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The link to our next NFC West chat entitles the bearer to discuss all things relating to the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams.

Offer expires 60 minutes after 1 p.m. ET. Those using the terms Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals and 49ers in their comments/questions could get priority treatment based on Sando in-chat search optimization tactics.

John Clayton gives you the latest news from each team in the NFC West.

NFC West Team Political Contributions Since 1989 To Democrats To Republicans Rams (St. Louis) $234,800 98% 2% Rams (L.A.) $52,250 90% 10% 49ers $111,121 84% 16% Seahawks $24,402 53% 47% Cardinals $337,096 25% 75% Total $759,669 61.8% 38.2%

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Dave Levinthal of OpenSecrets.org has the skinny on how NFL teams have allocated their political contributions since 1989. The chart breaks down the contributions for NFC West teams, including the Rams before and after they moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

A few quick NFC West-related notes from the recently completed 2009 NFL draft, based on information I tracked during the draft:

• The 49ers were among four teams that did not select an offensive lineman, along with the Raiders, Redskins and Saints.
• Twelve teams drafted quarterbacks, including every NFC West team but Arizona.
• The Cardinals were among three teams to draft two running backs. The Seahawks were one of 12 teams not to select one, a bit of a surprise to me.
• Every NFC West team but Arizona drafted one receiver and one linebacker.
• The Cardinals were among nine teams to draft two defensive backs. Seven teams drafted three. The Jets and Jaguars did not draft one.
• The Seahawks and Rams were among 14 teams to draft an offensive lineman in the first three rounds. The Jaguars and Bills drafted two apiece.
• The Cardinals and 49ers were among six teams to draft a running back in the first three rounds.
• The Seahawks and 49ers were among 13 teams to draft a receiver in the first three rounds. The Browns and Eagles drafted two. The other 11 teams drafted one apiece.
• The NFC West held three of the top 10 overall choices, but a league-low 16 in the first two-thirds of the draft (top 170 choices). Every other division had at least 20. The AFC East, AFC North, AFC South and AFC West each had 23.

Thanks for coming along for the ride this weekend. A special thanks to Damon for relaying all first-round picks in real time on my Facebook page so Darren and others away from their TVs could follow the first round on their cell phones. Much appreciated.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Team needs: Running back, outside linebacker, offensive line, tight end

	Charles LeClaire/Getty Images
	If available, it would be difficult for the Cardinals to pass on Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy.

Dream scenario: The Cardinals need a franchise running back. Finding one with the 31st overall choice would help Arizona at quarterback, along the offensive line and on defense. Ohio State's Chris Wells, Georgia's Knowshon Moreno or Pittsburgh's LeSean McCoy would be logical candidates if they remained available at No. 31. The Cardinals are undergoing a makeover at the position. Edgerrin James appears on his way out. J.J. Arrington is already gone. Tim Hightower showed some ability as a rookie, but he did not distinguish himself as the answer. A renewed commitment to the ground game helped the Cardinals advance through the NFC playoffs last season. A more dynamic threat in the backfield would take that running game to a higher level.

Plan B: The Cardinals are in good position to help their roster even if one of the top running backs isn't available to them in the first round. They could use a young outside linebacker. This draft appears strong in that area. They could use help at tight end, another position considered to have depth. And if one of the top centers is on the board -- California's Alex Mack comes to mind -- Arizona could always go in that direction.

Scouts Inc.'s take: "It all depends on what happens with Anquan Boldin. If they do deal him by draft day, that would yield a first-round pick or more. I think Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm deep down have their Steeler roots and they would love to be more balanced. They are good coaches. They realize their strengths. Their running backs are atrocious, so they go with what they do well. But if they deal Boldin, that might give them the resources to become a balanced offense. At the minimum, they are taking a back and they probably do that regardless. If you have more picks, you take a back and a center or tackle. Grimm is a great coach. Give him someone to mold. [Left tackle] Mike Gandy got destroyed in the Super Bowl and you are not going to have a power running game with Lyle Sendlein at center." -- Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

Who has final say: Team president Michael Bidwill and general manager Rod Graves make the call in consultation with Whisenhunt. Steve Keim heads the college scouting department.

Now on the clock: The Tennessee Titans, March 17.

Previous On the Clock: Pittsburgh Steelers. The team-by-team series.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The power rankings released Tuesday weren't kind to the NFC West even though Arizona landed in the top 10. A quick look at average rankings for each division (and which voters favored or frowned upon which divisions):

• NFC East (7.4 average ranking): Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. ranked this division's teams fifth on average, higher than any panelist. NFC East blogger Matt Mosley ranked them ninth on average, lower than any panelist.
• AFC South (12.2): AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky and I ranked AFC South teams 9.5 on average, higher than anyone else. NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert ranked them 15.5 on average, more than two spots lower on average, than any voter.
• NFC South (12.6): Seifert ranked NFC South teams ninth on average, higher than any voter. I ranked them 15.25 on average, lower than anyone else.
  
• AFC East (15.1): AFC West blogger Bill Williamson ranked AFC East teams 12.25 on average, higher than any panelist. Kuharsky and Matt Williamson ranked them 17.75 on average, lower than anyone else.
• AFC North (19.3): NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas ranked AFC North teams 18th overall on average, higher than anyone else. Seifert ranked them 20.25 on average (only .25 higher than Bill Williamson, John Clayton, Jeremy Green and Mosley).
• AFC West (20.4): AFC North blogger James Walker ranked AFC West teams 19th overall on average, higher than any other voters. AFC East blogger Tim Graham ranked them 21.75 on average, lower than anyone else.
  
• NFC North (22.1): Matt Williamson ranked NFC North teams 20.75 on average, higher than the others. Yasinskas provided the lowest average votes at 23.25.
• NFC West (22.8): Mosley ranked NFC West teams 21.25 on average. Yasinskas provided the lowest rankings for the division at 25th on average.

I'll provide a voter-by-voter average for NFC West teams here: Mosley 21.25, Graham 21.5, Sando 21.75, Kuharsky 22, Clayton 22, Jeff Chadiha 22.75, Seifert 22.75, Bill Williamson 22.75, Walker 23.25, Matt Williamson 24, Green 24 and Yasinskas 25.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Geography is an unyielding opponent. The Seahawks know this better than any team in the league. The NFC West knows this better than any division.

Seattle will log a league-high 34,766 air and ground miles over the course of two exhibition road games and eight regular-season road games. At the other end, Cleveland is scheduled to cover only 6,416 miles this season. The numbers come from the NFL's information guide for 2008.

NFC West teams are scheduled to travel 114,616 miles, up from 113,620 last season. Both figures were league highs.

The Seahawks are scheduled to travel more miles this season than AFC North teams combined. Seattle has traveled 68,622 miles over the last two seasons, most in the league. Pittsburgh has traveled a league-low 18,636 miles over the same period.

The travel has seemed to catch up with Seattle during East Coast games that kick off at 10 a.m. PT. Coach Mike Holmgren has changed up travel plans to compensate, but body and mind can be tough to fool. Getting ready for an early kickoff means waking up around 5 in the morning Pacific time.

Mike Sando will have a full report from 49ers camp pending resolution of technical difficulties.