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The NFL took a break from dominating the sports news cycle over the weekend.

The silence will not last long.

Bounty-related punishments for current and former New Orleans Saints players await. The NFL will address recent bounty-related appeals from Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis. Teams will continue filling out their rosters with second-tier free agents. The league will also release its 2012 regular-season schedule in the next week or so.

In the meantime, we take a quick look around the division on a Monday morning.

Peter Delevett of the San Jose Mercury News says San Francisco 49ers players spent part of their weekend participating in the search for missing Bay Area teenager Sierra LaMar. Delevett: "The search effort is being aided by thousands of volunteers; by the families of other Bay Area youngsters who have been kidnapped and killed, including those of Polly Klaas and Xiana Fairchild; and by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. On Saturday, Smith and teammates Joe Staley, Delanie Walker and Scott Tolzien were among about 500 people combing southern Santa Clara County for signs of Sierra. The NFL stars made it clear they did not welcome the media attention, but Sierra's sister, Danielle, was grateful for the celebrity support. 'When those kinds of people get involved, it gives us a whole new audience,' she said."

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times checks in with former Seattle Seahawks players Joe Tafoya and Kerry Carter, who have joined forces with other former teammates to operate a mobile apps company. Kelley: "Two years ago, Tafoya, now 33 and a computer-science major from Arizona, bought an 11-year-old Redmond mobile apps distributor. Now he's joined forces with like-minded former Seahawks Carter, Chike Okeafor and Omare Lowe to form Jump It Media. ... They're building profile applications for athletes to help them increase their brands through online channels. Among their subjects are Chicago Bears defensive end Lance Briggs and Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry."

Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710ESPN Seattle discuss whether the Seahawks would be wise to move back from the 12th overall spot in the 2012 draft.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports on the wine company Cardinals guard Daryn Colledge founded with two former teammates. The label -- "Three Fat Guys" -- reflects their good humor and significant girth as offensive linemen. Somers: "It started small in 2008 and has stayed that way. The initial objective was to produce enough wine to stock the three fat guys' homes and for them to give away as presents. Only 126 or so cases are produced each year, so it's more than a novelty but less than a full-time business. ... Their greatest fear now is not that the operation will go under, but that it will grow too fast and consume too much time. The players see the humor in that, because they weren't long out of college when the idea of becoming winemakers was hatched."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com offers thoughts on Deuce Lutui's departure from the Cardinals to the Seahawks as an unrestricted free agent. Urban: "The door hadn’t been closed on Lutui in Arizona, but I didn’t see him starting again here. He may not in Seattle, but he reunites with his college coach, Pete Carroll, and the Cards will get a chance to see him again."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Trevor Laws, a free agent from the Philadelphia Eagles, visited the St. Louis Rams recently. Thomas: "A second-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2008, Laws has been a rotation player for the Eagles, used specifically as an interior pass rusher in the nickel package. He has started only twice in 56 regular-season games, but registered a career-high 40 tackles last season, including a sack and 16 quarterback pressures. He had four sacks in 2010. Laws, 6-1, 304, is at least the fifth free agent to visit Rams Park this week, joining quarterback Dennis Dixon (Pittsburgh), defensive end William Hayes (Tennessee), and wide receivers Jerricho Cotchery (Pittsburgh) and Jerome Simpson (Cincinnati). All told, the Rams have had nearly two dozen free agents in for visits, signing eight to contracts."

ESPN.com’s NFL writers rank the top 10 linebackers in the league today. Next week: Top 10 cornerbacks.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis beat out a strong and diverse field for top billing in ESPN.com's latest positional power rankings.

All eight panelists ranked Willis among their top three, elevating the 26-year-old perennial Pro Bowler above James Harrison and DeMarcus Ware as our No. 1 linebacker in the NFL.

Even 12-time Pro Bowler Ray Lewis, the dominant linebacker of his era, pointed to Willis as a worthy successor to his undisputed reign. Not that Lewis is finished just yet. He placed fifth in the rankings behind Willis, Harrison, Ware and the Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews. But there was no more complete linebacker than Willis.

"Nobody in the NFL plays their position better than Patrick Willis, and that is saying a lot," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc., whose insights helped shape my ballot. "He is as good a linebacker as Peyton Manning is a quarterback, as Andre Johnson is a receiver, as Adrian Peterson is a running back. He has no weaknesses."

Willis, a three-time Associated Press All-Pro first-team selection, is the first 49ers player since Ronnie Lott to earn Pro Bowl honors in each of his first four seasons. Joe Thomas and Peterson are the only other 2007 draft choices with four Pro Bowls.

Apples and oranges: Comparing linebackers from 3-4 schemes to their 4-3 counterparts proved problematic for some panelists. AFC East blogger Tim Graham ranked Ware first among pass-rushers three weeks ago, but only ninth among linebackers.

"Patrick Willis, Brian Urlacher and Ray Lewis would be great linebackers in a 3-4 or a 4-3," Graham explained. "DeMarcus Ware and Cameron Wake might not even be linebackers if they played in Indianapolis, Tennessee or Minnesota. At some point, I had to value elite pass-rushing abilities on my list even though those players aren't universal-type linebackers."

There was room for differing views. ESPN.com's John Clayton and AFC North blogger James Walker ranked Ware first among linebackers and first among pass-rushers. AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky ranked Ware first among linebackers and second among pass-rushers.

"Separating Ware, Willis and Harrison is like splitting hairs, because it really depends on what you want in a linebacker," said Walker, who went with Ware, Willis and Harrison atop his ballot. "Ware is a slightly better pass-rusher than Harrison, and Willis is a future Hall of Famer in his prime. Age also has to be a consideration if you’re building a defense, and Harrison will be 33 in May. But they're all great."

First things first: Graham and NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert joined me in ranking Willis first. AFC West blogger Bill Williamson had Willis second only to Harrison.

"When I think of linebacker play in the current day, James Harrison pops out," Bill Williamson said. "I think he’s the gold standard of complete linebacker play. Look at his signature play in the Super Bowl against Arizona. That play will forever be part of NFL lore. Patrick Willis, who is also a great player, doesn’t have that play on his résumé. Plus, Harrison is an ornery cuss on the field. The man was born to be a 'backer."

Willis can't match Harrison in Super Bowl memories -- he could use a quarterback, for starters -- but he's not hurting for signature plays:

• There was the time, as a rookie in 2007, when Willis tracked down and tackled Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Sean Morey 62 yards downfield, in overtime, to save the game.
• There was the time in 2008, when Willis picked off Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and weaved his way 86 yards to the tying third-quarter touchdown -- the longest interception return by a linebacker since Willis entered the league.
• There was Willis' crushing hit against the New York Jets' Brad Smith in 2008, the hit that left Hasselbeck with a broken rib in 2009 and the two-game stretch last season when Willis collected 28 tackles despite wearing a cast following in-season hand surgery.

Lewis pointed to Willis when ESPN's Dana Jacobson recently asked him which young linebacker reminded Lewis of himself.

"I just love the way he plays the game," Lewis said. "He plays the game with a fire. He reminds me of myself -- a lot, a lot, a lot."

Unanimous decisions: The top five finishers received votes from all eight panelists. The gaps between highest and lowest votes fell between four and seven places for all but Willis, who ranked no lower than third.

Seifert ranked Lewis third. I had Lewis 10th and feared I might be measuring him against himself. No list of top linebackers would be complete without him, I thought, but a younger generation is taking over.

Hugs for Suggs: Lewis' teammate, Terrell Suggs, finished just out of our top 10 despite getting a No. 5 ranking from Kuharsky.

"I unabashedly love Suggs, and frankly would have placed him higher if I thought there was any way he needed help to crack the top 10," Kuharsky said. "To me, there is a great deal of subjectivity in ranking this position when mixing guys from 4-3s and 3-4s, so I did a lot of know-them-when-I-see-them ranking. Suggs is absolutely a top-10 guy to me."

Clayton, Seifert, Graham and I did not list Suggs on our ballots while searching for the right mix of 3-4 and 4-3 talent.

Fit to be tied: The players tied for ninth on our list illustrate the varied criteria for the position. Kansas City's Tamba Hali is a pure pass-rusher in the Chiefs' 3-4 defense. Carolina's Jon Beason is a traditional 4-3 linebacker with the versatility to play multiple spots. He changed positions twice in 2010.

Beason peaked at No. 5 on my ballot. NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas had Beason sixth and considered ranking him higher.

"There was a time when I would have ranked Beason in the same echelon as Willis," Yasinskas said. "I think he has a chance to re-emerge if Carolina can put a better team on the field, particularly by getting better at defensive tackle and keeping blockers off Beason. If that happens, I think Beason can be as good as any linebacker in the league."

Youth on his side: New England's Jerod Mayo appeared on six of eight ballots, ranking sixth overall between Lewis and Urlacher. At 25, Mayo was one of two linebackers younger than Willis to earn a spot among the top 10. Matthews, 24, was the other. Graham ranked Mayo third.

"Nose tackle Vince Wilfork might be the anchor of the Patriots' defense, but Mayo is the one who ties their defense together," Graham said. "Mayo is a tackling machine who compensates for shortcomings at outside linebacker and injuries along the defensive line. He would be a star in any system."

On an island: Four linebackers received a single vote. That list featured Brian Orakpo (Clayton), Lance Briggs (Seifert), London Fletcher (Walker) and Wake (Graham).

Best doesn't mean most valuable: Matt Williamson called linebacker the toughest position to evaluate. I'll close by passing along a few of his thoughts:

• "Willis is so exceptional it would be a coin flip with Ware. Willis has no weaknesses, but if I were a general manager, I would take Ware because pass-rushers are so hard to find. You can get away with a C-level middle linebacker and still have a good defense. You can have a two-down run-stopper and pull him out in nickel."
• "Ray Lewis would not be in my top five at this point. For his age, he is still exceptional and a borderline Pro Bowler, but he doesn't run like he did. I remember when I was with the Browns, I looked at every report the team had written since 1999 and Lewis had the highest grade ever given out. He was nearly perfect."
• "Hali is a one-trick pony, a pass-rusher, but he is great at it -- as good as any pass-rusher in the league."
• "Beason is like Patrick Willis, but he is 95 percent of him. He can play outside, inside, he's smart -- but there is so little around him that people don't realize how good he is."
• "Pass rushing is Clay Matthews' greatest gift, but he is the prototypical outside linebacker. He's a great technician and way more explosive and athletic than people realize. He's good in coverage, not great, but they line him up all over."
• "London Fletcher is underrated, but not in this conversation. How Beason is to Willis, Fletcher is to Lewis. He is smaller and slower than Lewis, good among older guys."
• "Brian Urlacher is still a really good player, but the top 10 might be a stretch. I would take him ahead of Lewis, behind Beason and Willis among 'Mike' 'backers. He is good in coverage. People forget that he was a safety at New Mexico. He doesn't run like he used to and is just not as dynamic as he was in the day."
• "The Steelers have the best linebackers in the league. LaMarr Woodley is very strong and in that conversation too. Definitely top 15. Harrison is great against the run, extremely strong and one of the few linebackers in the league that is a difference-maker from an attitude standpoint. He brings attitude to the table like a Jack Lambert or a Dick Butkus or a Ray Lewis type. He is feared. He is one of the best leverage players in the league, great in pursuit, tenacious as hell. The other guy to know about is Lawrence Timmons. He will be spectacular."

The Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears needed 130 offensive plays, 18 punts and more than three hours to decide their Week 6 matchup at Soldier Field.

Sizing up their impending divisional-round playoff rematch shouldn't require so much trouble.

"I think Seattle is going to get killed," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. "I’m not a believer at all."

Uh, oh. This could get ugly.

"Matt Williamson is the perfect person to offer counterbalance on the Seahawks," NFC West blog regular fundadfor2 wrote. "He couldn't think less of our team or players. Heck, he did a list showing the top 15 or 20 rookies this season, and Earl Thomas wasn't to be found. Neither was Russell Okung. Matt seems to have an axe and is looking for a grinding wheel."

Not quite.

Williamson once ranked the Seahawks 11th when our 11 other panelists had them 17th to 27th. He did single out both Thomas and Okung for praise during various installments of his weekly rookie watch. It's possible Williamson is basing his thoughts on what he saw from Seattle during its nine double-digit defeats this season.

Of course, the Seahawks did win at Chicago 23-20 in that Week 6 game. And they did just shock the New Orleans Saints 41-36 in the wild-card round, with Matt Hasselbeck outdueling Drew Brees.

"Chicago had best hope that this doesn't come down to the QB position," fundadfor2 wrote. "Matt Hasselbeck has been very good in the playoffs, and Jay Cutler -- well, I do believe this is his first sniff of the postseason. The game is different. The pressure is different. ... Cutler is up and down, and I don't expect him to have one of his better days."

This conversation began on the NFC West blog Monday when I threw open the subject for discussion. I also reached out to Williamson and ESPN college football analyst Brock Huard, the former Seahawks quarterback and current co-host on 710ESPN Seattle. Huard outlined four keys to the game from Seattle's perspective:

• Can the makeshift Seahawks offensive line handle the Bears' front four? Huard: "Lovie Smith would love to hit and pressure with their defensive line so Matt Hasselbeck can't take advantage of one-on-one mismatches outside or beat the blitz with his quick decision-making."
• Can Jay Cutler take care of the football and Mike Martz be patient in his play calling? Huard: "With Colin Cole back in the middle of Seattle's defensive line and Brandon Mebane playing the best ball of his career, will the Hawks be able to win in early run-down situations as they did in Week 6? If so, Martz's patience will be tested."
• Can Seattle corners Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings make a play on the ball? Huard: "They have one interception each all season and Cutler will give his receivers a chance downfield."
• Can the Seahawks' front seven get off the ball without the half-step advantage Qwest Field creates? Huard: "With a projected high temperature of 10 to 13 degrees, the field will slow down the game at the line of scrimmage, and a 10 a.m. PT kickoff has been a Seattle stumbling block."

The early kickoff didn't seem to hurt Seattle much against Chicago in Week 6. I don't think it's a big factor for the playoffs. Seattle is arriving Friday, just in case.

And in a surprise, Seattle has collected 22 of its 37 sacks on the road this season, including a season-high six against the Bears. Defensive backs collected 4.5 of those six sacks, however, and Seattle has become more reliant on its defensive ends to pressure quarterbacks lately.

"The Bears win because of their running game and defense," adambballn wrote. "The Saints didn't have the ability to take advantage of the Seahawks' bad run defense due to the amount of injuries they suffered at running back."

No doubt, New Orleans ran out of options at running back with Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory on injured reserve. The Saints lacked balance. Drew Brees attempted 60 passes. That played into the Seahawks' strengths in a loud environment. Brees was good, but not good enough to match one of Hasselbeck's most impressive efforts.

"The answer is simple," jogan13 wrote. "Stop Cutler, make him make bad decisions and you will win. The Bears don't play well from behind, especially if they are throwing a lot. Keep the pressure on Cutler, throw in some zone blitzes. In the end, the Seahawks will win by 14 or more."

Sounds optimistic. Cutler actually has much better passing numbers when trailing. He has seven touchdowns and eight picks when leading, but 13 touchdowns and eight picks when trailing. Elias Sports Bureau has all the situational numbers here.

One question I have is whether Martz's pass-happy instincts will prevail under pressure.

"Too many Bears fans ignore the Martz factor," DiLune2 wrote. "NFC West teams/fans are very familiar with him. He will lose his mind in big games. He will absolutely forget he has a running back because he wants to prove how smart he is. I don't see why people expect a different result from him this weekend."

Lovie Smith hit the override button on Martz near midseason. The Bears have become much more of a running team since carrying only 14 times against Seattle. Cutler passed for seven touchdowns, two interceptions and a 107.6 rating on play-action attempts this season. That reflects a running threat.

Running back Matt Forte joined Walter Payton as the only players in Bears history with at least 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same season.

"Martz has changed everything he believes in and is playing in a wintry town," Williamson said. "Cutler has been very good and the line, though still a weakness, is starting to sort of jell. The defense is top three in the league behind Green Bay and Pittsburgh. They rush four, Julius Peppers is an animal, their defensive line is good, they are good at all levels, they are great tacklers, they are exceptional at causing turnovers and even though Seattle's special teams are fantastic, Chicago is the only one I have ahead of them, mostly because of Devin Hester.

"Simply put," Williamson added,"I think the Bears are a good football team."

OK, but the Seahawks just beat one of those. Hasselbeck burned the Saints' gambling defense for four touchdown passes. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 131 yards. Brees had better success against the "Bandit" packages that gave Cutler so much trouble in Week 6, but Brees is better than Cutler, so that wasn't such a shock.

"Lynch will need to have another big game," Hawkfannumber1 wrote. "Hasselbeck will need to be more concerned with turnovers against the Bears' defense, but he also won't need to score as much. I don't think either team will score more that 24 points. The defense will need a different game plan. The Bears will be ready for the 'Bandit' package this time. They will still need to get a ton of pressure on Cutler to get the defense off the field. If Cutler has time, he will play much better. Lastly, don't kick it to Hester."

We should probably mention Leon Washington in here somewhere, too. Opponents have contained Seattle's return specialist in recent weeks. He had a 42-yard kickoff return against the Bears.

That was nearly three months ago. Much has changed.

The Bears were without Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs then. Seattle was without Brandon Mebane, one of the team's best defensive linemen. Okung was making his second NFL start after coming back from ankle problems that have continued to bother him all season. His ability to match up against Peppers proved critical in Week 6.

"I think this game hinges on a few things, but the absolute key hinge is Russell Okung," Trynfadethis wrote. "If he can't win his matchup against Julius Peppers, then the Bears dominate. We can assume the Bears will stop the run. That's fine. The question is, if Hasselbeck has time, can they stop Mike Williams, Brandon Stokely, Ben Obomanu, Cameron Morrah and a rediscovered John Carlson? I think it's pretty simple. If the Bears don't change up bigtime on defense, then Seattle will score 24-plus points unless Hasselbeck really just tanks. So then it's on Cutler to score more."

The Bears have scored at least 31 points in two of their past three home games. All three were against playoff teams. They scored 31 against Philadelphia, 38 against the New York Jets and seven against New England.

Cutler did throw six picks over the final four games, though.

"An inexperienced playoff QB (Cutler) with a history of being a head case -- not a good combination," jeff0621 wrote.

"An old QB who hurts himself running five yards with no contact whatsoever -- not a good combination," Les_ Grossman_ countered, alluding to Hasselbeck's ill-fated touchdown run at Tampa Bay in Week 16.

Bears fans and Seahawks fans -- a good combination. Let's bring in a self-described Green Bay fan. Take it away, ZTA.

"With a couple of exceptions, the Bears have been playing solid defense," ZTAclerk wrote. "It's hard to stop the Patriots, as we've seen, and the Jets can be feast-or-famine. Seattle played a really good, balanced game against the Saints and was definitely assisted by the 12th man. If the Seahawks can put together a solid offensive gameplan around a quick Bears defense and keep the special teams from giving the Bears short field, the game can be close. If the special teams fail or the offense lets the Bears' defense dictate the game, I can't see them winning on the road."

ESPN's Trent Dilfer said he thought the Bears would probably hold Seattle to between 13 and 17 points (see video below), putting little pressure on Cutler to do anything out of the ordinary.

The score was 23-20 last time, but Seattle's Jon Ryan punted a season-high 10 times in that game. The 18 combined punts marked a single-game season high for both teams.

Hasselbeck did find Williams for 10 receptions and 123 yards. The temperature was 61 degrees that day, however, and Hasselbeck was rested coming off a bye week. His left wrist had yet to be broken and his hip, which now requires periodic draining, was healthy.

Hasselbeck has thrown 35 interceptions over the past two seasons, counting playoffs. He was hot last week, but consistency has been a problem. Hasselbeck has put together strong performances in back-to-back weeks only once in 2010, and that was after sitting out Week 9. That's why his brilliant performance against the Saints came as such a pleasant surprise for Seattle fans.

"I think what everyone is overlooking is that the Saints' defense completely collapsed in the wild-card game," goldfngr_77 wrote. "How much of that performance was a great offensive outing by the Seahawks (Lynch's eye-popping run not withstanding) and how much was the Saints' defense laying an egg? When you look at the makeup of this Bears defense, they have a lot of playoff experience and many with Super Bowl experience. I don't think you will see them implode at home the way the Saints did on the road, and that will be the difference in the game."

Sounds logical.

Of course, if the wild-card round proved anything, it's that logic doesn't always apply.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times passes along a Seismograph showing seismic activity associated with fan reaction during Marshawn Lynch's 67-yard touchdown run Saturday. More here.

Also from O'Neil: The Seahawks expect middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu to practice this week after suffering a concussion Saturday.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with Matt Hasselbeck, who says Lance Briggs' absence from Seattle's Week 6 victory at Soldier Field was a big deal. Hasselbeck: "He’s huge. He’s arguably one of the best defensive players in the game. I think he’s a great player. Going into that game, we fully expected him to play. He didn’t play, and that was a big deal. So for us to sit back and say, ‘Oh hey, we beat them at their place. We can do it again,’ that would be a dangerous way to feel. Because Lance Briggs did not play in that game. He is a big, big-time difference-maker and a great football player."

Also from Farnsworth: Hasselbeck "abhorred" missing the Week 17 game against St. Louis.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says Hasselbeck rescued his Seattle legacy with a four-touchdown performance against the Saints.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' return trip to Chicago carries different circumstances.

Also from Williams: He passes along Brian McIntyre's weekly Seahawks personnel report.

Doug Farrar of Sportspress Northwest looks at how Pete Carroll has changed since his last stint as an NFL head coach.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals might have no shot at hiring the Steelers' Keith Butler as their defensive coordinator. Somers: "After the 2009 season, Butler turned down an offer to become the Dolphins' defensive coordinator. According to the Post-Gazette, Butler and the Steelers agreed then to contract language that identifies Butler as 'the coordinator in waiting' for when Dick LeBeau decides to retire." The 49ers' Greg Manusky could be a candidate, but he might have options elsewhere, including at San Diego if Ron Rivera leaves, or at Dallas.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Cardinals have not asked for permission to speak with Butler.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com updates the Cardinals' search for a defensive coordinator. Urban: "(Ken) Whisenhunt has not said whether a coach’s background on scheme impacts the hire, although the Steelers do run a 3-4 look like the Cardinals. It also seems unlikely to make a significant scheme change in an offseason that could be drastically shortened or even lost because of labor problems and a lockout."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch sees no likely in-house candidates to replace Pat Shurmur if the Rams' offensive coordinator becomes head coach of the Browns. Thomas: "Should Shurmur end up with the Cleveland job, the Rams don't appear to have any logical replacements for the coordinator's job in-house. Assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach Dick Curl hasn't been a coordinator since 1997 with the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe. Wide receivers coach Nolan Cromwell was an offensive coordinator on the college level, but for just two seasons at Texas A&M. He does, however, have a background in the West Coast system, having been wide receivers coach for Holmgren both in Seattle and Green Bay. Running backs coach Sylvester Croom was offensive coordinator for Detroit, but that was 10 years ago-plus (1997-2000)."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com updates the 49ers' efforts to hire a coaching staff. Manusky has permission to pursue other jobs. Vic Fangio could have opportunities elsewhere, including at Stanford. Maiocco: "Fangio served as an NFL defensive coordinator for 11 seasons. But Fangio might also be a candidate to replace Harbaugh as Stanford head coach after top candidate Chris Petersen announced he will remain at Boise State." ESPN's John Clayton has mentioned former 49ers assistant Marc Trestman as a person Harbaugh has contacted about possibly becoming offensive coordinator.

Also from Maiocco: a look at how a lockout could affect player personnel for the 49ers. Maiocco: "The only contracts that can be signed before March 3 are extensions. That is, a team can sign a player on its current roster to a new deal. So, the 49ers are allowed to work out contracts with their own scheduled free agents, such as David Baas, Aubrayo Franklin, Manny Lawson, Dashon Goldson and others. (Remember, there was no NFL salary cap in 2010, and there are no indications that one will come back in the future.)"

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says it's likely the 49ers would want to retain offensive line coach Mike Solari, running backs coach Tom Rathman and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.

The 49ers' website passes along an interview transcript featuring linebacker Keaton Kristick.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat previews a potential national broadcast featuring Harbaugh against his brother.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News links to bios for Harbaugh's coaches at Stanford.

CHICAGO -- The Seattle Seahawks will not have to worry about Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs in their Week 6 matchup at Soldier Field.

Briggs, slowed by an ankle injury recently, was named inactive Sunday. Also, the Bears designated veteran Todd Collins as their third quarterback, leaving Caleb Hanie as the No. 2 behind Jay Cutler. Collins started for the Bears when a concussion sidelined Cutler last week.

Also inactive for the Bears: Major Wright, Joshua Moore, Kahlil Bell, Roberto Garza, Charles Grant and Marcus Harrison.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll spoke uninterrupted for nearly 12 minutes to begin his first news conference as Seahawks coach. O'Neil: "This is the new voice of Seattle's franchise, and get ready. He talks fast and with a mix of passion and humor. This was Carroll's show Tuesday, something that now could be said about the franchise in general."

Also from O'Neil: Expect Jeremy Bates and Alex Gibbs to join Carroll's staff. Also, CEO Tod Leiweke apologizes to former coach Jim Mora. Leiweke: "While I apologized, it was also just one of those difficult awkward moments you find yourself in. Jim knew we were going to go have substantive discussions last week. We didn't know where those were going to come out. None of this was preordained. It was a fluid situation. The only thing preordained is we had to fix things here because what took place the last two years, to win nine games -- and with all due respect, four of those to the St. Louis Rams -- is simply not sustainable." Leiweke has repeatedly discounted victory totals by pointing out that some were against the Rams. That has to go over well in St. Louis.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Carroll's former players anticipate a smooth transition back to the NFL. Lawyer Milloy dates himself with this testimonial: "This is a guy who sat me down in his office and told me I was going to be the Tim McDonald in his defense. At the time, in my second year, I was like, 'Ah, what are you talking about?' "

Also from Farnsworth: Carroll's presence is palpable. Leiweke: "He's kind of the king of L.A."

More from Farnsworth: Carroll stresses competing. Carroll: "What you’ll hear a lot from us in this program, this program is about competition. We'll see in all aspects of the work that we do that we will be in a relentless pursuit of a competitive edge in everything we’re doing. We're going to compete like crazy. Maybe like you’ve never seen. And I hope that will be the theme that will rise to us and that will be the most important part of it, because we are in the most competitive world that you can be in in the NFL. I can’t wait to get this thing underway. I can’t wait to get it started."

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times liked what he saw from Carroll in the coach's first news conference as Seahawks coach. Brewer: "Carroll was honest, raw, introspective, real. During the 40 minutes he spoke, his genuine enthusiasm and self-deprecating candor became so captivating that it obstructed skepticism about his so-so NFL record. Of course, as soon as he was done talking, the skepticism resumed, but, hey, trust isn't built in a day."

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times says it's tough to know how Carroll will fare. USC fans initially shunned him. Kelley: "When the rancor reached a crescendo, the school had to shut down the phones and turn off its e-mail. Protests against Carroll went viral. But at USC, the haters became lovers. Carroll was the unvarnished truth. He was the answer. He won two national championships, won at least a share of seven consecutive Pac-10 titles and finished 97-19 in nine seasons. He resurrected a ramshackle program. Now at a much higher level, he's being asked to do it again."

Greg Johnson of seattlepi.com sees more exclamation points in the Seahawks' immediate future.

John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune tried to keep pace with Carroll at the news conference. It wasn't easy. McGrath: "Pete Carroll talks almost as fast as he thinks, and he thinks so fast you can imagine him working the New York Times crossword with his right hand as he turns the pages of a Solzhenitsyn novel with his left hand -- something to occupy him as he’s preparing the braised sweetbreads with mushroom sauce on the stove while breaking down an opponent’s zone-blitz tendencies on the speaker phone."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks interviewed John Schneider and Marc Ross for their general manager's job.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals are using their experience to their advantage. Quarterback Kurt Warner: "I think the biggest thing is to try to just be a bit of a calming presence in these kinds of situations. You understand things are going to happen, crazy scenarios, and you understand that the teams that you're playing are all good."

Also from Somers: Injured receiver Anquan Boldin hopes to practice this week. Also, Russ Grimm expects to interview with the Bills for their head coaching job. Somers: "The time of the interview has not been set. According to NFL rules, the Bills can interview Grimm this week, but with the Cardinals playing Saturday, time is an issue. The interview would have to be conducted at a place and time of convenience to the Cardinals. It could happen Wednesday or Thursday evening in Arizona, or on Sunday, the day after the divisional playoff."

More from Somers: Cardinals players have received $42,000 for their postseason efforts so far, including $21,000 for winning the NFC West and playing in the wild-card round. The other $21,000 is for beating the Packers.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says inside linebacker Gerald Hayes was wearing a walking boot Tuesday, although it was unclear whether the injury was serious.

Also from Urban: The Cardinals' secondary is seeking redemption after a rough outing against the Packers. Urban: "Michael Adams said the secondary as a group was angry when they first watched the video of the game, but he did note the group had a hand in helping sack Rodgers five times while the Cards’ defense also forced three key turnovers. And in an interesting twist, the secondary was not only part of the turnover on the first play of the game -- DRC’s pick -- but also a turnover on the last play of the game, when Adams recovered from a four-penalty day to force a fumble that led to the game-winning points."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says former Rams coach Jim Haslett is the new defensive coordinator for the Redskins. Thomas: "After three seasons in St. Louis, including the last 12 games of 2008 as the Rams’ interim head coach, Haslett spent this past season as head coach of the Florida Tuskers of the fledgling United Football League. The Tuskers went unbeaten in the regular season, but were upset by the Las Vegas Locomotives in the UFL title game. Haslett met with Washington team officials earlier this week. Haslett became the front runner for the job once Mike Zimmer agreed to stay in Cincinnati as Bengals defensive coordinator."

Also from Thomas: a chat transcript featuring his thoughts on the quarterback position. Thomas thinks the Rams would have a better chance landing Michael Vick than Donovan McNabb if they wanted to target an Eagles quarterback. Thomas: "Since Spags spent so many years with the Eagles, their roster also bears watching. I think there has been some discussion of Vick. I guess it's possible the Rams would give up picks for the right player, particularly if it's an uncapped year, meaning there are many more restricted free agents than usual."

Jim Rodenbush of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat lists 10 questions facing the Rams this offseason. Who will start at quarterback? Rodenbush: "In 2009, Rams quarterbacks combined to throw 12 touchdowns against 21 interceptions and completed 57.5 percent of their passes. Their TD total ranked 29th in the NFL and would have been worse if not for a 36-yard scoring pass from kicker Josh Brown to Daniel Fells during the team’s 17-10 win at Detroit on Nov. 1."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks the 49ers still have plans for Glen Coffee despite a 2.7-yard average last season. Coffee was a preseason sensation. It's far too early to write him off.

Also from Barrows: The 49ers have signed fullback Jehuu Caulcrick to a future contract.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers have restructured the business side of their operation at the expense of Andy Dolich, team president Jed York announced to employees. Maiocco: "York will also assume the new title of chief executive officer. The new CMO will report directly to York, along with general manager Scot McCloughan, as well as chief financial officer Larry MacNeil, and executive vice president of football administration Lal Heneghan. During the transition, Dolich will remain as a senior advisor, York said. In Dolich's two years with the 49ers, he improved customer service for 49ers season-ticket holders, York said."

Also from Maiocco: an early look at how the 49ers might proceed in the draft. Maiocco on the 13th overall choice: "Like a year ago, the first thought is the 49ers will take their highest-rated offensive tackle. But the 49ers don't need to 'each' in this spot because they have another pick just a few slots later. If a cornerback, defensive lineman or linebacker falls to them, they're in the spot to choose one. One player who -- based on watching the BCS title game -- seems like a good fit would be Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain. He reportedly has great passion and football smarts. Takeo Spikes is entering his 13th season and the final year of his contract. The 49ers were smitten with USC linebacker Rey Maualuga last year and tempted to move up a few spots in the second round to get him. They also wanted Lance Briggs a couple years ago. So the 49ers would love to get another young impressive player to line up next to Patrick Willis."

Lisa Fernandez of the San Jose Mercury News has a 49ers stadium update.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at what might have been if the 49ers could have acquired Lance Briggs from the Bears. Barrows: "The courtship by the 49ers began before the trade deadline in 2007. Briggs on Tuesday said the 49ers offered the Bears a first-round pick for Briggs. Even when the 49ers pulled out of the deal before the deadline, Briggs figured San Francisco would snap him up when the free-agency period opened in late February." The 49ers have generally been fine at linebacker. Takeo Spikes' addition certainly helped.

Also from Barrows: a midseason report card with a "D" grade for the offensive line. Barrows: "The unit has not been close to the powerful force coach Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye imagined. Injuries have plagued the tackle position, while the guard play at the start of the season was terrible. The 49ers rank only 21st in rushing yards, and they have given up 26 sacks, the fourth-highest total in the league."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Isaac Bruce's ankle injury played a role in Jason Hill getting additional playing time. Bruce has enjoyed a great career. I'm not sure what he offers the offense at this point, however. Hill appears to have earned additional snaps.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team wants to incorporate Wildcat formations, but not at the expense of Matt Hasselbeck's contributions.

Also from Farnsworth: Hasselbeck keeps the faith.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks saw the perils of playing a young quarterback when they picked off the Lions' Matthew Stafford five times. O'Neil: "So what will Seattle do with Hasselbeck this offseason? He is signed through 2010. He is 34 and over the past four seasons he has missed time because of an injured knee (four games in 2006), back (nine games in 2008) and rib (two games this season). He is also merely two years removed from a career high in passing yardage and Sunday he surpassed his team record by completing 39 passes. Prudence requires looking for a potential successor at quarterback. Hasselbeck has spent more than a decade in an NFL pocket and has the injuries to prove it."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks are searching for consistency.

Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic follows Cardinals running back Tim Hightower during the NFL's "Take a Player to School" promotion. McLellan: "At the end of his visit, Hightower said he enjoyed his time running around with the students because he wanted to encourage what he calls 'the Playstation generation' to stay outside and have fun."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic assesses the Cardinals halfway through the NFL season. Somers: "If the Cardinals show some maturity, they could enter December with an 8-3 record and their second consecutive division title almost assured." For the record, I managed to exceed 89,000 points in Ms. Pac-Man while taking the kids roller skating Tuesday night. Not bad for the first quarter I've put into that game for a while.

Also from Somers: Don't be surprised if the Vikings-Cardinals game gets flexed into prime time.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with backup quarterback Matt Leinart, who wasn't happy with his performance against the Bears. Leinart: "I don’t question myself. I’ve worked way too hard to get to this point to just say, 'Oh my gosh, I’m terrible.' I’ve come a long way to where I first came into the league. I know I can play well in this league. It’s a matter of getting opportunities and that’s the unfortunate thing, not being able to make up for it. Last week, Kurt [Warner] had five interceptions -- they weren’t all his fault -- but he comes back and throws five touchdowns. That’s the way this league is. You can’t get down on one play. But it’s hard to let it go when you don’t get a chance to go back in."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' special teams are making strides, thanks in part to Danny Amendola's addition. The team's average drive start following kickoffs has improved by 5 yards with Amendola as the return man. Special-teams coach Tom McMahon: "The biggest thing I think he's brought is the guys believe in him -- they just do. They flat-out believe in him because he believes in himself. And he's a tough kid. There's not a lot of kick returners in this league that are his size. You take a lot of hits, and he fights through it."

Also from Thomas: a chat transcript noting that Oshiomogho Atogwe has had a quiet first half to the season. I thought Atogwe was borderline dominant in the season opener at Seattle, at least early in the game. He hasn't stood out much since then.

More from Thomas: The Rams signed linebacker Dominic Douglas from their practice squad.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee assesses the 49ers' running backs. He wonders whether Glen Coffee might ultimately play a bigger role in the offense than Michael Crabtree. Frank Gore might have something to say about that. Coffee would need a highly impressive preseason to siphon many carries from Gore at this point, in my view.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider defends his position that the 49ers would be better off running a West Coast offense in the tradition of Bill Walsh.

David Fucillo of Niners Nation sees an 11-5 record as a best-case scenario for the 49ers.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat explains what Mike Singletary might have meant when he said the 49ers should aspire to being "physical with an 'f' ". Maiocco: "What it boils down to, I believe, is the letter 'F' is a lot more forceful than the soft-looking and passive 'Ph.' After all, why does a man like Singletary need two letters to form one sound? That's what it's all about. A physical, tough-minded team -- that is how offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye describes what he wants to see from his unit -- does not need two when one should suffice."

Scott McKillop of the 49ers files a 49ers.com diary featuring information about his girlfriend. McKillop: "It's important that I spend time with Allison. We've been together seven and a half years. We were high school sweethearts and have been together since the end of our sophomore year. As you can probably tell she's very important to me. We had homeroom together in high school and that's where we first met. We were also voted the best male and female athletes of our school. I guess in a way, it's a storybook relationship."

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Kurt Warner and Dick Vermeil remain close friends. Warner: "He saw something special in me that no one else saw," Warner said. "And he continually let me know that he believed in me. When everyone else doubted and questioned me, he encouraged me and gave me the confidence to play the way I was gifted to play and not worry about anything else."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic provides a heads up on an NFL Films feature showcasing receivers with the best hands. Larry Fitzgerald was fourth, one spot behind Steve Largent.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals knew what they could expect from Edgerrin James and Terrelle Smith. The same cannot be said for their replacements.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat explains what Mike Singletary might have meant when he said the 49ers should aspire to being "physical with an 'f' ". Maiocco: "What it boils down to, I believe, is the letter 'F' is a lot more forceful than the soft-looking and passive 'Ph.' After all, why does a man like Singletary need two letters to form one sound? That's what it's all about. A physical, tough-minded team -- that is how offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye describes what he wants to see from his unit -- does not need two when one should suffice."

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Kurt Warner and Dick Vermeil remain close friends. Warner: "He saw something special in me that no one else saw," Warner said. "And he continually let me know that he believed in me. When everyone else doubted and questioned me, he encouraged me and gave me the confidence to play the way I was gifted to play and not worry about anything else."

Scott McKillop of the 49ers files a 49ers.com diary featuring information about his girlfriend. McKillop: "It's important that I spend time with Allison. We've been together seven and a half years. We were high school sweethearts and have been together since the end of our sophomore year. As you can probably tell she's very important to me. We had homeroom together in high school and that's where we first met. We were also voted the best male and female athletes of our school. I guess in a way, it's a storybook relationship."

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider defends his position that the 49ers would be better off running a West Coast offense in the tradition of Bill Walsh.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee assesses the 49ers' running backs. He wonders whether Glen Coffee might ultimately play a bigger role in the offense than Michael Crabtree. Frank Gore might have something to say about that.

David Fucillo of Niners Nation sees an 11-5 record as a best-case scenario for the 49ers.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic provides a heads up on an NFL Films feature showcasing receivers with the best hands. Larry Fitzgerald was fourth, one spot behind Steve Largent.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals knew what they could expect from Edgerrin James and Terrelle Smith. The same cannot be said for their replacements.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com takes a peek at "Madden 10" screenshots featuring the Cardinals.

Revenge of the Birds' Hawkwind places Jerheme Urban and Sean Morey "on the bubble" in his look at the Cardinals' wide receivers.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recalls the Rams' 1999 championship season under Vermeil in a series of remembrances.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams broug
ht in a couple of players for tryouts without offering contracts. Coats: "Former Mizzou wide receiver Tommy Saunders and return man Terrance Sanders, an Eastern Illinois U. product who plays for the Boise Burn of the af2 indoor football league, had tryouts with the St. Louis Rams."

Clare Farnsworth of Seahawks.com checks in with linebacker Leroy Hill. Farnsworth: "The role the coaches envision for Hill is similar to the one Derrick Brooks used to fill with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Lance Briggs plays for the Chicago Bears. Each was voted to the Pro Bowl last season -- Brooks for the 11th time and Briggs the fourth."

Also from Farnsworth: Cory Redding's versatility is key for Seattle.

Brian McIntyre of scout.com says long-snapper Kevin Houser, signed Thursday by Seattle, became available after the Saints released him. McIntyre notes that Houser "had encouraged several current and former Saints players and coaches, including head coach Sean Payton and Archie Manning, to invest in a tax credit program that had lost about $2 million."

John Morgan of Field Gulls revisits Mansfield Wrotto's 2008 season with the Seahawks. In case you'd forgotten, Wrotto was the player Seattle drafted with the choice acquired from San Francisco in the Darrell Jackson trade. Wrotto has improved, but not enough to project as a starter at this point.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Frank Hughes of Seahawks Insider says quarterback Matt Hasselbeck left practice this morning when his back tightened up again.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says first-round draft choice Lawrence Jackson continues working with the first-team offense, which means lining up against Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones. Welcome to the NFL, kid. Update: O'Neil also says the Seattle offense stayed after practice to work on the screen pass, which mysteriously disappeared from the team's repertoire several years ago.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says Seahawks defensive back Jordan Babineaux beat a Champions Tour golfer in a closest-to-the-pin competition. Babineaux stuck his shot within 5 feet. The Seahawks sponsor a Champions Tour event at Snoqualmie Ridge.

Scott Bordow of the East Valley Tribune says Anquan Boldin's latest comments tarnish his reputation. Bordow: "Boldin's latest blast is clearly a Drew Rosenhaus production. Rosenhaus' clients often start foaming at the mouth when they're unhappy. Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs ripped coach Lovie Smith, Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Johnson took on the entire organization, and now Boldin is trying to force his way out. It's blackmail, pure and simple."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals don't want cornerback Lito Sheppard from the Eagles as part of any Boldin trade. The Eagles are on the Cardinals' schedule this season.

Matt Maiocco of Instant 49ers fights through lame quarterback quotes before fielding questions, including one from a reader who recalled a June 26 blog entry that listed J.T. O'Sullivan as something less than a likely starter. O'Sullivan has gone from have a good chance of making the roster to starting the third exhibition game, all in less than two months.

Meanwhile, in St. Louis, the Rams are resting left tackle Orlando Pace, who remains sore after extensive playing time in two exhibition games. Pace is returning from shoulder surgery. Here's what coach Scott Linehan told reporters today:

"It is more just that he has been playing and played a lot. He used his arms and shoulders really well this last game and just felt sore. There is no reoccurrence of any injuries. It is just, he is sore. The guy really hadn't played live until this last two preseason games. A little in the scrimmages down in Tennessee, but other than that, he was pretty physical, he was out there for 40-something plays, which was good."

And in New England, the Patriots released former Seahawks tight end Marcus Pollard. Coach Bill Belichick put it this way when speaking with reporters:

"I think with Marcus it wasn't really going to work out here the way that we had hoped and he had hoped. At the same time, there are still a couple preseason games left and time before the season opener and I think there are some other teams that are looking for tight ends and maybe there is a better opportunity for him somewhere else. That is for him to determine, but rather than do it on the last cut, his options will be more limited. We felt like in fairness to him and out of respect for Marcus and what he has done in his career, he's had an outstanding career, coming from a small school and has become a very productive player and he deserved that."

I'm heading out to 49ers practice and will check back in a bit.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Like NFL draft analysts, Seattle fullback Leonard Weaver took one look at Justin Forsett and wondered if the diminutive rookie running back could make it in the NFL. Unlike NFL draft analysts -- as far as we know, anyway -- Weaver went straight to YouTube for skills verification.

"I was like, 'Man, I wonder how good this guy really is,'" Weaver said after Forsett finished the team's most recent exhibition game with 261 all-purpose yards. "I kind of questioned it. I went and YouTubed it and I'm like, 'Oh. OK, he's all right!'"

The Seahawks list Forsett at 5-foot-8 and 194 pounds. The 5-8 part appears generous. Weaver is 6-0 and 242. He was also generous, answering a few questions about Forsett, life without Shaun Alexander and his new teammates.

Sando: What did you see on YouTube?

LW: Man, I saw a lot of Cal runs on there. He was breaking tackles. I'm like, 'Man, this little guy is doing all of this?' And it was really good to see.

Sando: But did you spell his name right the first time you searched for him?

LW: I did. I've been taking him under my wing a little bit. I spelled his name right and it showed up.

Sando: So you basically break down film online now?

LW: (laughing) I'm going to do film study online. I'm going to type in Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher. We going to study everybody.

Sando: What impresses you about Forsett?

LW: First of all, his speed. He has elusive speed. He goes from zero to 10 miles per hour within the matter of a step. He is very elusive and aware. He has great awareness on the field, as you could see tonight. On a couple of runs, he knew where those guys were and he made big plays.

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