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DALLAS -- The Arizona Cardinals experienced more roster turnover than most from 2009 to 2010.

They felt it, too.

Arizona finished with a 5-11 record largely because quarterback Kurt Warner retired. The team hoped it had enough veteran strength throughout its roster to keep the Cardinals competitive. A favorable schedule and division in transition made it seem possible.

Looking back, the roster turnover played a leading role in the Cardinals' fall, coach Ken Whisenhunt said from the Super Bowl media center Friday.

"What you lose more than anything is that equity buildup that you have had for a couple years," Whisenhunt said.

Specifically, Whisenhunt said the Cardinals too often couldn't draw on shared experiences -- say, adjustment that worked against an opponent the previous season.

"Even though you have a Kerry Rhodes, you have Paris Lenon, you have guys you are comfortable with that are good players in the league, they don't know what you have gone through to get to that point," Whisenhunt said. "To have those guys step up and say, 'Listen, we are not practicing the right way, we are not making these plays like we should be,' you don't have that history with them. You can get away with that if it is one or two, but if you have five or six -- especially if they are good football players -- that is hard to overcome."

The Cardinals parted with a long list of players featuring Warner, Anquan Boldin, Karlos Dansby, Antrel Rolle, Bryant McFadden, Bertrand Berry, Chike Okeafor, Mike Gandy, Reggie Wells, Neil Rackers, Anthony Becht, Sean Morey, Jerheme Urban, Matt Leinart, Ralph Brown, Monty Beisel and Dan Kreider.

"You can never go in and say, 'Gosh, woe is me because we lost those guys,' because you are counting on the other guys to step in and you always want to be positive," Whisenhunt said. "But you have to recognize it's a pretty big blow to lose [key] guys."

Whisenhunt called the situation a "perfect storm" with Warner retiring, key players hitting the market and the NFL heading toward an uncertain labor situation.

"There is no operating plan for what you do or how you do it," he said. "It doesn't really matter at this point. You just have to move forward."

Quite a few younger players gained more experience than anticipated. That could help Arizona build back some of that equity Whisenhunt said was missing. But so much comes back to the quarterback situation. An upgrade at that position would cover for imperfections elsewhere on the roster.

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)

---

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)

---

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)

---

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.

The earlier item quantifying NFL roster turnover since last season ranks the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals among the three teams with the most changes.

Some of the research used for that project shows up in the latest version of the anabolically enhanced rosters found here periodically. Specifically, the 26th and final column shows which players were starters, backups or on injured reserve for NFC West teams in Week 17 last season.

Download the rosters here.

The column showing player ages makes it easy to see how roster attrition affects older players. I'll list below the players currently 30 or older who have been released, traded, announced their retirements or were not re-signed as unrestricted free agents since last season:

Seattle Seahawks (9)

Patrick Kerney, Walter Jones, John Owens, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson, D.D. Lewis, Damion McIntosh

Note: The team added 30-plus vets Sean Morey, Ben Hamilton and Chris Baker.

Arizona Cardinals (9)

Kurt Warner, Chike Okeafor, Mike Gandy, Bertrand Berry, Neil Rackers, Morey, Brian St. Pierre, Ralph Brown, Dan Kreider,

Note: The team added 30-plus vets Jay Feely, Paris Lenon, Joey Porter and Alan Faneca.

San Francisco 49ers (6)

Shaun Hill, Arnaz Battle, Mark Roman, Walt Harris, Dre' Bly, Jeff Ulbrich

Note: The team added 30-plus vets David Carr and William James. In looking at the chart, note that receiver Isaac Bruce, 37, is still on the 49ers' roster for the time being.

St. Louis Rams (5)

Leonard Little, Marc Bulger, Lenon, Clinton Hart, Randy McMichael

Note: The team added 30-plus vets A.J. Feeley, Na'il Diggs, Hank Fraley and Fred Robbins.

Unrestricted free agency has come and gone for the NFL in 2010 after no teams made qualifying offers to the more than 100 unsigned UFAs by June 1.

The following former UFAs from NFC West teams remain free agents able to sign with any team that will have them, but none will factor into the formula used for awarding compensatory draft choices:

Arizona: left tackle Mike Gandy, outside linebacker Chike Okeafor, outside linebacker Bertrand Berry (retiring), cornerback Ralph Brown, fullback Dan Kreider, quarterback Brian St. Pierre

Seattle: fullback Justin Griffith, linebacker D.D. Lewis, cornerback Ken Lucas, tackle Damion McIntosh, snapper Jeff Robinson, snapper Kevin Houser

San Francisco: safety Mark Roman, cornerback Dre Bly, cornerback Walt Harris, linebacker Jeff Ulbrich (retiring)

St. Louis : defensive end Leonard Little, tight end Randy McMichael, safety Clinton Hart

The chart breaks down the players by team and 2009 starts.

Albert Breer of the Boston Globe visits Seahawks headquarters as part of a piece looking at what went wrong for Pete Carroll in New England, with an eye toward what might be different this time. Breer: "Everyone who was in New England and with the Patriots from 1997-99 remembers the back stairs. That’s where veterans retreated when they didn’t like what their coaches were telling them. That’s the route you took to the offices of the owners and Bobby Grier’s personnel department to air grievances over the coach’s head. That’s the place where Carroll’s juice in the Patriots organization went to die." Carroll: "It was horrible. That’s not leadership. But that existed, yeah. That was there and [the front office] thought it was kind of cool. They liked it like that. I think the ownership, they wanted information and they thought that was the way to get it. And really, in all fairness to the Krafts, they didn’t know yet how to do it, they were just figuring it out." Carroll's obviously close relationship with Seahawks general manager John Schneider should remove a lot of the stress from his current coaching efforts.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic had this to say after watching Adrian Wilson pick off Matt Leinart during a red-zone play: "The team continued to work on its red zone package today. It's hard to judge because a good play by the defense can mean just the opposite by the offense. For instance: QB Matt Leinart forced one pass to Larry Fitzgerald, and strong safety Adrian Wilson picked it off. Nice play by a Pro Bowl safety. A learning experience for a quarterback. As someone once said, we're talking about practice."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com provides a photo of Cardinals center Lyle Sendlein connecting on a field-goal try to bail out the offense from running. Sendlein was the only one of 10 non-kickers to connect. Urban: "Guys like Matt Leinart, Adrian Wilson and Calais Campbell need to work on their form, I think."

Also from Urban: Cornerbacks Justin Miller and Trumaine McBride are trying to revive their careers with Arizona. Urban: "Miller signed after trying out with the team during minicamp. McBride was signed back in January, with the team already knowing it would need cornerback depth. That need has only increased, with veteran Ralph Brown not returning and starter Bryant McFadden dealt in a draft-weekend trade."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Craig Dahl, the safety most likely to start if the Rams do not re-sign Oshiomogho Atogwe. Coats: "The 6-foot-1, 209-pound Dahl, 24, originally signed with the New York Giants in 2007 -- Steve Spagnuolo's first of two seasons there as defensive coordinator -- as an undrafted rookie out of North Dakota State. He played in nine games and started twice that year until tearing a ligament in his left knee near the end of the season. A torn ligament in his right knee in the subsequent preseason kept him from playing in 2008. The Rams picked him up as a free agent in March 2009. Then Dahl missed the first two games last year with a pulled hamstring. He suited up on Week 3 and found himself at strong safety after James Butler went down with a knee injury on the second play against Green Bay."

Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says LenDale White's recent release from the Seahawks shows why the Rams shouldn't be pursuing players with questionable motives. Balzer: "Say what you will about this process of rebuilding, but general manager Billy Devaney and coach Steve Spagnuolo are trying to accomplish it with quality people, in addition to having football ability. It's clear that teams can win without the LenDale Whites of the world."

Jim Rodenbush of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat offers comments from Spagnuolo regarding Dahl and Atogwe. Spagnuolo on the former: "(Dahl) is experienced in the system, and he really is good that way. He works his butt off physically, takes a lot of pride in his body, and he works well with James Butler. They’ve been together in the whole thing, so there’s some cohesiveness there. That helps. There’s some confidence there. They’re used to the system, so all of that kind of mends well for the defense."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers added South Carolina State cornerback Phillip Adams despite grainy college game tape. Maiocco: "On the low-quality film distributed to NFL teams, Adams showed his aggressiveness in run support, as well as an ability to break on the ball and jump routes. But he could struggle against NFL-quality receivers who can set up a young cornerback."

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers aren't pursuing Atogwe. Maiocco: "The 49ers invested a second-round draft pick in safety Taylor Mays, which appeared to signal the organization was not interested in paying big money for a free-agent safety. If the 49ers were to spend money on a veteran safety, they would likely prefer to sign Dashon Goldson to a contract extension. Atogwe turns 29 this month. Goldson, who turns 26 in September, showed major improvement late in the season after a rough beginning to his first year as the starting free safety."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee shows where 49ers players rank in terms of NFL jersey sales. Patrick Willis ranks No. 19, with the Rams' Sam Bradford at No. 6 and the Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald at No. 13. Tim Tebow is at No. 1.

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' lack of interest in Atogwe shows faith in Goldson.

Also from Barber: a look at players new to the 49ers since this time last year. Barber: "Five years ago, Dre Bly and Walt Harris would have formed one of the best corner tandems in the league. Those days are gone, though, and the addition of at least five viable cover men seems to have made the unit deeper."

Bad teams aren't the only ones churning their rosters during the offseason.

The defending NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals have parted with 15 of the 53 players on their Week 17 roster from last season. Only the rebuilding Seahawks have parted with more -- 16 -- among division teams this offseason. The Rams have parted with 11. The 49ers, seeking continuity as they try to build on an 8-8 season, have parted with only three.

The first chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have returned to each NFC West team.

The second chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have left each NFC West team.

I'll first list the players by team.

Seattle (16): receiver Nate Burleson, quarterback Seneca Wallace, linebacker Lance Laury, defensive end Cory Redding, guard Trevor Canfield, quarterback Mike Teel, tackle Damion McIntosh, linebacker D.D. Lewis, snapper Jeff Robinson, fullback Justin Griffith, cornerback Ken Lucas, safety Deon Grant, defensive end Darryl Tapp, guard Rob Sims, tight end John Owens and defensive end Patrick Kerney.

Arizona (15): linebacker Pago Togafau, safety Antrel Rolle, receiver Jerheme Urban, receiver Sean Morey, kicker Neil Rackers, linebacker Bertrand Berry, fullback Dan Kreider, cornerback Ralph Brown, quarterback Brian St. Pierre, defensive end Jason Banks, receiver Anquan Boldin, linebacker Karlos Dansby, quarterback Kurt Warner, cornerback Bryant McFadden and linebacker Chike Okeafor. Note that Rolle did not start in Week 17.

St. Louis (11): defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey, cornerback Jonathan Wade, receiver Ruvell Martin, quarterback Mike Reilly, defensive end Leonard Little, safety Clinton Hart, snapper Ryan Neill, running back Samkon Gado, linebacker Paris Lenon, tackle Alex Barron and tight end Randy McMichael.

San Francisco (5): receiver Arnaz Battle, cornerback Marcus Hudson, quarterback Shaun Hill, safety Mark Roman and cornerback Dre Bly.

The third chart shows what happened to players who were on injured reserve in Week 17.

I'll first list by team the players who were on IR but are no longer with their teams.

San Francisco (5): tackle Tony Pashos, punter Ricky Schmitt, linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, cornerback Walt Harris and running back Thomas Clayton.

Seattle (4): running back Tyler Roehl, tackle Walter Jones, snapper Kevin Houser and tackle Brandon Frye.

St. Louis (3): quarterback Marc Bulger, defensive tackle Adam Carriker and safety Eric Bassey.

Arizona (2): tackle Mike Gandy and fullback Justin Green.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers advice to the Rams in their handling of likely first-round choice Sam Bradford. He thinks offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, not quarterbacks coach Dick Curl, should be the one overseeing Bradford's development. Miklasz: "This is crucial. I realize that QBs coach Dick Curl is Coach Spagnuolo's friend; Spags served on Curl's staff in the old NFL Europe. But developing quarterbacks isn't Curl's area of expertise. So reassign him. There's no shame in that. Dick Vermeil had two guys on his staff (Mike White, Lynn Stiles) who helped him in a variety of ways behind the scenes. Likewise, Curl can serve as an all-purpose confidant for Spagnuolo. But the Rams can't have Curl in the middle of a vitally important working relationship between Shurmur and Bradford."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says most trade rumors involving the Rams have been off-base. Thomas: "Of all the (mostly) ridiculous trade rumors involving the Rams this offseason, the only one that I haven't heard (general manager Billy) Devaney deny was the (Adam) Carriker-to-Washington rumor. But I don't think Carriker would fetch much in a trade -- after all, he didn't play at all last season and is coming off shoulder surgery. As for the second-round pick, I think the Rams will get some calls on the pick, since teams will have an entire day to think about it and readjust their boards."

Also from Thomas: Leonard Little doesn't have much going; no surprise with the draft so near. Also, the Rams' long-anticipated signing of Na'il Diggs is all but done.

Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says it's unclear whether Diggs will play weak or strong side.

John Niyo of the Detroit News quotes former Seahawks guard Rob Sims as saying Detroit is more of a football town than Seattle. Sims, who played at Ohio State: "This is a football town. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit. I mean, that's football. Football and cars. This is more of what I'm accustomed to. Out there (in Seattle), the stars are Bill Gates and Paul Allen and the people that run Boeing. This here is what being in the NFL is supposed to be about, (standing) up here at the mic talking to reporters and stuff. In Seattle, it's not like that. It's drinking coffee, sittin' down and chit-chatting. This is a change, but it's a change that I've been looking forward to." Sims surely felt unwanted in Seattle and it had to mystify him. His comments were probably made out of frustration. The comment about the NFL being about standing at microphones and talking to reporters? Hmmmm. We already knew Seattle's line coach, Alex Gibbs, didn't think Sims fit into his zone-blocking scheme. Gibbs is also media-averse, and his linemen in Denver were known for refusing to speak with reporters.

Brian McIntyre of scout.com says the Seahawks want their tight ends to threaten defenses in the passing game, one reason John Owens' release should not come as a surprise.

John Morgan of Field Gulls takes inventory at receiver for Seattle, concluding the position is one of significant need.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with new Cardinals kicker Jay Feely, who reported for work Monday. Somers: "Feely's contract with the Cardinals is worth $3.5 million, including a $500,000 roster bonus and a $1 million salary this year. In 2011, he is due to make $1.75 million with a $250,000 bonus for attending off-season workouts." Also: Matt Ware's re-signing is official.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says cornerback Michael Adams is helping teammates get acclimated to the offseason program, a role former teammate Ralph Brown often played. Adams: "Ralph always would explain why were doing it. If I can learn something from Ralph, someone can learn something from me, that person can teach someone else, it’s an ongoing cycle and we keep getting pretty good players."

Also from Urban: New Cardinals linebacker Paris Lenon comes from a line of Paris Lenons. His grandfather, father and son share the name. Urban: "The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder fit best when he played his first four seasons in Green Bay (his past four seasons were with the Lions for three before going to the Rams in 2009)."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks the 49ers will select Anthony Davis at No. 13 if the offensive tackle remains available. Also: "As for (Donovan) McNabb, many writers and NFL observers wondered why the 49ers never entered the No. 5 sweepstakes. I think the overarching reason is that the Alex Smith experiment is five years in the making and, by golly, they're going to see it to the end. To state right now that they made a colossal mistake would be folly. But with Smith entering the final year of his contract, we ought to know the answer by January."

Howard Mintz of the San Jose Mercury News updates the 49ers' efforts to build a stadium in Santa Clara. One of the affected parties could renew concerns.

The Cardinals remain the only NFC West team to re-sign any of their unrestricted free agents this offseason.

That is mostly by design.

Twenty-seven of 31 remaining unrestricted free agents from NFC West teams are at least 30 years old. Two are retiring. Two of the four still in their 20s are 29.

The chart shows remaining UFAs from the NFC West, arranged by team and by age.

Arizona Cardinals

Unrestricted free agents: TE Anthony Becht, LB Monty Beisel, LB Bertrand Berry (retired), LT Jeremy Bridges, CB Ralph Brown, LB Karlos Dansby, LT Mike Gandy, FB Dan Kreider, WR Sean Morey, LB Chike Okeafor, K Neil Rackers, NT Bryan Robinson, QB Brian St. Pierre, S Matt Ware.

Restricted free agents: SS Hamza Abdullah, WR Steve Breaston, G Ben Claxton, FB Justin Green, LG Deuce Lutui, TE Ben Patrick, C Lyle Sendlein, TE Stephen Spach, WR Jerheme Urban, NT Gabe Watson.

Franchise player: none

What to expect: The Cardinals generally do not pursue marquee free agents from other teams. That trend figures to continue. The Cardinals have too many of their own free agents to re-sign for them to worry about chasing other teams' castoffs. We might see Arizona plug the roster with a few lower-tier free agents. They had success doing that last offseason, particularly with Becht at tight end. Dansby leads the list of 2009 starters expected to depart. Arizona is reportedly interested in quarterback David Carr.

St. Louis Rams

Unrestricted free agents: QB Kyle Boller, DE James Hall, SS Clinton Hart, LB Paris Lenon, DE Leonard Little, LS Chris Massey, TE Randy McMichael.

Restricted free agents: S Eric Bassey, S Craig Dahl, TE Daniel Fells, LS Ryan Neill, DT Clifton Ryan, CB Jonathan Wade, DE Victory Adeyanju, FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, T Alex Barron, RB Sam Gado, DT Gary Gibson, WR Ruvell Martin, G Mark Setterstrom.

Franchise player: none

What to expect: The Rams could be in the market for a veteran quarterback such as Chad Pennington. Beyond quarterback, coach Steve Spagnuolo said the Rams could use a little more seasoning in the form of veteran role players. The Rams will remain a young team, but they could add some experience. The team parted with players fitting that profile last offseason, but most had inflated salaries. The ones St. Louis adds this year figure to carry lower price tags in most cases. The Rams have said they want Little and Hall back. McMichael figures to be gone.

Seattle Seahawks

Unrestricted free agents: WR Nate Burleson, FB Justin Griffith, LS Kevin Houser, LB D.D. Lewis, CB Ken Lucas, T Damion McIntosh, S Lawyer Milloy, DE Cory Redding, LS Jeff Robinson.

Restricted free agents: T Brandon Frye, WR Ben Obomanu, LB Lance Laury, G Rob Sims, G Chris Spencer, DE Darryl Tapp.

Franchise player: K Olindo Mare

What to expect: The Seahawks are a little difficult to figure. Their owner has the money to bankroll aggressive spending if Seattle chooses to go that route. Coach Pete Carroll surely realizes the team could use talent upgrades. The new general manager, John Schneider, comes from the Ted Thompson school of personnel. Thompson's aversion for free agency is well established, although Schneider has characterized himself as slightly more aggressive. The problem, of course, is finding good players on the market. Burleson will hit the market. He could return if the price is right. Carroll has said nice things about Redding, who should be affordable.

San Francisco 49ers

Unrestricted free agents: WR Arnaz Battle, CB Dre Bly, CB Walt Harris, T Tony Pashos, FS Mark Roman, T Barry Sims, LB Jeff Ulbrich (retired), LB Matt Wilhelm.

Restricted free agents: LG David Baas, LB Ahmad Brooks, CB Marcus Hudson.

Franchise player: NT Aubrayo Franklin

What to expect: The 49ers have largely turned their back on free agency now that they feel better about their roster. I would expect the team to lay low again when the signing period begins late Thursday night on the West Coast.

» AFC Free Agency: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

An early look at the free-agent situation in the NFC West.

Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.

Arizona Cardinals

Unrestricted free agents: LB Karlos Dansby, LT Mike Gandy, OLB Chike Okeafor, K Neil Rackers, NT Bryan Robinson, WR Sean Morey, TE Anthony Becht, DE Bertrand Berry, LT Jeremy Bridges, CB Ralph Brown, FB Dan Kreider, QB Brian St. Pierre, S Matt Ware, LB Monty Beisel.

Key figures: The more than $17.7 million Arizona has paid to Dansby over the past two seasons should suffice as a parting gift if, as expected, the linebacker leaves in free agency. Dansby could be leading an exodus. Okeafor turns 34 in March and could be on his way out. Berry announced his retirement. Morey has had concussion problems. Gandy's return probably depends on whether he's willing to stay for less than the $5 million he earned last season. Safety Antrel Rolle does not appear on the list, but he would hit the market when free agency begins if the Cardinals decline to pay a $4 million roster bonus.

San Francisco 49ers

Unrestricted free agents: WR Arnaz Battle, CB Dre' Bly, NT Aubrayo Franklin, CB Walt Harris, RT Tony Pashos, FS Mark Roman, LT Barry Sims, LB Jeff Ulbrich, LB Matt Wilhelm, CB Keith Smith.

Key figures: The 49ers have been proactive in re-signing their own players. That explains why relatively few big names appear on this list. The franchise tag appears well suited for Franklin, the only marquee UFA on the 49ers' list this offseason. Tagging Franklin at the $7 million franchise rate makes sense heading into labor uncertainty. Why spend lavishly on a long-term deal? Franklin has played at a high level consistently for only one season, and a lockout could keep him off the field in 2011. Re-signing Sims for depth would make sense. Ulbrich, meanwhile, has retired and joined the Seahawks' coaching staff.

Seattle Seahawks

Unrestricted free agents: WR Nate Burleson, DE Cory Redding, CB Ken Lucas, K Olindo Mare, LB D.D. Lewis, FB Justin Griffith, LT Damion McIntosh, SS Lawyer Milloy, LS Kevin Houser, LS Jeff Robinson.

Key figures: New coach Pete Carroll is on the record saying he likes what he's seen from Redding. Mare is coming off an outstanding season. Lucas has the size Seattle's new leadership wants in its cornerbacks. Milloy played for Carroll in New England. There isn't much more to say about this relatively nondescript group, and it's unclear how much the new regime will value these UFAs. Unrestricted free agency isn't the only road out of Seattle this offseason. The team will probably part with a few established players who haven't lived up to their salaries because of injuries and other factors. Patrick Kerney and Deion Branch come to mind. Update: I've added Nate Burleson to the list of free agents. He has a contract for 2010, but it voids. Thanks to CowboyP893 for the assist.

St. Louis Rams

Unrestricted free agents: DE Leonard Little, DE James Hall, LB Paris Lenon, QB Kyle Boller, S Clinton Hart, LS Chris Massey, TE Randy McMichael.

Key figures: Boller, 28, is the only player on the Rams' list younger than 30. Franchise player Oshiomogho Atogwe and starting tackle Alex Barron become only restricted free agents under rules governing the uncapped year, explaining their absence from the Rams' UFA list. It's unclear how seriously Little and Hall figure into the team's plans for 2010. Chris Long's emergence late last season should make it easier for the team to move on without them, but the aging defensive ends did combine for 27 starts and 11 sacks last season.

Darren Urban's item on the "final eight" rules provides a good opening to discuss what an uncapped year means for the Cardinals.

Basically, the final eight teams alive in the playoffs, including Arizona, will have a harder time signing free agents from other teams if the NFL and its players fail to extend the collective bargaining agreement. I don't think this is a huge deal, though, because rules will also dramatically reduce the number of players available in free agency. And remember, there haven't been many good players hitting the market, anyway.

Without a new CBA, players must have six years in the league, not four, to become free agents. Teams will also be able to use one franchise tag and two transition tags to restrict veteran players.

Pat Kirwan of NFL.com has done a good job explaining some of the implications here and here.

Last offseason, Arizona lost (and in some cases did not want back) Terrelle Smith, Eric Green, J.J. Arrington, Antonio Smith and the since-re-signed Monty Beisel in unrestricted free agency. The Cardinals added Bryant McFadden and Jason Wright as unrestricted free agents. The team re-signed unrestricted free agents Brian St. Pierre, Ben Graham, Kurt Warner, Ralph Brown, Clark Haggans, Bertrand Berry and the since-released Elton Brown, with Karlos Dansby re-signing as a franchise player.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The facts: The Cardinals finished 10-6 with a 33-7 home defeat to Green Bay in Week 17.

The upside: Even the worst defeats tend to feature a bright spot or two.

• The outcome meant little.
• Arizona emerged from the game with something to prove against Green Bay.
• Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald was not injured while playing for stats late in the game.
• Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's knee injury wasn't as serious as first thought. He has a chance to return this week.
• Cornerback Ralph Brown picked off a pass and returned the ball 80 yards.
• Punter Ben Graham dropped three more punts inside the 20 despite having only four attempts. He finished the season with 42 inside-the-20 punts in 86 attempts, matching the NFL record Andy Lee set on 105 total punts in 2007.
• The season is only beginning.

Looking ahead: The Cardinals face the Packers in a wild-card playoff game Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic sizes up the Cardinals' accomplishments during their 24-17 victory over the Giants. Said nose tackle Bryan Robinson: "I'll say it again: When you play the Cardinals, bring your lunch pail. It's not an easy win. It's not where you see us on your schedule and you chalk us up as an easy win. Those days are done. Those are done." Somers named Beanie Wells the key player.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals still used Anquan Boldin effectively despite the receiver's ankle injury. Boldin is an inspiration. Very few players could play wide receiver effectively less than one week after suffering a high ankle sprain. Boldin: "For me, it wasn't a question of whether I was going to go or not. If I was able to move around a little bit, I was going to be out there. It got a little sore and stiff in the second half, and playing on that field turf didn't help."

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' defense is making them a legitimate playoff contender. Bickley: "Oh, it wasn't perfect. Kurt Warner was shaky. The play calling was suspect. The Cardinals left many big plays on the field and didn't give the ball to Beanie Wells nearly enough. But the defense was good enough to overcome every little flaw, even a fluke touchdown that would've sunk a lesser team." The play calling will improve, in my view, once the Cardinals more fully trust Wells in pass protection. Once that happens, opponents will have a harder time figuring out the Cardinals' intentions when Wells is in the game.

Also from Bickley: Adrian Wilson's interception was the key play in the game.

Scott Bordow of the East Valley Tribune says the Cardinals' victory over the Giants was no accident. Bordow: "Arizona didn’t beat New York on a fluke play or with a lucky bounce. It walked into Giants Stadium and manhandled the boys in blue."

Also from Bordow: Alan Branch collected the first two sacks of his NFL career.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team's confidence is off the charts right now. Urban: "I’ve been covering the Cardinals full-time since 2000, and I can’t remember –- and this includes last year's playoff run –- a time when the confidence felt more all-encompassing than it does right now. That’s why they could overcome some of the bad breaks in New York. They believe. You want to talk about a culture change in the franchise, that’s one major tell right there."

Also from Urban: The Cardinals kept their poise after allowing a freak touchdown reception.

More from Urban: Arizona' secondary perseveres. Urban: "Almost every defensive back was dealing with some sort of ding by the end of the game. Even nickel corner Ralph Brown was forced to play some safety on the final drive."

More still from Urban: The Cardinals' performance might change national perceptions.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Cardinals claimed a watershed victory to reaffirm their status as the team to beat in the NFC West, in case there were still doubters.

Known for their glitzy passing game, the Cardinals showed grit in persevering despite severe injury problems in the secondary.

Closing out the Giants on the road would have been impressive even if strong safety Adrian Wilson and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had been available. Getting the job done with both players sidelined in crunch time stands as a tremendous achievement, no matter the Giants' deficiencies at wideout.

The Cardinals are 3-0 on the road for the first time since 1982. They are 4-2 overall and likely to reach 5-2 after facing the Panthers at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 8.

Arizona still has tremendous potential for improvement as rookie running back Beanie Wells becomes more comfortable in the offense. Wells ran hard and ran well against the Giants. The Cardinals showed versatility on offense, a key to their postseason surge last season.

The heart Arizona showed on defense was the difference. Antrel Rolle's game-clinching interception provided a fitting end given all the injury problems in the secondary. The Cardinals were trusting Ralph Brown and Michael Adams in coverage late, and they still beat a good team on the road.

The defensive staff deserves credit, too. Secondary coach Teryl Austin had to be sweating out the final minutes given the obvious personnel deficiency. Coordinator Bill Davis kept the blitzes coming and his players executed them effectively.

This is the sort of victory that brings a team together.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Cardinals have gotten dramatically younger at running back this offseason. Edgerrin James and Terrelle Smith are gone, leaving Tim Hightower and Dan Kreider as the only current Cardinals running backs with starting experience.

The team kept three halfbacks and two fullbacks on its Week 1 roster last season. Nine other teams also kept more than one fullback for the opener.

Hightower, Chris Wells, Jason Wright, Kreider and Tim Castille entered camp as the likely choices for those spots, should the team keep five. LaRod Stephens-Howling would have to significantly liven up the return game to earn a spot, most likely.

Arizona Cardinals Week 1 Roster Counts since 2003 QB RB WR TE OL DL LB DB ST Fewest 2 4 5 2 8 5 6 7 2 Most 4 7 7 4 10 9 8 10 3 Average 3.0 5.3 6.0 3.2 8.8 7.7 7.0 8.8 2.8 Currently on roster 4 8 10 5 15 10 11 14 3

The chart provides a framework for how many players the Cardinals might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the 49ers.

Here's a quick look at which Cardinals players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players:

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