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INDIANAPOLIS -- USC tackle Matt Kalil validated his athletic credentials with a fast 40-yard time at the NFL scouting combine Saturday.

Kalil, listed by some as a candidate for St. Louis with the second choice in the 2012 draft, unofficially needed only 4.96 seconds to cover the standard testing distance, according to the NFL. Kalil has emphasized getting bigger and stronger to improve as a run blocker, but teams will value him primarily for his athletic ability. Any offensive lineman can take pride in a 40-yard time beneath five seconds.

Kalil weighed 306 pounds, heavier than his college playing weight.

Former NFC West mainstay tackles Walter Jones and Orlando Pace, first-round picks in 1997, beat the five-second threshold easily before becoming regular Pro Bowl players. Jones clocked in the 4.65-second range coming out of college. Pace ran in the 4.85-second range and averaged 4.9 during predraft workouts.

Jones was 301 pounds coming out of Florida State. He filled out to about 325 pounds. Kalil stands 6-foot-6 and appears capable of packing on additional weight without much trouble.

I question whether the Rams would use a high choice for an offensive tackle this year. They need playmakers to boost a scoring offense that ranked last in the NFL last season. They have Rodger Saffold at left tackle and could bring back right tackle Jason Smith, the second overall pick in 2009. Smith has had concussion problems. The Rams have not spoken with him about adjusting his salary, but that appears likely to happen if Smith does return.

Minnesota might be a more likely landing spot for Kalil. The Vikings pick third overall. Kevin Seifert has more on the NFC North blog.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Among the lasting visuals from this Friday morning at the NFL scouting combine: West Coasters perched on their nightstands at 4 a.m. PT, eagerly awaiting coin-toss results for 2012 draft order.

I loved hearing from some of them via Twitter while the minutes counted down before Kansas City prevailed over Seattle for the 11th overall choice. The Seahawks will pick 12th, which some fans found appropriate in light of the 12th Man.

The difference between picking 11th or 12th should be relatively small, but it's a big deal to the teams and some of the die-hards. NFL officials tossed a special coin to break the draft-order tie. It was a fun way to begin the morning.

Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli arrived first. He ribbed his Seattle counterpart, John Schneider, by looking at his watch when Schneider arrived a few minutes before the scheduled 7:30 a.m. ET toss.

The ceremony took place behind closed doors. The parties dispersed after a few minutes and had little to say.

Also in the NFC West ...

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com sizes up the Cardinals' quarterback situation with Kevin Kolb and John Skelton competing. Urban: "I think John has earned the ability to be given consideration for the position, just because of what he did, his record and the way he played. But I also think we’ve got a lot invested in Kevin as well for that position. There is nothing wrong with competition. I think it makes both players, all players, better. If we can get somebody to beat Larry Fitzgerald out that guy will be a pretty good football player. There will be competition, absolutely."

Bob Young of the Arizona Republic recaps a wild week of reality television for Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson. Strange stuff. No idea what to make of it.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times updates the Seahawks' contract negotiations with various free agents. O'Neil: "Each NFL team has only one franchise tag, and the Seahawks could have two priority free agents in [Red] Bryant and [Marshawn] Lynch, which would seem to leave the Seahawks vulnerable to losing one. There's still time left, though, as the deadline for applying the franchise tag is March 5, and free agency doesn't begin until March 13."

Also from O'Neil: the Seahawks' quarterback outlook heading into the draft.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers notes on free agency, the draft and injuries for Seattle. Farnsworth: "Tarvaris Jackson did not need surgery to repair the pectoral he tore during the Week 5 upset of the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, which John Schneider said surprised him. But he said that wide receiver Sidney Rice has had surgery on each of his shoulders -- one to repair the labrum he damaged during training camp and tried to play with, as well as an injury to the other that Rice had played with since entering the league in 2007 with the Minnesota Vikings."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers a transcript from Jim Harbaugh's media session Thursday. Harbaugh on the unsigned Alex Smith: "Yeah, Alex is our guy. That's well-documented. He had a tremendous season. Definitely as a coach, you worry about a lot of things. And when the quarterback's not signed and is a free agent, that leads to some lost sleep. But I'm excited to be back at work, very excited to be here and see what kind of improvement we can make from year 1 to year 2, and I hope all our guys feel the exact same way."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee asks whether the 49ers' can maintain their chemistry this offseason amid potential changes.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says 49ers general manager Trent Baalke remained in character after signing a contract extension.

Also from Branch: a look at the competition for veteran long-snapper Brian Jennings.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Browns could be a trading partner with the Rams for the No. 2 overall pick. Browns coach Pat Shurmur, formerly of the Rams' staff: "Yeah, we're willing. With two first-round picks we have flexibility. We can just stand pat and take two really fine players, guys that we would hope to be starters for us. (But) having two first-round picks, you have flexibility if you want to do something."

Also from Thomas: USC's Matt Kalil could be a fit for the Rams. Thomas: "He certainly will be a player the Rams study with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. True, in Jeff Fisher's 16 full seasons as head coach at Tennessee, the Titans never selected an offensive tackle in the first round. Then again, the Titans had an anchor at left tackle for 13 seasons in Brad Hopkins, including Fisher's first 11 seasons as head coach. It's not as if the Rams have gone nuts selecting offensive linemen in the first round, either. In 17 seasons in St. Louis, the Rams have had 20 first-round picks and used just three of them on offensive tackles. Orlando Pace, taken first overall in 1997, made seven Pro Bowls, was voted to the NFL's all-decade team for the 2000s, and is a potential Hall of Famer."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Thirteen modern-era NFL players were finalists for enshrinement Saturday in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Only one was named offensive or defensive player of the year during his career.

That was the Seattle Seahawks' Cortez Kennedy. His eight Pro Bowls, all-1990s selection and overall dominance made my job as his presenter quite simple. State the facts and let Kennedy's career do the talking. Picking the final five out of 15 modern-era finalists is always tough, however, because it usually requires leaving off worthy candidates.

The 43 other selectors and I met for more than seven hours before identifying Kennedy, Chris Doleman, Dermontti Dawson, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf as the class of 2012. Jack Butler made it as a seniors candidate.

A few thoughts on the process and the results:

• This class made it through at a good time. Larry Allen, Michael Strahan, Jonathan Ogden, Warren Sapp, Bryant Young, John Lynch and Steve McNair become eligible for the first time in 2013. Shaun Alexander, Derrick Brooks, Marvin Harrison, Rodney Harrison, Tony Dungy and Mike Holmgren join the list in 2014. Isaac Bruce, Edgerrin James, Walter Jones, Junior Seau, Chris Samuels, Kurt Warner, Ty Law and Orlando Pace are among those eligible beginning in 2015.
• Former St. Louis Rams
  and Arizona Cardinals
  cornerback Aeneas Williams should feel great about cracking the final 10 in his first year as a finalist. Williams had 55 career interceptions and scored nine touchdowns. He was a big-time playmaker for bad and good teams alike.
• The situation at receiver remains a mess and it's not going to get easier with Harrison becoming eligible in a couple years. Voters are having a tough time deciding between Cris Carter and Andre Reed. Both made the final 10 this year. Reed made the final 10 last year as well. Having both crack the final 10 this year made it harder for one of them to break through. Voters were more likely to choose one wideout when forced to pick only five players.
• Former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. did not make the reduction from 15 to 10. I think it's tougher for voters to quantify how owners and even coaches -- think Bill Parcells, who missed the cut from 10 to five -- contributed to their teams' success. The discussions for Parcells (55-plus minutes) and DeBartolo (42-plus minutes) were more than twice as long as the discussions for other candidates. Hall bylaws prevented voters from considering the legal troubles and suspension that preceded DeBartolo's exit from the game.
• DeBartolo was a finalist in part because he hired Bill Walsh, promoted a winning culture, cared tremendously for his players and helped win five Super Bowls. He spent this weekend with former 49ers player Freddie Solomon, who is in the final days of a battle with cancer. The 49ers' renewed success this past season also reflected well on DeBartolo, who has become a tremendous resource for current team president Jed York, his nephew.
• Electing one pass-rusher (Doleman, who spent part of his career with the 49ers) to the Hall could give former 49ers and Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Charles Haley an easier time in the future. But with Strahan joining the conversation in 2013, Haley faces stiff competition again. Former Rams pass-rusher Kevin Greene did not make the final 10 despite 160 career sacks.

It's been a whirlwind day. Hall bylaws prevent me from sharing specifics about what was said in the room during the proceedings. The Hall also asked voters not to reveal their votes outright. I voted for five of the six players enshrined on the final cut and supported others. As always, however, reducing to only five in the end required leaving off candidates I hope will make it in the future.

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Watching the St. Louis Rams practice Friday wasn't as good as watching Marshall Faulk and Orlando Pace watch the Rams practice Friday.

The retired Rams legends are teaming up on the organization's preseason TV broadcasts. Current Rams Steven Jackson, Donnie Avery, Jacob Bell and others stopped to pay their respects upon leaving the team's indoor practice facility.

I stood behind and to the right of Pace during practice to loosely simulate the sense of security quarterbacks must have felt lining up with him as their left tackle. He allowed no sacks on this day, either.

Faulk, recently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, stood with Pace while the Rams conducted their walk-through session in preparation for a Saturday night preseason game against Tennessee.

When the team made Faulk available to reporters, I had one question in mind: What should we expect from Bradford's pairing with new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels? Faulk, known for his football smarts, came through with a detailed answer:

"I'm a fan of Josh McDaniels. I watched how he learned with Bill [Belichick], how he worked with Tom Brady, what he did with Matt Cassel. I am impressed with his abilities to work with quarterbacks.

"Another thing that impressed me was when he was in Denver and they had an opportunity to play New England. Bill Belichick is a great mind in this game. What [McDaniels] was able to do to their defense. Understand that Bill knew that Josh knew him. Bill knew Josh and I'm sure they went against each other many times in practice. How he took apart their defense, I sat there in awe. From that game on, people started attacking the New England Patriots in a different way. That kind of caused a youth movement in New England from the older players to, 'OK, we need to get some fresh new guys, we're rebuilding on defense the last couple years.'

"I'm eager to not only watch, but I'm going to get a chance to talk to Josh today. For me, I know the quarterbacks in this league that are successful, they play in one system, they play a long time in that system. The terminology, it doesn't change because you want that quarterback to grow. I want to see how much Josh has learned from the system that they had and how much of the new stuff did he put in, and did he tweak the terminology? And then from Sam, from last year to this year, where he is, is the kinds of things I want to find out."

I'd love to sit in on that Faulk-McDaniels conversation. Those with the right online/TV connections will have to settle for Faulk's thoughts on the Rams-Titans broadcast Saturday night. The game sold enough tickets to avoid a local blackout.

The latest NFC West chat came and went Thursday with fans looking forward to exhibition openers beginning Thursday night.

Check out the full chat transcript here. And because there were so many good questions left over, I'll address one more per team below instead of hitting on highlights.

Oz from Fort Lauderdale wants to reassess the "ceiling" for Kevin Kolb as the Arizona Cardinals progress through the exhibition season. While he sees Kolb in the Matt Schaub/Matt Cassel mode, he also sees some similarities to Aaron Rodgers. "I'm just worried sometimes he is too much of a gunslinger."

Mike Sando: There isn't enough evidence to brand Kolb one way or another, but if he were in the Rodgers mold, the Eagles never would have traded him. General managers I spoke with throughout the offseason thought Kolb was a good prospect, but not good enough to return a higher first-round draft choice. That seems debatable. Would you rather have a good starting quarterback or most of the players drafted early in the first round? The good starting quarterback has more value if your team does not have one. Kolb did complete 79.3 percent of his passes for 326 yards, three touchdowns and a 133.6 passer rating against Atlanta last season. He projects confidence the way a Pro Bowl quarterback does. It is possible that attitude reflects more of a gunslinger's mentality than an efficient quarterback's mentality. We cannot know yet and we're not likely to have a good idea until several games into the regular season.

John from St. Louis asks about the Rams' offensive line, specifically whether Jason Smith is poised for a breakout year and whether Rodger Saffold could suffer from a sophomore slump.

Mike Sando: The sophomore slump angle is more interesting this season because the lockout kept teams from working with players during the offseason. Saffold was good enough as a rookie to make me think he'll be at least as good this season. Smith has not seemed to be on a sharp upward trajectory. I'm not sure how much a right tackle can "break out" anyway. He should be a solid player for the Rams given his talent, but it's looking like he does not have the qualities that differentiate special tackles from merely solid or above-average ones. If Smith did have those characteristics, the Rams would be more apt to play him at left tackle. Saffold, while good, is not in the Orlando Pace mold either.

Steve from Morristown, N.J., keeps hearing about how Frank Gore feels great following recovery from a hip injury. He'd like another opinion.

Mike Sando: Gore did look very good when I was there at 49ers camp. He was bouncing around the practice field and appeared genuinely happy to be there. He hugged a fan, joked around with general manager Trent Baalke, plowed into middle linebacker Patrick Willis during drills (thunderous collisions, by the way) and spoke optimistically about the offense. He ran the ball well when asked to do so and did not appear to be favoring his hip.

Erik from Montana wants to know what stats to expect from Seattle Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson this season.

Mike Sando: He's had some injury problems in the past, so let's say he misses a few games. Let's give him 12 starts, matching his career-best total. The Seahawks will not ask him to carry their offense. They'll try to establish a running game and use Jackson's mobility. Jackson has 13 touchdowns and six interceptions over his past three seasons (20 games, including six starts). I'd guess he'll be around 12-15 touchdown passes with slightly fewer interceptions. Let's revisit this one after seeing how comfortable he appears, how well the offensive line is coming together, etc.

The Seahawks and Chargers will be kicking off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Cardinals and Raiders kick off a couple hours later. I'll be offering thoughts following each game and am looking forward to discussing them on the blog.

The ever-thoughtful Isaac Bruce departed from convention when answering questions about former St. Louis Rams teammate Marshall Faulk.

Bruce, answering questions about Faulk's Hall of Fame career while at Rams camp this week, set aside proper respect for another icon from the Greatest Show on Turf days.

Was Faulk the one irreplaceable part of that offense?

"You know what, I always said it would be hard to replace him, but I always thought Orlando Pace was the guy that we just couldn’t afford to lose at all," Bruce told reporters. "He was the anchor. If you look at the whole core, everything beginning and starting with the offensive line, he was that guy we couldn’t afford to lose, but Marshall was the engine and you can’t drive a car without the engine."

Bruce has been helping coaches at camp this week. He remains undecided about coaching on a full-time basis, citing the long hours that would take him away from his family, including his 19-month-old daughter.

Some around here thought John Greco was more than ready to assume a starting role on the St. Louis Rams' offensive line.

"John Greco is much better than anyone realizes and will be a starting-caliber guard if they give him a chance," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said during a May discussion. "They should be excited about him. He doesn't have a discernible trait where he is a real masher or a wonderful technician or a great athlete, but he is good at all of the above and he really has a nasty streak to him. He is somebody to keep an eye on."

I don't think the Rams saw that nasty streak.

After landing Harvey Dahl in free agency and finding a way to keep Jacob Bell amid salary concerns, the team traded Greco to the Cleveland Browns. Adam Goldberg, the starting right guard in 2010, could still return in a backup role. But with Dahl in and Greco out, the line has undergone a massive overhaul since Steve Spagnuolo's arrival as head coach for the 2009 season.

Orlando Pace, Goldberg, Brett Romberg, Greco and Alex Barron were the starters in the final game before Spagnuolo's hiring. Cory Withrow and Roy Schuening were backups in that game. Bell, Richie Incognito and Anthony Davis were listed among inactive players. Bell is the only one of those 10 players still with the team.

The projected starting five this season -- Rodger Saffold, Bell, Jason Brown, Dahl and Jason Smith -- each started all 16 regular-season games last season (Dahl was with Atlanta).

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers center Eric Heitmann suffered his career-threatening neck injury while competing in the "nutcracker" drills former coach Mike Singletary preferred. Barrows: "Despite the controversy around the drill, Singletary revised what he insisted was a safer version last year. Still, at least two players, linebacker Derek Walker and Heitmann, were injured in it. At the time, the 49ers referred to Heitmann's injury as a 'stinger' -- a nerve injury caused by trauma to the head, neck or shoulder. Shortly thereafter Heitmann suffered a broken leg. He recovered from the fracture but could not shake the neck problems and was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 2. Singletary insisted on the nutcracker because he said it taught players the importance of leverage, and it was iconic drill of the coach's tough-guy approach. In 2009 Singletary said he didn't think the drill would cause injuries because the two players facing off didn't take running starts."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says Singletary refused to comment on the nutcracker story. Singletary: "I have no response to that. I don't really know what Eric's prior situation was, so I'm not going to respond to that." Singletary and the 49ers should have known about "prior situations" regarding injuries. Heitmann had been with the team for years. If he were susceptible to such an injury, why expose him to the obvious heightened risks associated with such drills? A question worth asking if, as Singletary suggests, he did not know Heitmann's prior injury situation.

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers' skill players have shown up in strong numbers for the most recent player-organized workouts.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says Michael Crabtree didn't make time for interviews Thursday. Lynch: "The only mystery surrounding him is how hurt he is. Tight end Vernon Davis, in Crabtree's absence, answered the question saying the foot injury [Crabtree] sustained June 9 in Camp Alex No. 1 is far more than just a case of a sore foot brought on by the pinch of new cleats. However, Davis said he should be ready should training camp start on time."

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' offense is tight end-friendly, according to Davis. Davis: "This offense is going to be pretty good for the tight end. We don’t just have one way to go. That’s good. We’ve never had that since I’ve been here." Was Davis alluding to the use of more option routes? That appears to be the case. Davis followed up by saying he'll have the flexibility to run through zones instead of simply settling into them.

Ellen Sherberg of the St. Louis Business Journal updates the business dealings of former Rams tackle Orlando Pace. Sherberg: "Mr. Pace has partnered with GO Marketing LLC, formed by [KFNS radio owner] Dave Greene and James Oelklaus, founders of Grand Slam Sports that includes KFNS among other holdings, to launch TheTicketBlock.com, a new ticket brokerage."

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis expects Sam Bradford to take a significant step forward in 2011. Softli: "The NFL lockout is the only thing delaying the progress of this young quarterback with a new offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels. When I looked back at the 2010 Rams season, Bradford set the stage for the immediate future and sent a message to all the NFL that the young gun from St. Louis is for real and won't take any prisoners along the way. It's about winning the division, the NFC conference and eventually lifting the Lombardi Trophy."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says first-round draft choice Patrick Peterson spent about 30 minutes speaking with strength-and-conditioning coach John Lott when teams were allowed contact with players during the draft. That meeting could help explain why Peterson decided to drop about 10 pounds. Urban: "Lott famously tells most players when he first gets them in Arizona they should drop a few pounds. Everyone has done it, from Larry Fitzgerald to Kurt Warner to Beanie Wells (pretty much every incoming rookie gets the speech). Peterson figured to be no different." Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie might be one exception to the drop-a-few-pounds mantra. He didn't have any extra weight to lose.

Cecilia Chan of the Arizona Republic says Glendale is supporting efforts to bring another Super Bowl to University of Phoenix Stadium. Chan: "In return for the prestige of hosting the National Football League game at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale must guarantee services such as public safety and sanitation for free and exempt game-day tickets from sales tax for the NFL. When Glendale hosted its first Super Bowl in 2008, it saw $1.2 million boost in sales-tax revenue. But a city-commissioned study showed it cost the city $2.6 million in services. The City Council on a 5-2 vote Tuesday approved the resolution." Good for business, bad for city budgets?

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says Johnathan Joseph could be an attractive free-agent addition for the Seahawks. Henderson: "Clayton thinks the Seahawks could get Joseph for around $8 million a season, which makes him a much cheaper alternative to Nnamdi Asomugha."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com revisits Steve Largent's final game with the team. An elbow injury suffered on the notorious playing surface in Philadelphia that season left Largent feeling frustrated. Largent: "Dave [Krieg] threw me a post route that I should have been able to catch up to. But I had to dive for that ball. I dove where second base would have been. They had it covered with turf, but there was still a little mound there. I fell and it busted my elbow. That’s what I remember about my last year."

Walter Jones and Orlando Pace once gave the NFC West two Pro Bowl-caliber left tackles.

The current crop isn't lacking for talent.

All four starters were drafted among the first 33 overall choices. None has done enough to figure prominently in the ESPN.com power rankings for NFL left tackles, which are scheduled to appear Tuesday. But that could change in the near future.

A quick look at each NFC West team's starter at the position:

• Russell Okung, Seattle Seahawks: Injuries limited Okung to 10 games as a rookie. He had been durable previously and will need better luck with his ankles to realize his obvious potential.
  
  
  

  Saffold
  Okung has more raw ability than any left tackle in the division. I think he'll challenge for a spot among the five best left tackles in the NFL within the next couple seasons.
• Rodger Saffold, St. Louis Rams: Saffold immediately impressed teammates as a rookie starter. In training camp, before Saffold ever started a regular-season game, left guard Jacob Bell compared Saffold to former 188-game NFL starter Brad Hopkins in terms of footwork. Hopkins was a two-time Pro Bowl choice. A scout I spoke with last week thought Saffold would be good at left tackle and better at guard.

Staley
• Joe Staley, San Francisco 49ers: Staley began his career at right tackle and has moved to the left side, where his athleticism is more of an asset. The weight he added in recent seasons did not produce the desired results. Staley has cut weight this offseason. Durability has become a concern, or does Staley simply need better luck? He has missed seven games in each of the past two seasons after missing none over the previous two.

Brown
• Levi Brown, Arizona Cardinals: Brown is huge and can push around defenders in the running game. He has not missed a game over the past three seasons. His pass protection has been shaky. Brown isn't consistent enough, although he improved last season, according to his coach. Ken Whisenhunt: "He is a talented football player. The biggest thing he has struggled with is the consistency of his play. But a lot of times you are under the microscope more because you were the fifth pick in the draft."

The NFC is not particularly stacked with young, elite left tackles. Tampa Bay's Donald Penn is one exception. He earned a spot in the Pro Bowl last season and is relatively young at 28.

Russ Grimm knows a Hall of Fame offensive lineman when he sees one.

Grimm, the Arizona Cardinals assistant coach and 2010 Hall of Fame inductee, sees one in recently retired guard Alan Faneca.

"He's going to be there, there's no question," Grimm told Sports 620 KTAR. "Whether it's first ballot, first or second, but I can't see him missing. He'll be in early."

Faneca announced his retirement Tuesday after spending his final season with the Cardinals.

Projecting Hall of Fame chances can be difficult. Predicting those chances in any given year can be impossible for all but the most iconic players.

Grimm retired following the 1991 season. He had to wait until last year largely because there are so many strong candidates and only five openings for modern-era players in a given year.

Dermontti Dawson and Willie Roaf were finalists as offensive linemen this year. Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Pace will be eligible in the coming years. Bruce Armstrong, Tony Boselli, Lomas Brown, Jim Covert, Jay Hilgenberg, Chris Hinton, Kent Hull, Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, Jim Lachey and Steve Wisniewski were preliminary nominees this year.

Faneca looks like a strong candidate for enshrinement -- at some point.

What key event significantly changed the fortunes of the Rams -- for better or worse? Give us your take and we’ll give you our definitive moment on May 19.

Long before Kurt Warner was directing the Greatest Show on Turf, Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin were connecting with Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch and Tom Fears for the Los Angeles Rams of the 1950s. They won a championship, too.

The Rams' 1951 title team sustained an 11-year stretch without a losing season. The Rams would remain successful for years under Sid Gillman, George Allen, Chuck Knox and Ray Malavasi, but none of those teams would win a championship.

The biggest trade in franchise history also earned a spot on the ballot. This swap involved owners, not players. The Rams and Colts traded ownership in 1972. Carroll Rosenbloom's death in 1979 left the Rams to his wife, Georgia Frontiere, who would later move the franchise to her native St. Louis. Her passing in 2008 precipitated the team's latest ownership change.

The Rams' 16 seasons in St. Louis have been eventful. Hiring Dick Vermeil, drafting Orlando Pace, acquiring Marshall Faulk and turning to Warner could all earn spots on the ballot. These were among the defining moments as the Rams brought a championship to St. Louis.

The drama associated with quarterback Trent Green's 1999 preseason injury and Mike Jones' Super Bowl tackle conferred special status to those two events. Green's injury was supposed to doom the Rams' season, but Warner intervened. And when Jones brought down Tennessee Titans receiver Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line on the final play of Super Bowl XXXIV, the Rams were champions again.

If you vote Other, give us your suggestion in the comments area below.

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says former Rams tackle Orlando Pace has invested in a company that owns sports media properties in St. Louis. Pace's involvement could lead to an on-air radio role periodically. Pace had previously made an hour-long appearance that went better than expected, according to the company president: "I jokingly told him he hadn't said a word in his Rams days, so we were surprised when he had so much to say. Nothing really came of our meeting and then we reconnected through our mutual friendship with (former Ram) Roland Williams. ... We met again and really found mutual passion for sports and for media and the more we talked the more we realized what a great fit he could be as a partner in the company."

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis offers a detailed scouting report from Missouri's pro day featuring Blaine Gabbert and Aldon Smith. 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was among those in attendance. Softli on Gabbert: "In my top 32 regardless of position, Gabbert is ranked 9th and will remain there because I don’t move players up and down the draft rankings based on a spring workout. But, he did solidify himself as a top-five pick in a lot of minds of those NFL coaches and general managers that were in attendance yesterday. When asked by several coaches, scouts and media if this quarterback compares to Sam Bradford, I paused and said no. The grade I put on Sam Bradford, my last draft class with the St. Louis Rams, was second only to Peyton Manning, who is the highest graded quarterback in my 15-year tenure as a personnel man in the NFL."

Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis passes along thoughts on the Rams from general manager Billy Devaney, plus a note about the Rams' chances of appearing in the NFL exhibition opener in Canton. Devaney on the 2011 draft's depth of defensive linemen: "Yeah. Outside guys, defensive ends, it looks like it's really deep. In fact, it looks like it's deep in 3-4 ends. We're a 4-3 team and we think there's some really quality depth as pass-rushers at defensive end, that goes into the second round. So we're excited about that."

Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post blames Aaron Curry's underwhelming first two NFL seasons on forces largely beyond the Seattle lienbacker's control: injuries, injuries to teammates and coaching/scheme changes. He expects more from 2011 draft prospect Von Miller. Legwold: "Defensive players who can get to the quarterback in college, especially at the Division I-A level, usually find a way to get to the quarterback in the NFL. Miller led the nation in sacks with 17 in 2009 and had 10.5 sacks in 2010, when he faced a lot of double-team blocks. He plays well outside and inside and should be a high pick in the April 28-30 draft. Pass-rushers who struggle in the NFL usually are pass-rushers who have trouble working inside, like former Broncos first-round draft pack Jarvis Moss." Curry's instincts haven't come through to the degree I would have expected. That could be his fault or the fault of factors Legwold cited, or a combination.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com isn't convinced the Cardinals will draft a quarterback in the first round, but if they had to choose between Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton, he thinks Gabbert would be the choice. Urban: "There’s just something about everything that swirls around Newton off the field that I think they think Gabbert would be a safer pick." That is my sense as well, based in part on comments the team has made about needing to make sure a quarterback drafted that early has no question marks.

Also from Urban: A look at how the Cardinals' video department puts technology to use. One example: When the team hired Ray Horton as defensive coordinator, several players asked for Steelers video, the better to help them learn the defense Horton is bringing from Pittsburgh.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says multiple 49ers coaches attended Stanford's pro day, no surprise given proximity and those assistants' history at the university. Barrows: "Among the coaches making the short drive up Highway 101 were defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, offensive coordinator Greg Roman, offensive line coach Tim Drevno and running backs coach Tom Rathman, who put Stanford fullback Owen Marecic through cone drills and then spent more than a half hour chatting with Marecic in a corner of the practice field." Rathman was not at Stanford last season, so this workout was probably more helpful for him.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Pittsburgh Steelers appeared loose and comfortable during their first Super Bowl 45 media session.

They've been in big games before, and frequently, thanks largely to shrewd drafting.

This is the Steelers' third Super Bowl appearance in the last six seasons.

The team made available James Farrior, Flozell Adams, Hines Ward, Brett Keisel, Ben Roethlisberger and LaMarr Woodley during its initial media session Monday -- just the opportunity I needed to produce an item corresponding to the one titled, "Draft hindsight: Aaron Rodgers and beyond".

The idea: to examine a Super Bowl team's featured players -- in this case, the ones made available Monday -- with an emphasis on draft status and the decisions NFC West teams made in the same rounds. Not every team held a choice in every featured round.

The Arizona Cardinals had a shot at Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but they came out OK.

Here goes ...

1997 Draft: James Farrior, LB, Virginia

Round: First (eighth overall, by the New York Jets)

NFC West spin: Farrior is a two-time Pro Bowl choice, but the NFC West offers no apologies for passing over him. Orlando Pace and Walter Jones became perennial Pro Bowl tackles. Jones became the best player in Seahawks history, in my view. Shawn Springs made one Pro Bowl trip and picked off 33 passes during a 13-year career. The Cardinals had no shot at Farrior. They chose Tommy Knight one pick later. He started 54 games in six NFL seasons. Rumor says the 49ers selected a quarterback in the first round of this draft.

First-round selections in the division:

• Rams (first overall): Pace, T, Ohio State
• Seahawks (third overall): Springs, CB, Ohio State
• Seahawks (sixth overall): Jones, T, Florida State
• Cardinals (ninth overall): Knight, CB, Iowa
• 49ers (26th overall): Jim Druckenmiller, QB, Virginia Tech

1998 Draft: Flozell Adams, T, Michigan State

Round: Second (38th overall, by Dallas)

NFC West spin: Adams became a five-time Pro Bowl choice with Dallas. His career appeared finished, or close to it, until injuries led the Steelers to call on him this season. Arizona passed on Adams twice. Safety Corey Chavous, chosen five spots before Adams, went to a Pro Bowl with Minnesota. He was a productive player for roughly a decade. Tackle Anthony Clement, chosen two spots before Adams, started more than 100 games for three teams.

Second-round selections in the division:

• Cardinals (33rd overall): Corey Chavous, SS, Vanderbilt
• Cardinals (36th overall): Anthony Clement, T, Louisiana-Lafayette
• Rams (37th overall): Robert Holcombe, FB, Illinois
• Seahawks (47th overall): Todd Weiner, T, Kansas State
• 49ers (58th overall): Jeremy Newberry, C, California

1998 Draft: Hines Ward, WR, Georgia

Round: Third (92nd overall, by Pittsburgh)

NFC West spin: The Rams and Seahawks found Pro Bowl-caliber players when they passed over Ward in the third round. Seattle gave up on Ahman Green prematurely, however, after coach Mike Holmgren grew weary of early fumble problems. The 49ers missed on tackle Chris Ruhman three choices before Ward went to Pittsburgh. Ruhman played in six games with the 49ers, starting none. He played in 11 NFL games with two starts overall. The 49ers passed on Ward even though Jerry Rice had suffered a devastating knee injury in the 1997 opener.

Third-round selections in the division:

• Rams (65th overall): Leonard Little, DE, Tennessee
• Seahawks (76th overall): Ahman Green, RB, Nebraska
• 49ers (89th overall): Chris Ruhman, T, Texas A&M

2002 Draft: Brett Keisel, DE, BYU

Round: Seventh (242nd overall, by Pittsburgh)

NFC West spin: The 49ers drafted longtime starting guard and center Eric Heitmann three spots before the Steelers found Keisel. Pittsburgh could use Heitmann this week after the Steelers' starting center, Maurkice Pouncey, suffered a severely sprained ankle during the AFC Championship Game. Keisel became a Pro Bowl choice for the first time this season, distinguishing him from 2002 NFC West seventh-rounders. The Rams found their mainstay snapper in this draft. Keisel was gone when the 49ers found guard Kyle Kosier, who started 29 games for them and remains a starter with Dallas.

Seventh-round selections in the division:

• Cardinals (223rd overall): Mike Banks, TE, Iowa State
• Seahawks (232nd overall): Jeff Kelly, QB, Southern Mississippi
• 49ers (239th overall): Heitmann, C, Stanford
• Rams (243rd overall): Chris Massey, LS, Marshall
• 49ers (248th overall): Kyle Kosier, G, Arizona State
• 49ers (256th overall): Teddy Gaines, DB, Tennessee

2004 Draft: Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Miami of Ohio

Round: First (11th overall, by Pittsburgh)

NFC West spin: The Cardinals passed over Roethlisberger and came away with a potential Hall of Fame receiver. No complaints there, even though quarterbacks are more valuable than receivers. None of the other NFC West teams had a shot at Roethlisberger. Seattle and St. Louis were set at quarterback, anyway.

First-round selections in the division:

• Cardinals (third overall): Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Pittsburgh
• Seahawks (23rd overall): Marcus Tubbs, DT, Texas
• Rams (24th overall): Steven Jackson, RB, Oregon State
• 49ers (31st overall): Rashaun Woods, WR, Oklahoma State

2007 Draft: LaMarr Woodley, OLB, Michigan

Round: Second (46th overall, by Pittsburgh)

NFC West spin: The Cardinals could certainly use Woodley now, and badly, but they had already invested millions in the position heading into the 2007 draft. Free-agent additions Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry had combined for 14.5 sacks during the 2006 season. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they haven't gotten enough from their second-round investment in Alan Branch.

Second-round selections in the division:

• Cardinals (33rd overall): Branch, DL, Michigan
• Rams (52nd overall): Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers
• Seahawks (55th overall): Josh Wilson, CB, Maryland

OK, all done, and just in time. ESPN.com teammates Mike Reiss, Kevin Seifert and I are heading out to the Packers' media session next. Seifert is driving and he doesn't wait for anyone. Gotta jam.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune quotes Seahawks coach Pete Carroll as saying quarterback Matt Hasselbeck tried too hard in 2009. Carroll: "It was clear that he was over-trying. Tremendously over-trying. He was trying to make things happen, in classic fashion to try and make a play and that caused him to make decisions where he would throw the ball into trouble. He wouldn’t read everything out. He wasn’t patient enough because he felt like there wasn’t room enough to be patient. And so those decisions, it takes you to ... another level of production that goes totally against you. And you have to play within the system and the concepts or you’re just making stuff up. And so he pressed too much."

Also from Williams: checks in with Seahawks rookie E.J. Wilson. Draft analyst Rob Rang says he probably underrated Wilson coming out of college.

More from Williams: Deon Butler has more than speed to offer Seattle's offense.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says linebacker Leroy Hill downplayed the knee injury he suffered during practice. Hill could miss some time, however. Hill has never played a full 16-game regular season since entering the NFL as a third-round draft choice in 2005. He has missed nine games over the past two seasons and he'll miss at least one more in 2010 thanks to an NFL suspension.

Rod Mar of seahawks.com offers photos from practice, including one showing rookie Golden Tate making a one-handed grab.

Ben Malcolmson of seahawks.com says T.J. Houshmandzadeh was highly productive in practice Tuesday.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times was ringside for the Seahawks' most contentious practice of camp. Brandon Mebane took a swing at someone (it might have been Max Unger).

Also from O'Neil: Aaron Curry was back at practice following a concussion and determined to make a strong impression.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says the Seahawks formally made Russell Okung their starting left tackle Tuesday. Also, Kevin Ellison picked off a pass. Ellison appears to have a good shot at sticking in the secondary.

Also from Johns: The defense seemed to like practice Tuesday. Safety Earl Thomas: "Today was just a great day. The defensive line and O-line were battling it out. That's what we've got to have in practice. It felt good. It gave me chills in my body. I'm just glad to be part of this team. We're going in the right direction and are just looking forward to the first game."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals like having some seasoned veterans on their roster. They have 12 players in their 30s at present, including Joey Porter. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "If you watch Joey walk into a meeting room and you watch the younger players, they watch him. They look at where he sits, how he prepares, because this guy is a Pro Bowl player. So when things aren't going well, or are going well, that's where the younger players are going to look to, to see how those guys are going to handle it."

Also from Somers: Beanie Wells might not play Sunday after taking a hit to the ribs this week. Sitting out sounds like the safest strategy.

More from Somers: an early Cardinals depth chart with rookie Dan Williams listed as the third nose tackle.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals could be looking to sign a veteran at inside linebacker, where Pago Togafau worked with the starters Tuesday. Also, second-year outside linebacker Cody Brown is showing signs of progress, a very good sign for Arizona.

Also from Urban: a look at how the 7,000-foot altitude affects players at Cardinals camp.

More from Urban: Safety Hamza Abdullah fasts from sunrise to sunset during camp in observance of Ramadan.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch heads to Bears camp to check out former Rams Lovie Smith, Mike Martz, Isaac Bruce, Pisa Tinoisamoa and Brandon Manumaleuna. Too bad the Bears did not bring back Orlando Pace. Martz: "This is a good football team. I love the organization. Good players. The coaching staff has a real special chemistry with this group. You know, you get in those moments where things are really good and everything kind of meshes. This has that kind of feel. Everything's just kind of -- it's hard to explain -- there's a lot of good things that could happen. We'll just see."

Also from Thomas: That was Jason Smith working with the starters during team drills for the first time this summer.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have lots to figure out at tight end. The Rams have been happy with what Billy Bajema has added, not only as a blocker but as a receiver.

Also from Coats: The Rams' exhibition opener will not be televised live in St. Louis.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says the Rams have worked on contingencies at kicker while Josh Brown rests a hip injury.

Also from Korte: Rookie George Selvie has made a positive impression lately.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says two Alex Smith completions stood out as highlights of 49ers practice Tuesday morning.

Also from Maiocco: New special-teams coach Kurt Schottenheimer had nice things to say about returners Ted Ginn Jr. and Kyle Williams.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye says Smith will be judged on whether the team wins, nothing more, and that is one reason not to worry about a rough practice. Barrows: "Raye also said there were extenuating circumstances to Smith's day. He noted that Smith usually makes 94 throws in the morning and another 86-90 in the afternoon. He said this is the point in camp that quarterbacks get what Raye called 'arm weary'. And he also noted that both of Smith's top targets, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, were given the morning off. (That's two straight practices for Davis). One more obstacle: Smith is getting used to a new center, David Baas, who had a few errant snaps. Raye said he hoped to settle the center competition between Baas and Tony Wragge by the third preseason game."

Also from Barrows: The mystery of Kentwan Balmer continues.

Taylor Price of 49ers.com offers notes from 49ers practice, plus a photo of Dominique Zeigler's acrobatic grab over Shawntae Spencer.

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat looks at the linebackers San Francisco signed for depth.

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News checks in with Baas, who is on to his next challenge. Brown: "David Baas has a knack for showing up unexpectedly, starting with the day he was born. His parents steered their Datsun into a parking lot upon realizing there was no time to make it to the hospital. Baas greeted the world just outside a bank in Tulsa, Okla. That set the tone for a life in which Baas could pop up almost anywhere." Next stop: center.

Also from Brown: notes from practice and a challenge (name the five running backs with the most rushes of at least 20 yards last season).

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says the conversion to Baas at center is tougher because the team has inexperienced guards around him.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider wonders how Crabtree gets a veteran's day off in only his second season. By playing like a veteran, perhaps?

A weeklong look at current or former players or coaches with Hall of Fame potential in the division.

Rams: Orlando Pace, LT

Claim to fame: Seven Pro Bowl appearances and three first-team All-Pro selections affirm Pace's standing as one of the elite offensive linemen of his era. Pace started two Super Bowls for the St. Louis Rams, winning one, and he was one of the best players for the Greatest Show on Turf.

Case for enshrinement: At his best, Pace dominated in all aspects of the game and he did it while playing for some of the best offenses of any era. Any discussion of the great tackles since the mid-1990s must include Pace, Walter Jones and Jonathan Ogden. The Rams drafted Pace first overall in 1997 and he lived up to expectations. That's saying a lot.

"The thing Orlando does so well is that he can get caught off balance on the pass rush and recover and finish the block, which is very difficult to do," then-Rams coach Mike Martz told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2002, when Pace was in his prime.

The Rams' offense put pressure on its tackles to hold up in protection. Receivers ran deeper routes, forcing quarterbacks to hold the ball longer. The Rams were willing to risk sacks for the big play. They gave up more than most teams by design, not because Pace had trouble protecting.

"Orlando is the cornerstone of everything we're trying to do on offense," teammate Isaac Bruce told the Post-Dispatch in 2004.

Case against enshrinement: Pace's conditioning wasn't always the best and he battled injuries throughout his career, at the expense of consistency.

Pace managed to play through the injuries for most of his first nine seasons, but he missed 23 of 32 games over the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Pace was never the same thereafter and he was below average last season for the Chicago Bears.

Parting shot: The final five or six seasons of Pace's career shouldn't overshadow what he accomplished in earning those seven trips to the Pro Bowl. Pace deserves strong consideration for the Hall of Fame even though he'll likely rank a couple notches below Jones and Ogden.

Cardinals: Kurt Warner, QB

Claim to fame: Warner authored a legacy unique to the NFL in going from virtual anonymity to superstar status when the Rams lost Trent Green to injury before the 1999 season. He was a four-time Pro Bowl choice and two-time MVP. He was also Super Bowl MVP. Warner helped turn two floundering franchises into Super Bowl teams quickly.

Case for enshrinement: None of the 14 quarterbacks enshrined in the Hall of Fame since 1985 can match Warner in completion percentage (65.5) or yards per game (260.8). Of the 14, only Steve Young had a higher passer rating and more yards per attempt. Only Dan Marino had more 300-yard games.

Warner reached 10,000 yards passing in fewer games than anyone in NFL history. Only Marino reached 20,000 and 30,000 yards as fast (they tied by reaching 30,000 yards in 114 games). Warner and Peyton Manning are the only players with a perfect passer rating in three games.

Warner was also about winning. He has a 9-4 starting record in the playoffs and has posted the three highest passing yardage totals in Super Bowl history. Only Bart Starr has a higher career postseason passer rating. Warner averaged 66.5 percent completions, 304 yards and 8.55 yards per attempt in the playoffs. Warner has 31 postseason touchdown passes in only 13 games (the three players ahead of him own between 18 and 24 playoff appearances).

Case against enshrinement: Warner started more than 11 games in a season only four times. He started between nine and 11 games four times and didn't accomplish much for a five-season period beginning in 2002.

Any argument against enshrinement for Warner will focus on the disjointed nature of his career and the fact that he produced sporadically as a result. The consistency simply wasn't as good with Warner as it was with the typical Hall of Fame quarterback.

Parting shot: Warner's candidacy improved significantly when he led the Cardinals to the Super Bowl following the 2008 season. I thought it was also important for his Hall credentials to follow up with another strong effort in 2009. Warner did that, leading the Cardinals to another division title. Tossing five touchdown passes with only four incompletions during a wild-card victory over the Green Bay Packers might have pushed him over the top.

49ers: Roger Craig, RB

Claim to fame: Craig was among the more versatile running backs in league history, earning Pro Bowl honors at running back and fullback. He was a three-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowl choice.

Case for enshrinement: Craig was the first player in NFL history to top 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. He led the NFL in receptions with 92 in 1985 and set the 49ers' season rushing record with 1,502 yards three years later.

It's tough to measure players across eras, but Craig ranked 13th on the all-time rushing list when he retired even though he did so much more than simply run the ball. His three touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins helped the 49ers win the Super Bowl after the 1984 season.

Craig was one of three players in NFL history with 8,000 yards rushing, 4,900 yards receiving, 70 total touchdowns and four Pro Bowls. Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk are the others.

Case against enshrinement: Craig's versatility meant he usually wasn't exceptional in any one category. He generally wasn't a threat to rank among the league rushing leaders. While he did play fullback, he wasn't a great one in the traditional sense.

Craig was a four-time Pro Bowl choice with 8,189 yards rushing, 4,911 yards receiving, 73 total touchdowns and a 4.1-yard rushing average. Ricky Watters was a five-time Pro Bowl choice with 10,643 yards rushing, 4,248 yards receiving, 91 total touchdowns and a 4.1-yard rushing average.

Parting shot: Craig has good Hall of Fame credentials, not great ones, and he'll have a hard time breaking through given the quality of candidates and limited spaces.

Seahawks: Kenny Easley, SS

Claim to fame: Easley was a game-changing force while earning five Pro Bowl berths in seven seasons. He was the NFL's defensive player of the year in 1984.

Case for enshrinement: All-time Seahawks sack leader Jacob Green called Easley the best athlete his Seattle teams ever had. Tight end Todd Christensen of the division-rival Los Angeles Raiders said Easley, at his best, was even better than Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. Bill Walsh said Easley would be a Hall of Famer if Easley had played longer and, in his words, "maybe he still is -- he was that good." Lott said he knows the 49ers would have drafted Easley over himself if Seattle hadn't taken Easley first, and he blamed the Seahawks' failure to appear in a Super Bowl for keeping Easley out of Canton.

"Kenny could do what Jack Tatum could do, but he also could do what corners could do -- he could do what Mike Haynes could do," Lott said several years ago. "He was not only a great hitter and great intimidator on the field, but he was a great athlete. In that day, what made him so special -- him, Lawrence Taylor, those guys changed the game of football on the defensive side because they were not just guys that were big hitters. Now, all of sudden, you were seeing guys who were big hitters but also as athletic as anyone on offense."

Easley's outstanding ball skills helped him pick off 17 passes over a two-year period. He was indeed part of a trend toward greater athleticism on defense.

Case against enshrinement: Even if Easley were, at his best, better than Lott, there was no comparison between each man's careers. Easley, forced into early retirement after suffering from kidney failure attributed to excessive use of ibuprofen, simply didn't play long enough to solidify his Hall of Fame credentials. That wasn't his fault, but it was reality and it's tough to judge candidates on what might have been.

Parting shot: Easley becomes eligible for consideration by the Hall of Fame's Senior Selection Committee in 2012. His case deserves careful consideration and I think his chances for enshrinement will improve once the Senior Committee takes a harder look at his career. Easley was better than a lot of people realize. The respect he commands from all-time greats will help his cause.