ESPN NFL

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

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

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

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

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

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

The second chart shows eligible players released by the Rams.

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

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

I'll provide a separate file breaking down each NFC West team's roster moves once they meet the 53-man limit.

In the meantime, a few odds and ends:

Arizona Cardinals

Traded guard Reggie Wells to Philadelphia; released tight end Anthony Becht; released linebacker Steve Baggs; released linebacker Monty Beisel; apparently informed receiver Max Komar he made the initial 53-man roster; apparently did not tell quarterback Matt Leinart about his status to this point; scheduled a news conference for 6 p.m. ET (but nothing significant on Leinart is expected at that time).

San Francisco 49ers

Released running back Michael Robinson, released fullback Brit Miller; released fullback Jehuu Caulcrick; released receiver Jason Hill; released receiver Kevin Jurovich; released offensive lineman Cody Wallace; released defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell; released tight ends Tony Curtis and J.J. Finley; released linebacker Bruce Davis; released cornerback Karl Paymah.

Seattle Seahawks

No known moves to this point; Seattle waited until Saturday to announce its cuts last season.

St. Louis Rams

No known moves to this point; the Rams also waited until Saturday last season.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers quarterback Alex Smith was particularly sharp in practice Wednesday. Maiocco: "Smith could not have thrown the deep ball better when he put four consecutive passes on the money during a passing drill. On consecutive go-routes against man coverage, Smith hit Brandon Jones, Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan and Ted Ginn with perfect passes approximately 40 yards down field. Crabtree, however, dropped his pass."

Also from Maiocco: Chilo Rachal sat out practice a day after suffering from dehydration.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle checks in with 49ers cornerback Phillip Adams, a seventh-round draft choice trying to catch the coaches' attention.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers carted off linebacker Scott McKillop with a knee injury diagnosed initially as a sprain.

Also from Barrows: The 49ers shuffled their offensive line thanks to personnel changes. Barrows: "Tony Wragge is clearly ahead of Cody Wallace at center, and he's been the No. 2 center since training camp began. (Baas also had taken some snaps at center before his concussion). Adam Snyder's chances of making the team go up because he can both play inside and outside on the offensive line. Both Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis are very inconsistent, which is what you'd expect from a rookie on Day 4 of training camp. In one instance, Iupati is mowing down the opposing defensive end as he did against Khalif Mitchell this morning. On the next two, he is beaten by Justin Smith and Ahmad Brooks, respectively. Davis, meanwhile, has been the culprit on a couple of blown protections the last two days. Today he was beaten soundly by Parys Haralson who disrupted Alex Smith." It's all good for the 49ers as long as Iupati and Davis are getting extended work with the first-team offense. They need the reps.

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says the 49ers will hold only one practice Thursday and it will be in Monterey.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' Delanie Walker suffered a concussion.

Also from Brown: Jerry Rice's legacy and its impact on current 49ers players.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says during a chat that the Cardinals have been impressed with inside linebacker Paris Lenon. Somers: "They like Paris Lenon a lot. They watched him video the past few years and say he didn't make a lot of mistakes. Washington has been good. He can really run. My guess is he will open the season playing in passing situations and then maybe work into the starting unit."

Also from Somers: Cardinals tight end Ben Patrick suffered a knee injury and will undergo an MRI exam. The injury was initially diagnosed as a sprain. Patrick is the most versatile tight end on the team. Anthony Becht and Stephen Spach are primarily blockers.

More from Somers: What's in a number for strong safety Adrian Wilson?

Jim Trotter of Sports Illustrated checks in from Cardinals camp. Wilson on Matt Leinart: "To be honest with you, Matt has really jumped out at me. He's been a much more vocal leader. He wasn't like that in the past. The quarterback position is the head position; everybody looks up to it. Matt wasn't just thrown in that spot, he had to wait a while. I think he's really matured and it's showing. If he misses on a ball, he knows it's his fault and not the receiver's fault. That's just something he has really grown into." I haven't gotten the sense Leinart's job has been in question this summer. It's easier to be assertive without that doubt. However, it's also important for Leinart to play well enough consistently enough to make it obvious he's a legitimate starter. He'll need to do that the rest of the summer.

Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Republic says Early Doucet is shooting for a breakout season.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com offers notes from practice, plus a photo of former Cardinals pass-rusher Bertrand Berry in his new role as reporter.

Also from Urban: This Cardinals training camp is more intense.

More from Urban: Beanie Wells is much more comfortable in Arizona than he was one year ago.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com looks at recent roster moves for Seattle, including the addition of defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock. Johns: "The Seahawks aren't particularly thin at defensive tackle with starters Brandon Mebane and Colin Cole backed up by veterans Craig Terrill, Kevin Vickerson and Jonathan Lewis. Vickerson, a 6-5, 321-pounder obtained from Tennessee in the LenDale White trade on draft day, has shown flashes of considerable power at times early in camp. But GM John Schneider has made it clear he's willing to look for talent anywhere he can find it, so the Seahawks apparently will bring in Pitcock to see what he can offer."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times asks whether the grueling camp Seattle conducted under Jim Mora one year ago contributed to a poor finish. O'Neil: "Consider Mora's regular-season record. In four seasons as an NFL head coach, his teams were 25-19 before Dec. 1 (.568). His record after Dec. 1? 6-14 (.300)." New coach Pete Carroll gave the Seahawks a day off from practice Wednesday. Several teams give players down days on occasion.

Clare Farnsworth of seahwaks.com reviews the first four days of Seahawks training camp. Farnsworth: "Matt Hasselbeck has been en fuego, but his touchdown pass to rookie Golden Tate on Monday afternoon was a beauty. As Tate slipped behind cornerback Cord Parks, Hasselbeck not only hit Tate in stride, he put a little something extra on the pass so Tate could make the catch before running out of end zone."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune looks at the competition between backup quarterbacks Charlie Whitehurst and J.P. Losman. Boling: "Whitehurst is more nimble than one might expect, given his height. And he has a decent enough presence in the pocket. But his pure passing and arm strength do not appear to be the equal of Losman’s. Two plays in recent team drills seem fair comparisons. On one deep pass, receiver Golden Tate got behind cornerback Josh Wilson. Whitehurst put too much air under the ball, and as it finally nosed downward, Wilson had time to recover and deflect the pass. On the other side, Losman saw Deon Butler streaking up the sideline past his coverage. With a lower trajectory and more velocity, Losman’s pass was out in front of Butler where he could run it down. Butler didn’t make a great adjustment to it, though, and it fell incomplete. But not because the pass wasn’t there. Whitehurst looked very competent in a two-minute drill on Tuesday. Losman countered with continued zip on his ball, including one sideline completion of an 'out' route that was absolutely humming as it reached the receiver."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says former Rams defensive end Leonard Little is undecided about continuing his career. Most veterans with Little's age and experience aren't excited about participating in training camp. Little: "Sometimes I feel like I want to come back," Little said. "Sometimes I feel like I don't. It's a hard decision to make when you're used to playing football. I've been playing football since I was 5 years old. I love the game. And I do miss it. But my decision is not going to be about football. It's going to be about other things -- things I'd rather not talk about right now."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams quarterback Sam Bradford is working through the usual rookie mistakes. Bradford: "We've put a lot [of the offensive scheme] in every day," Bradford said. "And the more we put in, the more I have to think. ... Once we get everything in and I've repped everything, I think I'll feel more comfortable. I think it's just a matter of me really adjusting to the speed and all the different variations can that occur in a play."

Also from Coats: Bradford has high expectations for the offense.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat updates Rams injuries, noting that Ron Bartell suffered a low ankle sprain and tight end Eric Butler has a shoulder injury.

Also from Korte: Bradford says he's having fun working the "best job in the world."

The 49ers report agreeing to terms with the following 10 undrafted free agents:

• Mike Balogun, linebacker, Oklahoma
• Tramaine Brock, cornerback, Belhaven
• Jarrett Brown, QB, West Virginia
• Shay Hodge, receiver, Mississippi
• Keaton Kristick, linebacker, Oregon State
• Scott Long, receiver, Louisville
• Christopher Maragos, safety, Wisconsin
• Jared Perry, receiver, Missouri
• Patrick Stoudamire, cornerback, Western Illinois
• LeRoy Vann, cornerback, Florida A&M

All four NFC West teams have now announced their projected undrafted signees. Alex Boone, Khalif Mitchell and Diyral Briggs were among the 2009 undrafted free agents to sign. Each is with the team currently.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The 49ers have lost one player from their practice squad -- running back Kory Sheets, signed by the Dolphins -- while adding a familiar one.

Offensive lineman Khalif Mitchell, who went to camp with the 49ers, re-signed to San Francisco's practice squad.

Sheets enjoyed a strong exhibition season, but the 49ers did not sign him to their active roster after losing starter Frank Gore to injury. With Gore returning after the bye, the 49ers should be fine at running back, even if they had hoped to keep Sheets on their practice squad.

Contracts are not permanent in the NFL, of course. We've seen promising young running backs leave NFC West practice squads for 53-man roster spots elsewhere, only to return. It happened to the Seahawks with Justin Forsett last season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

49ers Player Released on Cutdown Pos. Current Team Capacity Brit Miller RB 49ers Practice Squad Kory Sheets RB 49ers Practice Squad Alex Boone OL 49ers Practice Squad J.J. Finley TE 49ers Practice Squad Dobson Collins WR 49ers Practice Squad Dominique Zeigler WR 49ers Practice Squad Terrail Lambert DB -- -- Matt Spanos OL -- -- Pannel Egboh DL -- -- Khalif Mitchell DL -- -- Bill Rentmeester RB -- -- Jacob Bender OL -- -- Kyle Howard OL -- -- Jay Moore LB -- -- Justin Roland LB -- -- Mark Washington LB -- -- Joe Toledo OL -- -- Bear Pascoe TE -- -- Maurice Price WR -- -- Eric Green DB -- --

The tough decisions teams face in reducing their rosters to 53 players sometimes aren't so tough.

"The 49ers released Kory Sheets!" loses some of its drama when Sheets quietly re-signs to the 49ers' practice squad after none of the other 31 NFL teams submit a waiver claim for him.

I've gone through the initial NFC West cut lists -- those players released at the 53-man deadline -- to see which ones have returned to their teams or caught on elsewhere.

The chart shows results for San Francisco.

The 49ers' initial cut list featured only one vested veteran, cornerback Eric Green. The other 19 players had practice-squad eligibility and the 49ers brought back six of them in that capacity.

The remaining 14 players are unsigned.

Offensive lineman Jacob Bender had a tryout with the Seahawks. The Jets showed interest in tight end Bear Pascoe, only to receive another tight end via waivers.

Sheets impressed during the preseason, but the 49ers were stacked at running back with Frank Gore and Glen Coffee. They valued the versatile Michael Robinson far too much to carry a rookie runner on their 53-man roster in his place.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The 49ers announced seven signings to their practice squad Sunday. Sixth-round choice Bear Pascoe, a player the team once envisioned as a smashmouth blocking tight end, was not one of the seven players. J.J. Finley was the only tight end signed to the practice squad.

The other six initial members of the squad: tackle Alex Boone, receiver Dobson Collins, fullback Brit Miller, defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell, receiver Dominique Zeigler and running back Kory Sheets.

It probably wasn't a good sign for Pascoe when coach Mike Singletary told reporters Saturday that the NFL game appeared too fast for the former Fresno State player.

Five of the 49ers' seven 2009 draft choices earned spots on the initial 53-man roster. A sixth, Michael Crabtree, remains unsigned.

Ex-49ers eligible for practice squad Pos. Jacob Bender OL Alex Boone OL Dobson Collins WR Pannel Egboh DL J.J. Finley TE Kyle Howard OL Terrail Lambert DB Brit Miller FB Khalif Mitchell DL Jay Moore LB Bear Pascoe TE Maurice Price WR Bill Rentmeester FB Justin Roland LB Kory Sheets RB Matt Spanos OL Joe Toledo OL Mark Washington LB Dominique Zeigler WR

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

NFL teams can begin forming eight-man practice squads once released players clear waivers this afternoon.

Every player the 49ers released on the reduction to 53 players -- minus cornerback Eric Green -- possesses eligibility for the practice squad. Tackle Alex Boone, guard Matt Spanos, fullback Brit Miller, defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell and running back Kory Sheets could make sense as options. The team will presumably keep one of the tight ends it released, Bear Pascoe or J.J. Finley. Cornerback Terrail Lambert could provide another option.

Some 49ers fans have expressed to me surprise over Sheets' release in particular. The depth San Francisco enjoys at that position made Sheets' release likely.

We likewise should not be surprised if backup running back Glen Coffee plays sparingly as a rookie. Like Sheets, Coffee showed promise during the exhibition games. But with offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye having already committed to Frank Gore as the workhorse back, there won't be many carries left over.

As long as Gore is healthy and his usually productive self, I think Coffee would have to break long runs when given opportunities to siphon significant carries in the No. 2 role.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Biggest surprise: The 49ers kept only four running backs, two tight ends and eight offensive linemen on the initial cutdown to 53 players, suggesting the team will consider adding players at those positions. This is a power running team, after all. The decision to release both Bear Pascoe and J.J. Finley was a bit of surprise. One of them was expected to serve as the third tight end. Undrafted free agent Diyral Briggs earned a spot at linebacker, edging out Jay Moore. Fullback Brit Miller, running back Kory Sheets and receiver Dominique Zeigler had made positive impressions with fans, but none enjoyed strong roster security. Their releases were not surprising in that context. Coach Mike Singletary had said the 49ers faced few significant roster decisions heading into the final exhibition game. The team did not cut any big-name players.

No-brainers: The 49ers' cut list ran 20 deep and also featured tackle Jacob Bender, tackle Alex Boone, receiver Dobson Collins, defensive end Pannel Egboh, cornerback Eric Green, guard Kyle Howard, cornerback Terrail Lambert, defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell, receiver Maurice Price, fullback Bill Rentmeester, linebacker Justin Roland, offensive lineman Matt Spanos, tackle Joe Toledo and linebacker Mark Washington.

What's next: The 49ers could use a veteran offensive tackle after Marvel Smith retired. They will presumably scan the waiver wire for a fullback. The team will also likely want to add a third tight end.

49ers eligible for practice squad Pos. Perceived Status Terrail Lambert DB Likely cut Reggie Smith DB Keeper Curtis Taylor DB Likely cut Carlos Thomas DB Likely cut Jahi Word-Daniels DB Likely cut Pannel Egboh DL Likely cut Ricky Jean-Francois DL Bubble Khalif Mitchell DL Bubble Diyral Briggs LB Likely cut Scott McKillop LB Keeper Jay Moore LB Bubble Justin Roland LB Likely cut Mark Washington LB Likely cut Brit Miller FB Bubble Matt Spanos OL Likely cut Cody Wallace OL Keeper Jacob Bender OL Likely cut Kyle Howard OL Likely cut Alex Boone OL Bubble Joe Toledo OL Likely cut Nate Davis QB Bubble Glen Coffee RB Keeper Bill Rentmeester RB Bubble Kory Sheets RB Likely cut Alex Romero ST Likely cut J.J. Finley TE Likely cut Bear Pascoe TE Keeper Mark Bradford WR Likely cut Dobson Collins WR Likely cut Maurice Price WR Likely cut Dominique Zeigler WR Bubble

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The quarterback race between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith commands much 49ers-related attention.

The race for the No. 3 job behind them deserves some attention. Veteran Damon Huard has a 15-12 record as an NFL starter. He provides value as an experienced backup. The team also wants to develop fifth-round rookie quarterback Nate Davis.

What to do?

Davis is a project. He will not help the 49ers this season. The question becomes whether another team would sign him to its 53-man roster if the 49ers waived Davis and tried to sign him to their practice squad.

As noted, NFL teams selected 19 quarterbacks in the fifth round from the 2000 through 2008 drafts. Eighteen earned opening-day spots on 53-man rosters as rookies. The Steelers' Omar Jacobs was an exception in 2006, the year Ben Roethlisberger opened on the bench following a motorcycle accident.

The factors that pushed down Davis in the draft -- notably a learning disability that the 49ers see as overstated -- still exist. If teams fear Davis might struggle to learn their system -- and for the sake of this discussion, it doesn't matter if such fears are justified -- the 49ers might have an easier time getting
Davis onto their practice squad.

What would you do?

The chart shows all 31 current 49ers players with eligibility, arranged by position. I left first-round choice Michael Crabtree off the chart because he has not signed with the team.

NFL teams must reduce rosters from 80 to 75 players Sept. 1. They must reduce to 53 players Sept. 5. They can begin forming eight-man practice squads Sept. 6 at noon ET.

As the NFL puts it:

After 12 noon, New York time, clubs may establish a practice squad of eight players by signing free agents who do not have an accrued season of free-agency credit or who were on the 45-player active list for less than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s). A player cannot participate on the practice squad for more than three seasons.

The 49ers also face dilemmas at other positions, including what to do at receiver while Crabtree and Brandon Jones are not available, but that third quarterback race stands out.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The 49ers' roster appears most interesting at running back and receiver.

The more I think about how much the 49ers want to pound the ball on offense, the more I see them keeping two fullbacks on the Week 1 roster.

Zak Keasey's broken forearm prevents him from becoming part of the equation early, and it's tough to see a team waiting two months for a backup fullback to get healthy. Enter Bill Rentmeester. Formerly of the Chargers, Rentmeester offers what preseason touchdown machine Brit Miller does not: experience at fullback. For the sake of this roster exercise, I'll pencil in Rentmeester for Week 1.

The numbers at receiver figure to swell while the team waits for Brandon Jones to heal and Michael Crabtree to sign and get ready to contribute.

San Francisco 49ers Week 1 Roster Counts since 2003 QB RB WR TE OL DL LB DB ST Fewest 3 4 5 2 8 5 6 7 2 Most 4 7 7 4 10 9 8 11 4 Average 3.2 5.2 5.8 3.2 8.8 7.2 7.3 9.3 3.0 Currently on roster 4 8 12 4 14 9 12 14 4

The chart provides a framework for how many players the 49ers might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the Cardinals.

Here's a quick look at which 49ers players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players (I made one change, moving Cody Wallace into the group of offensive linemen at Joe Toledo's expense):

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The 49ers begin their afternoon practice in another hour or so. A few notes left over from the morning session:

• These practices feature more high-impact physical contact than what I recall seeing at most training camps. Example: Frank Gore runs across the shallow middle on a pass pattern. He's about to catch the pass when linebacker Takeo Spikes decks him. The pass is incomplete. Gore gets up and runs back to the huddle, ready for more.
• Manny Lawson stood out to me a couple times. As noted, he defeated Vernon Davis, a difficult matchup, in Mike Singletary's nutcracker drills. I also saw Lawson beat left tackle Joe Staley in a one-on-one pass-rush drill. Lawson celebrated after beating Staley with a quick move to the inside. The 49ers need to see more of this.
• Also in pass-rush drills, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin beat center Eric Heitmann, who had little choice but to hold; Kentwan Balmer beat guard Tony Wragge, who also held; defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell convincingly beat center Cody Wallace; defensive end Pannel Egboh eventually prevailed against tackle Kyle Howard with a spin move; guard Matt Spanos fared better in an immediate rematch after defensive lineman Babatunde Oshinowo beat him in the first matchup.
• Cornerback Dre Bly showed his frustration after receiver Josh Morgan beat him for a short reception. Morgan gained separation with a quick shove near the line of scrimmage before catching the pass from Shaun Hill.
• Receiver Brandon Jones leapt high to make a catch over cornerback Marcus Hudson on a pass from Alex Smith (update: I think Hill threw that one).
• Singletary kept urging players to stay off the ground. That is a standard message from coaches, but it's tougher to abide by such rules when the practices are so physical.
• Smith's shoulder appears to be doing fine. The quarterback threw one pass roughly 60 yards in the air without any trouble.
• Singletary likes what he's seeing from linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who continues to get work while Parys Haralson rests an injury.
  
• Balmer "did OK" when working with the first team at right defensive end while Justin Smith received time off.

I spoke with Staley and Gore after the morning practice. Both seemed genuinely excited about playing for Singletary. More on that as camp progresses.