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A look at my all-NFC West picks for the 2010 season, beginning with the offense:

• There was no clear-cut choice at receiver after Larry Fitzgerald. The St. Louis Rams' Danny Amendola was more consistent than Seattle's Mike Williams or San Francisco's Michael Crabtree. Amendola ranked ninth in the NFL with 85 receptions. He had 29 catches for 298 yards and two touchdowns on third down. Only Atlanta's Roddy White and Buffalo's Steve Johnson had more third-down catches this season. Williams had 25. Amendola also carried seven times for 81 yards.
• The 49ers' Mike Iupati was my choice at left guard. Iupati's raw power and improvement made him the choice. The Arizona Cardinals' Alan Faneca was better than advertised. The 49ers had the better offense and ground game. The Rams' Jacob Bell played well enough to factor as well. At his best, though, Iupati stood out.
• Not much to choose from at right guard in this division. The right side in general wasn't very strong. I went with the Rams' Jason Smith for his run blocking. Was he worth the second overall choice? That isn't the relevant question here. Smith was the best right tackle in the division, I thought.
• The Rams' Rodger Saffold will have competition from Seattle's Russell Okung at left tackle for years to come. Okung missed six games to injury this season. Otherwise, he might have been the choice.
• Sam Bradford was the choice at quarterback. He was more consistent than the other quarterbacks and the only one to play every offensive snap (or even close to every snap). Matt Hasselbeck's strong finish made him a consideration.
• Teams did not use fullbacks frequently enough for me to consider one. I went with the two best running backs, an easy choice even though Frank Gore missed the final five games. Gore had 853 yards and a 4.2-yard average. He averaged a career-high 9.8 yards per reception on 46 catches.

I'll be back with defense and special teams in a bit. The chart breaks down all-division choices from 2008 and 2009, plus this season.

Thoughts?

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The NFLPA's annual Super Bowl news conference doubled as reunion for players with ties to current NFC West teams.

Eight of the 15 current and former players on the stage spent all or part of their careers with the Rams, Seahawks, Cardinals or 49ers. Each is actively representing the NFLPA as the league and its players head toward an uncapped year and possible lockout.

"More than anything, what I feel my role can be is educating some of these younger players," former 49ers and Seahawks running back Ricky Watters said. "I was able to do a good job of keeping my money. I have a good life and a great family. When I talk to a lot of the younger guys, they look at me as kind of the tough guy, the rebel guy, but I want them to know I was always tough and all that, but at the same time, intelligence is the whole thing."

Watters thinks too many players are living beyond their means without knowing it. As the NFL and the NFLPA head toward a possible lockout, Watters said it's important for the union to make sure players are prepared for what awaits if the league shuts down.

A quick look at the eight players and the current NFC West teams for which they play or played:

• Walt Harris, CB (49ers). Rehabbing from knee surgery and hoping to re-sign with the 49ers or play for another team.
• Watters, RB (49ers, Seahawks). Retired and living in Orlando with his wife and their 8-year-old son.
• Kevin Carter, DE (Rams). Retired.
• Ernie Conwell, TE (Rams). Retired and living in Tennessee.
• Kevin Mawae, C (Seahawks). Titans starter.
• Pete Kendall, G (Seahawks, Cardinals). Retired unless a team calls and requests his services.
• Leonard Weaver, FB (Seahawks). Eagles starter.
• Dwayne White, OL (Rams). Retired.

Former players Barry Sanders, Nolan Harrison, Ki-Jana Carter, Mike McBath, Ben Utt and Mark Bruener joined current Texans guard Chester Pitts among the 15 players.

The recently announced 2009 NFL All-Pro team has as many former Seahawks (two) as current NFC West players.

The Cardinals' Adrian Wilson and the 49ers' Patrick Willis made the team, as did former Seahawks Steve Hutchinson and Leonard Weaver.

Niners tight end Vernon Davis appears capable of making a serious run at the tight end spot next season.

» NFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Perfect sense: Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis and Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson were no-brainer choices as starters for the NFC team. It was nice to see voters properly acknowledge a few players who easily could have been snubbed. The Cardinals' Darnell Dockett and the 49ers' Vernon Davis made it as starters, a mild surprise given how much past accomplishments can play into these selections. For Davis, beating out future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for a spot on the team and the Cowboys' Jason Witten for the starting job stands as quite an accomplishment.

The Rams' Steven Jackson was a solid choice despite the Rams' lost season. Jackson has set an example for how elite players should handle themselves amid difficult circumstances. Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie broke through somewhat surprisingly. I wasn't sure whether voters would recognize him this early in his career, but Rodgers-Cromartie has made big plays, including an interception return for a touchdown that helped beat the Texans.

The Seahawks had zero players voted to the Pro Bowl, and rightly so, even though punter Jon Ryan is having a good season. They should not expect a postcard from former fullback Leonard Weaver, who earned a Pro Bowl spot with Philadelphia.

Made it on rep: Every Pro Bowl player from the NFC West deserved the accolade.

Got robbed: 49ers nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and Cardinals punter Ben Graham definitely qualify under this category. Rams punter Donnie Jones could also qualify. Graham was leading the NFL in punts downed inside the 20. He became a victim of the voting process. Fans, players and most coaches do not study special teams closely. They pull out stat sheets ranking punters by gross and net averages, and they vote accordingly. The 49ers' Lee was deserving -- punting outdoors is tougher -- but I thought Graham had the stronger case. Franklin has a good chance to make it next season. He was new to the Pro Bowl conversation this season and while deserving, didn't have the name recognition to break through. The 49ers' Frank Gore made a strong push late, but Jackson was the stronger candidate in my view. I also had no problem with the Packers' Aaron Rodgers beating out Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.

The facts: The 49ers fell to 6-8 with a 27-13 road defeat to the Eagles in Week 15.

The upside: Even the worst defeats tend to feature a bright spot or two.

• The 49ers fought back from a 20-3 deficit and trailed only 20-13 in the fourth quarter.
• Frank Gore topped 100 yards rushing, ending the Eagles' streak of 23 regular-season and postseason games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.
• Receiver Josh Morgan's 52-yard kickoff return gave the 49ers a spark to start the second half, setting up a drive to a field goal. Morgan caught a touchdown pass on the 49ers' next drive.
• Dre Bly and Shawntae Spencer each picked off passes for the 49ers.
• The 49ers downed two of Andy Lee's four punts inside the 20.
• San Francisco converted three times in four fourth-down plays.
• Linebacker Takeo Spikes made stops for no gain on consecutive short-yardage plays. He tackled Michael Vick on third-and-1 and Leonard Weaver on fourth-and-1.

Looking ahead: The 49ers face the Lions at home in Week 16.

The Cardinals' starting safeties are in contention to represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl.

Adrian Wilson ranks first in fan balloting among strong safeties. Antrel Rolle ranks second behind the Saints' Darren Sharper among free safeties.

Those are among the revelations upon looking at Pro Bowl balloting through Monday. Voting is ongoing here.

Among the other highlights, with emphasis on the NFC West:

• The Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald leads NFC receivers while ranking fifth among all players from the conference. Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre are ahead of him.
• No quarterback from the NFC West ranks among the top five.
• The 49ers' Frank Gore ranks third among NFC running backs, with the Rams' Steven Jackson fifth. Peterson and the Falcons' Michael Turner rank ahead of Gore. The Panthers' DeAngelo Williams ranks fourth.
• The 49ers' Vernon Davis ranks third among NFC tight ends. The Falcons' Tony Gonzalez and the Saints' Jeremy Shockey rank ahead of him.
• The Cardinals' Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie ranks fourth among NFC cornerbacks behind the Eagles' Asante Samuel, the Vikings' Antoine Winfield and the Packers' Charles Woodson.
• The 49ers' Patrick Willis ranks first among NFC inside linebackers.
• The 49ers' Andy Lee ranks fifth among NFC punters. Former Cardinals and Seahawks punter Jeff Feagles ranks first.
• Speaking of former NFC West players, the Vikings' Steve Hutchinson ranks first among NFC guards. The Eagles' Leonard Weaver ranks second among NFC fullbacks. The Cowboys' Allen Rossum ranks fifth among NFC kickoff returners.
• The Cardinals' Darnell Dockett ranks fourth among NFC defensive tackles behind the Vikings' Pat Williams and Kevin Williams and the Redskins' Albert Haynesworth.

The Rams' Jackson should rank higher among running backs. The Cardinals' Kurt Warner has a chance to move up if he stays hot.

The Seahawks, seeking to salvage their season at Arizona in Week 10, last won a road game against the Cardinals on Nov. 6, 2005.

Shaun Alexander carried 23 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns during a 33-19 Seattle victory at Sun Devil Stadium. The Seahawks, headed to Super Bowl XL after that season, picked off Kurt Warner three times and sacked him four times.

A couple things about these teams have changed since that game. I had some fun sifting through those 2005 rosters.



Players no longer with Seattle

Offense (20): Bobby Engram, Steve Hutchinson, Robbie Tobeck, Chris Gray, Joe Jurevicius, Jerheme Urban, Mack Strong, Shaun Alexander, D.J. Hackett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, Floyd Womack, Ryan Hannam, Jerramy Stevens, Peter Warrick, David Greene, Wayne Hunter, Darrell Jackson, Itula Mili, Josh Scobey.

Defense (18): Bryce Fisher, Chuck Darby, Marcus Tubbs, Grant Wistrom, Jamie Sharper, Kelly Herndon, Michael Boulware, Marquand Manual, Jimmy Williams, John Howell, Niko Koutouvides, Kevin Bentley, Isaiah Kacyvenski, Joe Tafoya, Rocky Bernard, Etric Pruitt, Rodney Bailey, Andre Dyson.

Specialists (3): Josh Brown, Tom Rouen, J.P. Darche.

Players still with Seattle

Offense (6): Walter Jones (injured reserve), Sean Locklear, Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Chris Spencer, Ray Willis.

Defense (6): Jordan Babineaux, Craig Terrill, D.D. Lewis, Lofa Tatupu (IR), Leroy Hill, Marcus Trufant.

---

Players no longer with Arizona

Offense (23): Bryant Johnson, Leonard Davis, Nick Leckey, Alex Stepanovich, Oliver Ross, Eric Edwards, Marcel Shipp, Adam Bergen, J.J. Arrington, Josh McCown, John Navarre, Reggie Newhouse, LeRon McCoy, Fred Wakefield, James Jackson, Obafemi Ayanbadejo, Harold Morrow, Jarrod Baxter, Adam Haayer, J.J. Moses, Elton Brown, Teyo Johnson, Reggie Swinton.

Defense (16): Langston Moore, Ross Kolodziej, James Darling, Robert Tate, Robert Griffith, David Macklin, Antonio Cochran, Darryl Blackstock, Orlando Huff, Eric Green, Antonio Smith, Lamont Reid, Quentin Harris, Isaac Keys, Lance Mitchell, Aaron Francisco.

Specialists (2): Scott Player, Nathan Hodel.

Players still with Arizona

Offense (5): Reggie Wells, Larry Fitzgerald, Kurt Warner, Jeremy Bridges, Anquan Boldin.

Defense (6): Chike Okeafor, Darnell Dockett, Bernard Berry, Karlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle.

Specialists (1): Neil Rackers.

Note: Thanks to spaumi10 for noticing that Aaron Francisco and Lance Mitchell were initially listed on offense. There was a little cutting and pasting involved with this entry. Missed those two. Thanks!

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seahawks recently finished an extended practice session before fans at their facility on Lake Washington. A few notes and observations:

• Rookie receiver Deon Butler faked out cornerback Travis Fisher to the outside before making an easy catch on a slant.
• Veteran receiver Nate Burleson appears recovered from the ACL sugery he underwent less than a year ago. He moves well and doesn't appear hesitant when he cuts.
  
• Fullback Owen Schmitt had problems in pass-protection drills. He did not move quick enough laterally to make the block on the two plays I saw. Safeties Jamar Adams and C.J. Wallace beat him convincingly.
• Wallace picked off a Matt Hasselbeck pass intended for T.J. Houshmandzadeh. What seemed like a horrible lack of rapport between quarterback and receiver was actually a case of Houshmandzadeh being blinded by sun. Houshmandzadeh said he's still earning Hasselbeck's trust.
• I thought rookie tight end Cameron Morrah caught the ball very well, but my assessment was flawed. Morrah is wearing the No. 43 worn previously by fullback Leonard Weaver. I kept thinking Morrah's receiving skills were exceptional for a fullback. Morrah did beat safety Brian Russell in coverage.
• Russell continues to take the first-team reps at safety, ahead of Jordan Babineaux.
  
• Backup running back Justin Forsett caught a deep pass up the left sideline with Leroy Hill in coverage. Very nice play for a running back that far downfield. Later, Forsett dropped the ball on a screen pass in the backfield.
• Positive reports about new defensive end Cory Redding appear justified. He was a nightmare for offensive linemen in the pass-rush drills. Redding's weight is down, he appears healthy and he plays violently, as teammate Patrick Kerney put it. I gave Redding the edge in all three matchups against Mansfield Wrotto in pass-rush drills. He also pushed back tight end John Owens' head to make a positive play against the run in team drills.
• Overall, the Seahawks have the potential to be much bigger up front with Redding at left defensive end, Colin Cole on the nose, Brandon Mebane at right defensive tackle and Kerney on the right side. Kerney is bigger, too, but he'll cut weight as the season gets going. The Seahawks are limiting him in camp to avoid injuries.
• Left tackle Walter Jones appeared stiff while walking toward the field before practice. He hasn't practiced since suffering back spasms on the first day of camp.
  
• Second-year defensive end Lawrence Jackson had success rushing the passer against guards in the one-on-one pass-rush drills. He bull-rushed rookie Max Unger successfully on one play, then beat starter Rob Sims. Jackson also beat tackle Kyle Williams with an inside move.
• Darryl Tapp blew past Ray Willis for a would-be sack. Tapp is having a good camp, according to Kerney.
• The Seahawks are working on game situations earlier than in past seasons. That included a hook-and-lateral play featuring Houshmandzadeh tossing to Burleson. It's unlikely Seattle will use that play, Houshmandzadeh said, but if needed, they've practiced it.

Those are a few of the things I noticed out there Thursday. I'll share more from my conversation with Kerney in future entries. Seattle practices at 8:30 a.m. Friday and I plan to be there for that one as well.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

A few highlights from Seahawks offensive coordinator Greg Knapp's most recent appearance on John Clayton's weekly Saturday radio show in Seattle:

• Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will continue to have flexibility in changing to running plays at the line of scrimmage, an option he used when Mike Holmgren was head coach.
• The Seahawks will favor personnel groups with one running back, two receivers and two tight ends. They will also use three-receiver groupings with one back and one tight end. It all adds up to less playing time for the fullback, one reason the Seahawks didn't make a big play for Leonard Weaver in free agency.
• The Seahawks might have an easier time identifying blitzes now that their base offense will not feature two running backs. Defenses have an easier time disguising intentions when the offense uses two backs, according to Knapp.
• Tight end John Carlson is working to improve his lower-body strength to become more effective in the running game.
• Knapp contends an offense needs two fullbacks and three halfbacks on its 53-man roster. That is fairly standard. The Seahawks kept a sixth running back [Justin Forsett] entering last season. They carried five on their previous four opening day rosters.

Full audio here. The 10-minute segment with Knapp begins 19 minutes into the audio file.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The expected and long-anticipated additions of cornerback Ken Lucas and fullback Justin Griffith, as noted by Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times, make sense after Seattle did not address either position in the draft.

Griffith

Lucas

Whether the Seahawks consider former Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks next could hinge on what happens with Leroy Hill, who became a free agent when Seattle withdrew the franchise player designation from him. The market for Hill could be a tough one this late in the process. Enough teams have salary-cap flexibility to consider him, but most have already made plans at linebacker. This is not the time to be looking for work in the NFL.

Lucas gives Seattle needed size and experience at cornerback. Josh Wilson will give him a tough run for the starting job, but Wilson has the makeup to defend the slot in nickel situations. The flexibility Lucas provides should help Seattle hold up better against bigger NFC West receivers such as, hmmm, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree? We shall see.

Griffith steps into the void left when Seattle decided against bringing back Leonard Weaver. Griffith is more of a blocking fullback than Weaver, obviously, and he knows Greg Knapp's offense from their days together in Oakland.

The Lucas and Griffith additions would qualify as logical moves for the Seahawks. These moves would also make it easier to justify the decision to rescind Hill's offer. General manager Tim Ruskell and the Seahawks can turn this into a home run by getting a deal done with Hill despite any hard feelings that might linger from the decision to rescind the franchise tag.

Update: The Seahawks have announced these signings.

Position ARI SF STL SEA QB 4 3 4 3 RB 7 5 6 4 WR 8 7 8 10 TE 5 3 5 4 OL 10 11 10 11 DL 11 6 11 11 LB 7 9 7 6 DB 12 11 12 11 ST 4 5 3 5 Totals 68 60 66 65

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The newly updated roided-out rosters are available for download after growing to include Kyle Boller, Laurent Robinson and a few smaller changes.

With Boller signed, the Rams became the sixth team in the league with four quarterbacks. Arizona also has four. The 49ers and Seahawks are among 22 teams with three quarterbacks. Dallas, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Denver have two apiece.

Boller received a $1.25 million salary and a $250,000 roster bonus as part of his one-year deal. The situations for some other backup quarterbacks in the division do not compare because two of them -- Matt Leinart in Arizona and possibly Alex Smith in San Francisco -- lost the starting job after entering the league as first-round draft choices.

In Seattle, Seneca Wallace is scheduled to earn $1.75 million in base salary. He received a $1.6 million signing bonus with the deal he renegotiated before the 2007 season.

In looking at rosters, the Seahawks are light at running back. They have only four on their roster after watching Maurice Morris and Leonard Weaver depart in free agency. Former Raiders fullback Justin Griffith appears to be a candidate to sign after the draft. He has been recovering from a knee injury.

The chart shows all active players and unsigned franchise players. Seattle has only five linebackers without Leroy Hill, one reason the team listed Kelly Poppinga and Shane Simmons as tryout players this week. Both are practicing with the team on a tryout basis.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

A quick look at 53-man rosters from Feb. 1, date of Super Bowl XLIII, provides a reference point for seeing how NFC West teams have changed so far this offseason.

I'll conclude with Seattle.

Gone from the Seahawks' 53-man roster and injured reserve list in the 58 days since the Super Bowl (12):

Offense

Charlie Frye, QB

Koren Robinson, WR

Maurice Morris, RB

Leonard Weaver, FB

Steve McKinney, C

Floyd Womack, OL

Bobby Engram, WR

Will Heller, TE

Defense

Howard Green, DT

Julian Peterson, LB

Rocky Bernard, DT

Special teams

Jeff Robinson, LS

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee explains under what circumstances the 49ers might consider drafting Mark Sanchez in the first round. Barrows: "Keeping in mind that this is purely speculation and my sense of the situation ... I think they'd seriously think about Sanchez if all the top offensive tackles are off the board by pick No. 10, if they don't think that Malcolm Jenkins is a top 10 cornerback, if they think that B.J. Raji's arms are too short, if they think Jeremy Maclin is injury prone and if they think they can land a good pass-rushing linebacker in the second round."

Chris Sullivan of Seahawk Addicts takes note as former Seahawks fullback Leonard Weaver makes a shaky first impression in Philadelphia. The more Weaver speaks, the more delusional he sounds. We can probably do without the third-person references to "Weave" at this point.

Also from Sullivan: A mock draft in which he has the Rams selecting Jason Smith and the Seahawks selecting Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree. Michael Oher goes to the 49ers at No. 10. Knowshon Moreno slips to the Cardinals at No. 31. All four of those choices would fill long-term needs, although Seattle might be fine at receiver after adding T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Revenge of the Birds' Hawkwind looks at Cincinnati's Connor Barwin as a potential early draft choice for the Cardinals. Hawkwind: "Barwin is the kind of high quality individual that the Cardinals covet and his ability to play football doesn't hurt either. His athletic ability can't be denied and if the Cardinals want some youth at outside linebacker and an improved pass rush, Barwin might just be the answer."

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Thanks to those who contributed to the Thursday chat. Full transcript here. Highlights below.

Plunge (Seattle): Mike, Addicted to your chats, hope ya don't mind all the questions. :) Did you see Leonard Weaver's recent comments that the Seahawk's lockerroom was somewhat divided last year with guys playing for Holmgren and others playing for Mora. Does such an admission surprise you for a veteran team like the Seahawks?

Mike Sando: I learned a long time ago that what one player thinks doesn't always reflect what other players think. Leonard Weaver's perspective isn't one I would take to the bank. The league viewed him differently than he viewed himself during free agency. It's likely Weaver viewed the locker room differently than others viewed it. I thought the coaching situation became a bigger challenge once the team struggled, but it was not the reason the team struggled.

Lou (Wallingford): If the 49ers could find an "impact player" at one position in this year's draft, what position do you think would have the greatest impact on improving them this year?

Mike Sando: Pass rusher would be No. 1, but tackle would be close behind. I think the 49ers would be in great shape if they could find a tackle good enough to supplant Joe Staley on the left side. Under that scenario, Staley would move to right tackle and the 49ers would have their bookends for years to come.

Chris (Mason City, IL): Hey Mike, love the blog. Big Rams fan here. OT is pretty much a lock w/ the number 2 pick, but w/ the rest of their draft picks which side of the ball are they gonna focus on? And, what do you project their 2009-10 record to be? Thanx.

Mike Sando: Thanks. So many needs for this team! The Rams have to strengthen the middle of the defense. As Jim Thomas pointed out, James Butler is the only defensive starter they've added this offseason. He will help shore up the secondary, but Chris Draft is the starting middle linebacker right now. The Rams need to get some size at DT to help Adam Carriker. They need linebacker help. And they also need more firepower at receiver. They don't have enough picks to address their needs.

Chris (Tempe, AZ) [via mobile]: Do you think that the Cards need to look towards defense or try to stabilize the RB position with their first pick?

Mike Sando: The running back would make the more immediate impact. RB is the more pressing need, I think. The Cardinals will need to see how the draft plays out before deciding which position to target at 31. If there's a run on running backs, they might need to target that position earlier. Same with OLB.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle lays out priorities for Mike Singletary and the 49ers. They include drafting a right tackle at No. 10, drafting a pass rusher thereafter and signing Amani Toomer to replace Isaac Bruce.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says the 49ers can thank Kwame Harris, among others, for helping them land compensatory draft choices in the fifth and seventh rounds. Leading sacker Parys Haralson was a fifth-round pick.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals center Lyle Sendlein came out a big winner through the NFL's performance-based pay pool, nearly doubling his 2008 salary. I'll take a closer look at these figures for each NFC West team at some point here.

Also from Somers: Might the Cardinals be candidates for the "Hard Knocks" show on HBO? Just what Arizona needs, more drama.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says pass rusher Bertrand Berry will receive $1 million base salary for the 2009 season, same as he earned in 2008.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Jets coach Rex Ryan to find out how close the Rams came to hiring the former Ravens assistant. Ryan said he had a "really nice" interview with Rams general manager Billy Devaney, but he never got the feeling Rams ownership had a serious interest. The Jets left little doubt. Ryan: "I felt [Jets owner] Woody Johnson chose me as well, and that was important to me."

VanRam of Turf Show Times thinks the Rams might be best off drafting Aaron Curry with the second overall choice, then finding help for their offensive line later.

Doug Farrar of Football Outsiders takes a closer look at Curry through a two-part interview. Second part is here.

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with former Seahawks fullback Leonard Weaver, who still has plenty to say. Weaver: "I felt like if they wanted me to come back to the organization, they would have put me in contact with someone involved in the offense, or somebody who's looking and saying, 'Hey, we maybe would want to use this guy in this offense.' But nobody did, so I kind of felt like, 'OK, at least I know where I stand in terms of what direction they want to go.'" The reality is that Weaver is a fullback and NFL teams don't value fullbacks the way they value other positions.

Chris Sullivan of Seahawk Addicts takes a look at defensive back Sean Smith as a potential Seahawks draft choice.

Ed Thompson of Scout.com says the Seahawks apparently have interest in defensive back Don Carey, who plans to visit team headquarters April 14-15.