the field. [I'm] athletic enough that I think I can make plays with my feet when I need to. I can handle I think any playbook out there, [any] adjustments you have to make. I think I can. Have I done that consistently? To be honest, no. That's what I need to do."

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says Singletary was vague when discussing Lynn's departure. Singletary: "I visited with Johnnie before he left. All I'm going to say about that is that is something I will not comment on. But Johnnie and his family will deal with it, and I lose a good friend."