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Jump ahead to 2015 and put yourself in John Schneider's seat as the Seattle Seahawks' general manager.

By then, you will have re-signed or lost elite players such as safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman.

Your quarterback, Russell Wilson, will be entering the final year of his rookie contract. Wilson will be eligible to sign a new one for the first time under the NFL's labor rules.

The same goes for Bobby Wagner, your starting middle linebacker, and Bruce Irvin, your highly drafted pass-rusher. All will cost much more than they're costing right now.

Your Pro Bowl left tackle, Russell Okung, will also be entering a contract year.

One receiver, Percy Harvin, will have a contract counting $12.9 million against the salary cap. Another, Sidney Rice, will have a deal counting $10.2 million.

Oh, and one other thing about this 2015 adventure: You'll have to decide whether to pay a $2 million roster bonus and $5.5 million salary for a running back entering his ninth season.

Marshawn Lynch is that running back, and right now, in 2013, he's about as good as they come, this side of Adrian Peterson. But you'll need younger, more economical alternatives for some of your best players down the line. These aren't the sort of immediate needs that show up in draft previews, but they're always lurking.

Now, thanks to one of the more surprising moves in the 2013 draft, the Seahawks have bought insurance for their future at the position most vulnerable to age.

Christine Michael, the Texas A&M running back Seattle unexpectedly selected 62nd overall Friday, must by rule sign a four-year contract through 2016. His deal will run past the contracts that Lynch and backup running back Robert Turbin signed last offseason. It will count far less against the cap than the $9 million Lynch's deal is scheduled to count in 2015.

Seattle probably did not draft Michael with the distant future in the front of its mind. One explanation trumps all others when determining why the Seahawks used a second-round draft choice for a running back with two perfectly good ones on the roster already. The team thinks Michael can be special.

"He was the highest-rated player on our board and we lost Leon Washington, so we were looking for a little bit of depth there, and he is just our kind of runner," Schneider said. "He's a tough, intense, up-field, one-cut guy, and he's just a very good football player, competitor."

Adding Michael does not imperil Lynch for the 2013 season, of course. It does provoke natural tendencies to wonder whether there's more to this story.

"I could be far-fetched here," Kevin from McKinney, Texas, wrote to the NFC West mailbag, illustrating how far the mind can wander, "but is it possible John Schneider and [coach] Pete Carroll are concerned with Lynch's future effectiveness due to the new lowering of the crown rule? It seems to me that is a big part of his game and significantly contributes to his yards after contact."

There is no way the rulebook pressured Seattle into drafting a running back.

Carroll and other coaches fear officials will struggle enforcing the new rule preventing runners from lowering their heads and delivering an aggressive blow to the opponent with the top of the helmet. The rule could affect Lynch, but league officials said they discovered only a few would-be violations per week when studying tape from last season.

The Seahawks selected Michael because they thought he was the best back in the draft and well-suited to their offense. They wanted additional depth for their running game, which will remain the focus of their offense. They have to realize that Lynch's back spasms, while manageable to this point, could become more problematic with additional wear and tear. And they surely realize that Lynch's occasional off-field troubles dating to his time with the Buffalo Bills could recur, inviting sanctions.

Adding Michael doesn't mean the team thinks less of Lynch or Turbin, a 2012 fourth-round choice. There are no indications the team is anticipating a Lynch suspension in relation to his DUI arrest last offseason.

Still, I would bet against Lynch playing out the final year of his deal when Michael and Turbin figure to be available at a significant discount.

Seattle was fortunate in 2010 to have a running back of Lynch's caliber and young age (then 24) become available by trade at reasonable cost. The team was wise to re-sign Lynch one year ago to a four-year deal featuring $17 million in guaranteed money.

This marriage should be good for both parties for the next couple of seasons.

Lynch's deal pays him $7 million in salary with an $8.5 million salary-cap charge in 2013. It carries a $5 million salary and $7 million cap number in 2014. The team will have a decision to make at that point because Lynch's deal includes a $5.5 million salary and a $2 million roster bonus with a $9 million cap figure for 2015, the contract's final year.

Michael, a luxury buy at present, should be much more than that by then.

Good morning, NFC West (it's still morning here). I've had a chance to run through Mel Kiper Jr.'s 2013 NFL draft grades for the NFC West.

As Mel notes, "Everybody knows you can't grade an NFL draft on performance the day it ends. You can't do it for years, which is part of the reason why I audit old drafts. What I do here is assess three main things: How much overall talent did a team add based on board position? How effectively did they address key personnel needs? How efficient were they in maneuvering on the draft board?"

With those things in mind, let's take a peek at Kiper Jr.'s grades and offer some initial thoughts. The comments I've included from Mel represent a small sampling of his overall thoughts for each team.

St. Louis Rams

Kiper Jr.'s overall grade: A-minus

Kiper Jr.'s give: "I really liked this draft, and found myself in agreement with my colleagues. Oh, and they still have an extra first-rounder next year. The NFC West arms race is not just a two-team affair."

Sando's take: The Rams set up themselves to succeed in this draft when they traded the 2012 second overall choice to the Washington Redskins. I loved the way they emerged from the first round Thursday night with the most highly rated skill-position player (Tavon Austin) and the same number of total picks they brought into the process. The Rams also addressed immediate needs with most of their picks, which always looks good on paper when a draft concludes. However, St. Louis emerged from this draft with only seven players overall. Eighteen teams drafted between eight and 11 players. The Rams had the two early picks, so they got quality. But a home run for me would have included getting quality and quantity. The Rams had only 52 players on their roster coming into the draft. All those open roster spots made it easier for St. Louis to land more attractive rookie free agents, at least.

Arizona Cardinals

Kiper Jr.'s overall grade: B

Kiper Jr.'s give: "Nothing remarkable about this class, but Carson Palmer's chance to succeed has improved with the presence of Jonathan Cooper, and there's plenty of sleeper potential."

Sando's take: The Cardinals came away with nine players after entering the draft with seven picks. The team had never drafted more than eight players in any year since 2001. The more picks a team has, in general, the more chances to acquire a long-term contributor. Coach Bruce Arians and general manager Steve Keim came into the draft saying their offensive line was going to be OK, particularly at tackle. The team still used the seventh and 116th overall choices for guards, an indication Arians and Keim agreed with public concerns there. I thought Arizona would have been more aggressive in targeting a safety, but the team expects Tyrann Mathieu to provide some flexibility at that position. Adding a couple running backs later in the draft made sense. Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams have breakout potential, but neither has been reliable lately.

San Francisco 49ers

Kiper Jr.'s overall grade: B

Kiper Jr.'s give: "I'd like this draft a little more if they got a safety I had rated higher, but they did well, just as you figured they would."

Sando's take: Analysts are going to disagree about the value of specific players. Kiper Jr. didn't like safety Eric Reid so much. Another analyst, Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly, ranked Reid as the 14th-best player in the draft on his overall list published in March. I often prefer revisiting player grades issued well before the draft. I'm skeptical when grades change in the absence of actual football being played. Reid comes to the 49ers as a lower-cost alternative to Dashon Goldson. The 49ers came out of this draft with a likely immediate starter in Reid while addressing needs that might not become acute for another year or so. General manager Trent Baalke likes to say he's in it for the long haul. This draft addressed longer-term needs on the defensive line (Tank Carradine) and at running back (Marcus Lattimore) in particular. Getting a 2014 third-round choice from Tennessee was another long-term move.

Seattle Seahawks

Kiper Jr.'s overall grade: B

Kiper Jr.'s give: "I don't know that Seattle added a starter among their picks, but they certainly added one in Percy Harvin."

Sando's take: The Seahawks have earned the benefit of the doubt in the draft after hitting home runs with Russell Wilson and other players selected over the past three years. I think analysts would be harsher in their day-after-draft analyses if they hadn't been forced to eat their words regarding Wilson in particular. The Seahawks have proven they know what they're doing. Including Harvin in the analysis changes the overall feel for this draft. Otherwise, we could reasonably say the team came away with a backup running back, depth at defensive tackle and a complimentary wide receiver. I can see why the Seahawks wanted to have so many seventh-round picks (four). One, the team has come away with potential starters in that round previously, including J.R. Sweezy. Two, Seattle has relatively few openings on its roster, making it tougher for the team to recruit undrafted free agents. Those seventh-round picks gave Seattle a jump on priority free agents.

Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson passed through the Seattle Seahawks' draft media room Friday.

That seemed appropriate as the NFL planned to hold the second and third rounds of the 2013 draft later in the day.

Wagner factored in defensive rookie of the year balloting as a 2012 second-round choice. Wilson went to the Pro Bowl as the Seahawks' third-round choice last year.

The first round commands much of our attention leading up to the draft, but there's talent to be had in subsequent rounds.

The New England Patriots have a league-high four picks in the second and third rounds. The San Francisco 49ers are among seven teams with three. The St. Louis Rams have two third-rounders, but no pick in the second. The Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals each have one pick per round Friday.

San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke told reporters his team had a specific player in mind with the third pick of the second round, No. 34 overall. If the 49ers trade back, we'll know they either received an offer they could not refuse or their targeted player came off the board atop the round.

Defensive line and tight end are two positions of need for the 49ers.

The Rams could conceivably trade back into the second round, but general manager Les Snead indicated Thursday the team felt as though it could find the players it wants in the third through sixth rounds. The team could use help at safety, guard and running back. Three safeties, four interior offensive linemen and zero running backs were selected in the first round. The Rams will be watching the supply at those positions Friday.

Quarterback Russell Wilson waited until the third round before the NFL called his name during the 2012 draft.

Wilson will make an appearance much earlier in the 2013 version. The Seattle Seahawks' Pro Bowl passer will appear in and voice the draft's on-air opening tease when ESPN's coverage begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

This will give Seahawks fans reason to pay closer attention during a first round in which their team holds zero picks.

Seattle fans also might want to check out Wilson and several teammates during their recent practice sessions in the Los Angeles area. Fullback Michael Robinson shot the video for his "Real Rob Report" show. I thought the highlight was watching Wilson drive what amounted to the team bus while teammates cut up in the back.

The St. Louis Rams posted a 4-26 record against NFC West opponents over the five seasons preceding Jeff Fisher's arrival as head coach.

They were 4-1-1 against the NFC West under Fisher in 2012.

The Rams from 2007 through 2011 lost by 11.1 points per game in division play. The final scores for those games were 25-14 on average. Those figures flipped to plus-five points per game with a 20-15 average final score under Fisher.

"Fisher is a heckuva coach," ESPN's Matt Williamson said, "but he is behind two of the top five in the league when it comes to ranking head coaches in the NFC West."

Williamson, who scouts the NFL for ESPN.com, ranked the San Francisco 49ers' Jim Harbaugh first and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll second as part of his predraft positional rankings for NFC West teams.

We pick up the conversation there.

Williamson: You have to put Bruce Arians fourth even though Arizona made a good hire. Fisher vs. Carroll is really the only conversation and I think Fisher has done a good job with the Rams, including the team building aspect. You look at the RGIII trade, building this defensive line. And yet I thought Carroll should have been coach of the year last season.

Sando: We could have made that call on the Russell Wilson move alone. General manager John Schneider was the driving force behind drafting Wilson, but Carroll was the one who decided Wilson should be the starter in Week 1 -- a move I'm not even sure Schneider would have made so quickly. Coaches are under so much scrutiny that it's sometimes easy to make the decisions perceived to be "safest" in the short term. Starting Matt Flynn would have been the "safe" decision last year. It also would have been the wrong one. Carroll trusted what he saw from Wilson and made the call.

Williamson: He also gets the most from his guys. His team building has been phenomenal, starting with all the changes they made as soon as he got there. And then he brought along Wilson extremely well -- just did a phenomenal job there.

Sando: Carroll has admitted some shortcomings in the game-management department. He's called it going "hormonal" with some of his decision making. That is one area where I think he can continue to improve. As far as ranking the best coach in the division, it's tough to argue with the results in San Francisco. Harbaugh and staff have gotten more than anyone could have expected they would get from two completely different quarterbacks. The team has won consecutive division titles, reached two NFC Championship Games and gone to a Super Bowl.

Williamson: I think Harbaugh is the second-best coach in the league behind Bill Belichick. He took over a bad team and was competitive immediately. His offensive mind is off the charts. He got so much from Alex Smith, who I don't think is a very good player. He brought along Colin Kaepernick. They have the most physical and diverse offense. His offensive mind rivals anyone's and meanwhile, they've had the best defense in the league. They've been fortunate with so few defensive injuries, but you can't knock him for that. He was in the Super Bowl last year. He saw that day coming with Kaepernick and he planned for that last season. Randy Moss and A.J. Jenkins and Mario Manningham were not for Alex Smith. Those were all for that day when Kaepernick would start. And meanwhile, he did not hurt himself in the short term until Kaepernick was ready.

Sando: Putting Harbaugh up there with Belichick is high praise. It's interesting, I think, that Belichick enjoyed tremendous success after moving away from Drew Bledsoe, who was the safe choice at quarterback, and moving forward with a less-proven Tom Brady.

Williamson: The biggest problem for Seattle and San Francisco is what happens when they have expensive quarterbacks. They have such an advantage right now with great quarterback play costing them nothing. The Patriots won the Super Bowl before Brady was making huge money. There are some parallels that way.

Sando: The Patriots have been awfully close to winning it all more recently, but there's no question it's tougher building a dominant team when the quarterback's contract is eating up considerable cap space. Kaepernick is under contract through 2014, with a chance to renegotiate his current deal following the 2013 season. Wilson is signed through 2015 and cannot renegotiate until after the 2014 season.

Williamson: You're really tested two years from now if you win the Super Bowl and get raided like the Baltimore Ravens did and then have to pay your quarterbacks.

Sando: Fisher inherited a quarterback earning $50 million guaranteed under the old labor deal. Arians inherited Kevin Kolb, whose old contract is eating up $6 million in cap space for 2013 even though Kolb is playing for the Buffalo Bills now. Those situations put Fisher and Arians at a disadvantage.

Williamson: No argument there.

Sando: Overall, I'd say the NFC West is in good hands with two head coaches arguably ranked among the top five in the league, plus Fisher and now Arians, who happens to be the reigning NFL Coach of the Year for his work on an interim basis with Indianapolis last season. We'll revisit this one again following the 2013 season.

Kellen Clemens' new one-year deal with the St. Louis Rams gives every NFC West team at least three quarterbacks heading into the 2013 draft.

A quick look at where things stand at the position:

• Arizona Cardinals: Carson Palmer is the starter and Drew Stanton is the backup. Both signed contracts with millions in guaranteed money this offseason. Coach Bruce Arians wants -- and has -- a clearly defined depth chart at the top. Brian Hoyer and Ryan Lindley round out the depth chart at the position.
• St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford has no competition for the starting job. Coach Jeff Fisher has suggested all along the team could re-sign Clemens. However, he also suggested Austin Davis could remain in the No. 2 role even with the more experienced Clemens in the mix.
• San Francisco 49ers: Colin Kaepernick heads into a regular season as the starter for the first time since his college days. Colt McCoy has the early advantage over Scott Tolzien for the No. 2 role. McCoy is actually the highest-paid quarterback on the roster in terms of average per year ($1.5 million). Overall, the 49ers are committing less than $3.5 million in 2013 cap space for quarterbacks.
• Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson, like the other NFC West starters, is firmly established as the starter. Recently signed backup Brady Quinn might fit more for what he offers in the film room -- a diligent study partner for Wilson -- as for what he offers on the field. Re-signing Josh Portis to the No. 3 role gives Seattle another quarterback familiar with the offense.

Every NFC West team could conceivably select a quarterback at some point in the upcoming draft, but there is less pressure to do so now that each team has at least three of them under contract.

As promised, Matt Williamson is here to discuss the NFC West positional rankings posted Monday and republished in the chart at right. Matt has been a regular on the blog for some time as the NFL scout for ESPN.com. We spent about an hour on the phone Tuesday running through each position. We begin with quarterbacks.

Sando: Just to be clear, Matt, we're talking about ranking positions for the 2013 season. We're not projecting how positions could take shape in a year or two. I know you've been a huge Colin Kaepernick supporter going back to when the San Francisco 49ers drafted him. You still gave the Seattle Seahawks your No. 1 ranking at quarterback. Why?

Williamson: It wasn't an easy decision. I clearly think the race for one-two is between Kaepernick and Wilson. We could make an argument that Carson Palmer belongs above Sam Bradford, too. If I were starting a team from scratch and could pick one of these NFC West quarterbacks to build around, I'd take Kaepernick. I just think Wilson is further along. There is a greater chance Kaepernick falls back next year than Wilson falls back. Wilson has proved he can be a pocket passer. All the other things come after that. Wilson is the safer pick right now.

Sando: That sounds reasonable to me. Wilson started all 16 games, plus two playoff games. The body of work was bigger for him. However, Kaepernick had a year on the bench and a half-year on the sideline before taking over the 49ers' offense and playing a leading role in their run to the Super Bowl. There's a lot to like.

Williamson: If I were starting a team, Kaepernick and Wilson would rank among my top five picks. The upside for Kaepernick is so great. I don't expect him to take a step back. I just don't think he is as far along as Wilson in the fundamentals of quarterback play. Wilson coming into the league was ahead of Kaepernick in terms of being a pocket passer, reading defenses, not relying on his physical gifts so much and just in the mental side of things.

Sando: Both these quarterbacks were first-time NFL starters last season. Skeptics might naturally wonder if sophomore slumps await (even though Kaepernick will be in his third season overall). What do you expect?

Williamson: Every defensive coordinator on the Seahawks' schedule is spending time on Russell Wilson where they were not doing so last year at this time, but I don't think we're going to see a sophomore slump. Usually when I think of those, it's like the pitcher who lights up the majors and then everyone realizes he has no curveball. I don't see the hole in Wilson's game or Kaepernick's game.

Sando: Both the Seahawks and 49ers should be in better position to help their quarterbacks this season. Neither team will be adjusting to a new starter on the fly. Let's shift our focus to the other starting quarterbacks in the division. You ranked the Rams third and the Cardinals fourth, but it sounds like you could have gone either way.

Williamson: I didn't have a really difficult time taking Bradford over Palmer. I think he is the better player, but not by much. Palmer had awful circumstances last year and you could say he and Bradford had somewhat similar seasons. Now, it's not like Bradford had a great situation, either. Palmer makes more mistakes than Bradford makes, but he also makes more things happen. Who do I want on opening day? I'll take Bradford. He just hasn't done a whole lot to this point.

Sando: Thanks, Matt. We're one position down and have quite a few to go. We'll pick up the discussion with rankings for running backs a bit later.

Arizona Cardinals

Count Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson among those players who think commissioner Roger Goodell is "changing the game for the good."

New Cardinals Curtis Taylor and Bryan McCann discuss what it's like as a lesser-known free agent trying to land a job.

St. Louis Rams

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "No, Rodger Saffold isn’t happy about his impending switch to right tackle for the Rams. But those close to Saffold insist he won’t be a malcontent and won’t be a holdout."

Nick Wagoner of the team's website previews the specialists heading into this month's NFL draft.

San Francisco 49ers

Could 49ers left guard Mike Iupati be the next in line for a contract extension?

Several 49ers coaches recently took a tour of the new stadium. “I think it’s real exciting in the sense of seeing it going up and the impact it’ll have on the economy here,” offensive line coach Mike Solari said of the tour. “It’s going to be a beautiful facility.”

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks on Tuesday announced they have signed quarterback Brady Quinn to back up Russell Wilson.

Seattle offensive tackle Breno Giacomini watched his Louisville Cardinals win the national championship Monday night.

Arizona Cardinals

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic takes a look at the first 90 days of new Cardinals general manager Steve Keim. Bickley writes that in Keim's short time at the helm, "he has helped restore optimism inside a fallen program."

Kent Somers wonders on his blog at azcentral.com why the Cardinals are wasting their time by working out USC quarterback Matt Barkley.

St. Louis Rams

A year after the Rams traded the pick that netted Washington Robert Griffin III, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch breaks down who came out with the better deal.

"The parade of wide receivers continues at Rams Park, with some beef and defense thrown in for good measure," reports Thomas in his latest look at the Rams' pre-draft visits.

San Francisco 49ers

The team's official website continues its pre-draft series with a look at Clemson running back Andre Ellington.

In a recent interview, wide receiver Anquan Boldin reiterated that he was "shocked initially" when receiving word he had been traded to the 49ers.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have workouts scheduled for four veteran quarterbacks this week as Seattle seeks a backup for Russell Wilson.

Seattle may also be adding to its secondary depth later this week as former Minnesota cornerback Antoine Winfield is scheduled for a visit.

Arizona Cardinals

Coach Bruce Arians and GM Steve Keim are scheduled to hold a private workout Saturday at USC for quarterback Matt Barkley, reports ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Going into the offseason, the Cardinals' top two quarterbacks were poised to count $14.175 million against the salary cap. But after a flurry of moves -- releasing Kevin Kolb and John Skelton, signing Drew Stanton and trading for Carson Palmer -- the Cardinals will save $2.46 million in cap space with their new top two quarterbacks, reports Brian McIntyre of Yahoo! Sports.

Kicker Jay Feely gave up his No. 3 jersey to Palmer after the incoming quarterback agreed to make a donation to the Feely Family Foundation, reports azcardinals.com's Darren Urban.

St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson told Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he signed with the Falcons so he could play for a "legitimate contender."

Turf Show Times' Ryan Van Bibber reviews the Rams' preseason schedule.

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for April 30 following his March 22 arrest for driving under the influence.

San Francisco 49ers

Offensive tackle Anthony Davis signed a five-year contract extension with the 49ers worth $37,295,600, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows interviewed the NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah about what the 49ers will do in the draft. Jeremiah likes Alabama defensive tackle Jesse Williams and FIU safety Jonathan Cyprien as two players the 49ers could consider with their first two picks.

Seattle Seahawks

Frightening thought for opposing defenses: Coach Pete Carroll expects quarterback Russell Wilson to be a lot better this season.

Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle breaks down the Seahawks' preseason schedule.

The 2012 battle for NFC West supremacy between the San Francisco 49ers' and Seattle Seahawks' has turned into a perceived battle this offseason.

"It just feels like the Seahawks make a move, then the Niners make a move," former NFL quarterback Damon Huard said Wednesday during our conversation on 710 ESPN Seattle. "The Seahawks sign Percy Harvin, then the Niners go get Anquan Boldin. The Niners just signed Nnamdi Asomugha, they signed Colt McCoy, and now it's the Seahawks' turn to sign a quarterback. It really feels like this competition that was so fun to watch last fall has carried over into the offseason between the Niners and the Seahawks."

That's what it feels like from this angle, too. So, when ESPN's Bill Polian listed 49ers general manager Trent Baalke among his top six executives without a mention of Seattle counterpart John Schneider, I knew some Seahawks fans would take offense.

"Schneider should be on there," SamW9801 wrote in commenting on the Polian piece.

I'm going to ratchet up the discussion with an assist from Tony Villiotti of draftmetrics.com. Tony identified ranges of picks by how frequently teams have found five-year starters within those ranges.

Using those general ranges, displayed at right, I've put together a chart at the bottom of this item comparing the 49ers' and Seahawks' draft choices since 2010.

Baalke took over the 49ers' draft room roughly a month before the 2010 draft. Schneider became the Seahawks' GM that offseason. The 49ers then underwent a coaching change after the 2010 season, at which point Baalke assumed the GM title officially. We might cut Baalke some slack for selecting Taylor Mays, a player then-coach Mike Singletary valued. There were surely other times when both GMs followed their coaches' input, for better or worse.

Seattle has drafted 28 players during this period, three more than San Francisco has drafted. The Seahawks had more to work with from a qualitative point as well. Their median choice was No. 130 overall, compared to No. 165 for the 49ers.

It's pretty clear both teams know what they are doing in the draft.

Aldon Smith, Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati and NaVorro Bowman have earned Pro Bowl and/or All-Pro honors for the 49ers. Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, Russell Wilson, Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman have done so for the Seahawks.

Both teams have found franchise quarterbacks after the first round. Colin Kaepernick was chosen 36th overall in 2011. Wilson went to Seattle at No. 75 last year.

Neither team has missed in that first category, which includes players taken among the top 13 overall picks. Smith and Okung are elite players at premium positions.

Both teams have unanswered questions in that 14-40 range. The 49ers are waiting on receiver A.J. Jenkins to produce. The Seahawks haven't gotten much from guard James Carpenter. But in Iupati and Thomas, the 49ers and Seahawks, respectively, found players among the very best at their positions. Kaepernick's selection puts this group over the top for San Francisco. Seattle got eight sacks from Bruce Irvin as a rookie in 2012, so the Seahawks aren't far behind. It's just impossible to overlook the value a franchise quarterback provides.

Seattle has the edge in the 41-66 range. Mays is long gone from the 49ers. That leaves LaMichael James for the 49ers against Bobby Wagner and Golden Tate for Seattle. Wagner was an instant starter at middle linebacker and a three-down player who commanded consideration for defensive rookie of the year. Tate blossomed with Wilson at quarterback.

The Seahawks also have an edge in that 67-86 range, having selected Wilson.

Seattle holds a 7-3 lead in number of picks used between the 87th and 149th choices, a range producing five-year starters 16 percent of the time, according to Villiotti.

Both teams used picks in that range for players whose injury situations dragged down their draft status: Joe Looney in San Francisco, Walter Thurmond in Seattle. Both teams found starting linebackers in this range: Bowman to the 49ers, K.J. Wright to the Seahawks. Both teams found developmental running backs in that range: Kendall Hunter to the 49ers, Robert Turbin to the Seahawks. Both teams found Pro Bowl players: Bowman in San Francisco, Chancellor in Seattle.

Sherman, arguably the NFL's best cornerback, gives Seattle an edge in the 150 through 189 range of picks. Both teams found backup tight ends there. Anthony Dixon (49ers) and Jeremy Lane (Seahawks) have the potential to expand their roles.

The 49ers found starting fullback Bruce Miller in the final pick range, which runs from 190 to the end of the draft. Seattle found a projected starting guard there in J.R. Sweezy. Malcolm Smith is a candidate to start at linebacker for Seattle. Miller and Sweezy both played defense in college. Miller already has successfully transitioned to offense. Seattle believes Sweezy will do the same.

Summing it up: Both teams can feel good about their draft performance in the past three seasons. I doubt either team would trade its picks for the other team's. That makes sense. Teams draft the players they like best. The 49ers have six projected 2013 starters to show for their choices. The number is eight for the Seahawks, not counting Irvin or Tate. Seattle has had more choices and higher choices, and more openings in the lineup to accommodate those players. I think that shows in the results.

Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians envisions new quarterback Carson Palmer using a strong arm to strike well down the field in 2013.

"Having seen him throw it downfield so many times over the years, as good as it gets," Arians told reporters during a news conference Tuesday. "I know Joe Flacco, as a young guy, has a reputation of being a great deep-ball thrower, but I don’t think there has been anyone better than Carson in the last few years throwing the ball down the football field. It's been his forte forever."

Arians was with the Pittsburgh Steelers when a young Palmer played for the AFC North-rival Cincinnati Bengals.

Palmer was indeed a special talent as the first overall choice in the 2003 draft. Palmer is 33 years old now. He has suffered knee and elbow injuries over the years. Arizona acquired him from the Oakland Raiders for late-round draft considerations. Can he still sling it?

"When I was a young scout with the Browns and watching in pregame warmups, I remember thinking that is what the first overall pick in the draft throws the ball like," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. "He doesn't do that anymore, but at times he thinks he can. His mind writes checks that his arm can't cash any more. He’s used to being the best player on the field, the first pick. I don't think he can put the franchise on his back and make Aaron Rodgers-type throws possession after possession."

Even so, Williamson said he thinks Palmer makes the Cardinals much better than they would have been otherwise. He expects Larry Fitzgerald's production to improve dramatically. And he thinks Palmer can throw the ball well enough to hit on some of the downfield throws Arians wants featured in the offense -- albeit at the risk of throwing 20-plus interceptions.

"I think he fits the Arians system," Williamson said. "I don't love him. He's not close to what he once was. At one point, I thought he was one of the four or five best quarterbacks in football. ... He is still an effective player."

The chart shows how many yards past the line of scrimmage quarterbacks' passes traveled on average.

The numbers are instructive when applied to the San Francisco 49ers. Colin Kaepernick ranked first and teammate Alex Smith ranked 34th in average pass length, affirming that the 49ers changed their offense for the stronger-armed Kaepernick.

Andrew Luck, who played in an Arians-coordinated offense with the Indianapolis Colts, ranked a close third behind Kaepernick and Jay Cutler. Palmer ranked 25th while playing for the Raiders. His passes traveled 8.07 yards past the line of scrimmage on average, nearly two full yards behind the average for Kaepernick. That number will presumably rise in Arians' offense.

"We're going to put a running game with it that will help him, and obviously we’ve got a fast, young receiving corps that is excellent," Arians said. "I'll echo about that offensive line -- it's not a problem and it won’t be a problem.

"Our guys went through a ton of injuries last year. Having walked into that room today, that’s as good a looking football team as I’ve seen in my 20 years of coaching, stepping in the first day. There’s not a bad body in the room. It’s a great looking bunch of athletes, and we will never use talent as an excuse."

The thought of Carson Palmer potentially joining the Arizona Cardinals by trade -- just a thought, as no deal has been completed -- begs for a quick statistical snapshot.

The chart shows the 2012 regular-season production for Palmer and established NFC West starters Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson and Sam Bradford.

Palmer lagged far behind Kaepernick and Wilson in particular. That is only a secondary point in this discussion, however. The Cardinals are looking to upgrade their quarterback situation by any means. Palmer, who topped 4,000 yards with 22 touchdown passes for Oakland last season, would upgrade the position from where it stood with John Skelton and Ryan Lindley, who combined for two touchdowns and 15 interceptions as starters in 2012.

Palmer ranks atop the list of quarterbacks available to Arizona this offseason. His addition would give the team flexibility in the draft. Drew Stanton would become the backup. Brian Hoyer, who signed for $2 million in guaranteed salary, could become expendable if the Cardinals decided to go with two quarterbacks or draft a lower-cost No. 3.

NFC West teams have drafted five quarterbacks, acquired two by trade, shipped off four others for draft choices and spent roughly $130 million on the position -- all since 2010.

It's been a wild ride.

In 2012 alone, every team in the division but the St. Louis Rams benched a quarterback earning at least $6.5 million per season for ones earning between $490,000 and $1.3 million annually. Two of the three displaced starters have already been released (Kevin Kolb) or traded (Alex Smith). The third, Matt Flynn, appears on his way from the Seattle Seahawks to the Oakland Raiders in a trade that is reportedly imminent.



Signs of progress abound. Consider this juxtaposition: Two current NFC West starters finished their 2012 seasons in the Pro Bowl (Russell Wilson) or Super Bowl (Colin Kaepernick). Two castoffs from the division, Kolb and 2012 trade subject Tarvaris Jackson, are competing to start for the Buffalo Bills in 2013.

So much has changed since Matt Hasselbeck, Derek Anderson, Sam Bradford and Smith opened the 2010 season as starting quarterbacks for NFC West teams. Only Bradford remains. Though firmly established as the Rams' starter, his long-range career trajectory appears less defined. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals are still searching for Kurt Warner's worthy heir, a process that has led them to Drew Stanton until further notice.

The following team-by-team accounting shows what's been ventured and gained at quarterback for NFC West teams over the past three years. The period dates to Warner's retirement, Pete Carroll's hiring as Seahawks coach and Bradford's selection as a No. 1 overall draft choice. I've ordered the teams by cash spent.

St. Louis Rams

Cash spent on QBs: $48.4 million

Top earners: Bradford ($42.05 million), A.J. Feeley ($4.95 million), Kellen Clemens ($863,087), Austin Davis ($395,000) and Tom Brandstater ($132,352).

Draft capital invested: The Rams used the first pick of the 2010 draft for Bradford. They have not drafted a quarterback subsequently.

QBs added by trade: None.

QBs subtracted by trade: None.

Comment: The current collective bargaining agreement came along too late for the Rams. They're stuck paying Bradford $50 million in guaranteed money because the old wage scale was so much more generous for high draft choices. Last year, Andrew Luck got $22.1 million in guarantees as the first overall pick. So, while the Rams drafted Bradford to rescue their franchise, the financial obligation is making it tougher for the team to build its roster in a fundamentally different economic environment. Of course, it's all good if Bradford produces the way the Rams think he can produce.

Arizona Cardinals

Cash spent on QBs: $28.7 million

Top earners: Kolb ($20.5 million), Anderson ($3.25 million), Stanton ($2 million), John Skelton ($1.5 million), Rich Bartel ($920,000), Max Hall ($325,000), Brian Hoyer ($108,529), Ryan Lindley ($105,698). Releasing Matt Leinart right before the 2010 season spared the team from paying him.

Draft capital invested: The Cardinals drafted Skelton in the fifth round and Lindley in the sixth. Arizona also parted with a second-round choice when acquiring Kolb.

QBs added by trade: Kolb. The Cardinals sent a second-round choice and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Philadelphia Eagles for Kolb.

QBs subtracted by trade: none.

Comment: Signing Kolb to a deal averaging better than $12 million per season appears foolish in hindsight. Other unproven quarterbacks haven't gotten that much since the Kolb trade went down right before training camps opened in 2011. However, the Cardinals badly needed a quarterback at the time. They paid what they felt was necessary to get the quarterback they wanted. Arizona needed Kolb to cooperate on a contract extension to facilitate the trade. That meant paying a premium. New coach Bruce Arians has said the team can win with Stanton, but this situation appears fluid. Carson Palmer's name has come up as a potential alternative. Arizona holds the seventh overall pick in the draft. It's still early.

Seattle Seahawks

Cash spent on QBs: $28.4 million

Top earners: Matt Flynn ($8 million), Charlie Whitehurst ($8 million), Hasselbeck ($6.75 million), Jackson ($4 million), Wilson ($1 million), Josh Portis ($375,000), J.P. Losman ($296,470). The team traded Seneca Wallace before Wallace was due to receive salary compensation for 2010.

Draft capital invested: The Seahawks used a third-round choice to select Wilson. They used another third-rounder in the Whitehurst deal, which also included a swap of second-round choices.

QBs added by trade: Whitehurst. The third-round pick sent to San Diego in the Whitehurst deal was for one year in the future. The exchange of second-round picks involved choices that year.

QBs subtracted by trade: Wallace and Jackson. Seattle traded Wallace and Jackson for seventh-round picks. The team figures to get something in return for Flynn.

Comment: Landing Wilson in the third round and daring to start him as a rookie turned the Whitehurst, Jackson and Flynn experiments into footnotes. Seattle has done a good job getting something in return for its castoff quarterbacks despite failing to draft players at the position in 2010 or 2011. The Rams and Cardinals haven't been able to do that in recent seasons. What the Seahawks get in return for Flynn will factor into this analysis as well. Whitehurst returned a seventh-round compensatory choice from the NFL after leaving Seattle to re-sign with the Chargers.

San Francisco 49ers

Cash spent on QBs: $24.7 million

Top earners: Alex Smith ($15.9 million), David Carr ($3.9 million), Kaepernick ($3.2 million), Scott Tolzien ($844,960), Troy Smith ($545,000), Josh Johnson ($350,000). The 49ers released Johnson before he played for the team, but by then the team had paid a $350,000 signing bonus to him. Shaun Hill was traded before the 49ers had to pay any of his 2010 salary. Nate Davis was on the practice squad in 2010.

Draft capital invested: The 49ers used a second-round choice for Kaepernick after using fourth- and fifth-rounders to trade up. They have drafted no other quarterbacks over the past three years.

QBs added by trade: None.

QBs subtracted by trade: Alex Smith and Hill. The 49ers fared well in landing a high second-round choice from Kansas City in the Smith trade. Trading Hill returned a seventh-round pick from the Detroit Lions.

Comment: San Francisco would have considered releasing Alex Smith for salary-cap reasons if no trade had come together. Getting a premium pick in return was commendable. Put another way, Smith's departure armed the 49ers with a pick roughly equivalent to the one used for selecting Kaepernick. The Hill trade wasn't as fortunate because it meant proceeding with Carr as the backup. Overall, though, the 49ers put themselves in prime position at quarterback. Coach Jim Harbaugh's push to retain Smith in 2011 worked out well. So did the decision to replace Smith with Kaepernick.

Analyzing a potential trade involving Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Matt Flynn would be easier if we knew a few pertinent details.

Such as, what will the Seahawks get in return? Will the deal go through for sure? Are the Oakland Raiders the team acquiring Flynn? From there, we can ask whether current Raiders starter Carson Palmer might wind up in Arizona, among other things.

For now, we can revisit some of the salary-cap implications. Flynn's contract counts $7.25 million against the Seahawks' 2013 cap if he is on the roster. The deal counts $4 million against the Seahawks' cap if the team trades him. The deal counts $5.25 million against the acquiring team's cap unless that team works out a new contract.

Seattle could come out ahead on the balance sheet and in the draft if the team could find a backup for cheaper than $3.25 million while adding draft capital from the Raiders.

The chart shows which picks the Raiders and Seahawks hold in each round. ESPN's Ed Werder reported a Flynn deal as "imminent" without naming which team would be acquiring the quarterback. Subsequent reports from other outlets have named the Raiders.

Seattle signed Flynn last offseason to a three-year deal with $19.5 million, with $10 million guaranteed. The team then drafted Russell Wilson, who beat out Flynn and established himself as a franchise quarterback.