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Aaron Curry, apparently headed for Oakland, has plenty of company among 2009 NFL draft choices failing to meet expectations with their original teams.

The player Seattle's previous leadership drafted fourth overall was part of a draft featuring quite a few underwhelming players near the top.

Thirteen NFC West choices from the 2009 draft remain with their teams: Max Unger, Deon Butler and Cameron Morrah in Seattle; Beanie Wells, Rashad Johnson, Greg Toler and LaRod Stephens-Howling in Arizona; Jason Smith, James Laurinaitis, Bradley Fletcher and Darell Scott in St. Louis; and two players in San Francisco, Michael Crabtree and Ricky-Jean Francois.

Let's sift through the rubble ...

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NFC West teams have drafted 22 defensive ends since 2002, a number smaller than I would have anticipated.

An even smaller number -- two! -- start for the teams that drafted them.

One, Antonio Smith, starts for another team.

A few notes relating to this latest item in a series examining various positions:

• Kentwan Balmer appears as a defensive end because the San Francisco 49ers drafted him to play that position. Balmer played defensive tackle in college.
• Darnell Dockett does not appear as a defensive end because the Arizona Cardinals drafted him to play defensive tackle. Yes, Dockett plays defensive end in the Cardinals' current scheme, but the NFL lists him as a tackle for Pro Bowl voting and he is not a typical defensive end even by 3-4 standards.
• Of the 22, only Chris Long and Calais Campbell are starting for their original teams. Smith is starting for the Houston Texans.
• Six of the eight most highly drafted ends since 2002 came from teams most recently affiliated with the ACC.
• Long was the only player on the list drafted before the 28th overall choice.
• Will Davis and Parys Haralson were listed as defensive ends coming out of college, but both projected as outside linebackers. That is why they do not appear below. Cody Brown also projects at linebacker.
• I've used the term "not active" loosely in the charts to describe players who weren't on active rosters during the regular season recently.

Now, on to the charts. I've broken them up with italicized comments representing what NFL teams might have been thinking at corresponding stages of these drafts.

Playing it safe and hoping those NFL bloodlines pay off ...


Defensive linemen are at a premium, and we might find out why ...


The pure pass-rushers are gone by now ...


If these guys don't pan out, it'll be a while before we take another third-round end ...


It's an upset if we find a starter at this point ...


Time to fill out the practice squad, but you never know ...

A quick look at the Seattle Seahawks' 2009 draft class ...

Best pick so far: Deon Butler has 27 receptions for 274 yards and three touchdowns this season. He has been inconsistent, particularly of late, but coach Pete Carroll said no player improved as much during the offseason. Butler has started seven games and made a few big plays, including scoring grabs of 13, 22 and 63 yards in Seattle victories.

Second-guessing: Aaron Curry was widely considered the "safest" pick in the 2009 draft when Seattle selected him over quarterback Mark Sanchez, who went one spot later to the New York Jets. Curry became a starter right away, but the Seahawks aren't getting the production a team would expect from a high draft choice. Curry has occasionally appeared close to turning a corner. Something isn't quite right, however. The St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson said early on that Curry needed to learn how to be a pro. Was he right? Curry periodically hints at dissatisfaction over his role. He seems eager to celebrate the routine play -- witness him screaming at Kansas City's sideline last week -- without making enough big ones. He's an enigma.

Key variable: Curry merits a mention in this spot. To avoid redundancy, though, let's consider second-round choice Max Unger. Unger is the leading candidate to start at center next season. The Seahawks haven't had a strong leader in the middle of their line since Robbie Tobeck retired. Can Unger become that type of player? He's on injured reserve with a toe injury now.

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)

---

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.

Chris Clemons was first and Nick Reed second.

That was the word from Lofa Tatupu when I asked the Seattle Seahawks' linebacker midway through training camp to name the best pass-rushers on the team. My initial thought was that it's a bad sign when a backup chosen in the seventh round of the previous year's draft ranks among a team's top two pass-rushers. But Reed did possess a surprising knack for finding quarterbacks.

Circumstances have changed. Reed suffered a knee injury that will lead the Seahawks to release him with an injury settlement. Rookie Dexter Davis has also emerged as a more prominent pass-rush threat for Seattle.

Perhaps the team will get more contributions along those lines from Aaron Curry.

Losing Reed still hurts depth, however. The injury settlement allows Reed to re-sign with the Seahawks or join another team at an unknown point during the regular season.

The roster move will help Seattle reach the 53-man limit Saturday. Reed was going to need at least a few weeks to recover, anyway.

NFL teams have until Saturday to reduce their rosters to 53-man limits, with the 75-man deadline passing Tuesday.

I've been putting together roster breakdowns similar to this one for roughly 10 years. They're a quick read and worthwhile exercise because they require thinking through each position. The numbers in parentheses shows how many players the team has on its roster. The average number kept since 2003 reflects Week 1 counts by position.

In some cases I've used the "looking safe" category for players that could qualify as "keepers" (the term "locks" is one I used previously). The Seattle Seahawks remain somewhat unsettled at quite a few positions and they could be active in claiming players off waivers. Some players looking safe one day could become expendable quickly. The same could be said for some keepers.

Here's what I'm thinking Monday:

Quarterbacks (3)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.9

Keepers: Matt Hasselbeck, Charlie Whitehurst

Looking safe: J.P. Losman

Comment: Some teams keep only two quarterbacks when other positions demand special considerations. Seattle could have some interest in Matt Leinart if the Arizona Cardinals released him. I wouldn't expect the Seahawks to invest anything trade-wise, however.

Running backs (6)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: Justin Forsett, Leon Washington, Julius Jones, Quinton Ganther

On the bubble: Owen Schmitt

Also: Louis Rankin

Comment: Schmitt isn't a top special-teams player and he isn't versatile enough to carry the ball. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates says he has room for traditional fullbacks on his roster. We'll see if that's enough to spare Schmitt. I don't think the team would release Jones even though Forsett and Washington have sometimes looked better.

Wide receivers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Deion Branch, Mike Williams, Golden Tate

Looking safe: Deon Butler

On the bubble: Ben Obomanu, Brandon Jones

Also: Ruvell Martin, Kole Heckendorf

Comment: Jones probably needs to make an impact over the next week, including during the final exhibition game, to prove he's worth a roster spot. Obomanu can play multiple positions, he's good on special teams and he's caught the ball when given chances. Jones has shown more during past regular seasons and he can also provide special-teams value. Butler's strong offseason should be enough. Houshmandzadeh seems to be gaining momentum following an injury-affected offseason.

Tight ends (5)

Average number kept since 2003: 3.1

Keepers: John Carlson, Chris Baker

On the bubble: Anthony McCoy, Cameron Morrah

Also: Nick Tow-Arnett

Comment: McCoy has dropped too many passes, but he's a draft choice and he also scored a touchdown during the preseason. It's possible the Seahawks could keep four tight ends. They'll use more double-tight personnel groupings this season, most likely. Carlson and Baker are clearly the top two. I'm not sure McCoy or Morrah would rank among the 53 best players overall.

Offensive linemen (15)

Average number kept since 2003: 8.9

Keepers: Russell Okung, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Max Unger, Mansfield Wrotto, Mike Gibson, Ray Willis, Chester Pitts

Not sure what to think: Steve Vallos, Ben Hamilton

Also: Mitch Erickson, Jeff Byers, Joe Toledo, Gregg Peat, Jacob Phillips

Comment: This position is difficult to figure. The Seahawks expect Willis back at some point early in the season. If that holds true, the team wouldn't want to place him on injured reserve. Pitts falls into the keeper category if his knee holds up (reserve/PUP is not an option for him after Pitts passed a physical). Spencer and Unger can both play center, and Gibson could start at guard, making me wonder if there's a spot for Vallos. Hamilton entered camp as a starter. Line coach Alex Gibbs values him as a mentor for Okung. But with Gibson overtaking Hamilton recently and with Pitts getting medical clearance, Hamilton appears less valuable. Seattle might want to keep 10 while the injury situation settles out. Expect the Seahawks to check out the waiver wire, too.

Defensive line (15)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.6

Keepers: Chris Clemons, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Colin Cole, Kevin Vickerson, Nick Reed, Kentwan Balmer, E.J. Wilson, Dexter Davis

Looking safe: Quinn Pitcock

On the bubble: Craig Terrill

Also: Ricky Foley, Rob Rose, Amon Gordon, Jonathan Lewis

Comment: Clemons suddenly rivals Okung as the non-quarterback Seattle could least afford to lose. This reflects Clemons' strong play during preseason and the lack of attractive alternatives. Pitcock's youth and third-round potential could give him an edge over Terrill, at least in my view. Terrill has fought through knee trouble to remain in the mix.

Linebackers (8)

Average number kept since 2003: 6.9

Keepers: Lofa Tatupu, Aaron Curry, David Hawthorne

Looking safe: Matt McCoy, Tyjuan Hagler, Will Herring

Also: Joe Pawelek

Comment: Leroy Hill will open the regular season on the reserve/suspended list. He'll join the keepers once eligible. Hill, Curry and Tatupu have never played a full game together during the 2009 regular season or the 2010 exhibition season.

Defensive backs (15)

Average number kept since 2003: 7.9

Keepers: Marcus Trufant, Earl Thomas, Josh Wilson, Lawyer Milloy, Walter Thurmond, Kam Chancellor

Looking safe: Kelly Jennings, Jordan Babineaux

On the bubble: Kevin Ellison, Jamar Adams, Roy Lewis

Also: Cordelius Parks, Kennard Cox, Josh Pinkard, Marcus Brown

Comment: Trufant's return to form stands out as one of the most welcome developments for Seattle this summer. Thomas upgrades the coverage and playmaking ability of the secondary. The more Milloy plays, the more he looks like an enforcer type. Thurmond's return from knee surgery qualifies as the most pleasant surprise for Seattle in the secondary. Jennings' durability could be a concern. Babineaux's versatility makes him valuable even though it's looking as though the team doesn't have significant long-term plans for him.

Specialists (4)

Average number kept since 2003: 3.1

Keepers: Olindo Mare, Jon Ryan, Clint Gresham

Also: Clint Stitser

Comment: Mare missed from 43 yards against Minnesota on a strange night for kickers in the NFC West. Joe Nedney and Shane Adrus missed for the San Francisco 49ers.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams should be fine with Stan Kroenke running the team. Burwell: "You will find that there is no Daniel Snyder in him. Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, is the patron saint of know-nothing control freaks whose egos make them insufferable to live with and whose repeated idiotic business decisions make their teams' league chronic laughing stocks. Kroenke won't be an insufferable little Napoleon like Snyder, and chances are he won't be much like Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys' free-spending, attention-grabbing owner either. That's not Kroenke's style. He's way too low key for that. But everything he has done as both a businessman and sports owner suggests timidity isn't his style either."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expects NFL owners to welcome Kroenke as the Rams' majority owner Wednesday. Thomas: "It takes 24 yes votes from the 32 club owners for approval. The finance committee recommendation, particularly because it was unanimous, is a strong indication that Kroenke's bid will be approved. The NFL uses a committee system to do its legwork on a variety of issues, and in many cases team owners are committee members. In this case, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson is chairman of the finance committee."

Also from Thomas: a chat transcript featuring these thoughts on rookie quarterback Sam Bradford: "I'd say Bradford has a strong arm, but not a cannon. When it comes to heaving a ball as far as you can downfield, I think I'd even say that Keith Null has a stronger arm. But Bradford can make so many other throws accurately, that Null can't. Bradford's overall release and decision-making -- to me -- seem quicker than A.J. Feeley. And I think this will only improve on Bradford's end as he gets more comfortable with the offense and with the speed of the NFL game." So much of playing quarterback is anticipating throws and making them accurately.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams defensive tackle Gary Gibson. Another Gibson, Brandon, is finally back in the mix at wide receiver.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says Bradford is eager to make his first NFL start.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers fought through triple-digit temperatures on the hottest day of training camp. Also: "Quarterback Alex Smith executed a play fake, then he fired a 29-yard pass over cornerback Tarell Brown toward flanker Josh Morgan, who made a leaping catch in the end zone."

Also from Maiocco: Michael Crabtree was back after missing time with a neck strain.

More from Maiocco: thoughts on Mike Singletary's critique of third-team quarterback Nate Davis in relation to Smith. Maiocco: "Smith has one season to prove himself. This is the final year of his contract. At the end of the season, the 49ers must make a decision: Is the future of the franchise in better hands with Smith or somebody else at quarterback? Davis has to put himself into position to be a legitimate option for the future."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com profiles rookie offensive linemen Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati, who are hanging out together quite a bit these days. Veteran tackle Barry Sims: "There’s a lot of pressure being a first-round pick and it seems like they’re handling the pressure appropriately right now. Those guys both came in ready to work. They’ve put in the extra hours to be ready to go when the season starts. That’s really important. It’s hard as a rookie to learn a new system and how things are done on this level. For them to be able to come in and get things done like they have, it’s a good thing. They have ways to go, but they’re doing everything to close that gap and be ready for the regular season."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers' David Baas has had to work on shotgun snaps.

Also from Barrows: no free rides for the 49ers' rookie class.

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Ted Ginn Jr. would like some work on kickoff returns.

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' Frank Gore could get some work in the third exhibition game.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says David Carr is solidly entrenched as the No. 2 quarterback for the 49ers, to the point that he didn't even play in the second exhibition game. This stands in contrast to the approach Arizona and Seattle are taking as their new second-string quarterback learn their offenses. Ken Whisenhunt took out starter Matt Leinart after only nine plays because he wanted to make sure Derek Alexander got work with the first-team offense. Pete Carroll set aside extended reps for Charlie Whitehurst, to the point that third-team quarterback J.P. Losman did not play.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says rookie Dexter Davis is getting lots of work at the "Leo" position in Seattle's defense now that Nick Reed is going to miss time while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. Reed has been a steal for the Seahawks as a 2009 seventh-round draft choice from Oregon. However, the fact that he was the No. 2 option at a critical pass-rushing position reveals how much rebuilding remains for the Seahawks. Also, defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer is out indefinitely with a leg contusion.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times recounts what went wrong in Seattle over the past few seasons. O'Neil: "Just five seasons after playing for the sport's biggest prize, Seattle is on its third coach in three years. The Seahawks are 9-23 the past two years, failing to win more than five games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since entering the league. The decline cost jobs, it wrecked dreams."

Also from O'Neil: Five factors behind the Seahawks' decline.

More from O'Neil: Brandon Jones sees similarities between the Seahawks' offense and the one he ran in Tennessee.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says the Seahawks expect Reed to return in a few weeks.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune looks at the Seahawks' options at left tackle now that Russell Okung is out.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald checks in with Seahawks receiver Deion Branch, who says he hasn't been frustrated during his time in Seattle. Branch: "It hasn't been frustrating at all. Not for a second. You've got to understand, this is football, man. I've been saying it for the last two years. ... It's football, it's going to happen, guys will get hurt. You've got to stay positive, take it with a grain of salt and move forward. You can't dwell on it. I'm very thankful that I have a healthy family, and if I can go out and play football, that's a plus."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com doesn't think Derek Anderson has made enough progress to overtake Matt Leinart as the Cardinals' starting quarterback. Urban: "I am still not convinced, regardless of what happened, that Derek Anderson has been able to pick up enough ground on Leinart to surpass him on the depth chart. Anderson is still new in the system and Leinart knows what he is supposed to do. Leinart still needs to show he can execute, but this staff -- going back to Leinart’s struggles as a starter in 2007 -- isn’t comfortable with guys who don’t know the system."

Also from Urban: The Cardinals are practicing against the Titans this week.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Leinart is blowing his latest opportunity. Bickley: "Evidence is piling up that he's not tough enough to handle the position at the NFL level, particularly between the ears. Teammates are losing faith in his ability to effectively replace Kurt Warner. And if things don't improve quickly, the No. 7 also will be the over/under for Cardinals victories in 2010." Bickley also suggests Larry Fitzgerald isn't eager to get back onto the field until the passing game becomes a little more refined. We're left to sort through what matters and what doesn't matter during exhibition games. Signs of life from Leinart would certainly help change perceptions. The reality is that Leinart remains unproven either way. Nothing he does during the fake games will necessarily translate to the real ones.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals expect a competitive situation in practice against the Titans.

Initial reports suggested Russell Okung's ankle injury wasn't the more serious "high" variety, but we're talking about the hard-luck Seattle Seahawks, so of course it ended up being just that.


Injuries seem to wind up being worse than anticipated for Seattle. That was the case with Walter Jones and Matt Hasselbeck in past seasons, and it was the case on a lesser scale Tuesday with Okung and second-year pass-rusher Nick Reed. Reed, seen limping toward the locker room after the Seahawks' game Saturday, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Linebacker David Hawthorne, scheduled to start the opener while Leroy Hill serves a suspension, is also hurting and was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam for an injury the team did not disclose.

Okung's high sprain wasn't a particularly severe one, coach Pete Carroll noted, but it still wasn't clear whether the Seahawks would have their first-round draft choice and starting left tackle for the regular-season opener. High sprains are more serious than typical ones.

"When you asked the other night, I was hoping it wasn't (a high sprain), but it is, so we'll see how it works out," Carroll said Tuesday.

The Seahawks drafted Okung because they badly needed a front-line left tackle to protect Hasselbeck and the team's other quarterbacks. While two-plus weeks remain until the regular season, the team faces one of the NFL's best defensive fronts when visiting the Minnesota Vikings in its next exhibition game. Pro Bowl pass-rusher Jared Allen will be working against Okung's replacement, Mansfield Wrotto, when Hasselbeck is in the game.

Okung was extremely durable in college, making his injury after less than five quarters of NFL action all the more confounding. Seattle's run of bad luck with injuries has become a tiresome topic in recent seasons -- it's not the only reason the team has struggled, obviously -- but with Okung and backup right tackle Ray Willis out, and with veteran Chester Pitts trying to bounce back from a procedure similar to the one that ended Jones' career, tackle depth is a concern.

"With Ray (Willis) down, too, it’s about as bad as it could have hit at that spot," Carroll said.

It can get much worse, actually, as the Seahawks found out last season when they replaced Jone with Sean Locklear, Brandon Frye, Damion McIntosh and Kyle Williams.

Carroll said he was "going to hold out hope" that Okung would be ready for the regular-season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, Mike Gibson will replace Ben Hamilton at left guard against the Vikings. He could stay there, I think, based on what we've seen from both players to this point.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was the Seahawks' best player during training camp. Hasselbeck will be looking to improve upon his performance in the exhibition opener. Coach Pete Carroll: "Matt's looking terrific. He’s played great throughout and he’s as physically well as he’s been in some time. He had a great offseason of hard conditioning. He’s leaner, stronger, faster than he’s been in the last few years. And he feels that way about it, too. Now, let’s take care of him and let’s see how far he can take it."

Also from Farnsworth: How far can the Seahawks' offensive line take them?

More from Farnsworth: How Charlie Whitehurst impressed Seahawks general manager John Schneider.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times quotes Carroll as saying Marcus Trufant is more physically fit than he was last season. That appears true on first glance. Trufant appears trimmer and younger. He's probably been able to work out harder now that his back trouble has subsided.

Also from O'Neil: Deon Butler's big opportunity.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says Lawrence Jackson's departure from Seattle opens more opportunities for Nick Reed. Lofa Tatupu said earlier in camp that he thought Chris Clemons and Reed were the two best pass-rushers on the team. That's good for Reed but it also validates questions about the overall strength of the team's pass-rush. Jackson didn't seem to fit the 'Leo' role at all.

Also from Johns: Leroy Hill will miss several more weeks.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune provides video to his interview with draft analyst Rob Rang, who calls Whitehurst's performance in the exhibition opener a surprise.

Also from Williams: Whitehurst's Packers pedigree.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald updates Mike Williams' situation as the former first-round pick from USC tries to revive his career. Williams: "I never doubted my talent, but I needed some time away to really clear my mind," said Williams, who played for first-year Seahawks coach Pete Carroll at USC. I went through a lot in a short period of time, some things that I could control, some that I couldn't, and I just used that time to really get my mind right. And once my mind was right, it was easy for my body to follow, for me to be disciplined and do the things that I needed to do."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals rookie free agent Marshay Green. Also, Somers looks at the depth situation at receiver in Arizona.

Also from Somers: another look at the weight issues Deuce Lutui and Herman Johnson are facing. Somers: "A starter in 53 of the Cardinals' past 54 games, Lutui lost that job when he stayed away from off-season practices, unhappy with the team's contract offer. Reggie Wells is playing in front of him, but considering the way he's playing, Lutui will be hard to keep on the bench."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com offers a few Cardinals notes as the team breaks camp. Urban: "(Ken) Whisenhunt talked about a couple of young defenders today. Linebacker Cody Brown, last year’s second-round pick, hasn’t shown enough yet to make the Cards know he is ready to be a heir apparent for (Joey) Porter or Clark Haggans. That’s what the rest of the preseason is for."

Also from Urban: The Cardinals have three games in 11 days.

More from Urban: Rookie receiver Max Komar fits the slot role, but he likes to play on the outside, too.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams rookie Sam Bradford resists the notion that he's the face of the franchise. Of course, Bradford is clearly the face of the franchise, no matter what he says. Bradford: "I think that's ridiculous. I don't think one person is any face of the franchise. It takes 11 guys on offense, 11 guys on defense and however many guys you have playing special teams to win a football game. That's how I look at it. And I wish more people would look at it like that."

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says kicker Josh Brown was back participating in practice after missing time with a hip injury. Various non-kickers had been handling kicking duties in practice, with comical results in some cases. Jordan Kent wasn't bad, however. Brown: "I think everybody enjoyed it with the humor that's behind it. But the real situation is that if something were to happen, somebody's got to go in. Jordan toward the end got to be more consistent and was trying to figure things out. I think a lot of the guys would never put themselves in that situation if they had the choice."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers used Brian Westbrook and Frank Gore in the same backfield Thursday. That sounds good in theory, but teams design their offenses around basic personnel groups, and those groups do not include two halfbacks. Could putting both on the field work? Sure, but I think it's unlikely the 49ers will use that type of grouping frequently.

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers' 2-minute offense fared better in practice.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at 49ers receiver Dominique Zeigler, who has impressed coaches with his route running and all-around game. White says there is "no way" the 49ers will waive him again this summer (assuming Zeigler is healthy this time). White: "Zeigler's willingness to run the most dangerous routes is proving to be his safest bet to make the 53-man roster at last."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee updates Diyral Briggs' conversion from defensive end to outside linebacker. Briggs stood out to me during 49ers practices and again during the exhibition opener.

Also from Barrows: a detailed look at Mike Singletary's oversight of linebacker drills. Think he knows a little something about the position?

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat provides a long list of 49ers players who sat out practice Thursday.

Also from Barber: a look at Singletary's work with the linebackers, and a note about Chilo Rachal's physical play.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News checks in with 49ers third-string quarterback Nate Davis, who has gone without gloves in practice recently for a very practical reason. Davis: "Centers they sweat a lot, so sometimes the gloves would get wet and it’s hard to hold onto the ball." Nice.

Also from Brown: Football Outsiders expects a fourth-place finish for the 49ers in the NFC West this season, downplaying the importance of a team having carryover at offensive coordinator. The question in this case is whether the continuity at coordinator benefits Alex Smith more than it would benefit another quarterback, as suggested by Smith's former college coach, Urban Meyer.

The latest in our periodic spin around the NFC West radio dials:

Rams

101ESPN St. Louis: center Jason Brown
101ESPN St. Louis: ESPN's Chris Mortensen on Brian Westbrook
101ESPN St. Louis: Rick Venturi
101ESPN St. Louis: linebacker James Laurinaitis
101ESPN St. Louis: running back Chris Ogbonnaya
101ESPN St. Louis: coach Steve Spagnuolo

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49ers

KNBR680 San Francisco: columnist Lowell Cohn
KNBR680 San Francisco: coach Mike Singletary

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Cardinals

XTRA910 Phoenix: coach Ken Whisenhunt
XTRA910 Phoenix: guard Alan Faneca
XTRA910 Phoenix: nose tackle Gabe Watson
XTRA910 Phoenix: kicker Jay Feely
XTRA910 Phoenix: quarterback Matt Leinart
XTRA910 Phoenix: reporter Kent Somers
XTRA910 Phoenix: receiver Larry Fitzgerald
KTAR620 Phoenix: receiver Stephen Williams
KTAR620 Phoenix: former kicker Neil Rackers
KTAR620 Phoenix: defensive coordinator Bill Davis
KTAR620 Phoenix: Hall of Famer Russ Grimm
KTAR620 Phoenix: quarterbacks coach Chris Miller
KTAR620 Phoenix: quarterback Max Hall
KTAR620 Phoenix: guard Rex Hadnot

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Seahawks

KJR950 Seattle: tight end Anthony McCoy
KJR950 Seattle: defensive end Nick Reed
KJR950 Seattle: defensive tackle Craig Terrill
KJR950 Seattle: former coach Jim Mora
KJR950 Seattle: columnist Dave Boling
KJR950 Seattle: running back Julius Jones
KJR950 Seattle: receiver Mike Williams
KJR950 Seattle: receiver Deion Branch
101ESPN Seattle: ESPN's John Clayton
101ESPN Seattle: ESPN's Tim Hasselbeck
101ESPN Seattle: linebacker Aaron Curry
101ESPN Seattle: defensive line coach Dan Quinn

Didn't see much new on the 49ers at this time.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 25

RENTON, Wash. -- Elevated speakers pump out PG-13 lyrics and hip-hop beats all through Seattle Seahawks practice.

"I'm fresh, I'm fly, I'm always high," boasts rapper Lloyd Banks of G-Unit fame, "got ya b----es waving at me when I roll by."

Later, it's a song from Usher creating the visuals: "Honey got a booty like pow, pow, pow."

And this from another rapper, Akon: "I'm the boss, it only takes one call for a driver to hit you up and drop you off and that's all. Guess what? I won't be takin' that fall. Homie, I got cake, that's what I'm payin' them for."

Thirty-six-year-old safety Lawyer Milloy, the second-oldest player on the team behind kicker Olindo Mare, grooves on the sideline during a break for the first-team defense. His head coach and the Seahawks' unofficial hype man, Pete Carroll, runs a spirited practice a few yards away. Afterward, I ask Milloy bluntly whether it's credible for a 58-year-old white guy from Marin County to like G-Unit. Milloy laughs. He played for Carroll in New England more than a decade ago and he jumped at the chance to play for him again.

"The thing about a leader, the leader has to understand and know the people that he is leading," Milloy explains. "[Carroll] is willing to step into our world a little bit and that's the sign of a good leader, man -- somebody that will get up there and rock to the music. He might not listen to the lyrics, but he can find the beat."

In theory, anyway.

"I'm not saying he's always on beat," Milloy says, "but, you know, it's just good to see that our leader is out in front. Everything he wants us to do, he's leading by example."

The big question upon Carroll's hiring was whether his enthusiastic style would translate from USC to the NFL. Carroll isn't running from his reputation as a rah-rah coach. He's embracing it and winning over players, at least so far, with an approach to training camp that represents a 180-degree turn from the tough camp Jim Mora ran last summer. Mora's own conditioning level was such that his resting heart rate was 41 and doctors couldn't make a stress test tough enough to bring his rate to peak levels. If he could achieve such fitness, shouldn't professional athletes half his age? The team worked harder during camp than anyone imagined. In retrospect, it's possible the 2009 Seahawks never quit on Mora so much as they ran out of gas.

Carroll has given players full days without practice. Two-a-days ended after about a week. There have been no three-hour practices.

"Best training camp I've ever been involved with," 10th-year receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "We go harder than any training camp I've ever been in when we're out there. Everything is fast, fast, fast. But he's giving us ample rest and I'm not used to that. It's very, very different, and I think it's good because we took a conditioning test and everybody passed it very easily. That showed everybody was in shape. So now it's just, work on your craft."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Where will this team get its pass rush? Carroll is not sure and this might be the biggest weakness on the team. Chris Clemons, acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in the Darryl Tapp trade, is probably the best pass-rusher on the roster. He has 20 career sacks and three starts in six NFL seasons with three teams.

"He has shown a lot of great things out there with his speed, and I think he has so much speed off that edge and I think people lose track of his strength," linebacker Lofa Tatupu said. "I've seen him hip-toss some people over almost like Reggie White used to do with that club move. And he has a good bull-rush on him."

Clemons thinks his career will blossom with additional playing time. It might, but that is no given. At one point in practice Wednesday, undrafted rookie center Jeff Byers caught the 254-pound Clemons off balance, lifted him off the ground and planted him on his back.

The best pass-rusher on the team after Clemons? Tatupu mentioned Nick Reed, who had one sack as a rookie last season.

"In practice, we have gotten to the QB a number of times," Tatupu said. "I know Matt [Hasselbeck] won't admit it, but we've given him fits. I think we'll be fine in that department."

2. Which running back gets most of the carries? Probably Justin Forsett, a seventh-round draft choice left over from the Seahawks' previous leadership. Forsett showed an ability to make the first defender miss while rushing for 619 yards on 114 carries last season. He has a chance to become a 1,000-yard rusher because his style suits the Seahawks' full-scale conversion to Alex Gibbs' zone-blocking scheme. Seattle dabbled in the zone scheme last year, but the line lacked an overall identity. Julius Jones remains a factor, but Forsett and the newly healthy Leon Washington are commanding most of the attention at running back. Washington has recovered from the gruesome leg injury that threatened his career. He looks good and Carroll loves what he offers to the offense.

3. Will Carroll's competition mantra hold up? Carroll has put veteran players on notice by letting rookies command practice reps based on merit. That's easier to do during training camp, when wins and losses aren't at stake. Coaches often favor veterans when the games start counting because veterans tend to know their responsibilities and have a better overall feel for the game. I think Carroll will go young this season for several reasons. One, he has more than one year to turn around the Seahawks. The organization isn't going to give Carroll the Mora treatment, in other words. Two, an affinity for youth is one value that made Carroll and new general manager John Schneider a good fit together. When Schneider was with Green Bay, the Packers annually fielded one of the NFL's youngest teams. When Carroll was at USC, he was continually getting younger players ready to take over. Three, some of the Seahawks' best players are young. Rookie Golden Tate comes to mind.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Red Bryant's successful conversion. The 2008 fourth-round draft choice was a top-heavy defensive tackle until the Seahawks' new coaching staff took a look at him. Converting Bryant into a two-gap defensive end seemed somewhat dubious on the surface given Bryant's massive girth. Bryant proved up to the challenge, however. His body appears more proportional and he looks like a good fit for the five-technique spot on the line. "My worry was as far as speed," Tatupu said. "You get a really athletic or fast tackle and he gets around him and that edge isn't set. But with what we are asking Red to do, he is our two-gapper. I haven't seen anybody two-gap better than him. Oh, my God. If he's on one side, he will either throw that guy or he will push that guy into the running back and squeeze the hole. He'll do it with one arm. The running back can't go inside, so he'll go outside and Red will just make the tackle one-on-one. It's just impressive. That's why I'm a player and they are the coaches."

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Injuries at linebacker. The Seahawks have proven again why restraint is appropriate when directing praise toward their talented group of linebackers. Aaron Curry missed 10 days of camp after suffering a concussion. He is only now returning. A knee injury has sidelined Leroy Hill. A hamstring issue has sidelined Tatupu recently. This potentially star-studded group failed to last even one game together last season. Curry was out after only one day of training camp, so the group hasn't gotten time together this summer, either. At least David Hawthorne is looking good. He'll start the opener while Hill serves a suspension. It's possible Hawthorne could remain in the lineup even after Hill becomes eligible.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Rookie left tackle Russell Okung's strength is obvious when he locks onto a smaller man. He threw down Reed so violently that Reed's head almost took out quarterback J.P. Losman's left knee during practice Wednesday. Another time, Okung pulled left and couldn't find cornerback Walter Thurmond, who dropped under him and made the tackle.
• Nose tackle Kevin Vickerson has worked with the first-team defense part of the time. The fact that the Tennessee Titans considered Vickerson expendable speaks to the state of the Seahawks' defensive line, but Vickerson has looked good in camp.
• The Seahawks haven't had enough size at cornerback to match up with bigger receivers, especially Larry Fitzgerald. They took a chance on Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond, who was coming off a catastrophic knee injury, and the gamble could be paying off. Thurmond has shown a fearless, aggressive style in breaking up passes. He could command playing time on passing downs as a rookie. Continued health appears to be the only issue for Thurmond, a fourth-round choice who might have gone in the second if not for the knee injury.
• Seattle is running a 4-3 defense with 3-4 tendencies. Even players have a hard time labeling it.
• Rookie strong safety Kam Chancellor picked up the defense quickly during organized team activities. He has old-school safety size at about 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds. Milloy will likely start at strong safety this season, but Chancellor is a long-term candidate at the position.
• Earl Thomas has shown freakish range from his free safety spot. There's no question about the rookie first-round choice's physical ability as a coverage safety. Thomas has also shown a grasp of the defense. The Seahawks would like him to become more proactive in communicating his alignment to the linebackers, who need to know where their help is coming from. Thomas' abilities in coverage give the staff flexibility because Thomas can slide outside to cover wide receivers one-on-one.
• Tate has made big plays just about every day in camp. He's at the point where rookies sometimes wear down, but the Seahawks' lighter camp schedule could help him sustain his fast start. "He's small, he's not the best route runner, but he makes plays," Houshmandzadeh said. "Every day, he makes plays. ... He just makes plays, period."
• Curry's play as a rookie dropped off significantly once Tatupu, the quarterback of the defense, suffered a season-ending injury. Seattle has talked about using Curry as a pass-rusher, but it's also important for him to become a good strongside linebacker. "I think they have asked him to do that here," Tatupu said. "We have seen him excel at that."
• Cornerback Marcus Trufant appears healthy after an injury-affected 2009 season. Seattle does not have enough talent, most likely, for Trufant to become a leading interceptor and challenge for the Pro Bowl. But there's reason to expect Trufant to become a good starter again.
• The Seahawks have better quality depth at quarterback with Losman in the No. 3 role, but Charlie Whitehurst has yet to seriously challenge Hasselbeck for the starting job. That isn't a huge surprise. Whitehurst never beat out Billy Volek in San Diego. But it's important for Whitehurst to make progress. I think he'll play one way or another in 2010.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune settles for an imaginary interview with Seahawks offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. Gibbs generally declines interviews and he encourages his linemen to do the same, apparently out of some notion that individual anonymity promotes the team concept. League rules require cooperation, however, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has enforced those rules by levying fines of $10,000 in other cases, including once against Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. If the rest of the team has to honor its obligations, what makes the offensive linemen so special? Are they above the team? Not in general and certainly not in Seattle, where the offensive line has been a huge problem, the team just drafted a left tackle sixth overall and Gibbs' hiring stands as a key storyline to the season.

Doug Pacey of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with Ricky Foley, a former CFL pass-rusher hoping to stick in Seattle. Pacey: "Foley is one of seven defensive ends on the roster and the Seahawks will probably keep only four or five. Seven-year veteran Chris Clemons has the inside track on a starting role, while Nick Reed and Lawrence Jackson appear to be in line to make the team, too. That leaves one or two available spots up for grabs. Foley doesn’t have the pedigree that the other defensive ends possess."

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com checks in with Seahawks defensive end Red Bryant, who has become a key figure on defense for the team. Coach Pete Carroll: "Red has come out smoking," head coach Pete Carroll said of Bryant's first three days of full camp. "I am so fired up about that change. He's just in the right position now for him. He's so long-levered and he can run well for a big man. He's really taken to it. He's an outgoing kid with a lot of juice that he brings to the practice field. Every defensive coach loves to see that. This is a big moment for him, to step into a starting position and see if he can hold onto it through camp. I'm really pleased with everything that has happened there." I've heard only good things about Bryant's transition from tackle to end.

Also from Johns: Carroll offers positive reviews on the Seahawks' running backs. Carroll: "I'm real happy with the running backs. We've seen really good work from Julius (Jones) and Justin (Forsett) and Quinton Ganther, who has done a really good job and also played some fullback. That group seems very solid right now. And all the while we know Leon (Washington) is waiting to come out."

More from Johns: The Seahawks waived/injured seventh-round choice Jameson Konz, then claimed Gregg Peat off waivers. Konz will revert to injured reserve once he clears waivers.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson provided the most explosive play from a Seahawks defender.

More from O'Neil: Aaron Curry's affinity for JuJuBes.

John Morgan of Field Gulls says pass-rusher Chris Clemons exceeds modest expectations. The man Seattle traded for Clemons, Darryl Tapp, enjoyed strong training camps almost annually, but it didn't always translate to the regular season.

Ten NFC West draft choices combined for 76 starts as rookies last season. Five of the 10 played for the rebuilding St. Louis Rams. An eleventh, Beanie Wells, made significant contributions despite never cracking the lineup.

The 2010 draft class will command more immediate attention when teams open training camps, but the 2009 class figures to contribute more after a year of seasoning.

Here's my look at the NFC West's 2009 choices heading into their second season:

Best choice

Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers. The Cardinals' Wells and the Rams' James Laurinaitis made more immediate impacts. They reported to camp on time. But Crabtree commanded a starting job right away once he finally signed, and he immediately justified his starting status. Crabtree was surprisingly consistent and polished. Given a chance to select any other 2009 NFC West draft choices, I think the 49ers would stick with Crabtree.

Best immediate contributor

Laurinaitis, MLB, Rams. Laurinaitis became an immediate starter and didn't seem to fall off the way No. 4 overall choice Aaron Curry did in Seattle. Laurinaitis wasn't a star, but he stepped into a position requiring knowledge of the defense. Laurinaitis finished the season with 2.0 sacks, five passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble. He and Seahawks second-rounder Max Unger were the only 2009 NFC West draft choices to start 16 games last season.

Best value

LaRod Stephens-Howling, RB, Cardinals. The Cardinals found one of the best special-teams players in the division with the 240th overall choice. Stephens-Howling was outstanding on coverage teams. He provided a threat in the return game, too, scoring a critical touchdown at Tennessee. The Cardinals also found ways to work Stephens-Howling into the offense. He caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, though he didn't provide much as a rushing threat.

Most to prove

Jason Smith, LT, Rams. Curry finished a close second in this category. Smith started only five games and did not stand out when he was on the field (not that offensive linemen always have to stand out). A serious concussion and subsequent toe injury have raised questions about Smith's durability. The Rams will be investing heavily in No. 1 overall choice Sam Bradford and they'll need Smith to protect him. Smith works hard and the Rams have surrounded him with veteran mentors.

A team-by-team look at the 2009 class:

Arizona Cardinals

2009 picks: 8

Total 2009 starts: 2

Projected 2010 starters (2): first-rounder Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State; fourth-rounder Greg Toler, CB, St. Paul's.

Other potential starters (1): Wells could have wound up here, but I'll stick with my projection that he'll start this season.

On the hot seat: Cody Brown, OLB, Connecticut. The Cardinals could use one of their young pass-rushers to emerge. A serious wrist injury prevented Brown from contributing last season. He was a second-round choice, though, so expectations are relatively high. Arizona needs him.

No longer with team (1): seventh-rounder Trevor Canfield, Cincinnati (Detroit Lions)

Keep an eye out for: sixth-rounder Will Davis. He showed promise last season and was improving until a knee injury sidelined him.

Forgotten man: We've seen little evidence suggesting third-round choice Rashad Johnson will become a factor anytime soon, if at all.

San Francisco 49ers

2009 picks: 7

Total 2009 starts: 13

Projected 2010 starters (1): Crabtree

Other potential starters (0): None.

On the hot seat: Scott McKillop, LB, Pitt. The 49ers hoped McKillop might develop into a successor to inside linebacker Takeo Spikes. It could still happen, but coaches quickly replaced McKillop with veteran Matt Wilhelm when Spikes was out.

No longer with team (1): sixth-rounder Bear Pascoe, TE, Fresno State (New York Giants)

Keep an eye out for: seventh-rounder Ricky Jean-Francois, NT, LSU. Jean-Francois worked at nose tackle during minicamps and organized team activities while franchise player Aubrayo Franklin remained unsigned. Franklin will likely sign and he'll become the starter again when he does.

Forgotten man: Glen Coffee, RB, Alabama. Frank Gore's return to health means Coffee will not be needed much, if at all. The 49ers used a sixth-round choice for Anthony Dixon, a running back from Mississippi State. The buzz on Coffee went away when he struggled to gain yardage running behind a struggling line early last season.

Seattle Seahawks

2009 picks: 7

Total 2009 starts: 28

Projected 2010 starters (2): first-rounder Curry, LB, Wake Forest; second-rounder Unger, G, Oregon.

Other potential starters (0): None.

On the hot seat: Curry. His rookie season went from promising to disappointing after the Seahawks lost their defensive quarterback, middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, to season-ending injury. Curry said he tried to do too much from that point forward. The Seahawks hope Curry can become an effective pass-rusher in nickel situations. To fulfill his potential, though, Curry must become a good strongside linebacker, too.

No longer with team (2): sixth-rounder Mike Teel, QB, Rutgers (Chicago Bears); seventh-rounder Courtney Greene, S, Rutgers (Jacksonville Jaguars).

Keep an eye out for: third-rounder Deon Butler, WR, Penn St. Butler has good straight-line speed, but he lacks the size Seattle wants in its receivers. Coach Pete Carroll called Butler one of the team's most improved players this offseason, but it's unclear whether the team will find a role for him.

St. Louis Rams

2009 picks: 7

Total 2009 starts: 33

Projected 2010 starters (2): first-rounder Smith, LT, Baylor; second-rounder Laurinaitis, MLB, Ohio St.

Other potential starters (2): third-rounder Bradley Fletcher, CB, Iowa; fourth-rounder Darell Scott, DT, Clemson.

On the hot seat: fifth-rounder Brooks Foster, WR, North Carolina. The Rams like other young receivers, including rookie free agents Dominique Curry and Brandon McRae. They also used a fourth-round choice for Mardy Gilyard. Brandon Gibson should play a role. There's pressure on Foster to make a strong comeback from the ankle injury that ended his rookie season.

No longer with team (0): All seven choices remain on the roster.

Keep an eye out for: Fletcher, the third-round corner from Iowa. Torn knee ligaments ended Fletcher's rookie season in October after the promising rookie started three games. The Rams hope Fletcher can come back to win the starting job.

Earlier: Winners, losers from 2008 class.

Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders lists the Seattle Seahawks' Justin Forsett and the Arizona Cardinals' Early Doucet among his top 10 prospects for 2010.

By prospects, Barnwell is talking about young NFL backups who appear close to assuming more prominent roles. As he explains in the piece, available to Insider subscribers, all prospects were in their second, third or fourth NFL seasons. All were drafted in the third through seventh rounds, or they were undrafted. All have started fewer than five NFL games. All are still playing under their rookie contracts.

Forsett and Doucet are solid choices. They are probably the best choices among NFC West players. Defensive end Nick Reed (Seattle Seahawks), receiver Brandon Gibson (St. Louis Rams), cornerback Greg Toler (Arizona Cardinals) and LaRod Stephens-Howling (Cardinals) also fit the profile.

Any others you'd like to see considered? Remember, no rookies allowed. A few young players -- the San Francisco 49ers' Tarell Brown comes to mind -- have already started at least five games.

» NFC West Weaknesses: Cardinals (6/21) | 49ers (6/22) | Seahawks (6/23) | Rams (6/24)

There are a lot of problem areas for the Seahawks, but defensive end is their biggest weakness. However, pinpointing exactly who should be labeled as a defensive end on this roster is not easy. Seattle looks to be set up well to run a variety of schemes up front on defense. Expect to see some true 3-4, classic 4-3 and varieties of both this season.

The players I am lumping in as defensive ends are Lawrence Jackson, Chris Clemons, Nick Reed and fourth-round pick E.J. Wilson. Although he struggled in his final season, obviously someone with Patrick Kerney’s pedigree in this league is missed from this group.

Wilson is unknown at this point and might develop, but counting on him for serious production as a rookie probably isn’t going to happen. Reed is a very hard worker who didn’t log many snaps in 2009, but overall, he held his own. Clemons has bounced around the league and is very up and down. He is as much linebacker as he is defensive end. As ends go, he is athletic and fast, but he can be run at and can’t handle a large workload.

The uninspiring supporting cast at defensive end puts a lot of stress on Jackson. He has the most ability of the group and Pete Carroll is very familiar with him from their time together at USC, but Jackson has been underwhelming since entering the league as a high draft choice. In the last 14 games of the 2009 season, Jackson registered a meager 1.5 sacks. That isn’t going to cut it.