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Wild, wild weekend around here.

Matt Flynn, Jason Jones, Kendall Langford and Mario Manningham found homes in the NFC West.

Brandon Lloyd landed with the Patriots in New England.

Alex Smith hit the road without knowing whether he would return.

Peyton Manning, having eliminated Arizona from consideration, kept San Francisco 49ers fans in suspense while a rookie cornerback shrugged dismissively.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News offers thoughts on the 49ers' thinking. Kawakami: "Jim Harbaugh loves the 'competition' mode in all aspects, including, in this case, negotiations for contracts and jobs. Smith is Harbaugh’s guy… up until the moment things get changed when a Hall of Famer enters the mix. It’s all competition. Maybe Smith understands it, maybe he doesn’t, but the NFL is a cold business and always has been. I also believe the team’s faith in back-up Colin Kaepernick is a part of this." Noted: How and whether negotiations between Smith and the 49ers relate to the Manning pursuit stands out as a telling detail. But we should also never mistake a coach's in-season praise for unconditional loyalty. The things Harbaugh and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said about their 2011 starters has not stopped either from pursuing alternatives.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com runs through the options for Smith and for the 49ers. Smith signing with the Dolphins would additional pressure on the 49ers to prevail in the race to get Manning. Maiocco: "If Manning signs with the Titans, the 49ers can go after veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, whom they thought they were going to sign a year ago. Then, Hasselbeck and Colin Kaepernick would compete for the starting job. If Manning signs with the Broncos, the 49ers would likely sign Josh Johnson -- about the only quarterback left on the market. Then, Kaepernick and Johnson would compete for the job."

Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks Kaepernick could be ready to take over if needed. Ostler: "Could a second-year quarterback lead an NFL team to a Super Bowl championship? Ask Ben Roethlisberger or Tom Brady, they both did. Roethlisberger did it in the 2005 season, as a 23-year-old, although he also started as a rookie. Brady did it in the 2001 season, at age 24, after he inherited the starting job three games into the season."

Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News considers the possibilities for the 49ers and Smith. Purdy: "It's impossible to know Smith's true mindset. He is either ticked off at the 49ers and is ready to bolt for another team ... or is part on the biggest price-fixing scheme in NFL history to drive up the offers for both himself and Manning ... or is sincerely interested in moving to Miami for the state income tax advantages and the deep sea fishing. On the other hand, the 49ers' romance with Manning could simply be the team's own leverage ploy so that Smith will be more eager to accept the offer that's on the table -- three years, $24 million -- although it actually may not still be on the table at all. The offer may also not be as good as it sounds."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee sums up the improbability of San Francisco pursuing a quarterback other than Smith. Barrows: "When the 2011 season ended, Smith was considered a lock to sign a new, multi-year deal with the 49ers. He started all 18 games and finishing with the best statistics of his career, including a league low five interceptions. He had the strong backing of coach Jim Harbaugh, and both he and team officials suggested that hashing out a deal was a formality. Harbaugh and Smith carpooled to a pro-am golf tournament at Pebble Beach last month; Smith even served as Harbaugh's caddie for a day."

Mike Salk of 710ESPN Seattle has questions about Flynn's abilities and think the Seahawks needed to make a bolder play for a quarterback. Salk: "Andrew Luck wasn't a possibility, Manning wasn't interested in them, and they obviously didn't want to give up what it took to get Robert Griffin III. Flynn is not viewed in that same way. No one is offering him ownership stake because his value is not perceived to be that high. No one is cutting a future Hall of Famer for him. And no one is trading up the bounty that Washington gave up to acquire him. He signed for the type of contract that NFL teams hand out to quarterbacks who are in the middle of the pack."

Peter King of Sports Illustrated quotes Flynn as saying he chose Seattle over Miami partly because of a superior "vibe" in the Seahawks' building. Flynn: "The coaches, the staff -- they were fantastic." Noted: The Seahawks thought they could make a similar impression on Manning if given the opportunity.

Art Thiel of Sports Press Northwest asks whether Flynn will benefit from the patience quarterbacks often require.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch takes aim at Mike Holmgren's recent comments about the Rams-Redskins trade, landing blow after blow. Miklasz: "By whining to his team's fans, all Holmgren did was raise more questions over the Browns' failure to obtain the rights to Robert Griffin III. And by now proclaiming that the Browns wanted RG3, Holmgren also made it clear that they don't believe Colt McCoy is their long-term quarterback. Which is a rotten thing to do to McCoy, considering that the Browns may have no choice but to make him the starter again in 2012."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with former Rams cornerback Ron Bartell, who signed with Oakland. He also has details on Scott Wells' signing with the Rams. Bartell: "I get one unfortunate injury and all of a sudden I'm injury prone. So I just want to prove to everybody that I'm healthy. I heard a lot of people doubting me about coming back from my injury. I just want to be able to prove all my doubters wrong. Go out here and just play good football and help this team win."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic explains how the Cardinals could clear significant salary-cap room without taking away money from quarterback Kevin Kolb. Somers: "The Cardinals could easily create about $5 million of cap space with a simple restructuring of quarterback Kevin Kolb's contract. Kolb is due a $7 million bonus for being on the roster Saturday morning. Roster bonuses count toward the cap in the year they are paid, which brings Kolb's current cap figure to $10.5 million ($1 million salary, $2 million prorated signing bonus, $7 million roster, $500,000 workout bonus.) If Kolb agrees, the roster bonus could be converted to a type of bonus that is prorated over the term of the contract. So instead of all $7 million counting this year, only $1.75 million would. Kolb's cap number under that scenario would be $5.25 million."

Also from Somers: a letter to Kolb, written as though from the Cardinals.

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic says Kolb should not be lacking for motivation.

The St. Louis Rams' scheduled visit with Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan, noted by ESPN's Adam Schefter, lines up with expectations heading into free agency.

Finnegan played for new Rams coach Jeff Fisher in Tennessee. His reputation for hard-nosed play would lend an edge to the Rams' secondary.

Since 2007, when Finnegan became a starter, he leads the NFL with 16 combined penalties for disqualification, face mask, horse-collar tackle, personal foul, roughing the kicker, roughing the passer, taunting, unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct. The chart identifies league leaders in these "swagger" penalties since 2007, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Finnegan earned Pro Bowl honors for his play during the 2008 season. The Titans decided against naming him their franchise player at a cost of nearly $10.3 million for one season.

Injuries wiped out the Rams at cornerback last season. The team released starter Ron Bartell, who finished the 2011 season on injured reserve with a neck injury. The other starter, Bradley Fletcher, is returning from a season-ending knee injury.

Finnegan and the San Francisco 49ers' Carlos Rogers could make sense for the Rams as free-agent additions. The team could also consider LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall choice in the 2012 draft.

Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Marquis Johnson, Brian Jackson, Nate Ness, Chris Smith, Josh Gordy and Kendric Burney are the corners on St. Louis' roster at present.

New Orleans' Tracy Porter is another option. Like Rogers, he played for Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams elsewhere.

The Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams take two of the NFL's youngest rosters into the free-agent signing period Tuesday.

The first chart shows where teams in the division rank after subtracting from rosters those players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at 4 p.m. ET. I also eliminated from consideration kickers, punters and long-snappers because age variations matter less at those positions.


Levi Brown, Justin Bannan, Jason Brown, Fred Robbins, James Hall and Ron Bartell were among the players I removed from rosters based on reports indicating their releases were imminent.

A relatively small difference in average across 50 or 60 players can give us a general feel for a roster. NFL careers can be short. Every year counts. That is why general managers and salary-cap analysts pay attention to where their teams stand in these areas.

The Rams have the youngest offensive players in the league. The Seahawks have the youngest defensive players by a wide margin. The 49ers have the oldest specialists, and their overall team age increased after adding 35-year-old receiver Randy Moss.

Last offseason, the Rams patched their roster with veterans signed to one-year deals. In retrospect, that reflected a team with less young depth than would have been ideal.

The Cardinals have the second-oldest offensive linemen in the NFL. That is not always bad. The New York Giants have the oldest offensive linemen on average; they just won a Super Bowl. AFC champion New England has the fourth-oldest players at the position.

Having an older line is tolerable and even preferable if that line has strong talent and has played together for years. But the combination of advanced age and below-average talent signals an inability to improve over time.

The Cardinals will presumably add younger linemen through the draft and possibly free agency.

The 49ers, though strong along the defensive line, have the fourth-oldest players at that position when we count Aldon Smith as an outside linebacker. That is one area the team could address for the future. Justin Smith, arguably the NFL's best defensive lineman, turns 33 before the season and has started 171 consecutive games, 92 more than any active defensive lineman in the NFL.

The chart below shows age ranks for teams by position and overall, counting specialists.
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The St. Louis Rams released or planned to release five starters Monday.

"Is this a signal they aren't trying to be competitive now?" a Rams fan named Rick asked. "They are going to do another full rebuild?"

The Rams were not competitive enough when Justin Bannan, Fred Robbins, Jason Brown, Ron Bartell and James Hall were on their roster. Robbins was very good two years ago. Bartell has serious injury concerns. Hall was a strong all-around defensive end for years, but with 2011 first-round pick Robert Quinn on the roster, Hall's age and salary likely worked against him.

As for the full rebuild part of Rick's question, yes, the Rams are undergoing one of those.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the five cuts will clear about $20 million in cap space, giving the team roughly $30 million of room heading into free agency. General manager Les Snead: "We will be active. Like I've mentioned before, we're going to try to be aggressive in acquiring players whatever the method ... we want to get the best players in."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers have demonstrated a willingness to take chances at wide receiver under Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke, as demonstrated by signing Braylon Edwards and Randy Moss over the past year. Maiocco: "Of course, the 49ers still have a need at wide receiver. Joshua Morgan is a free agent, and the 49ers want him back. Ted Ginn was a lot more valuable as a return man than as a wideout, so his return is anything but certain. Late in the season, the 49ers rolled the dice in a different way at the receiver position. After several key injuries, the 49ers decided not to address the position. Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams were the starters in the NFC Championship Game, with Brett Swain was the No. 3 wideout." Noted: The contracts with Edwards and Moss were low-risk deals.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Moss thinks he's gotten a bad rap in the media. Moss: "When it comes to world wide sports media, you know, I've gotten a bad rap. They've done their homework on me or they wouldn't have brought me in here. ... One thing I would like the sports world to understand is the love and passion I have for football."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa-Press Democrat describes Moss as a one-dimensional player, and one the 49ers will have a hard time maximizing. Cohn: "Moss is a down-the-field receiver. Period. He does not run shallow crossing routes or underneath routes -- he avoids them. He's strictly a home-run hitter. To make use of Moss, the quarterback -- we're most likely talking Alex Smith here -- needs to throw the ball vertically, and the offensive coordinator must be willing to take long shots downfield. But that is not Smith's style, never has been. He is a meticulous, analytical player who likes to throw to receivers when he sees a nice, comfortable window accompanied by plenty of open space."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers appear cocky going after Moss while ignoring Peyton Manning. Noted: Going after a wide receiver is far less disruptive than going after a quarterback. Manning would change every aspect of the offense, essentially forcing the team to part with Smith. Moss will be part of a rotation at the position, and he will not prevent the team from making other moves at his position.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers thoughts on Mario Williams as a potential fit for Seattle in free agency. O'Neil: "The Seahawks have stated a desire to improve their pass rush, and Williams isn't just one of the top pass rushers available in the open market, he's one of the top pass rushers in the game. This isn't a great pass rusher in his 30s. This is a great pass rusher in his prime. He played outside linebacker for the Texans last season, demonstrating a versatility that could give Seattle's defensive coaches a license to scheme with a roster that includes both Williams and Chris Clemons."

Also from O'Neil: thoughts on Matt Flynn as a potential QB signing for the Seahawks.

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle passes along John Clayton's thoughts on Williams. Clayton: "If you're going to be going for Mario Williams, the best value is to put him on the line of scrimmage and have him rush as a 4-3 defensive end. That's the way the league goes. You don't see $15 million linebackers. ... I think that when you look at the value, he's going to be more valuable to a 4-3 team, and the two 4-3 teams that appear to have either the most money or the most interest are Atlanta and Seattle."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals are hoping for a quick resolution to Peyton Manning's situation. Somers: "The Cardinals would prefer the process to proceed as quickly as possible for a couple reasons. They owe quarterback Kevin Kolb a $7 million bonus if he is on the roster Saturday. They likely would release Kolb if they sign Manning. And the Cardinals are expected to start the league year Tuesday with little room under the NFL's $120.6 million salary cap. It will be difficult for them to re-sign their players, or those from other teams, without knowing if they are going to sign Manning."

Also from Somers: The Cardinals aren't worried about dire salary-cap characterizations regarding the team.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team expects to be less aggressive in free agency this offseason, in part because it perceives fewer needs.

Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, Matt Flynn, Kevin Kolb, Randy Moss and the St. Louis Rams' recent trade with Washington were among the subjects Dave Grosby, Bob Stelton and I discussed Monday.

710ESPN Seattle has the audio.

I promoted Williams as a potential pass-rush solution for Seattle when Grosby, Stelton and I spoke during the combine. This time, we considered the other side of free agency, specifically that players reaching the market tend to come with question marks. If Williams met expectations as the No. 1 overall choice in his draft class, why would the Texans let him reach the market? Don't point to the salary cap, either. Teams can find ways to keep their very best players.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Adam Schefter says the Arizona Cardinals expect to release tackle Levi Brown, a move long anticipated in the absence of a contract restructuring. Also, the Rams plan to release defensive end James Hall and cornerback Ron Bartell, two players singled out earlier Monday.

The St. Louis Rams went through last season as one of the five oldest teams in the NFL.

They are now one of the five youngest after parting with veterans Jason Brown, Justin Bannan and Fred Robbins. The new average, based on rosters I maintain for every team, also reflects subtracting more than 400 projected free agents around the league.

The moves will create about $9.5 million in salary-cap space, according to Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis. The Rams will get another $1.6 million in space, as will every other NFC West team, after the league took away cap space from Washington and Dallas for accounting tactics they used in 2010.

Defensive end James Hall (35), kicker Josh Brown (32), safety Quintin Mikell (31), guard Harvey Dahl (30) and cornerback Ron Bartell (30) are the only Rams players in their 30s with contracts for the 2012 season. Mikell and Dahl project as starters. It's tougher to say how Hall and Bartell might fit.

Robbins was outstanding for the Rams in 2010, the first of two seasons he spent with the team. He wasn't as effective last season -- the team struggled as a whole, of course -- and will turn 35 next month. Brown, 28, started each of the 46 games he played in three seasons for the Rams, but the coaching staff benched him last season. Bannan, a free-agent addition during camp last summer, started 14 games. He turns 33 in April.

The Rams are only getting started on their roster makeover. They added veteran seasoning to patch holes on their roster coming out of the lockout last offseason. The contracts for most of those players had no bearing on the salary cap beyond 2011.

Now, with additional draft choices acquired from Washington, the Rams are in position to stock their roster with younger players. They had fallen behind their division rivals in developing young talent.

The injury Ryan Williams suffered during his second NFL exhibition game was relatively unusual for football players.

"My kneecap was in my thigh," the Arizona Cardinals' running back said during a team-produced video on his rehabilitation. "It was just kind of like, 'What?' "

A torn patella tendon ended Williams' rookie season before it officially began.

The running back expects to return for training camp and the 2012 regular season. Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham returned from similar injuries, but each situation is different. The Cardinals cannot know how the knee will respond. No one can.

Cadillac Williams returned, only to injure his other knee. Suffering a second injury so quickly complicated comparisons to other running backs returning from a single torn patella.

Ryan Williams is not yet even 22 years old, however.

"He has youth on his side, for sure," ESPN injury expert Stephania Bell said Thursday. "What you worry about is, it takes a lot to get any kind of explosiveness or power back. You're not talking about strength, but quickness."

Williams, a second-round choice from Virginia Tech, impressed the Cardinals with his ability to change directions without losing much speed.

"It is reasonable he could be back when the season starts," Bell said, "but will he really be back? That is going to remain to be seen and like these guys coming off ACL surgeries, it may take a while to see what his max is that he can return to."

The Cardinals need Williams in part because their primary back, Beanie Wells, has struggled with injuries, fighting through knee trouble last season after undergoing surgery.

Four additional injury situations to monitor, one per NFC West team, as the offseason continues:

• Arizona: Kevin Kolb, quarterback. Concussion problems have sidelined Kolb each of the past two seasons. Symptoms lingered last season. Quarterbacks are going to take hits unexpectedly, sometimes to the head. Can Kolb stay on the field?
• Seattle: Sidney Rice, receiver. Rice has undergone surgery on each shoulder. One surgery repaired damage suffered during training camp. The other repaired damage incurred during college. The hope is healthier shoulders will allow Rice to improve strength throughout his upper body.
• San Francisco: Josh Morgan, receiver. The 49ers were relatively healthy last season, but losing Morgan to a broken ankle cost them as the season progressed, particularly late. Morgan is without a contract for 2012. He has been working out at the 49ers' team facility. Getting him back would help the offense.
• St. Louis: Rodger Saffold, pectoral. The Rams had injuries throughout their roster, especially at cornerback. Saffold's ability to play four positions on the line, including left tackle, makes him more valuable than members of the secondary. Saffold has said he hopes to be ready by April or May, according to Howard Balzer. He suffered a torn pectoral while lifting weights in mid-November.

The Washington Redskins have selected 33 college players in the first four rounds since 2000, their first draft with Daniel Snyder as team owner.

That is 10 fewer than any other team, 29 fewer than league-leading Tennessee and 17.6 fewer than the other 31 teams have averaged over the same period.

What better team than the Redskins to fork over premium draft choices to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the second overall choice in the 2012 draft?

There is none.

Mike Jones of the Washington Post says the Redskins "are prepared to" give the Rams two first-round picks, plus other selections, for the second overall choice in the 2012 NFL draft. Jones: "The Redskins believe (Robert) Griffin, who last fall won the Heisman Trophy after passing for 4,293 yards, 37 touchdowns and only six interceptions while leading Baylor to a 10-3 record, is worth that price." Noted: The Rams should pounce if the Redskins make such an offer formally, in my view. They would emerge with the sixth overall choice, which might be just as valuable to them as the second pick, given their commitment to Sam Bradford at quarterback.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at the Rams' cornerback needs. Thomas: "By season's end, six of the 16 Rams players on injured reserve were cornerbacks. Among the top five cornerbacks from a year ago, Al Harris has retired, Justin King is an unrestricted free agent, and Ron Bartell (neck), Bradley Fletcher (knee) and Jerome Murphy (ankle) are coming back from season-ending injuries."

Also from Thomas: a chat in which he repeatedly says the Rams are not trading Bradford.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News passes along thoughts from 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers after Ahmad Brooks' new deal. Rogers: "That’s good. I'm happy for him. It's surprising, but get what you can get. He's a big-time player for this team."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle has this to say about Brooks: "Before the 2008 season, the nightlife-loving Brooks was waived by the Bengals after two disappointing years. His exit from Cincinnati made the former third-round pick and All-American at Virginia begin to re-examine his life and career."

Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com says the 49ers' deal with Brooks affects the Cowboys' negotiations with Anthony Spencer. Archer: "Using the same press box stats for fairness to compare the players, Spencer has 266 tackles, 21.5 sacks, one interception, 10 pass deflections and 10 forced fumbles in 53 starts. Brooks has 139 tackles, 20 sacks, one interception, nine pass deflections and seven forced fumbles in 24 starts." Noted: Stats for tackles are unofficial.

Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710ESPN Seattle debate whether the Seahawks should sign Mario Williams in free agency. Huard likes the match and thinks Seattle should make Williams a priority if the team does not invest heavily in a quarterback.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald says Leroy Hill's career with the Seahawks is "almost certainly over" after the linebacker's most recent arrest. Noted: I think Hill's ability to command a lucrative deal has suffered more than his chances for returning to Seattle.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic considers dynamics for the Cardinals relating to Peter King's report that at least two unnamed teams would be willing to add Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne this offseason. Somers: "First, the two players are old, by NFL standards. Manning turns 36 next month. We all know of his neck and arm issues. Wayne is still a productive player but he turns 34 in November, and he wants to make a considerable amount of money. It's one thing for a team to invest heavily in Manning. Teams are willing to take gambles on quarterbacks because of the importance of the position."

Good morning. It's great to be back following a one-week break.

I'll be heading to the NFL scouting combine Wednesday and beginning coverage from Indianapolis the following day. In the meantime, offseason storylines abound.

Let's take our usual morning spin around the division.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with general manager John Schneider for thoughts on Seattle's efforts to land a franchise quarterback. Schneider: "I've been blessed to be around a lot of really good quarterback people that have taught me a lot about the position, so I just kind of incorporate that with the quarterbacks I've been around. I just know if you panic at the position, it can set the organization back. So we're not going to do that." Noted: Wanting a franchise quarterback and finding one are not the same thing. The Seahawks realize they're not drafting early enough to land Andrew Luck or even Robert Griffin III. They know health concerns make Peyton Manning a risky proposition. Matt Flynn is another option, but an unproven one.

Also from Farnsworth: Walter Thurmond's injury rehab comes after the position he once manned changed substantially in his absence.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says a long-term deal for Calais Campbell would make more sense than using the franchise tag, which could send the team down a road similar to the one used for Karlos Dansby. Somers: "The amount the Cardinals pay Campbell now in a long-term deal will seem like a lot. Heck, it will be a lot. But in two or three years, if Campbell continues to play as he did in 2011, it won't be unreasonable. The cap is going to increase dramatically. Someone is going to have to be paid. It might as well be a 25-year-old defensive end who's done everything anyone could ask in his first four seasons." Noted: The franchise tag will tempt teams this offseason because prices have fallen. Campbell should have considerable staying power, however, and he is ascending. He appears to be a prime candidate for a longer-term deal.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says cornerback Greg Toler finished his college degree in criminal justice this offseason. Urban: "Rehabbing his knee, Toler -- a restricted free agent who is expected to be back with the Cards -- has every expectation to be ready for training camp. But he also likes the idea of having a degree. He said he was good in forensics in school, and while he didn’t necessarily see himself following his sister as a second lawyer in the family, he could see himself in some part of law enforcement."

Also from Urban: Coordinator Mike Miller's thoughts on the Cardinals' offense.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have been noncommittal regarding Randy Moss, who played for Rams coach Jeff Fisher in Tennessee. Fisher: "I thought the world of him over the six or eight weeks that I think we had him. I thought he was a terrific teammate and he did a great job in our locker room." Noted: Moss caught six passes for the Titans and 28 during the entire 2010 season, his most recent in the NFL. The Rams are weak enough at the position for Fisher to keep open all options whether or not Moss has a realistic shot at playing for the team at any point in the future.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says the Rams' draft plans remain in their formative stages given all the work Fisher and new general manager Les Snead face ahead of them.

Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis explains why the Rams aren't flush with salary-cap space. Balzer: "The reality is that Chris Long, Jason Smith and Sam Bradford ($15.595 million) count a combined $47.17 million against the cap, which is 37.5 percent of the projected cap space. Include Steven Jackson ($8.899 million) and the total is $56.069 million/44.6 percent. Finally, the percentage for five players goes over 50 percent when Ron Bartell’s $7.663 million is factored in. Those five players have a total cap figure of $63.732 million, which is 50.7 percent of the expected cap." Noted: The Rams held high draft choices at the wrong time. Had the current labor agreement been in place earlier, the Rams could have signed Long, Smith and Bradford at far lower rates.

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis points to Cortland Finnegan, among others, as potential good fits for the Rams in free agency.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has this to say about the 49ers giving cornerback Shawntae Spencer permission to explore trade options: "The day after the season ended, Spencer expressed his intent to switch agents. Spencer's agent was David Dunn, whose close ties to coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke, represented a potential conflict of interest, Spencer said. ... Among the teams that could be interested are the Houston Texans, whose defensive backs coach, Vance Joseph, coached Spencer six years with the 49ers; Seattle Seahawks, whose secondary coach, Kris Richard, played with Spencer with the 49ers in 2005; and the St. Louis Rams, another NFC West team whose secondary needs strengthening." Noted: Spencer is scheduled to earn $3.2 million in base salary for the 2012 season. I have a hard time envisioning another team acquiring that contract.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee does not expect the 49ers to be big spenders in the free-agent market for receivers. Noted: Last offseason, the 49ers took a low-keyed approach to the market before going 13-3, winning a playoff game and securing funding for a new stadium. The team has zero incentive to overspend now.

Jill Tucker of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers appear on course to open their new stadium for the 2014 season, a year earlier than once expected.

The San Francisco 49ers have become the hunted in the NFC West.

Having already take aim at their 2011 turnover differential, let us consider another reason for a potential 2012 regression from 13-3.

"Repeating the 2011 relative lack of injuries on the 49ers may be as hard as replicating the turnover ratio," Michael Rally contended via Twitter.

Injuries did slow and/or sideline some of the 49ers' most important players, including running back Frank Gore and linebacker Patrick Willis. Starting receiver Josh Morgan missed most of the season. A freak jaw injury sidelined tight end Delanie Walker late in the season. A hamstring injury slowed defensive end Ray McDonald.

But in looking at injured-reserve lists, the 49ers definitely fared better than their division rivals. They finished the regular season with five players on IR. The other three NFC West teams had a combined 39.

I've broken out the IR lists by team and position, based on where teams stood after Week 17. In some cases, teams released and/or reached injury settlements with players placed on IR previously. Teams usually keep on IR the players they value the most, however. The players listed below are the most relevant ones.

St. Louis Rams (16)

Fullback: Brit Miller

Receiver: Danny Amendola, Mark Clayton, Greg Salas

Tight end: Mike Hoomanawanui

Offensive line: guard Jacob Bell, Rodger Saffold, Jason Smith

Defensive line: Jermelle Cudjo

Linebacker: Josh Hull

Cornerback: Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Al Harris, Brian Jackson, Marquis Johnson, Jerome Murphy

Comment: Quarterback Sam Bradford was injured much of the year without landing on IR. The Rams ran through several unlisted cornerbacks as well. That position was hit hard. Losing both starting offensive tackles is never good, but Smith wasn't a huge positive factor on the right side. The team was arguably better off without him in the lineup.

Seattle Seahawks (15)

Receiver: Kris Durham, Mike Williams, Sidney Rice

Tight end: John Carlson

Offensive line: John Moffitt, James Carpenter, Russell Okung

Defensive line: Jimmy Wilkerson

Linebacker: Jameson Konz, Matt McCoy, David Vobora, Dexter Davis

Cornerback: Marcus Trufant, Walter Thurmond, Ron Parker

Comment: The Seahawks remained strong against the run largely because their line was healthier this season. Losing three-fifths of the starting offensive line could not stop Marshawn Lynch from producing at a high level. Rookie Richard Sherman capitalized on injuries at cornerback. Good, young depth helped Seattle weather injuries well.

Arizona Cardinals (8)

Quarterback: Max Hall

Running back: Ryan Williams

Offensive line: Brandon Keith, Floyd Womack

Defensive line: Dan Williams

Linebacker: Joey Porter

Cornerback: Crezdon Butler, Greg Toler

Comment: Ryan Williams' knee injury affected the team significantly. The injury situation was worse overall than the list would indicate. Quarterback Kevin Kolb missed seven starts with foot and concussion problems. Running back Beanie Wells played hurt much of the year and had a hard time producing late in the season. Adrian Wilson played through a torn biceps and got better as the season progressed.

San Francisco 49ers (5)

Receiver: Dontavia Bogan, Josh Morgan

Tight end: Nate Byham

Defensive line: Will Tukuafu

Cornerback: Curtis Holcomb

Comment: Byham was a solid blocking tight end. The team missed Morgan, especially late in the year. Gore's production diminished after he suffered an apparent knee injury in Week 10. Overall, though, the 49ers were healthy. They inflicted more injuries than they suffered, knocking out several opposing runners, including Felix Jones, LeGarrette Blount, Jahvid Best, Steven Jackson and Pierre Thomas.

John Clayton's piece on NFL trends singles out the Seattle Seahawks' big cornerbacks for their ability to match up against tight ends on occasion.

I do recall noticing Seattle's 6-foot-4 Brandon Browner shadowing San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis at times this season, including when the teams played in Week 1.

While Seattle has led the way toward big corners in the NFC West, the Seahawks are not alone in valuing size at the position. Arizona's Patrick Peterson stands just over 6 feet tall. He weighs 219 pounds. That height-weight combination led some to project him as a safety down the line. But that type of projecting might reflect increasingly outdated perceptions about ideal cornerbacks.

A decade ago, I remember faulting the Seahawks for putting too much emphasis on size at the position. Ike Charlton was among the bigger cornerbacks failing to pan out for the team. But with Browner earning Pro Bowl honors and 6-3 rookie teammate Richard Sherman playing even better late in the season, by most accounts, Seattle is clearly onto something.

Browner led the NFL in penalties this season, but the Seahawks were OK with some of those infractions as a consequence of aggressive play. He and Sherman could not stop Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald in Week 17, but their size allowed them to hold their own physically to a degree the Seahawks' cornerbacks could not in previous seasons.

The chart ranks notable NFC West cornerbacks by height. I excluded the retiring Al Harris, among several others figuring less prominently into their teams' plans.

Gregg Williams, the new defensive coordinator in St. Louis, finished the 2011 regular season with Jabari Greer (5-10), Tracy Porter (5-11), Leigh Torrence (6-0) and Patrick Robinson (5-11) on the roster.

Size in the secondary increasingly matters against teams with dynamic tight ends such as Davis, Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski and others.

NFC West life does exist outside the divisional playoff round. Our latest chat provided a platform to look beyond the San Francisco 49ers' matchup with the New Orleans Saints.

Kyle from New Jersey asks which coaching candidate could turn around the St. Louis Rams with the right personnel in place.

Mike Sando: Jeff Fisher and Steve Spagnuolo could. My point is that the personnel must improve for any coach to succeed there. Just about all we learned about the personnel in 2011 was negative. The Rams are close to starting over on their offensive line. They need more top-line talent at receiver. They need a young running back. They need outside linebackers and defensive tackles. They could use cornerbacks, too, now that Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher are coming off serious injuries.

Gino from Ohio asks about the Seattle Seahawks drafting a quarterback.

Mike Sando: In theory, they have to. In reality, they might do so only if they can get one early. They already have their short-term starter in Tarvaris Jackson. They already have a developmental quarterback they like in Josh Portis, unless their feeling on him have changed. With Jackson coming back as no worse than the No. 2, and with Portis in place, the Seahawks do not really have room for another backup quarterback. They need someone with the potential to start relatively quickly, and it's no sure thing they will find one drafting 11th or 12th overall.

Chris from Broadview Heights, Ohio asks whether the Cleveland Browns, with ex-Philadlephia executive Tom Heckert advising Mike Holmgren and Pat Shurmur, might send some of their draft bounty to Arizona for quarterback Kevin Kolb.

Mike Sando: That is a good "talker" but not something I expect to happen. Too many things would have to come about. Tom Heckert, Mike Holmgren and Pat Shurmur would have to like Kolb. Arizona would have to pay a $7 million bonus to Kolb in March just to have him on its roster heading into the draft. The Cardinals would have to feel good about drafting a quarterback early, something they have not done under coach Ken Whisenhunt.

49ertime from California asks about the Saints' ability to cover tight ends. He asks whether we should expect good things from Vernon Davis.

Mike Sando: I see opportunities for the 49ers in this area. Davis had some productive games late in the season. He needed time to grasp the offense and has turned a corner in that regard, according to Davis and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. That makes sense. Meanwhile, the Saints' Roman Harper is banged up and could not run with Davis, anyway. I do think this is an area for the 49ers to exploit.

Thanks again to those who contributed. Appreciated, as always. I'll be heading over to 49ers headquarters shortly to catch Jim Harbaugh's post-practice interview session. I'm sure he'll pass out full game plans to all.

Optimism is sweeping through San Francisco, Seattle and Arizona after a strong week of performances from these NFC West rivals.

There's one preferred way to determine which teams have the most to feel good about: battle it out on the field.

It'll happen Saturday when the 11-3 49ers, fresh off a 20-3 pounding of Pittsburgh on Monday night, visit the surging Seattle Seahawks on Christmas Eve. The Seahawks and Cardinals, a combined 11-3 since Week 9, then close out the regular season with a game at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Let the optimism flow.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' ability to repeatedly come from behind to win reflects positively on coach Ken Whisenhunt. McManaman: "That's what makes Whisenhunt the proudest. He has witnessed a team grow before his eyes and fail to quit. The Cardinals have trailed in the second half of each of their seven victories and in six of those they were behind in the fourth quarter. But each time, they won. That tells Whisenhunt his team has arrived, that it's 'learned' how to win even when things look bleak, like it did when the Browns had a 17-7 lead after three quarters."

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic would not protest if the Cardinals stuck with John Skelton at quarterback for at least another week. The Cardinals are 5-1 this season when Skelton plays.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Tarvaris Jackson can be more than simply a game manager for the Seahawks. O'Neil: "His second-half turnaround was among the more impressive, more important things that happened for Seattle on Sunday. The Bears were so focused upon stopping Marshawn Lynch that they were bringing one of their safeties up into the box. That was a surprise given Chicago's devotion to the Cover 2 defense. That put the onus on Jackson to make something happen. He did, most notably on his 43-yard pass to Ben Obomanu against man-to-man coverage, setting up the game-tying touchdown. He completed 15 of 19 passes in the second half for 176 yards."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune points to several Seattle players, including Marshawn Lynch, as worthy of Pro Bowl consideration. Boling: "Lynch’s violent rushing style has reversed team fortunes and earned highlight-reel exposure across the country. A full season of performance at the level he’s reached in this second half, and Lynch might threaten 2,000 yards. Brandon Browner is another member of the Sea-hawks who plays with awe-inspiring force -- sometimes even within the rules. Browner’s reputation for penalties won’t help him right now, but he has six interceptions and set a team record for return yardage (220 yards for an average of 36.7 per pick)."

Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers affirmed their best qualities against the Steelers. Ratto: "So what did this game provide, then, in terms of useful long-term wisdom? Nothing that wasn’t already known. People still can’t run on them, rarely force turnovers by them, and get tortured by the two kickers, Andy Lee and David Akers, just enough to make it hard to overcome one’s own mistakes. Maybe a healthy Roethlisberger doesn’t throw that ball into coverage and Rogers’ arms. Maybe he does, only with a bit more zip. Or maybe the result is exactly the same. It matters not, except in some parallel universe. But the larger truth was that the 49ers won in 49er fashion, without glitz or flash. Even without lights."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the touchdown San Francisco scored to extend a 6-3 lead revealed much about the 49ers. Kawakami: "So the Steelers’ field goal put the onus back on Alex Smith and the offense, with only the whole sports world watching and a big percentage of Candlestick roaring for the Steelers. Could the 49ers capitalize on this moment? Would the offense scatter like pins under pressure from the Pittsburgh defense? Could the 49ers finally produce in the Red Zone? Would they be able to pull this all off before another blackout struck? Turns out, the 49ers were ready for this. More than ready."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch leads off the Rams-related material for Tuesday morning. This would mark a departure from the optimistic line of thinking in the division, of course, for the Rams have fallen to 2-12. Miklasz: "Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels continues to confuse me. When A.J. Feeley took over for an injured Sam Bradford earlier this season, McDaniels scaled down the passing offense. He did it for Kellen Clemens, too. As he should have. It made sense. It would have also made sense to simplify the offense for Bradford. After all, Bradford is in his second NFL season. This is a new offense for him. He didn't have the usual offseason regimen to absorb it. Bradford clearly struggled to get comfortable in this offense -- especially when he was asked many times to set up on deep drops behind a weak offensive line to throw downfield to receivers that can't get open. Bradford is a rhythm passer. He's at his best on quick reads and throws. McDaniels and the Rams didn't adjust their offense to fit the QB skills."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com checks in with Rams cornerback Ron Bartell, who is recovering from a neck injury and doing better.

News that Sam Bradford remained limited, Chris Long did not practice and Darian Stewart still had not passed concussion testing hung over the St. Louis Rams on Friday.

Bradford, as the starting quarterback, ranks high on the team's list of most important players. Long has 10 sacks and ranks as one of the team's best players on defense. Stewart, though inconsistent, has provided a physical presence with his hitting at safety.

Bradford's ankle injury is threatening to prevent him from getting sufficient work in the offense and with receiver Brandon Lloyd. But with so many problems throughout the roster, including along the offensive line, perhaps there's little to gain by putting Bradford on the field against the San Francisco 49ers' defense in Week 13.

To review, the Rams' injured reserve list already features:

• Cornerbacks Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Al Harris, Marquis Johnson and Brian Jackson;
• Receivers Danny Amendola, Greg Salas and Mark Clayton;
• Tight end Mike Hoomanawanui;
• Tackles Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith;
• Defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo.

Just about every NFL team has a chance against every opponent. The Rams should not concede the game. But if that ankle is preventing Bradford from practicing much, why play him?

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 11:

Skelton's opportunity: Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton steps up in class when he faces the San Francisco 49ers' defense. The matchup figures to be a tough one from a protection standpoint, but the Cardinals have found ways to strike for big plays this season. They have seven pass plays of at least 40 yards this season, fourth-most in the league behind Detroit, Green Bay and Houston. The 49ers have given up seven such plays, tied for fourth-most in the league. That gives Arizona a puncher's chance against the 49ers. And if Skelton can somehow pull out a victory, his stock will rise considerably.

Ganging up on power backs: Steven Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Beanie Wells and Frank Gore give the NFC West four running backs able to dish out punishment. All are physical runners. I'm most interested in seeing whether Jackson can top 100 yards rushing for the fourth game in a row. He has 30 career games with at least 100 yards, but none against Seattle. That's surprising given that Jackson has faced the Seahawks more times than he has faced any other team -- 14, counting playoffs.

49ers hold their ground: Every NFL team but the 49ers has allowed at least three rushing touchdowns this season. San Francisco has allowed zero. The 49ers are the first team since the 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars to go nine games into a season without allowing one, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Cardinals rank tied for 11th in the league with eight rushing scores, but they have zero in their past two games. Wells' injured knee has robbed power from him. Wells had only 10 carries for 29 yards against the 49ers last season. He did carry 15 times for 79 yards against them as a rookie in 2009.

Cornerbacks in focus: The St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks will play without cornerbacks Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Al Harris, Walter Thurmond or Marcus Trufant, among others. The team best able to exploit issues in the secondary could prevail. Seattle feels better about its cornerback situation, but the raw talent is questionable. Two of the Seahawks' five players at the position were undrafted. Two others are rookies. None of the five was drafted earlier than the fifth round. That was partly by design, however. The team traded 2006 first-rounder Kelly Jennings and 2007 second-rounder Josh Wilson.

Explosive potential in return game: Patrick Peterson and Ted Ginn Jr. give the Cardinals-49ers game big-play potential on returns. Peterson has helped Arizona go from 27th last season to second this season in punt-return average. He leads the NFL in that category with a 17.6-yard average among players with more than 15 punt returns. His three touchdowns on punt returns also lead the NFL. The 49ers' Ginn ranks third in punt-return average and third in kick-return average among players with more than 15 returns in each category. He also has two touchdowns. The Cardinals' kick returner, LaRod Stephens-Howling, has been quiet this season. He scored three times on returns over the previous two seasons.