NFC West: Lance Laury
Enjoy it while you can, gentlemen.
Take a look at the St. Louis Rams' captains from 2008: Marc Bulger, Tory Holt, Will Witherspoon, Corey Chavous and Todd Johnson.
Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
The Arizona Cardinals' captains two seasons ago? Kurt Warner, Reggie Wells, Karlos Dansby, Sean Morey and Aaron Francisco. Gone, all of them.
The Seattle Seahawks (Matt Hasselbeck, Lofa Tatupu) and San Francisco 49ers (Patrick Willis, Eric Heitmann) each still employ two of their captains from 2008. But Seattle has parted with four others: Walter Jones, Deon Grant, D.D. Lewis and Lance Laury. The 49ers have waved goodbye to 2008 captains Michael Robinson (now a Seahawk) and Walt Harris.
How many of the 2010 team captains, listed below, will remain with their teams in two seasons?
Arizona Cardinals
Offense: Larry Fitzgerald, Lyle Sendlein
Defense: Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett
Special teams: Ben Graham, Jason Wright
St. Louis Rams
Offense: Steven Jackson
Defense: Oshiomogho Atogwe
Week 1 at-large: Chris Massey, James Hall
San Francisco 49ers
Offense: Eric Heitmann, Vernon Davis, Alex Smith
Defense: Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Justin Smith
Note: Coach Mike Singletary names captains for the 49ers. He added Alex Smith to the list this year and said the quarterback had earned the distinction.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have not yet voted on captains.
Update: Matt Hasselbeck (offense), Lofa Tatupu (defense) and Roy Lewis (special teams) are 2010 captains for Seattle.
I've addressed the subject in depth across the division -- first May 26 and again July 30 -- and it's worth another look now that teams have reduced to 53 players for the regular season.
This time, I'm going to break down the changes by position, listing players no longer on the active roster at each main position group (with new players in parenthesis). Departures outnumber replacements because some players finished last season on injured reserve, meaning they were not part of the 53-man roster.
Some players no longer on the active roster remain with the team (they could be suspended, deemed physically unable to perform or part of the practice squad).
St. Louis Rams (34 off roster)
Defensive back: Eric Bassey, Quincy Butler, Danny Gorrer, Clinton Hart, Cordelius Parks, David Roach, Jonathan Wade (added Kevin Dockery, Jerome Murphy, Darian Stewart)
Defensive line: Victor Adeyanju, Adam Carriker, Leger Douzable, Leonard Little, LaJuan Ramsey, James Wyche (added Jermelle Cudjo, Fred Robbins, George Selvie, Eugene Sims)
Linebacker: K.C. Asiodu, Paris Lenon (added Na'il Diggs, Josh Hull)
Offensive line: Roger Allen, Alex Barron, Ryan McKee, Mark Setterstrom, Phillip Trautwein, Eric Young (added Renardo Foster, Hank Fraley, Rodger Saffold)
Quarterback: Kyle Boller, Marc Bulger, Keith Null, Mike Reilly (added Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Thaddeus Lewis)
Running back: Samkon Gado, Chris Ogbonnaya (added Keith Toston)
Special teams: Ryan Neill
Tight end: Randy McMichael (added Mike Hoomanawanui, Fendi Onobun)
Wide receiver: Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Brooks Foster, Jordan Kent, Ruvell Martin (added Mark Clayton, Dominique Curry, Mardy Gilyard)
Seattle Seahawks (33 off roster)
Defensive back: Jamar Adams, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson (added Kam Chancellor, Kennard Cox, Nate Ness, Earl Thomas, Walter Thurmond)
Defensive line: Lawrence Jackson, Patrick Kerney, Cory Redding, Nick Reed, Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill (added Kentwan Balmer, Raheem Brock, Chris Clemons, Dexter Davis, Junior Siavii, E.J. Wilson)
Linebacker: Leroy Hill, Lance Laury, D.D. Lewis (added Matt McCoy; note that Hill is suspended for the first regular-season game)
Offensive line: Trevor Canfield, Brandon Frye, Walter Jones, Damion McIntosh, Rob Sims, Steve Vallos, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto (added Stacy Andrews, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Ben Hamilton, Russell Okung, Chester Pitts, Tyler Polumbus)
Quarterback: Mike Teel, Seneca Wallace (added Charlie Whitehurst)
Running back: Justin Griffith, Louis Rankin, Tyler Roehl, Owen Schmitt (added Quinton Ganther, Michael Robinson, Leon Washington)
Special teams: Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson (added Clint Gresham)
Tight end: John Owens (added Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy)
Wide receiver: Nate Burleson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh (added Golden Tate, Mike Williams)
Arizona Cardinals (24 off roster)
Defensive backs: Ralph Brown, Bryant McFadden, Antrel Rolle (added A.J. Jefferson, Trumaine McBride, Brandon McDonald, Kerry Rhodes)
Defensive line: Jason Banks (added Dan Williams)
Linebacker: Monty Beisel, Bertrand Berry, Cody Brown, Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Chike Okeafor, Pago Togafau (added Paris Lenon, Cyril Obiozor, Joey Porter, Daryl Washington; Hayes can return from the physically unable to perform list after six games)
Offensive line: Mike Gandy, Herman Johnson, Reggie Wells (added Alan Faneca, Rex Hadnot)
Quarterback: Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Kurt Warner (added Derek Anderson, Max Hall, John Skelton)
Running back: Justin Green, Dan Kreider (added Jerome Johnson)
Special teams: Neil Rackers (added Jay Feely)
Tight end: Anthony Becht (added Jim Dray)
Wide receiver: Anquan Boldin, Sean Morey, Jerheme Urban (added Andre Roberts, Stephen Williams)
San Francisco 49ers (24 off roster)
Defensive backs: Dre' Bly, Walt Harris, Marcus Hudson, Mark Roman (added Phillip Adams, Tramaine Brock, William James, Taylor Mays)
Defensive line: Kentwan Balmer, Derek Walker
Linebacker: Scott McKillop, Jeff Ulbrich, Matt Wilhelm (added NaVorro Bowman, Travis LaBoy)
Offensive line: Tony Pashos, Chris Patrick, Cody Wallace (added Alex Boone, Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati)
Quarterback: Nate Davis, Shaun Hill (added David Carr, Troy Smith)
Running back: Thomas Clayton, Glen Coffee, Brit Miller, Michael Robinson (added Anthony Dixon, Brian Westbrook)
Special teams: Shane Andrus, Ricky Schmitt
Wide receiver: Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill, Brandon Jones (added Ted Ginn Jr., Kyle Williams, Dominique Zeigler)
The first chart shows how many players are back -- at least for now -- from Week 17 rosters and injured reserve lists. Seattle has the fewest number back with 26.
The second chart shows how many players each team has shed since Week 17 last season. This counts players who were on injured reserve. Teams with lots of players on injured reserve had more players to lose.
Battling perceptions in the NFC West
They think the 49ers face at least as many questions as the Arizona Cardinals, from Alex Smith's abilities as a starting quarterback to the effects of playing two rookies on the offensive line.
Our conversation pointed to something I wrestle with all the time: perception vs. reality.
Sometimes those perceptions get out of hand. It could be happening in the NFC West right now. A few things to consider along those lines heading into the regular season:
- The Seattle Seahawks are taking flak for dumping T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Josh Wilson and others (Rob Sims and Nate Burleson come to mind) during an ongoing roster overhaul. It's fair to ask whether all the changes were necessary. It's fair to question whether Seattle might fall off some in the immediate term while less experienced players take over. But why pretend as though the Seahawks needed only some fine-tuning? They needed an overhaul and they're getting one. Sometimes a team gets a little worse before it gets better. But if you honestly assess each roster change, you might find more upgrades than downgrades. How much will this really team miss Ken Lucas, Cory Redding, Justin Griffith, D.D. Lewis, Damion McIntosh, Owen Schmitt, Mansfield Wrotto, Lawrence Jackson, John Owens, Darryl Tapp, Deon Grant, Lance Laury and the others? It's tough to argue that those players were part of the solution.
- The Cardinals are worse off without Kurt Warner. That much is a given. But should recent instability at quarterback significantly lower those already reduced expectations for the upcoming season? It's probably better to rule out Matt Leinart now than to do so four or five games into the regular season. Quarterback was already a concern. It's still a concern. But let's not pretend the 49ers are dramatically better off with Smith under center. I'm favoring the 49ers in the division because they're the safest bet following an offseason without much roster turnover. They appear slightly better than the team that went 8-8 in 2009. But it's no shock if the Cardinals win this division. I'd call it only a mild surprise.
- The Rams are easy to write off with a rookie quarterback under center and only six wins over the last three seasons. It's not the upset of the century, however, if they find a way to prevail in Week 1. They trailed the Cardinals 21-3 at halftime in the Edward Jones Dome last season. A concussion prevented Warner from returning. Final score: 21-13. If you're the Rams and you know Warner won't be there Sunday, and you know Marc Bulger posted a 57.8 rating as your quarterback in that 21-13 defeat, you're thinking you've got a chance this time around, right? Right.
- About those 49ers. Let's not get carried away with the 12-4 predictions, OK? One step at a time. The 49ers were 5-1 in the division last season. Are they really going to match that record or improve upon it and then add three more victories outside the NFC West? It's possible with AFC West teams on the schedule, but the 49ers have only seven true home games this season. Two of those are against New Orleans and Philadelphia. They play road games against Atlanta, Green Bay and San Diego. Find a dozen sure victories on that schedule and I'm guessing you're a 49ers fan.
To be continued in the comments section, and beyond.
The defending NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals have parted with 15 of the 53 players on their Week 17 roster from last season. Only the rebuilding Seahawks have parted with more -- 16 -- among division teams this offseason. The Rams have parted with 11. The 49ers, seeking continuity as they try to build on an 8-8 season, have parted with only three.
The first chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have returned to each NFC West team.
The second chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have left each NFC West team.
I'll first list the players by team.
Seattle (16): receiver Nate Burleson, quarterback Seneca Wallace, linebacker Lance Laury, defensive end Cory Redding, guard Trevor Canfield, quarterback Mike Teel, tackle Damion McIntosh, linebacker D.D. Lewis, snapper Jeff Robinson, fullback Justin Griffith, cornerback Ken Lucas, safety Deon Grant, defensive end Darryl Tapp, guard Rob Sims, tight end John Owens and defensive end Patrick Kerney.
Arizona (15): linebacker Pago Togafau, safety Antrel Rolle, receiver Jerheme Urban, receiver Sean Morey, kicker Neil Rackers, linebacker Bertrand Berry, fullback Dan Kreider, cornerback Ralph Brown, quarterback Brian St. Pierre, defensive end Jason Banks, receiver Anquan Boldin, linebacker Karlos Dansby, quarterback Kurt Warner, cornerback Bryant McFadden and linebacker Chike Okeafor. Note that Rolle did not start in Week 17.
St. Louis (11): defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey, cornerback Jonathan Wade, receiver Ruvell Martin, quarterback Mike Reilly, defensive end Leonard Little, safety Clinton Hart, snapper Ryan Neill, running back Samkon Gado, linebacker Paris Lenon, tackle Alex Barron and tight end Randy McMichael.
San Francisco (5): receiver Arnaz Battle, cornerback Marcus Hudson, quarterback Shaun Hill, safety Mark Roman and cornerback Dre Bly.
The third chart shows what happened to players who were on injured reserve in Week 17.
I'll first list by team the players who were on IR but are no longer with their teams.
San Francisco (5): tackle Tony Pashos, punter Ricky Schmitt, linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, cornerback Walt Harris and running back Thomas Clayton.
Seattle (4): running back Tyler Roehl, tackle Walter Jones, snapper Kevin Houser and tackle Brandon Frye.
St. Louis (3): quarterback Marc Bulger, defensive tackle Adam Carriker and safety Eric Bassey.
Arizona (2): tackle Mike Gandy and fullback Justin Green.
Ben Obomanu, Rob Sims, Chris Spencer and Darryl Tapp were tendered in their original draft rounds. That means the Seahawks would get a seventh-rounder for Obomanu, fourth-rounder for Sims, first-rounder for Spencer and second-rounder for Tapp if they declined to match offers from other teams for those players.
The team did not extend tenders to tackle Brandon Frye or linebacker Lance Laury. Linebacker David Hawthorne was tendered as an exclusive-rights free agent. He basically had no options.
I see no big surprises among these RFA tenders. The prices are relatively reasonable and none of the money is guaranteed.
Unrestricted free agents: TE Anthony Becht, LB Monty Beisel, LB Bertrand Berry (retired), LT Jeremy Bridges, CB Ralph Brown, LB Karlos Dansby, LT Mike Gandy, FB Dan Kreider, WR Sean Morey, LB Chike Okeafor, K Neil Rackers, NT Bryan Robinson, QB Brian St. Pierre, S Matt Ware.
Restricted free agents: SS Hamza Abdullah, WR Steve Breaston, G Ben Claxton, FB Justin Green, LG Deuce Lutui, TE Ben Patrick, C Lyle Sendlein, TE Stephen Spach, WR Jerheme Urban, NT Gabe Watson.
Franchise player: none
What to expect: The Cardinals generally do not pursue marquee free agents from other teams. That trend figures to continue. The Cardinals have too many of their own free agents to re-sign for them to worry about chasing other teams' castoffs. We might see Arizona plug the roster with a few lower-tier free agents. They had success doing that last offseason, particularly with Becht at tight end. Dansby leads the list of 2009 starters expected to depart. Arizona is reportedly interested in quarterback David Carr.
St. Louis Rams
Unrestricted free agents: QB Kyle Boller, DE James Hall, SS Clinton Hart, LB Paris Lenon, DE Leonard Little, LS Chris Massey, TE Randy McMichael.
Restricted free agents: S Eric Bassey, S Craig Dahl, TE Daniel Fells, LS Ryan Neill, DT Clifton Ryan, CB Jonathan Wade, DE Victory Adeyanju, FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, T Alex Barron, RB Sam Gado, DT Gary Gibson, WR Ruvell Martin, G Mark Setterstrom.
Franchise player: none
What to expect: The Rams could be in the market for a veteran quarterback such as Chad Pennington. Beyond quarterback, coach Steve Spagnuolo said the Rams could use a little more seasoning in the form of veteran role players. The Rams will remain a young team, but they could add some experience. The team parted with players fitting that profile last offseason, but most had inflated salaries. The ones St. Louis adds this year figure to carry lower price tags in most cases. The Rams have said they want Little and Hall back. McMichael figures to be gone.
Seattle Seahawks
Unrestricted free agents: WR Nate Burleson, FB Justin Griffith, LS Kevin Houser, LB D.D. Lewis, CB Ken Lucas, T Damion McIntosh, S Lawyer Milloy, DE Cory Redding, LS Jeff Robinson.
Restricted free agents: T Brandon Frye, WR Ben Obomanu, LB Lance Laury, G Rob Sims, G Chris Spencer, DE Darryl Tapp.
Franchise player: K Olindo Mare
What to expect: The Seahawks are a little difficult to figure. Their owner has the money to bankroll aggressive spending if Seattle chooses to go that route. Coach Pete Carroll surely realizes the team could use talent upgrades. The new general manager, John Schneider, comes from the Ted Thompson school of personnel. Thompson's aversion for free agency is well established, although Schneider has characterized himself as slightly more aggressive. The problem, of course, is finding good players on the market. Burleson will hit the market. He could return if the price is right. Carroll has said nice things about Redding, who should be affordable.
San Francisco 49ers
Unrestricted free agents: WR Arnaz Battle, CB Dre Bly, CB Walt Harris, T Tony Pashos, FS Mark Roman, T Barry Sims, LB Jeff Ulbrich (retired), LB Matt Wilhelm.
Restricted free agents: LG David Baas, LB Ahmad Brooks, CB Marcus Hudson.
Franchise player: NT Aubrayo Franklin
What to expect: The 49ers have largely turned their back on free agency now that they feel better about their roster. I would expect the team to lay low again when the signing period begins late Thursday night on the West Coast.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Ken Whisenhunt became the first head coach in the Cardinals' Arizona history to sign a contract extension. Somers: "Whisenhunt now is among the NFL's higher-paid head coaches, according to sources. The Cardinals did not announce financial terms of the two contracts, but Whisenhunt's deal will pay him an average of between $5.5 million and $6 million per year, according to an NFL source."
Also from Somers: The 49ers will not be taking Arizona lightly just because Kurt Warner retired.
More from Somers: The Cardinals did not use their franchise tag for kicker Neil Rackers or anyone else.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals' roster is in far better shape now than it was three years ago, according to Whisenhunt.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks are paying the price for conservative drafting under former general manager Tim Ruskell. O'Neil: "Five years of playing it safe kept Seattle from making any draft-day busts that would rival quarterback Dan McGwire, but it also resulted in a roster lacking the dynamic, game-changing talents that are nonnegotiable ingredients for contending in today's NFL. That reality is the backdrop this week as new coach Pete Carroll, new general manager John Schneider and the rest of the Seahawks' football-operations staff arrive in Indianapolis for the league's annual scouting combine to evaluate more than 300 of the top prospects for April's draft." That is an interesting proposition and one I'd like to study a little more. Off the top of my head, some of the higher-risk choices Seattle made before Ruskell arrived -- Koren Robinson, Jerramy Stevens -- blew up. Some of the more conservative choices -- Shaun Alexander, Steve Hutchinson -- became stars.
Also from O'Neil: The Seahawks need to find Walter Jones' replacement.
John Morgan of Field Gulls expects Lance Laury to sign with another team, get cut, bounce around and retire after a report suggested the Seahawks will not tender Laury as a restricted free agent. This would be the second time Seattle declined to tender Laury as an RFA.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams plan to extend RFA tenders to Oshiomogho Atogwe and Alex Barron, but not Mark Setterstrom. Also, the team's football leadership recently met prospective new owner Shahid Khan in St. Louis.
Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says the Rams hope to re-sign James Hall and Leonard Little even though both are in their 30s.
Also from Balzer: Rams general manager Billy Devaney has good things to say following his meeting with Khan. Devaney: "It was a good meeting. You can tell he cares about the Rams. He seems like a real good guy."
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says McCloughan reiterated his belief in drafting players with size because the NFL is a big man's game. Maiocco: "This is also why I have my doubts whether the 49ers would make a first-round investment in a smallish running back who might be a dynamo on special teams but might struggle in the future as an every-down back." I have also questioned whether the 49ers would use a first-round choice for Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, although I do not think McCloughan was making an across-the-board declaration that ruled out taking a smaller change-of-pace back. Most change-of-pace backs will be smaller than every-down backs.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers coach Mike Singletary sounded more committed to Alex Smith as the team's quarterback for 2010.
Also from Barrows: The 49ers are sizing up offensive linemen at the combine.
The 49ers' Web site provides a transcript to general manager Scot McCloughan's combine news conference. McCloughan: "With the staffs that are in our division now, with the coaches and all that, it's going to get back to being tough one at some point. What we've got to do is take care of business week in and week out. I like the fact that we have been able to compete in our division and that's our first goal. But now we have to find a way to win the division and get in the playoffs."
The 49ers' Web site provides a transcript to coach Mike Singletary's combine news conference. Singletary: "I feel very good about saying that Alex Smith is our starter going into the next football season. The thing for me is I’m always going to use words like 'probably' and all those other things because I like competition. I like guys knowing that they’re always going to compete. But I feel very comfortable in saying Alex Smith is our starting quarterback going forward."
Basically, these players might have to wait an extra couple seasons to become unrestricted free agents.
Among NFC West players, this could prove particularly costly for Ahmad Brooks, Oshiomogho Atogwe and Deuce Lutui.
Numbers games: Seahawks roster in perspective
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Seahawks have a few tough decisions to make before reducing their roster to 53 players in less than three weeks.
The final spot or two at receiver remain unsettled. I see at least 10 defensive linemen worth keeping, but perhaps no more than eight offensive linemen. The final spots at all three general positions on defense -- line, linebackers and secondary -- could spur debate.
The Seahawks aren't even certain which kicker will earn a roster spot, opening possible trade scenarios for teams with needs at the position.
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The chart provides a framework for how many players the Seahawks might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the Rams.
Here's a quick look at which Seahawks players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players:
Mailbag: Tough to improve the NFL schedule
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Matt McMahon from San Francisco writes: I have a question for you on scheduling. I have always thought the end of the regular season is anticlimactic. Whereas in other sports the tension increases as the regular season draws to a close, in the NFL, more often than not everything is locked in by the time the 15th and 16th games are played.
What are your thoughts on ending the season with head-to-head division games like baseball? Wouldn't teams playing their last three games of the season against division opponents increase league-wide tension and excitement at the end of the season, not to mention ensure that the division winner is always validated?
For 2009, here are the last five opponents for each NFC West team (with number of division games in parenthesis):
49ers (3): Seahawks, Cardinals, Eagles, Lions, Rams
Cardinals (2): Vikings, 49ers, Lions, Rams, Packers
Rams (2): Bears, Titans, Texans, Cardinals, 49ers
Seahawks (1): 49ers, Texans, Bucs, Packers, Titans
As a result of the scheduling, aren't the Seahawks in an interesting position to either have a serious run or flop at the end of the season -- based on events completely out of the control of their division opponents?
Wouldn't this be better for the last four games (one geographically close rival three division opponents):
49ers: Raiders, Cardinals, Seahawks, Rams
Cardinals: Chargers, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks
Rams: Chiefs, Seahawks, Cardinals, 49ers
Seahawks: Broncos, Rams, 49ers, Cardinals
Mike Sando: There are only 12 division games in a season (per division). That's one product of having four-team divisions. There simply aren't enough of these games to go around. I like having some division games early in the season. We get 49ers-Cardinals and Rams-Seahawks in Week 1 this season. I'm looking forward to those games. At the same time, sure, I'd like to see more division games at the end of the season.
Last season, NFC West teams played one NFC West-only game per week over the first three weeks of the season, then none until Week 8. Week 11 was the only week with more than one NFC West-only game (Rams at 49ers, Cardinals at Seahawks). The schedule featured one such game per week in Weeks 14, 15, 16 and 17 to close the season.
Even those late-season division games wound up being largely meaningless: Rams at Cardinals in Week 14, Seahawks at Rams in Week 15, 49ers at Rams in Week 16 and Seahawks at Cardinals in Week 17.
I think it's important to distribute these division games throughout the season. In some ways, they have a higher chance of feeling relevant if they're played earlier in the season.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Brett from Anacortes, Wash., writes: Hey Mike, long time follower from the TNT days. I was wondering if you foresee the Hawks bringing in a veteran backer like Derrick Brooks to fill Julian Peterson's shoes?
I think competition between D.D. Lewis, Will Herring, David Hawthorne and Lance Laury for that starting spot could be healthy and good for the team in the long run. Of course, we could address the need in the draft, depending on how the chips fall, but I don't necessarily think investing a lot of money in Aaron Curry would be wise unless the team doesn't feel a long-term deal with Leroy Hill is imminent.
Is it realistic to think with our draft position, we should be able to bring in 3 quality starters for the 2009 season? The answer to that may hinge on whether we pull the trigger to a Hasselbeck replacement in the first round, who would obviously have to hold a clipboard for a few years. But if you do feel it is realistic, which three positions could you see a young player coming in and challenging for a starting spot right away?
Mike Sando: I wouldn't expect the Seahawks to consider Brooks until after the draft, if at all. The team will most likely try to find a young prospect in the draft. As you know, the Seahawks have done pretty well drafting linebackers in the second and third rounds. If the team can find another one, Brooks presumably would not be on the radar -- even though the Seahawks' personnel people hold Brooks in very high regard.
Seattle should get two rookie starters out of the draft. Three would be outstanding. Running back would be one position where the Seahawks could conceivably find a starter or at least a part-time starter. Linebacker would be another now that Peterson is in Detroit. The linebacker candidates you mentioned -- those already on the roster -- don't stand out as difference-makers. If the Seahawks drafted Michael Crabtree, I think he would probably start right away, even if it were from a three-receiver personnel grouping.
Nick from Kansas City writes: Sando! Im a huge Rams fan. I just wanted to ask your opinion on talent. See, I think that most players at the NFL level must be pretty athletic and have a high degree of talent. Do you think that coaching and chemistry are the biggest x-factors for success, or is it mostly the players on the field?
My old high school football coach said "you can't make chicken salad with chicken [you know what]!" I see that point but I'm not sure that is true at the NFL level. It seems like the system and the atmosphere make a better salad in the NFL. I see the Rams poised to be much better next year, despite all the "holes". Your thoughts.
Mike Sando: Coaches play a critical role in getting the most from the available talent. Great coaching by itself isn't going to overcome horrible talent at quarterback or in other critical positions. But I agree with your premise.
In 2007, I thought the Dolphins were a six- or seven-win team that won only one game. Last season, the Rams were a five- or six-win team that won only two games. Once things fall apart in the NFL, not every coach can pull things together, particularly if he's working within a flawed organization. I think that was the case for Jim Haslett in St. Louis last season.
The fresh start in St. Louis should help the Rams win more games in 2009. This could be a five- or six-win team that wins five or seven games. We'll have a better idea after the draft. I still have questions about the talent and even the coaching. The Rams have first-year coordinators and a first-year head coach. They have much to prove.
Sizing up Seattle's linebackers without Peterson
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Seahawks are carrying only six linebackers even after reaching agreements with backup D.D. Lewis and special-teamer Lance Laury. The typical 4-3 defensive team is carrying seven. Seattle will presumably take nine or 10 to training camp, but not the freshly traded Julian Peterson.
I am including unsigned franchise player Leroy Hill among the current six. Hill and middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu are the only clear-cut starters. Will Herring projects as a backup for Hill. Laury does not project as a potential starter, in my view. Backup middle linebacker David Hawthorne, who turned 24 Saturday, rounds out the group.
With the exception of Lewis, who turned 30 this year, this is a young group of linebackers. Beyond Lewis, they range in age between barely 24 years old (Hawthorne) to 27 (Laury). Adding a veteran with starting ability might not hurt. Derrick Brooks, anyone? And I'm sure we'll hear plenty about Seattle possibly taking Aaron Curry with that fourth overall choice.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
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The Rams decided against making a qualifying offer to Mark Setterstrom, making the backup offensive lineman an unrestricted free agent when the signing period opens.
Setterstrom was eligible to become a restricted free agent, but the Rams weren't willing to make him the required $1.01 million minimum offer for the right to match other teams' offers. Seahawks linebacker Lance Laury fell into the same category.
Both players could eventually re-sign with their teams for less than the $1.01 million. Their minimum salaries would be $535,000 in 2009. The chart breaks down minimum salaries by experience and season, as provided by the NFL Players Association.
Quick glance at NFC West free-agent picture
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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
NFC West rosters stand to shrink considerably in the short term as free agency begins Friday.
The chart shows how many players at each pos
ition are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents if they do not sign contracts before Friday.
I also listed the division's top free agents at each position, with apologies to J.J. Arrington, Bobby Engram, Will Heller and Bertrand Berry.
Seahawks linebacker Lance Laury will join the list because Seattle does not plan to extend a contract to him as a restricted free agent. I'm also not sure what the Rams have in store for offensive lineman Mark Setterstrom.
The Rams have seven offensive linemen scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, matching the number they have under contract. The number under contract will shrink if the Rams release Orlando Pace.
RFA preview: Seahawks' Laury to hit market
The Seahawks have only one potential restricted free agent this offseason: linebacker Lance Laury. They have already informed him they do not plan to make a qualifying offer.
The decision means Laury will become an unrestricted free agent Friday.
Laury has been a special-teams player and backup linebacker. He occasionally made big hits on special teams, including one memorable block on then-Rams linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski, but he was not consistently effective and the team had no plans to develop him as a linebacker.
The Seahawks' decision also reflects escalating pay scales. The minimum qualifying offer jumped to $1.01 million for 2009. That's how much Seattle would have to offer Laury for the right to match any offers he might have received from other teams. And that's how much Laury would have earned from the Seahawks if they had made the offer and kept him on the roster.
Teams have until Thursday to make qualifying offers for restricted free agents.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
