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The St. Louis Rams' list of unrestricted free agents got a little shorter Thursday when longtime punter Donnie Jones reached an agreement with the Houston Texans.

Jones, 31, was generally outstanding for the Rams during five seasons with the team. He was twice a second-team Associated Press All-Pro selection.

Teammate Steven Jackson has called Jones the one Rams player he thought most deserving of the Pro Bowl.

The Rams have yet to re-sign any of their UFAs, no surprise as they break from the past and generally seek to get younger.

The Rams signed punter Tom Malone this offseason. Malone has spent time with New England, Seattle and San Francisco without playing in a regular-season game.

Dave Zastudil, Brad Maynard, Mat McBriar, Matt Turk and Daniel Sepulveda are among the UFA punters without contracts.

The chart lists the Rams' UFAs and their statuses. Brandon Lloyd and Chris Chamberlain were the only ones to sign elsewhere before Jones reached agreement with the Texans.

I'll be surprised if the Rams' new leadership re-signs more than a couple of the players listed. Most are older players. The Rams currently have the youngest roster in the NFL, slightly younger than those for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks.

Michael Robinson's expected re-signing with the Seattle Seahawks would give the team a league-high four re-signings in the unrestricted free-agent market.

Red Bryant, Paul McQuistan and Heath Farwell previously re-signed.

Seattle and the other NFC West teams have added only two UFAs from other teams, however. I've put together UFA scorecards for each team in the division. Ages are in parenthesis. Here goes ...

Seattle Seahawks

UFA unsigned (age): defensive end Raheem Brock (33), defensive lineman Jimmy Wilkerson (31), safety Atari Bigby (30), quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (29), linebacker Leroy Hill (29), linebacker Matt McCoy (29), defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove (28), linebacker David Hawthorne (26), running back Justin Forsett (26), linebacker David Vobora (25)

UFA re-signed: Farwell (30), Robinson (29), McQuistan (28), Bryant (27)

UFA added: none

UFA lost: tight end John Carlson (27)

Franchise player: none

Comment: Forsett has provided value, but the Seahawks will want to add a power back as depth behind Marshawn Lynch, who re-signed before free agency. Mike Tolbert, a free agent from the San Diego Chargers, could be worth a look if the running back market remains soft. Tolbert weighs 243 pounds, has 21 total touchdowns over the past two seasons, and caught 54 passes in 2012. The price would have to be right after Seattle committed to Lynch.

San Francisco 49ers

UFA unsigned: fullback Moran Norris (33), tight end Justin Peelle (33), safety Madieu Williams (30), quarterback Alex Smith (27), receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (26), guard Chilo Rachal (26), safety Reggie Smith (25)

UFA re-signed: cornerback Carlos Rogers (30), linebacker Tavares Gooden (27)

UFA added: none

UFA lost: guard Adam Snyder (30), linebacker Blake Costanzo (27), receiver Josh Morgan (26)

Franchise player: safety Dashon Goldson (27)

Comment: Randy Moss and potential addition Rock Cartwright do not appear in the listings because they were not unrestricted free agents. Re-signing Alex Smith and finding additional receiver help appear to be the top priorities. The 49ers are showing little outward urgency on either front, however.

Arizona Cardinals

UFA unsigned: defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday (36), kicker Jay Feely (35), long-snapper Mike Leach (35), outside linebacker Clark Haggans (35), outside linebacker Joey Porter (34), offensive lineman Floyd Womack (33), punter Dave Zastudil (33), tackle D'Anthony Batiste (29), safety Sean Considine (29), guard Deuce Lutui (28), safety Hamza Abdullah (28), tackle Brandon Keith (27), receiver Early Doucet (26)

UFA re-signed: none.

UFA added: Snyder (30)

UFA lost: cornerback Richard Marshall (27)

Franchise player: defensive end Calais Campbell (25)

Comment: The Cardinals have been in a tough spot. They would have faced criticism had they declined to pursue Peyton Manning. They could now face criticism for sacrificing the first week of free agency while waiting for Manning. The reality is that Arizona probably wasn't going to be all that aggressive in the market this offseason, anyway. It did hurt losing Marshall to the Miami Dolphins after coordinator Ray Horton called him the Cardinals' defensive MVP.

St. Louis Rams

UFA unsigned: cornerback Al Harris (37), quarterback A.J. Feeley (34), offensive lineman Tony Wragge (32), linebacker Brady Poppinga (32), punter Donnie Jones (31), offensive lineman Adam Goldberg (31), guard Jacob Bell (31), receiver Brandon Lloyd (30), cornerback Rod Hood (30), running back Cadillac Williams (29), defensive tackle Gary Gibson (29), receiver Mark Clayton (29), tackle Mark LeVoir (29), tight end Stephen Spach (29), safety James Butler (29), tight end Billy Bajema (29), quarterback Kellen Clemens (28), running back Jerious Norwood (28), linebacker Bryan Kehl (27), linebacker Chris Chamberlain (26), cornerback Justin King (24)

UFA re-signed: none

UFA added: cornerback Cortland Finnegan (28)

UFA lost: none

Franchise player: none

Comment: The Rams are not looking to re-sign many of their own free agents. They want to turn over the roster, and that is happening in a big way. The team's failure to secure playmaking help for quarterback Sam Bradford stands out as the biggest theme to this point. Finnegan was a welcome addition, but he isn't going to score many touchdowns.

The chart below shows a general overview.

The St. Louis Rams have 20 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

I'm not sure any of them qualify as players the Rams absolutely must bring back, particularly with a new coach and new schemes on both sides of the ball.

Receiver Brandon Lloyd would help fill a need, but at what price? Would he fit as well in a new offense after producing at disproportionate levels to this point when paired with former coordinator Josh McDaniels, now in New England?

Guard Jacob Bell played for new coach Jeff Fisher in Tennessee. He might have more value to the new staff than he had to the old one; McDaniels wanted more powerful guards, such as Harvey Dahl.

This item, like the previous one for Arizona, expands upon Brian McIntyre's lists. I've added columns for offensive and defensive snap counts from 2011, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information. The final column shows how much each player's previous contract averaged.

Update: Punter Donnie Jones is also an unrestricted free agent. His previous contracted averaged not quite $1.2 million.

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Receiver Danny Amendola, listed with the restricted free agents below, has not played since suffering an elbow injury in the 2011 season opener.

Five things I noticed while watching the Seattle Seahawks' most recent game, a 30-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams in Week 14:

• McQuistan fared pretty well. Losing left tackle Russell Okung to a season-ending pectoral injury hurt the Seahawks' offensive line coming into this game, but backup Paul McQuistan got the team through this game without incident. McQuistan steered Rams defensive end James Hall out of the play on Marshawn Lynch's run around the left side to open the game. The team was fortunate McQuistan came out of this game healthy. He was pass protecting late in the second quarter when the Rams' C.J. Ah You flew into the back of his legs after rushing from the other side of the formation. Justin Forsett gained 11 yards on the third-and-7 play.
• Wright's monster game should have been better. Rookie linebacker K.J. Wright finished with eight total tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, one sack and one pass defensed. But he also dropped a pass Sam Bradford threw right to him with 9:43 left in the first quarter. At that point in the game, Wright had already taken down Steven Jackson for a 3-yard loss on a screen. Also in the first half, Wright shed Rams tackle Mark LeVoir to take down Jackson for a 1-yard loss.
• Seeing good things from Tate. Receiver Golden Tate has bounced back from a disappointing rookie season and underwhelming start to 2011. Two little things stood out about his performance Monday night. Tate helped out his scrambling quarterback by coming back to the ball for a 22-yard reception on third-and-11. Later, he cleared out cornerback Justin King on the perimeter to free Doug Baldwin for a first down.
• Good timing for trick play. The Seahawks tried a halfback pass on a second-and-1 play. The timing was perfect. Second-and-1 is close to a free play. Seattle had to like its chances of picking up third-and-1. While the timing was right, the execution and possibly the play design seemed lacking. If nothing else, at least future opponents have something more to consider in short-yardage situations.
• Kickoff coverage a little leaky. The Seahawks allowed 47- and 31-yard kickoff returns to Jerious Norwood, something to keep in mind as they prepare to face the Chicago Bears' Devin Hester on Sunday. Hester has been more dangerous on punt returns than on kick returns, but he does have a 98-yard touchdown on a kickoff return this season. The Seahawks allowed the Rams only one punt return for a single yard. Hester returned one against them for a touchdown last season.

A couple of other notes just missed the cut, one about how Tarvaris Jackson took shots from Chris Long and Eugene Sims on the same play without falling. Lynch's tackle-breaking ability also stood out, again. Lynch kept alive one play long enough for left guard Robert Gallery to get up off the ground following his initial block to make a second block before James Laurinaitis finally made the tackle.

Arizona: Kevin Kolb's concussion symptoms have cleared, allowing him to resume practicing with the team Wednesday. Kolb told reporters he plans to take things slowly at first, adding reps each day before starting against Cleveland. This news was about as good as the Cardinals could have expected. The Cardinals are relatively healthy overall. Free safety Kerry Rhodes, recovered from a broken foot, is practicing without limitation. It's unclear how the Cardinals will work him back into the secondary rotation. Strong safety Adrian Wilson and the defense in general are playing better now than when Rhodes was injured. Several other players are working through nagging injuries, including Beanie Wells (knee) and Clark Haggans (hamstring).

St. Louis: Quarterback Sam Bradford played hurt Monday night and continues paying the price. He did not practice Wednesday and told reporters the situation had gotten worse. Bradford is back in a walking boot. The team placed fullback Brit Miller on injured reserve. Tackle Mark LeVoir, defensive end James Hall, defensive end Chris Long, cornerback Josh Gordy, safety Craig Dahl and defensive lineman Eugene Sims missed practice, as did Bradford and backup quarterback A.J. Feeley. Injuries are preventing a struggling team from competing for a full game. Defensive tackle Fred Robbins, sidelined by back trouble against Seattle, did return on a limited basis.

San Francisco: The 49ers do not play until Monday night, pushing back by one day the requirement for publishing an injury report. Left tackle Joe Staley (concussion) and linebacker Patrick Willis (hamstring) are the two most important players likely to appear on the injury report. Staley or backup left tackle Alex Boone will not have to face suspended Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison. That will presumably help. Then again, the Steelers were 4-0 and had 13 sacks when Harrison missed four games earlier in the season. The team has not had more sacks in any four-game stretch. The season appears to be wearing on 49ers running back Frank Gore. His snaps were limited against Arizona and could be in the future.

Seattle: Linebacker Leroy Hill practiced fully Wednesday despite a neck injury, a good sign for Seattle given the team's depth issues at the position. Linebacker David Hawthorne rested his injured knee, no surprise. He's playing with an MCL injury that needs monitoring. Receiver Doug Baldwin (ankle), left guard Robert Gallery (hip), defensive end Raheem Brock (calf) and linebacker David Hawthorne (knee) did not practice. They were expected to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson remained a full participant in practice despite his pectoral injury. Jackson seems to be getting stronger.

SEATTLE -- Sam Bradford has struggled during his second season for a variety of reasons.

Getting him back Monday night still improves the St. Louis Rams' chances against Seattle, and probably by a significant margin. Backup A.J. Feeley isn't available. The other backups, Tom Brandstater and Kellen Clemens, have spent little time with the team and lack Bradford's talent.

From a Rams standpoint, I'm most interested in seeing whether the coaching staff tries to protect Bradford by leaning more heavily on Steven Jackson and the running game. The Rams conceded the run during their 24-7 home defeat to Seattle in Week 11.

Conditions for passing the ball could improve with Mark LeVoir returning to take over at left tackle for the Rams. But crowd noise will still be a problem. And even if the line is better with LeVoir on the left side and Adam Goldberg moving back to the right, the Rams are still facing a formidable defensive front on the road with a pair of backup tackles.

Arizona: Kevin Kolb is spending his time on the practice field, not on the injury report. That suggests Kolb's injured toe and foot held up well during his victorious return against Dallas. Kolb overcame a slow start to finish strong. He showed good mobility in scrambling for 17 yards to the 5-yard line. He'll need that mobility against the 49ers' pressure Sunday. Running back Beanie Wells missed practice Wednesday to rest various ailments. He expects to start. Tight end Todd Heap rested his troublesome hamstring last week in an attempt to return more successfully this time. He was limited in practice. On defense, the team welcomed back safety Kerry Rhodes to practice. He suffered a broken foot against Minnesota two months ago. He could need time to ease back into playing.

St. Louis: The Rams are shuffling at quarterback and along the offensive line heading into their game against Seattle on Monday night. Rookie Tom Brandstater took the first-team QB reps while Sam Bradford (ankle) and A.J. Feeley (thumb) rested injuries. The Rams have some leeway given that they do not play until Monday, but this is a dire situation. Feeley said he does not anticipate being ready, according to the team. Bradford's status remains in question. The Rams are also without left guard Jacob Bell, who could miss multiple games after suffering a knee injury at San Francisco. The team is already without both starting tackles. One backup tackle, Mark LeVoir, is back at practice this week. Safety Darian Stewart is also back after missing one game with a concussion. Chris Long continues to miss practice, same as last week, but his two-sack performance against the 49ers indicates he'll be ready to play.

San Francisco: Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis isn't practicing. All signs point to Willis missing the Arizona game. Backup Larry Grant played well in relief against the Rams last week. The 49ers will presumably handle Willis' hamstring with care. Receiver Braylon Edwards also could return after missing the St. Louis game to rest knee and shoulder injuries. Receivers Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams played well enough for the 49ers to feel good about the position whether or not Edwards is available. The 49ers are relatively healthy. Reports from 49ers practice suggest cornerback Carlos Rogers could be among those appearing on the injury report this week. The 49ers will make their report available following practice later Wednesday.

Seattle: Tarvaris Jackson's apparent recovery from a pectoral injury has allowed him to practice fully the last couple weeks. That's significant for an offense adjusting to frequently changing parts on the offensive line, and at receiver. Paul McQuistan goes from replacing the injured John Moffitt at right guard to replacing the injured Russell Okung at left tackle, a scenario the Seahawks never could have envisioned. Lemuel Jeanpierre steps in at right guard. All signs point to Seattle continuing its emphasis on the running game. On defense, David Hawthorne has been playing through knee problems. He was the NFC's defensive player of the week after returning an interception 77 yards for a touchdown against Philadelphia. The injury prevented him from opening up and running full speed, however. K.J. Wright took practice reps at middle linebacker while Hawthorne rested. Rookie Mike Morgan stepped into lineup at Wright's old spot. With no game til Monday, Hawthorne presumable has a good shot at playing.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Picture-perfect California weather only marginally improved the St. Louis Rams' view from the visitor's sideline at Candlestick Park.

The Rams watched backup quarterbacks A.J. Feeley and Tom Brandstater warm up, but there was no sign of starter Sam Bradford. The more time passed, the clearer it became Bradford would not play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

Bradford, slowed by an ankle injury, was among the players St. Louis declared inactive 90 minutes before the 4:15 p.m. ET kickoff. Feeley, 1-1 as a starter for the Rams this season, will start against San Francisco. The Rams also declared safety Darian Stewart, running back Cadillac Williams, linebacker Josh Hull, guard Kevin Hughes, tackle Mark LeVoir and defensive end C.J. Ah You inactive.

The 49ers' list featured quarterback Scott Tolzien, receiver Braylon Edwards, cornerback Shawntae Spencer, fullback Moran Norris, guard Daniel Kilgore, guard Mike Person and nose tackle Ian Williams.

Bradford missed practice during the week after aggravating the high-ankle sprain he suffered this season. There was no sense risking his physical well-being behind an offensive line playing without both starting tackles, in my view.

Five things I noticed about the Arizona Cardinals while watching their 23-20 road victory over the St. Louis Rams in Week 12:

• Cardinals exploited Rams' tackle situation. Defensive end Calais Campbell ended the Rams' first drive by shedding left tackle Adam Goldberg and bringing down Steven Jackson behind the line of scrimmage. Outside linebacker Sam Acho ended the Rams' second drive by beating Goldberg decisively for a fumble-forcing sack. Acho, a rookie fourth-round choice, finished the game with two sacks. That's great for him and an encouraging sign for the team, but the Rams' personnel issues played a huge role in Acho's success. The Rams were without both starting tackles and backup Mark LeVoir. Acho beat Goldberg for a sack in the red zone before halftime, another key play. These were mismatches.
• Don't blame Keith for Long's sack. Right tackle Brandon Keith shoved the Rams' Chris Long well past the pocket on a first-down play late in the first quarter. Long collected a sack anyway because quarterback John Skelton held the ball too long.
• Colledge key on Wells' runs. Left guard Daryn Colledge pulled to his left and sealed linebacker Brady Poppinga to spring Beanie Wells' 71-yard run in the second quarter. Colledge pulled and took out middle linebacker James Laurinaitis to spring Wells' 3-yard run on third-and-4 in the third quarter (I initially thought Wells got the first down). Colledge pulled right and took out Laurinaitis to spring Wells' 53-yard run in the fourth quarter, with fullback Anthony Sherman blocking Poppinga to the same side.
• Larry Fitzgerald is not eight feet tall. Skelton threw high for Fitzgerald the first three times he targeted the Cardinals' 6-foot-3 receiver. Not just a little high, either. Skelton missed Fitzgerald by feet, not inches. Fitzgerald slammed his hand on the ground following the third missed chance, this one a short throw from a clean pocket near the goal line. Skelton's fourth pass to Fitzgerald sailed high and behind its target, causing the usually graceful Fitzgerald to skid along the turf on his rear end as he applied the brakes, Flintstones-style. Skelton missed other receivers high as well. Instead of trying Patrick Peterson on offense, as the Cardinals did without success Sunday, they ought to consider the 6-8 Campbell.
• Daryl Washington is everywhere. The Cardinals' second-year inside linebacker flashes Pro Bowl ability. He tackled Jackson after gains of zero, 1 and 1 yards, and again after seven yards on a third-and-14 play. He also tackled tight end Lance Kendricks after 12 yards on third-and-17. Washington was nearly too aggressive in breaking up another pass to Kendricks on a third-and-1 play.

Enjoy your Monday night. Should be a good game between the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.

The Seattle Seahawks' Chris Clemons is the NFC's top defensive player from Week 11 after using the St. Louis Rams' injury problems to his advantage Sunday.

Next in line: the Arizona Cardinals' Calais Campbell, who sometimes dominates against regular starters and has experience picking on backups.

Two years ago, injuries to Walter Jones, Sean Locklear and Brandon Frye left the Seattle Seahawks with a fourth-string left tackle heading into a Week 6 game against Arizona. Campbell collected 1.5 of the Arizona Cardinals' five sacks during a 27-3 victory at Seattle. The team released tackle Kyle Williams shortly thereafter, signing veteran Damion McIntosh as a stopgap solution for its next game.

The Rams haven't lost quite as many left tackles this season, but they're getting close -- just in time for Campbell and the Cardinals to visit the Edward Jones Dome in Week 12.

Starting let tackle Rodger Saffold is out for the season. Backup Mark LeVoir is also hurt. Swing tackle Adam Goldberg has been starting at right tackle after the team lost starter Jason Smith. Undrafted rookie Kevin Hughes, signed from the practice squad, played extensively against Clemons and could make his first NFL start against the Cardinals. The team also signed tackle Thomas Welch from the Buffalo Bills' practice squad. Welch was a 2010 seventh-round choice of the New England Patriots.

The Rams unexpectedly needed Hughes to play extensively against Seattle when LeVoir, a last-minute replacement for Saffold, suffered a pectoral injury.

Campbell has five sacks and an interception this season. He had two sacks against the Rams in Week 9.

Thoughts on Seattle and St. Louis following the Seahawks' victory at the Edward Jones Dome in Week 11:

What it means: The Seahawks improved to 4-6 heading into a three-game homestand against losing teams. Seattle is now in position to approach its 7-9 record from last season. That would be admirable, but also costly for those hoping the team will draft high enough to select the college quarterback it prefers. For the Rams, this defeat drops their record to 2-8 while again revealing their limitations on offense, with or without Sam Bradford at quarterback. Defeats such as this one -- at home, against a losing team, without being competitive -- raise questions about Steve Spagnuolo's job security beyond this season.

What I liked: The Seahawks won the field-position battle and continued grinding out yards on the ground despite losing right guard John Moffitt and right tackle James Carpenter to season-ending injuries before this game. They exploited matchup advantages against the Rams' injury-depleted secondary, including with receiver pass for a 55-yard gain. They also took advantage of their pass-rush matchups after the Rams, already playing without starting left tackle Rodger Saffold, lost backup Mark LeVoir as well. Chris Clemons dominated and finished with three sacks. Leon Washington enjoyed a strong day on punt returns for Seattle. For the Rams, linebackers Chris Chamberlain and James Laurinaitis were everywhere at times. Chamberlain picked off a pass. Rookie defensive end Robert Quinn got a piece of another punt. He also collected a sack.

What I didn't like: Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor, fined $20,000 for an illegal hit last week, drew a personal-foul penalty with a helmet-to-helmet hit on Rams tight end Lance Kendricks. Chancellor could be subject to bigger fine and/or suspension. Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson tossed two early touchdown passes. He also took four sacks and eight quarterback hits, raising questions about his ability to last through the season as he plays with an injured pectoral. The Rams' Mark Clayton dropped a pass. Steven Jackson had his three-game streak of 100-yard rushing games end. He has now played 15 career games against Seattle without reaching 100 yards.

What's next: The Seahawks are home against the Washington Redskins in Week 12. The Rams are home against the Arizona Cardinals.

The accolades keep flowing the San Francisco 49ers' way following their 5-1 start to the season.

Winning tends to validate every aspect of an operation.

Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle praises team president Jed York for naming Trent Baalke general manager and hiring Jim Harbaugh as head coach. Ostler: "The 49ers desperately needed a game-changer and Harbaugh was the only candidate who potentially fit that description. ... York snagged him. Maybe York got lucky. Maybe Harbaugh was ready to make the jump to the NFL and he saw the 49ers as the one team in which he instantly could seize near-complete control of the entire football operation. But give York credit. When he went into marathon discussions with candidate Harbaugh, some people on the outside (OK, I was one) thought that might be a deal-killer. What if Harbaugh chats with York and Paraag Marathe for several hours and realizes he is being recruited to head up some rich kid's Junior Achievement project? So yes, some of us underestimated York (and Baalke and Marathe)."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee lauds Harbaugh for succeeding in creating the family atmosphere that eluded the 49ers under former coach Mike Singletary. Players received an extra two days off for winning their final two games before the bye week. Practice-squad players travel on road trips. Barrows: "Long and tedious team meetings were common. Singletary often gave speeches -- sermons, really -- during the week. He wanted the 49ers to bond, but it was forced bonding. Jim Harbaugh also wants a family like atmosphere. But he is running the team in a different manner, like Patrick Swayze ran his household in 'The Outsiders.' Harbaugh is like the older brother who lets you drink out of the milk carton and who isn't beyond getting into scrapes of his own."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat checks in with the 49ers' coordinators for an explanation on how West Coast offenses have evolved over the years. One key difference: Teams rarely use a split backfield, which was a staple under Bill Walsh. Noted: Mike Holmgren used split backs a fair amount of the time during his years with the Seahawks. Sometimes the team would shift from split backs into the I-formation and back to split backs. But it's uncommon to see split backs in the NFL today. I was watching the 1979 playoff game between the Rams and Cowboys recently. The Cowboys' use of split backs jumped out right away. Before that, teams used to have their receivers line up in sprinter's stances, which they never do any longer.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News profiles 49ers receiver Ted Ginn Jr.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are bracing for a New Orleans team that has continued functioning at a high level despite coach Sean Payton's knee injury. Thomas: "Because of the surgery, Payton was less involved in game-planning for last Sunday's game against Indianapolis. On game day, Payton was upstairs in the coaches' booth, with offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael taking over the play-calling duties from Payton. The result was an amazing 62-7 victory over the Colts. It was the most lopsided victory in Saints history, and it matched the most points scored by an NFL team since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. Payton may not have a leg to stand on, but he still has his team's ear."

Also from Thomas: Mark LeVoir is back with the team and says Rams Park looks the same, only four years older.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams could be close to getting cornerback Marquis Johnson back from injury.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals have lost their past 10 road games. Noted: They are one of eight teams in the NFL without a road victory this season. Carolina, St. Louis, Minnesota, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Miami and the New York Jets are also without a victory away from home. Carolina was the only team without a road victory all last season. The Cardinals haven't won a road game outside the division since beating the Detroit Lions during the 2009 season.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals hope to fix Kevin Kolb's footwork.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Seahawks tight end Zach Miller has no hard feelings toward Giants safety Kenny Phillips for the illegal hit that sidelined Miller until this week. The league levied a $20,000 fine against Phillips. Miller: "It's part of the game. A few years ago, that hit would have been legal. You can't fault the defensive guys too much because they're trying to make plays on the ball. It's tough when you change rules when you try and adapt and play within the rules. I wish it wouldn't have happened, though." Noted: Those are the types of hits I think about every time a retired player experiences health problems at a relatively young age. I suspect absorbing a hit such as that one would be life-altering for the typical non-athlete. It's remarkable athletes bounce back so quickly, but the evidence increasingly suggests they pay in the long term.

Also from O'Neil: Red Bryant's transformation from average defensive tackle to formidable defensive end continues to serve the Seahawks well.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com notes that the team hasn't played a home game since Oct. 2, meaning nearly a month will have passed between games at CenturyLink Field.

Sam Bradford played every offensive snap for the St. Louis Rams in 2010.

The quarterback has missed 70 snaps so far this season, a total that figures to grow in Week 8.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expects Bradford to miss the Rams' game against New Orleans. Bradford has not been able to bounce on his toes since suffering a high-ankle sprain. He tested the ankle during a workout Friday, two days before the team played Dallas. Thomas: "When Bradford woke up the next day following that light workout, the ankle was substantially more sore than it had been during the week. It was then that the decision was made not only to scratch Bradford from the lineup against Dallas, but also to put him in a firmer cast as opposed to the walking boot he had been wearing. The cast helped, Bradford said. But with the ankle feeling better than it did Saturday, the cast was taken off Wednesday and Bradford was back in the boot. He began light strengthening exercises on the ankle Wednesday."

Also from Thomas: The Rams signed offensive lineman Mark LeVoir after losing right tackle Jason Smith to head and neck injuries. It's unclear when Smith might return.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers punter Andy Lee and Browns returner Josh Cribbs are renewing a rivalry that took root in 2007, when Cribbs' long return in the final game of the season prevented Lee from setting an NFL single-season record for net average.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers receiver Braylon Edwards spoke with coach Jim Harbaugh immediately before addressing his injury situation with reporters. Not that the head coach would want to control the message regarding injuries. Edwards, on whether he experienced swelling in his surgically repaired knee after practicing Tuesday: "No. Not swelling. Just making sure everything is right. When you come off an injury like that, you have to make sure the mental matches the physical. Your physical may be ready but your physical may not be. Or your mental may surpass your physical performance. It's just making sure everything is aligned with the stars so that when I go out there, I'm there for the long haul as opposed to a couple of plays."

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says Harbaugh's parents will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary one day after their sons' NFL teams face one another on Thanksgiving. Brown: "Jack and Jackie got married in Ohio on the morning of Nov. 25, 1961. To pass the time before the evening reception, the entire wedding party retreated to Jackie's parents' home to watch the Ohio State-Michigan game on television. The next day, the newlyweds spent their honeymoon -- where else? -- at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, where they watched the New York Giants defeat the Browns 37-21."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com runs through the injury situation for four offensive starters. Also: "Andy Dalton is a player the Seahawks considered drafting, and the rookie quarterback for the Bengals is showing why. He has the highest completion percentage (.624) and passer rating (84.3) of all the first-year QBs in the league who have thrown at least 100 passes -- not to mention a 4-2 record as the starter."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Tarvaris Jackson's input will play a role in determining whether the quarterback plays against Cincinnati, according to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Bevell: "It probably comes down to that at this point. Because the injury is something that there’s really not a lot of background on, and so we have to go by how he feels, and how he feels he can perform. There’s as certain level that you have to be able to meet obviously. And so he’ll have to tell us how close he is to that."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks cannot take the Bengals for granted.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with former Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, who takes a low-keyed approach to facing his former team. Somers: "For me, it's just get back on the field and get a win. Around here, we're all about winning. We're trying to build something, and each week it's the same thing. It's a 16-game schedule. We take it one week at a time."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says first-round draft pick Patrick Peterson has shown improvement and generally played well against the Steelers, but the Cardinals need him to become a star. Urban: "His job was to cover speedy Mike Wallace and he did pretty well. The big play by Wallace, the 95-yard bomb, it was Richard Marshall and not Peterson on Wallace (and, after watching the replay, it looks like Marshall got caught cheating up and thinking about jumping an underneath route — the intended play Ben Roethlisberger talked about afterward — which was too deadly of a start for Marshall to keep up with Wallace). The rest of the day, Wallace didn’t make much of an impact." Noted: Peterson has made his greatest impact as a punt returner. His 89-yarder was the difference in the one game Arizona won this season. He is averaging 15.9 yards per return. The Cardinals averaged 7.0 yards per return last season. That's a nearly 9-yard improvement in field position every time the Cardinals return a punt. Huge difference.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch revisits the Rams' upset loss to New England in the Super Bowl following the 2001 season. Four current Rams played for that St. Louis team. They reflect on what might have been, noting how the Rams' and Patriots' paths diverged after that game.

Also from Thomas: An update on Steven Jackson's condition. Jackson missed practice again.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at what injured players go through during the week. Jackson hopes to play Sunday despite a thigh injury.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Patriots are suffering from a Super Bowl defeat hangover.

Also from Coats: Rams defensive lineman James Hall wont' complain about switching positions. The move to defensive tackle means more playing time.

More from Coats: Former Rams backup Mark LeVoir could start at right tackle for the Patriots. That would be a good thing for Leonard Little, I'm thinking.

And this: Dick Vermeil is headed for the Rams' Ring of Honor.

VanRam of Turf Show Times takes a look at which Rams players might deserve Pro Bowl consideration. Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa comes to mind. The Rams have had trouble breaking through at the position in part because Seattle's Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson have locked down spots. This year could be different.

Art Thiel of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says he thinks Mike Holmgren is headed for the 49ers in 2009. Perhaps that is why Holmgren keeps using the phrase "right now" when downplaying such thoughts.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times looks at the Seahawks' window of opportunity and whether it's closing.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer looks at the Seahawks' utter inability to "get home" with their blitzes. This has been a problem, off and on, for years.

Also from Farnsworth: Get ready for Seneca Wallace to start another game at quarterback for Seattle.

Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune weighs the Seahawks' inability to force turnovers.

Matthew Heuett of Seahawks Addicts cites a story noting Terrence Holt's recent tryout with the Seahawks. The team routinely brings in players on Tuesdays to update its contingency lists. Side note: Justin Hamilton, David Pittman and Tyson Smith also had tryouts.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals face another East Coast test. They failed the last one miserably.

Also from Somers: Injuries at tight end are threatening to limit the Cardinals' options.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Darnell Dockett isn't complaining as much about attracting double-team blocks. A conversation with the Bears' Tommie Harris opened his eyes.

Also from Urban: The Cardinals have improved in the red zone lately.

More from Urban: Arizona leads the NFL in scoring. Carolina ranks fifth in yards allowed per game. As the headline says, something has to give.

Rams eligible for practice squad Pos. Current Status Brock Berlin QB 53-man roster Chris Long DE 53-man roster John Greco OL 53-man roster Donnie Avery WR 53-man roster Roy Schuening OL 53-man roster Chris Chamberlain LB 53-man roster David Vobora LB 53-man roster Derek Stanley WR Practice Squad C.J. Ah You DL Practice Squad Russ Weil FB Practice Squad Marc Magro LB Practice Squad Lance Ball RB Practice Squad Dustin Fry OL Practice Squad Darius Vinnett CB Practice Squad Mark LeVoir OL 53-man roster (Pats) Marques Hagans WR Practice Squad (Chiefs) Julius Wilson OL Practice Squad (Bucs) Cortney Grixby DB Waived Nick Cleaver TE Waived Marcus Riley LB Waived Donovan Raiola OL Waived Henry Smith DL Waived Willie Williams DL Waived Matt Caddell WR Waived Tanard Davis DB Waived

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Rams have filled seven of eight spots on their practice squad. Cornerback Darius Vinnett was the notable addition; he previously slipped through the cracks when I listed Rams players with practice-squad eligibility.

Derek Stanley provides needed practice depth at receiver. Injuries continue to affect that position for the Rams.

The Patriots' signing of Mark LeVoir to their active roster surprised me. The Rams lack depth on the offensive line after placing Mark Setterstrom and Brandon Gorin on injured reserve. But the Patriots' might be even more desperate for help at tackle. New England has considered everyone but Bruce Armstrong as potential stopgaps at the position this summer. We'll see how long LeVoir lasts.

Update: The Chiefs signed Marques Hagans to their practice squad. Earlier in camp, a scout for another team asked me if I thought Hagans would earn a roster spot. Hagans' potential as a return specialist had caught his attention. 

Julius Wilson obviously has some talent. He went from the Dolphins to the Rams to the Bucs' practice squad in a short time period. Scouts must see potential.

I watched Wilson struggle terribly during the Rams scrimmage.

As noted then: "Defensive end Eric Moore beat [Wilson] for what would have been a sack on Brock Berlin. [Marc] Magro tossed Wilson to the outside and surged forward for what would have been a free shot on Berlin. Shortly thereafter, running back Lance Ball was gliding along for what should have been an easy touchdown, but a linebacker slammed him to the ground in front of Wilson as Ball crossed the goal line.