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The San Francisco 49ers have gone for quality over quantity in trying to build a big, powerful offensive line.

The team has drafted seven offensive linemen since 2005, one below the NFL average. But the 49ers selected a league-high three of the seven in the first round and a league-high five of them in the first two rounds.

That jumped out right away when sizing up NFC West offensive linemen from the 2005-2010 draft classes for the latest "adventures in drafting" installment.

The Arizona Cardinals have taken a different approach, using a division-low one first-round selection for the offensive line since 2005. Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Oakland, San Diego, Tennessee, Dallas, Minnesota and the New York Giants have selected no first-round offensive linemen during that span.

The charts break out NFC West selections by general draft position, with a column showing how many starts each has made for his original team. I am using the term "not active" loosely to describe players who haven't been on rosters during the regular season recently.

Italics reveal what teams might have been thinking as they entered various stages of the draft.

We should find 10-year starters with Pro Bowl potential, most often at tackle ...

Every offensive lineman selected among the top 50 or so choices should contribute and hopefully start ...

The most athletic prospects are gone by now, but tough guys still have value ...

These guys have question marks, obvious limitations or both, but we'll still get some starts from them ...

Anyone seen the Seahawks or 49ers lately?

What are our numbers on the line again? Let's get another one here.

Roster turnover is a leading topic for discussion in Seattle following the release of T.J. Houshmandzadeh in particular.

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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

Five thoughts on the Sporting News' rankings for NFL head coaches, which I know about because of this:

1. Timing can be everything. Awful nice of Matt Leinart to provide the testimonial for Ken Whisenhunt's No. 8 ranking. Leinart, obviously speaking before his release: "Just looking back at my rookie year, what we were as a team until now -- it's night and day. That’s due a lot to his philosophy and the attitude and discipline he’s brought to us. He’s been extremely hard on me, but I think it’s helped me to be mentally tougher and I think all that will pay off for both of us." In separate cities.

2. Someone has to be ranked last. Not sure what Steve Spagnuolo did to command that ranking, but a 1-15 record in his only season with the St. Louis Rams made him an easy target. Sam Bradford might wind up making him look a little more effective, which leads to the next point.

3. Quarterbacks make coaches look smart. The two highest-ranked coaches line up with Tom Brady and Drew Brees on their side, respectively. That helps.

4. Quarterbacks make coaches look dumb. The five lowest-ranked coaches played last season with unestablished quarterbacks. A question from Week 15 last season: What is more impressive, nearly beating the Houston Texans with sixth-round rookie Keith Null making his second career start for you (behind a line featuring Mark Setterstrom and John Greco), or needing four touchdown passes from Peyton Manning to eke out a victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars?

5. The jury is out on Mike Singletary and Pete Carroll. They were ranked 21st and 23rd, respectively. Singletary has a good enough team this season to rise in the rankings, Alex Smith permitting. I know the 49ers see Smith as only one piece of the puzzle, but he's also one link in the chain, to borrow another analogy.

Thoughts on the list?

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com isn't sure what to make of a report suggesting the Cardinals plan to meet Friday with Darnell Dockett and agent Drew Rosenhaus regarding a contract. My thoughts from the most recent NFC West chat: "Dockett discussed his feelings about his contract with me at the Pro Bowl. My sense is that he has a point of no return in his mind -- in other words, there's a point where he wants a deal from the Cardinals or he'll set his mind to playing out this deal and leaving when he can. I don't know when that point would be. It's an emotional issue for Dockett and he gets worked up about it sometimes. Then he probably has time to cool down and reevaluate. We know he's going to work hard and play hard for the Cardinals. That is his identity and he's not changing on that front, in my view. I'm sure he'll discuss the contract and his expectations at some point."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic quotes Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders this way on Matt Leinart: "Most quarterbacks in the league would lose their jobs to Kurt Warner. We think he'll be a lot better than people are projecting. He'll be back practicing with the first team getting first-team reps (snaps). We've found that when guys come in as a starter and practice all week, they play about 10 percent better than when they come in as reserves."

Also from Somers: a look at sleeper candidates for the Cardinals at outside linebacker, including Stevie Baggs. Somers: "Three NFL teams released him before he landed in the Canadian League. Two CFL teams released him and he played in the Arena League before returning to the CFL. He led the league in sacks last year with 12. To make the Cardinals roster, he needs to show those same skills this preseason."

The Associated Press says University of Phoenix Stadium suffered minor damage in a storm Thursday.

Ben Malcolmson of seahawks.com says coach Pete Carroll has installed a scoreboard near the Seahawks' practice field, the better to keep score during drills. Malcolmson: "As part of the head coach’s practice philosophy, Carroll likes keeping score during drills, all in an effort to raise the tenor of competition and increase the level of play. In sports, the scoreboard acts as the ultimate symbol of competition — and now it’s even on the Seahawks practice field."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, who has this to say about Matt Hasselbeck: "Matt has been [here] every day, starting in February, and he’s mastered the playbook. When the quarterback understands it as well as he does, it makes all the other positions step up to get to his level. It definitely starts with the quarterback, and Matt is so smart and his football IQ is off the charts. He’s bought in." This piece also includes a position-by-position look at the roster on offense.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Chester Pitts could earn as much as $2 million from the Seahawks after agreeing to terms on a one-year contract. Pitts can play guard or tackle, but first he'll have to prove he can bounce back from serious knee surgery.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com quotes Leroy Hill's attorney this way after police sought phone records potentially showing Hill had violated a no-contact order: "This prosecutor is not doing anything I wouldn't expect a prosecutor to do when there is a witness who refuses to cooperate and wishes there was no prosecution. It sounds like there is a bad situation with the warrant. But frankly, they're just searching for evidence and it's entirely normal at this stage for that occur. I don't expect this search warrant issue will amount to anything. We're working toward a settlement toward the underlying assault charge and I expect we'll either resolve or try it (in court) and this warrant will be a distant memory at some point. It's just a prosecutor being careful."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the 2009 Seahawks scored on only 6.3 percent of their opening drives, 27th in the NFL. What was the percentage for their other drives?

John Morgan of Field Gulls offers 15 areas of focus heading into Seahawks training camp. On Aaron Curry: "Curry looked pretty awesome in last year's camp, and so this might speak to the above. Curry is coachable and toolsy as all get out, and I expect him to look very good in camp, but I will watch for improvement."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams and Sam Bradford's agent need to set aside petty differences to make sure Bradford is in camp right away. Burwell: "Given all that's at stake for the Rams organization and the talented young face of the franchise, it's rather baffling why a deal hasn't already been consummated. And the fact that it's still not done makes me wonder why everyone involved -- and that means the Rams management, Bradford's agents and the rather intelligent rookie QB himself -- can't understand the concept of penny wise, pound foolish." The first full-squad practice is usually the target.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams guard Mark Setterstrom is headed for injured reserve, as expected.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo left open the possibility that Rodger Saffold could play left tackle and Jason Smith could play on the right side. That seems unlikely given Smith's status as the second overall choice in the 2009 draft, but the division-rival Cardinals used the fifth choice in the 2007 draft for a player they used on the right side until this season. Levi Brown is moving to left tackle.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says the Rams plan to have more live tackling this summer. Spagnuolo: "There will be some of that in there. We'll pick and choose. I banged my head against the wall in the offseason when I was putting that practice schedule together. You walk that fine line. You want your team to be tough, you want to be able to tackle, you want to be able to block and do all those things, and I don't think you just flip a switch and do it on game day. If you work on it too much and get guys banged up and you don't have a team, that's not good either. I remember the feedback from last year. These guys liked it. Now they don't want to do it every day, every period, but it's football. I hope they like it, because if they don't, we'll be in trouble."



Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers first-round choice Anthony Davis and third-rounder Navorro Bowman have agreed to contract parameters and will sign Friday. Maiocco: "Coach Mike Singletary, perhaps anticipating all rookies under contract, decided to open practice a day earlier than originally planned. The 49ers on Thursday added a 90-minute 'shells' practice to their camp itinerary for Sunday. The team will put on full pads for two practices, as regularly scheduled, on Monday."

Also from Maiocco: He thinks the 49ers would not pursue a contract extension for Alex Smith during the season if the quarterback were playing at a high level. Maiocco: "I think the 49ers will want to see the full sample size of the entire season. I don't believe there would be much risk in losing Smith to another team if he were to have a strong year. The reasons: I just can't see the 49ers not giving him a fair offer, and I can't see him wanting to go elsewhere and starting anew."

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News wonders whether this is the year the 49ers meet expectations.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says a source told him the 49ers considered trading running back Glen Coffee during the draft.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch got some work after resting injuries this offseason. Coach Pete Carroll: "This was an exciting day for us, to see T.J. get back on the field and Deion get back on the field and catch some balls. It’s been a long time since they’ve been out. With the rehab there’s the concern: Are they going to make it? Today, at the end of practice, it was great to see these guys get out and – with really good tempo – run some routes. Which means that they’re really on the mend and I wouldn’t be surprised if they can do some work next week."

Also from Farnsworth: an update on Leon Washington. Washington: "I’ve basically been in training camp since October, since I broke my leg. I’ve been in training mode, so I’m positive I can come back stronger than before. I’ve still got my fast-twitch muscles. I’m still out there cutting. I’m running straight ahead and getting pretty good speed. So from that point, I feel like I’ve still got it."

Rod Mar of seahawks.com offers photos from practice.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times passes along Carroll's thoughts on Leroy Hill and the sanctions Carroll's former USC team incurred.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks receiver Reggie Williams has looked better in practice recently. Williams: "He had a couple, nice catches over the middle of the defense and said he’s getting more comfortable in Seattle’s offensive scheme."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com takes a position-by-position look at the Cardinals' projected starting offense. He's listing Tim Hightower ahead of Beanie Wells at running back. Urban: "Ahh, the most 'controversial' of the starting calls. Will I be shocked if Beanie Wells is starting in St. Louis? No. Could Hightower start Game One and then have Wells move in? Sure. Might they stay Hightower-Wells all season as last year? Yes. Have I mentioned before it doesn’t matter? I am feeling pretty good in saying Beanie will have more carries and be the leading rusher. The other details are window dressing." On the other hand, how many first-round draft choices meet expectations, as Wells has, without moving into the starting lineup? Seems like a natural next step.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says injured Rams guard Mark Setterstrom is getting a second medical opinion, common for players after serious injuries.

Also from Coats: Rams players discuss college conference realignment. Former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis on Nebraska joining the Big Ten: "The Big Ten has schools in a lot of states where they just love college sports. You look at Ohio. The Bengals and the Browns, (the fans) are kind of divided, but everyone loves Ohio State. (Pennsylvania), obviously everything there is all about Penn State. And you can say the same thing about Wisconsin. So I think Nebraska definitely fits in there."

More from Coats: a chat transcript in which he says there's nothing new with Oshiomogho Atogwe or Brian Westbrook, but he thinks Atogwe will re-sign with the Rams eventually.



Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com lists 49ers players who have come and gone this offseason.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers cornerback Nate Clements will attend the team's minicamp beginning Thursday after staying away previously this offseason. Shawntae Spencer and Manny Lawson also seem likely to attend. It's a mandatory camp, after all.

Also from Barrows: a quick look at Alex Smith's practice experience Tuesday.

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat offers notes from 49ers practice. Josh Morgan caught six passes from Smith during the team period.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says Karl Paymah has benefited from the absences of Clements and Spencer.

One point Steve Spagnuolo hit on during our conversation Wednesday was the St. Louis Rams' need to avoid too many injuries.

The progress his team showed last season hit a wall when injuries and Richie Incognito's self-induced departure devastated the offensive line. With left tackle Jason Smith having already suffered a stress fracture to his toe, the Rams watched Friday as Mark Setterstrom, one of their key backups on the line, suffered an arm injury in practice.

Smith is expected to miss organized team activities and minicamps. We do not yet know how long Setterstrom might be out and there's still three months to go before the regular season. But any injuries are too many injuries for a team still trying to improve its depth.

Left guard Jacob Bell underwent knee surgery this offseason and should be ready for training camp.

Update: It's a torn triceps for Setterstrom. Season in jeopardy.

Joe from Midland, Texas, writes: Hey Mike, going out on the limb here, but it seems like the Niners' defense did better against pass-happy offenses (with the exception of Atlanta) than against more balanced teams. Is it possible the Cardinals might give us more competition being more balanced this year than they did last year with Kurt Warner? By the way, no, I'm not crazy. Just a thought.

Mike Sando: There's some value in what you're saying, but there's another side also worth considering.

Beanie Wells wasn't part of the plan for Arizona when the teams played in Week 1, but he did carry the ball 15 times for 79 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco later in the season. The 49ers' pass-rushers have been a tough matchup for the Cardinals, even while Arizona was able to handle more acclaimed rushers, including Jared Allen of the Vikings.

It's also probably true, however, that the Cardinals had an easier time running the ball against San Francisco because the 49ers were most concerned about containing Warner. Take away Warner and the 49ers might, in theory, become more effective against the Cardinals' ground game.

Defenses aren't as likely to commit extra defenders to the run when facing elite quarterbacks.

One key for Arizona, I think, is showing an ability to run the ball with three wide receivers on the field. Teams generally must go with lighter personnel on defense when offenses replace running backs and tight ends with wide receivers. This can create more favorable situations for a running game.

It's great to talk about being a smashmouth team, but the 49ers proved early last season that such talk goes only so far when the blocking is average and the passing game isn't much of a threat.

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Jonathan from Huntsville, Ala., writes: Great article about Sam Bradford, but here is a thought about your last paragraph: Yes, it sounds intimidating for a rookie QB to be going up against Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett and others in that Arizona defense. But I will sure be excited about seeing him play if it is that same Arizona defense that showed up in the playoffs! If they don't improve or fix whatever happened to them last year, the Rams could actually put up some points.

Mike Sando: Improved health along the Rams' offensive line could be the biggest difference this season. The Cardinals held the Rams to 238 yards in Week 16 last season, but Mark Setterstrom and John Greco were the starting guards for St. Louis in that game, with Adam Goldberg at right tackle. All three of those players were backups entering the season. It'll be important for the Rams to have their first-team line on the field to give the offense -- and Bradford -- its best shot.

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Matt from Reno writes: I was browsing through ESPN and noticed that the NFC East blogger did a story on the most overrated/underrated players on each team. It seemed like a fun idea and wondered if you'd give it a shot with the NFC West. Thanks for your time.

Mike Sando: These are fun to read and perhaps that's good enough reason to do them. I've always wondered who was doing the original ratings, though. Who is overrating and underrating these guys? I've got an idea for a twist on overrated and underrated players, though. Stay tuned.

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Chris from Gilroy, Calif., writes: Wow, your comments on Patrick Willis are way off against Beanie Wells. That makes me not wanna read your blog ever again. He is the top player in the NFC West. Deal with it.

Mike Sando: That was the same entry where I called Willis a "dominant" and "great" player (not to mention a smarter one). The point relative to Wells was merely that he had shown enough last season in general and against the 49ers in particular for even Willis to take him seriously. No disrespect there.

The Rams added 11 players in the 2010 NFL draft, pushing Steve Spagnuolo past Scott Linehan for the coach with the most draft choices on the team's roster.

Adding quality must remain a top priority, however.

The Rams have more of their own seventh-round choices -- eight -- than any team in the league.

Ten choices remain from the Scott Linehan era: Clifton Ryan, Keenan Burton, Donnie Avery, Justin King, Chris Chamberlain, David Vobora, Mark Setterstrom, Chris Long, John Greco and Victor Adeyanju.

Five remain from the Mike Martz era: Ron Bartell, Steven Jackson, Chris Massey and unsigned restricted free agents Alex Barron and Oshiomogho Atogwe.

Adam Carriker's trade from the Rams to the Redskins -- rumored for weeks and now a done deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter -- reflects what happens when teams change coaching staffs. The Rams and Redskins swapped fifth-round choices.


The move reunites Carriker with former Rams interim coach and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, now with the Redskins. I never sensed the Rams' current leadership disliked Carriker, but neither was the leadership ever personally invested in Carriker's career. Haslett has a better feel for what Carriker can become. Perhaps Carriker will fit better at defensive end in the Redskins' 3-4 scheme than at defensive tackle in the Rams' 4-3. A shoulder injury prevented Carriker from playing last season, perhaps hastening his departure.

The Rams made Carriker the 13th player chosen in the 2007 draft. His departure leaves restricted free agent Clifton Ryan, a fifth-round choice, as the only 2007 Rams choice still with the team. The current leadership previously traded second-round choice Brian Leonard. Other members from that class -- Jonathan Wade, Dustin Fry, Ken Shackleford, Keith Jackson and Derek Stanley -- are also gone.

Victor Adeyanju and Mark Setterstrom are the Rams' only 2006 choices still with the team.

The dismantling continues in St. Louis.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says he hasn't heard anything about a potential trade sending Adam Carriker to the Redskins as a 3-4 defensive end in Jim Haslett's defense. Thomas: "I've done some checking, and I can't find any validity to these Carriker/Redskins trade rumors. But that doesn't necessarily mean he has a future here. For the most part, the current regime doesn't seem to be too fond of players who preceded them. Carriker didn't play at all last year and his been bugged by injuries his first two years, so I don't think he would bring much. A late-round pick maybe?"

Also from Thomas: Mark Setterstrom returns for a fifth season with the Rams after signing a one-year deal.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks reached into defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's past when they signed free-agent linebacker Matt McCoy.

Also from O'Neil: Former Seahawks coach Jim Mora says he will not be coaching at the high school level in 2010, contrary to what a high school coach said recently. O'Neil: "With four children, Mora has had a busy schedule attending all of their events and has volunteered working with lacrosse, baseball and basketball. He also may help with his 11-year-old son's youth football team, but that's more a matter of offering encouragement and equipment assistance."

More from O'Neil: Darryl Tapp says he's happy to have a job.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Tapp was "overjoyed" to be joining a team as good as the Eagles.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Joey Porter isn't the first potential Cardinals linebacker to visit the Redskins. Larry Foote also made the trip to Washington, only to sign with the Steelers. Urban: "What does that mean with Porter and the Cardinals? Well, I don’t pretend to know. The Cards and Porter haven’t agreed to a deal yet, and I find it hard to believe Porter will suddenly drop his price before going to Washington. The Skins, I suppose, will set the market."

Revenge of the Birds' Andrew602 says the Cardinals need help at linebacker. Andrew602: "The front office is making an attempt, but let's be honest with ourselves, the Cardinals linebacking group is not as good as it was eight weeks ago. In all fairness, free agency isn't over and Porter could be wearing a Cardinals jersey sometime soon. The draft is also next month and the Cardinals are undoubtedly going to draft a linebacker with their 1st round pick. When that time comes, maybe we can re-evaluate the group and see where they stand heading into next year."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers want to re-sign Barry Sims, and Sims wants to re-sign with the 49ers. But with the Redskins showing interest, Sims will find out what the market bears.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat explains how the 49ers view free-agent visitor Akin Ayodele. Maiocco: "The 49ers have been clear with Ayodele that they envision him as a backup to Takeo Spikes and Patrick Willis. Currently, the 49ers have veteran Matt Wilhelm and Scott McKillop, a fifth-round draft pick last year, as the backup inside linebackers."

Also from Maiocco: a free-agent scorecard for the 49ers. He expects Texans guard Chester Pitts to visit Thursday.

The Rams have tendered their restricted free agents as follows:

• Oshiomogho Atogwe, FS, right of first refusal. The team must upgrade its $1.226 million offer to nearly $7 million guaranteed in June if Atogwe is unsigned and the Rams want to retain his rights.
• Clifton Ryan, DE, second round.
• Alex Barron, OT, second round.
• Victor Adeyanju, DE, original round (fourth).
• Craig Dahl, S, right of first refusal.

The Rams can match any offers these players receive. All but Atogwe and Dahl would return a draft choice as compensation if the Rams decided against matching.

Eight players will become unrestricted free agents after the Rams declined to make RFA offers: safety Eric Bassey, long snapper Ryan Neill, cornerback Jonathan Wade, running back Samkon Gado, wide receiver Ruvell Martin, guard Mark Setterstrom, tight end Daniel Fells and defensive tackle Gary Gibson.

The minimum RFA offers exceed $1 million. Some of those eight players could conceivably return for less.

The team also retained rights to defensive end C.J. Ah You, cornerback Quincy Butler, running back Kenneth Darby, linebacker Larry Grant, wide receiver Jordan Kent, tackle Ryan McKee, safety David Roach and linebacker David Vobora.

Arizona Cardinals

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.

NFC South maestro Pat Yasinskas has acquired and shared a list featuring NFL players scheduled to become restricted free agents again if the league and its players fail to extend the collective bargaining agreement.

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.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' 2010 draft status is the most compelling part of Week 17 for the only team with a 1-14 record. Thomas: "If the Rams (1-14) and Lions (2-13) both finish 2-14, the tiebreaker for draft position is strength of schedule. The team with the easier schedule gets the No. 1 overall pick; the team with the tougher schedule drafts second overall. Entering the final weekend of the regular season, the Lions and Rams are nearly identical in strength of schedule. The Lions' opponents are 124-116, for a 51.7 winning percentage. The Rams' opponents are 126-114 for a 52.5 percentage. So Detroit has just a two-game "lead" entering Sunday's games. No fewer than nine games elsewhere in the NFL on Sunday will affect the strength of schedule for the Rams and Lions. If the teams end up with identical schedule strengths, the next tiebreaker is head-to-head competition. Because the Rams defeated Detroit 17-10 on Nov. 1, the Lions would win that tiebreaker and get the No. 1 overall pick."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams appear to be playing coy, again, as to which quarterback will start for them. Also, the team expects Roger Allen to start at guard after Mark Setterstrom suffered a torn triceps.

Also from Coats: Another week, another new guard in the lineup.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Matt Hasselbeck is eager to get back on the field after tossing eight interceptions in two games. Coach Jim Mora: "The guy’s a competitor -- a great competitor. It kills him when his football team is not winning. He’s the quarterback, so he takes a lot of the credit when things are going well and responsibility when things aren’t going well. Knowing Matt, and how serious he is about his craft, he’s just going to do everything he can to try to win. Sometimes that means forcing the ball in there."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times wonders where Mora stands after losing three consecutive games by a combined 106-24 score.

Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune says Mora is defending his team's effort level. Mora: "Effort is not an issue. People are always going to bring up the question of effort when you get beat bad. That is not an issue, not at all."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says Hasselbeck is trying to do too much. Boling: "Is Matt Hasselbeck what’s wrong with this team? Recently, he’s been a very clear part of the problem. But I definitely think this level of play is the result of circumstances, and the remedial roster. And, truly, of trying to do too much."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic expects the Cardinals to face the Packers in the wild-card round, raising a dilemma for coach Ken Whisenhunt. Somers: "If the Cardinals end up playing the Packers in consecutive games, Whisenhunt would have to conduct a risk-benefit analysis. Is winning an 11th game and the possibility of improving the seeding worth selling out to beat an opponent that the Cardinals are likely to play again the following week? How much will he play quarterback Kurt Warner? Or players hobbled with injuries? Whisenhunt is aware of all the questions to be considered. He doesn't have the answers yet, or prefers to keep them to himself. The final decisions might not be made until Sunday afternoon."

Also from Somers: The Cardinals have a shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals appear to be rounding into playoff form. Anquan Boldin has led the team in receiving yardage five times in the past seven games.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Whisenhunt wasn't as upset with the Cardinals' offensive line after studying the pass protection against St. Louis in Week 16. Whisenhunt: "We just have to be a little more aware, like we did against Minnesota, that we give those guys some help in certain situations as far as chips or body presence. I’m not disappointed at all in the way those guys played. I was upset after the game because my perception of how our line played was not what it actually was. If you look at how Levi [Brown] played and how physical he was and some of the things he did in protection, I actually was impressed with how he played and Jeremy [Bridges], for the most part, did a nice job."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers are pointing to Ahmad Brooks and Dashon Goldson as reasons for a rise in opponents' turnovers.

Also from Barrows: Vernon Davis likes his chances for the Pro Bowl. Davis: "I can block better than any tight end in the conference, and my statistics are there in the passing game. I mean, why not?" Other tight ends have more receptions this season, but Davis has more touchdowns and more big plays. The 49ers have not asked him to help in pass protection nearly as much this season, but Davis has previously shown an ability to block some defensive ends without help.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers realize they should be scoring more points off turnovers. Coach Mike Singletary: "Our offense continues to evolve. Going into this last game, hopefully, we can put it all together. This offseason will be the first time ever that anybody on offense has a coordinator or has a consistently going into the offseason. Hopefully, next year will be a lot better."

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News looks at potential Pro Bowl choices for San Francisco.

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says Patrick Willis realizes tackle statistics can be overrated.

The Rams expect to lose starting left guard Jacob Bell, possibly for the season, after the veteran suffered a torn hamstring Sunday.

That was the word from Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com.

Right guard Richie Incognito, benched after committing his 10th and 11th personal fouls since 2006, had not suffered any repercussions when coach Steve Spagnuolo met with reporters. Spagnuolo had not spoken with Incognito yet.

Losing Bell would severely strain the Rams' depth up front. Right tackle Jason Smith remains unavailable while battling concussion-related symptoms. Adam Goldberg and Mark Setterstrom are the top backups. Goldberg is already starting. Setterstrom played when Spagnuolo benched Incognito.