ESPN NFL

With training camps winding down, I've found time to update rosters and put together team-by-team reference material for unrestricted free agency.

The names below match official NFL counts.

These are for players with at least four accrued NFL seasons whose contracts expired following the 2010 season. I've added comments for each team.

Arizona Cardinals

Re-signed (8): Ben Graham, Matt Ware, Hamza Abdullah, Ben Claxton, Lyle Sendlein, D'Anthony Batiste, Deuce Lutui, Stephen Spach.

New to team (7): Chansi Stuckey, Richard Marshall, Daryn Colledge, Nick Eason, Stewart Bradley, Floyd Womack, Jeff King.

Still unsigned (3): Alan Faneca, Jason Wright, Bryan Robinson.

Signed elsewhere (5): Steve Breaston (Kansas City), Gabe Watson (New York Giants), Ben Patrick (Giants), Trumaine McBride (New Orleans), Alan Branch (Seattle).

Comment: Sendlein, Colledge and Bradley were the big signings. Marshall provides needed depth at cornerback. Faneca and Wright announced their retirements. The Cardinals weren't aggressive in trying to re-sign the players they lost to other teams. The biggest move Arizona made, acquiring Kevin Kolb from Philadelphia, did not involve a UFA.

---

San Francisco 49ers

Re-signed (4): Ray McDonald, Tony Wragge, Dashon Goldson, Alex Smith.

New to team (5): Braylon Edwards, Jonathan Goodwin, Donte Whitner, Carlos Rogers, David Akers.

Still unsigned (5): Brian Westbrook, Troy Smith, Demetric Evans, William James, Barry Sims.

Signed elsewhere (6): David Baas (Giants), Travis LaBoy (San Diego), Jeff Reed (Seattle), Aubrayo Franklin (New Orleans), Takeo Spikes (San Diego), Manny Lawson (Cincinnati).

Comment: Re-signing McDonald signaled Franklin's departure. Getting Goldson back on the relative cheap was a victory. The 49ers wanted to keep Baas, but not at the price he commanded. The team thinks NaVorro Bowman has a bright future in Spikes' old spot at inside linebacker. Lawson wasn't strong enough as a pass-rusher to stick around. Safety depth is improved.

---

Seattle Seahawks

Re-signed (7): Raheem Brock, Junior Siavii, Brandon Mebane, Leroy Hill, Matt McCoy, Michael Robinson, Kelly Jennings.

New to team (8): Branch, Zach Miller, Robert Gallery, Jimmy Wilkerson, Atari Bigby, Sidney Rice, Tarvaris Jackson, Reed.

Still unsigned (7): Jay Richardson, Craig Terrill, Chester Pitts, Brandon Stokley, Ruvell Martin, J.P. Losman, Lawyer Milloy.

Signed elsewhere (8): Will Herring (New Orleans), Olindo Mare (Carolina), Matt Hasselbeck (Tennessee), Chris Spencer (Chicago), Jordan Babineaux (Tennessee), Sean Locklear (Washington), Amon Gordon (Kansas City), Ray Willis (Washington).

Comment: Adding Jackson as the starting quarterback was the most significant move for the 2011 season. Mebane was the most important re-signing for the longer term. Hill was a bargain relative to how he's playing right now. Miller and Rice were the types of young, talented players who rarely change teams in free agency. The Seahawks were outbid for Herring and Mare. Can street free agent David Vobora fill some of the void Herring left?

---

St. Louis Rams

Re-signed (2): Adam Goldberg, Gary Gibson.

New to team (9): Daniel Muir, Quinn Ojinnaka, Harvey Dahl, Ben Leber, Zac Diles, Jerious Norwood, Cadillac Williams, Quintin Mikell, Mike Sims-Walker.

Still unsigned (5): Chris Hovan, Michael Lewis, Darcy Johnson, Clifton Ryan, Mark Clayton.

Signed elsewhere (4): Daniel Fells (Denver), Laurent Robinson (San Diego), Derek Schouman (Washington), Kevin Dockery (Pittsburgh).

Comment: Dahl and Mikell were the big additions. Clayton could return if and when his surgically repaired knee allows. Sims-Walker is a wild card. The team didn't flinch when any of its own UFAs signed elsewhere. Most of the moves made on defense were designed to improve St. Louis against the run. Remember that newcomer Justin Bannan was not a UFA. Denver released him.
.

The time has come for some accounting now that the top unrestricted free agents have found homes. Others continue to wait.

I've put together charts showing how many and which UFAs for NFC West teams remain unsigned. The deadline passed Saturday for teams to make qualifying offers to these players.

The charts rank unsigned UFAs from oldest to youngest. I've ordered the players this way because so many older players find out through free agency where they stand.

A couple players, Alan Faneca and Jason Wright, have announced intentions to retire. They have chosen to go out on their own terms. Retirement becomes a process for others. Free agency comes and goes, the phone seldom rings, teams get on with their lives and before long, a player realizes he is finished.

Some players listed below could help teams if they found the right situations. Lawyer Milloy started 16 games for the Seattle Seahawks last season. The St. Louis Rams have kept in touch with Mark Clayton to monitor the receiver's recovery from knee surgery.

Note: UFAs are defined strictly as players whose contracts expired following at least four accrued NFL seasons. Released players are not UFAs in the same sense even though they can sign with any team.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson breaks down the wide receivers of each NFC West team. Today: Seattle Seahawks.

You have to give Pete Carroll a lot of credit for taking a chance on Mike Williams, and you have to give Williams a lot of credit for taking full advantage of that opportunity. Williams is the Seahawks' best weapon. He isn’t super-fast or explosive, but he builds up speed. He uses his huge frame to compete well for the football with his excellent body control, long arms and huge hands.

But Williams did have too many drops last season. He caught only two touchdowns last year, and Seattle wasn’t bashful about throwing his way near the stripe. He does have the makeup of an excellent red zone artist. Still, I have my doubts about this guy -- especially as a top receiving option. He just doesn’t run that well for such a featured role.

Ben Obomanu is most likely to get the starting nod opposite Williams as it stands pre-free agency. He doesn’t get a lot of attention, but I contend that Obomanu is Seattle’s second-best receiver and can be a solid-yet-unspectacular starting wide receiver in this league. He takes a while to get going, but Obomanu can go up and snatch the football at its highest point.

Golden Tate was Seattle’s second-round draft pick one year ago, but his rookie season was less than spectacular. He appeared in only 11 games. He really needs a lot of work refining the nuances of the position, including his route consistency and recognition of defenses on the fly. Still, he is excellent after the catch and plays physical for his size. He could step up in 2011.

Deon Butler began the season as a starter, but broke his leg late in the season and really wasn’t all that impressive when he was healthy. It is unclear how the injury will affect him for the 2011 season, but Butler is a diminutive receiver who isn’t ideally built to handle the pounding at this level.

Brandon Stokley will hit the open market in free agency after contributing-- as he always does, no matter where he goes -- as a consistent, reliable option in the short and intermediate zones. He could be back and could tutor Tate and Butler.

Surprisingly, the Seahawks used a fourth-round selection on Kris Durham. Durham isn’t a quick-twitch guy, but he does have build-up speed. Very tall, Durham should continue to fill out and bring some of the same things Williams does to the table, although to a lesser degree.

Isaiah Stanback and Ruvell Martin also are guys to consider. Stanback could become a free agent, and Martin will be an unrestricted free agent. Martin is the more intriguing of the two, and did a few good things on limited views in a Seahawks uniform. He also stood out from time to time while in Green Bay.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com. Follow Matt Williamson on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams weren't ready for prime time. Burwell: "There's no way they should have lost like this, scoring only six points against one of the worst defenses in football. There's no way it should have ended like this, with somebody named Charlie Whitehurst, a journeyman quarterback with no particular NFL pedigree, using his arm and legs to lead the staggering, stumbling, dead-men-walking Seahawks to this ugly victory." The Rams approached this game strategy-wise as though acutely aware of their limitations, particularly at wide receiver. They conceded the run when Seattle loaded up to stop it, resorting to gimmickry in the form of an end-around, an inside handoff to the fullback and a run from a four-receiver spread look. A more confident team would have lined up and run the ball more conventionally just to see if the Seahawks could have stopped it.

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com says the Rams' defeat Sunday should lead them to make necessary upgrades. Gordon: "Consider it a cry for help, one heard by everybody unfortunate enough to witness their 16-6 loss Sunday night in Seattle. Everybody from owner Stan Kroenke on down saw the obvious: This franchise needs to surround blue-chip quarterback Sam Bradford with better talent and create an offense he can win with. Fans want to fire offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. From this corner of cyberspace, we suggest the Rams give Shurmur the weapons and freedom he needs to make the most of Bradford." Amen.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says how the Rams lost was worse than losing itself. Miklasz: "From the beginning, Seattle attacked. The Seahawks came out on the first drive, with the heretofore underwhelming backup Charlie Whitehurst in charge of their fate. And instead of backing away, and playing scared, the home team immediately went after the Rams' necks. On the game's second play, Whitehurst arched one 61 yards down the right sideline to former Rams WR Ruvell Martin to set up an easy TD. With that quick thunderbolt, the Seahawks sent an immediate message: WE ARE PLAYING THIS GAME TO WIN IT, DAMMIT. And that set the tone for the evening. That attitude gave Whitehurst confidence. Heck, it gave the entire team confidence. On the other side, the Rams were soft. And confused. And perhaps disoriented."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Sam Bradford in particular had a tough time dealing with the Rams' defeat. Bradford: "The fact that our defense played great tonight, and the fact that we let the team down and we couldn't get anything going, that's what really hurts."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Steven Jackson was an afterthought Sunday night. Thomas: "Making Jackson's light workload all the more puzzling was the fact that Seattle hasn't exactly been a juggernaut defending the run this season, ranking 22nd in the NFL in yards allowed on the ground entering Sunday's game. Fullback Mike Karney, who went four games without dressing, had twice as many carries in the first quarter as Jackson (two to one). And in two red zone possessions, Jackson touched the ball once."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says a penalty ruined the Rams' one good drive of the night. Wagoner: "Aside from that drive, though, it was tough sledding as the Rams had no other drives netting more than 29 yards of offense. Included in those missed opportunities were some golden chances to take advantage including missed conversions on third and short as well as some key drops such as two deep passes that receiver Danario Alexander was unable to grab."

SEATTLE -- The mind wandered as time passed and Pete Carroll did not immediately appear for his postgame news conference Sunday night.

I pictured a public-relations staffer running the Seattle Seahawks' first-year coach through a series of tests to see if Carroll could keep a straight face after claiming the NFC West title and a wild-card playoff berth with a 7-9 record.

Would Carroll transcend the national laugh track accompanying Seattle's snoozer of a 16-6 victory over the St. Louis Rams? Or would this two-time NCAA champion and outspoken proponent of "doing things better than they have ever been done before" publicly succumb to the sheer hilarity of it all?

Yes and no.

Carroll smiled upon arriving at the podium, mustering an opening line as improbable as Charlie Whitehurst to Ruvell Martin for 61 yards (that just happened).

"Was that fun or what?" Carroll said. "Geez."

Geez is right.

Now comes the hard part for Carroll and the Seahawks: convincing themselves of their playoff worthiness before the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints visit Qwest Field for a 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday.

It's a tough sell, but the Seahawks were in a buying mood.

"We're in the tournament," Whitehurst said. "Anything can happen."

The Seahawks are proof.

"I hear that this has never happened before and I think that is kind of cool," Carroll said. "Wasn't it TCU that won for all the little guys?"

One slight difference: TCU went 13-0 this season. Seattle trailed 14-0 at home to Carolina. The Seahawks lost nine games by double digits this season. They lost by a combined 64 points during one two-week stretch.

"I would say this," Carroll continued, unsolicited. "If you have followed my track record about the systems you play in, whether college and the BCS or here and the NFL system, this is the system. I don't give a crap about that."

You tell 'em, Pete.

"We just played it out and this is what happened," Carroll said. "I'm sure some other teams are a little disappointed in that. But, there's some teams that are disappointed in the BCS system as well. But, you just play it out the best that you can. I don't have a suggestion on how to fix it. This may never happen again."

The folks at USC must be pleased to know Carroll and Reggie Bush are bowl-eligible.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants, not so much. Tampa Bay missed the playoffs despite going 4-0 against the NFC West and 10-6 overall. The New York Giants, 41-7 winners at Qwest Field in Week 9, also missed the playoffs at 10-6.

Seattle would have to win the Super Bowl to finish this season with a winning record.

"Getting to the playoffs, that's all you want -- just to have a shot," said Seattle linebacker Will Herring, whose fourth-quarter interception helped seal Seattle's fifth NFC West title in the past seven seasons. "We got a home game next week, we're going to have our fans behind us and there's no better place to play in the country."

The Saints are about to play the first trap game in playoff history.

"Seeing New Orleans lose to Tampa Bay today, we don't know how they feel coming in next week," said Seattle defensive end Chris Clemons, who finished the season with 11 sacks. "They're last year's champs, so there's always that championship hangover that a lot of guys have going into the first postseason game."

Carroll paid his respects to Saints coach Sean Payton and "their program" before joining Clemons in the land of make believe.

"Sean is an incredible coach and all that, but they're coming here," Carroll said. "It's a short week and they have to fly across the country and figure all that stuff out. They have a lot of stuff to get organized. We're going to have a really cool week of preparation."

The Seahawks also figure to have Matt Hasselbeck back in the lineup at quarterback. Hasselbeck could have played against the Rams, by all accounts, but Carroll said he didn't want to rush the 35-year-old back from a the hip/back/upper butt injury Hasselbeck suffered while running into the end zone against Tampa Bay last week.

Translation: The Seahawks figured they could win the NFC West title with their backup quarterback. Whitehurst's mobility did make a difference against the Rams, but this was a struggle. Seattle converted four times in 15 chances on third down. Whitehurst did avoid turnovers, something Hasselbeck hasn't done nearly well enough.

"I think the plan worked out perfectly," Hasselbeck said. "We got the win. Charlie did a real nice job and mission accomplished. I felt like all the work I did to try to get back this week was money in the bank. If we had to make a withdrawal, we could, but we didn't have to."

Hasselbeck said he has played with more serious injuries, but this one made life tough in the short term. He couldn't even walk up a flight of stairs when the week began. Doctors drained fluid from the injury Monday and again Sunday. Trainers began getting Hasselbeck ready for the game about five hours before kickoff.

Hasselbeck looked good during warm-ups, I thought.

"A lot of that is adrenaline," Hasselbeck said, appearing stiff after standing on the sideline in the Seattle cold. "It's not a serious injury. It is something that will heal. It's just hard to get it to heal in six days. But we took it pretty far."

Carroll had committed to Whitehurst early in the week, but suspicions mounted when Hasselbeck practiced Friday and warmed up Sunday. Carroll said he assured Whitehurst behind the scenes that there would be no last-minute change of heart.

Will Hasselbeck start against the Saints? Carroll wasn't saying. He was presumably too busy trying to keep a straight face.

Thoughts on the St. Louis Rams-Seattle Seahawks game Sunday night:

What it means: Seattle becomes the first team with a losing record to win its division. The Seahawks (7-9) face the New Orleans Saints in a wild-card game at Qwest Field. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday. The Rams also finished with a 7-9 record, but Seattle held the tiebreaker based on a superior division record (4-2 to 3-3). The Seahawks have now won five NFC West titles in the last seven seasons.

What I liked: Seattle came out aggressively and found Ruvell Martin, an ex-Ram, for a 61-yard gain from a four-receiver grouping. That was about as aggressive as it got in the first half, but at least the Seahawks made one decisive strike. Martin was wide open. The Seahawks also got their running game going, particularly in the second half, and that allowed them to control the game.

What I didn't like: The Rams seemed to forget about Steven Jackson, their only Pro Bowl player, early in the game. They looked like a team with no confidence in their ground game even though Seattle has struggled against the run. They ran an end-around that lost 9 yards. They ran Jackson up the middle from a four-receiver grouping. They got cute with a quick inside handoff to fullback Mike Karney. Seattle, meanwhile, tried to run the ball early despite the sorry state of its ground game this season. Marshawn Lynch carried for minus-4, 12, minus-3, zero, minus-5 and minus-1 yards in the first half. That comes out to six carries for minus-1 yard.

Injurie(s) of note: Seattle lost left guard Chester Pitts to a concussion. Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung returned to the game after aggravating an ankle injury.

Tomorrow's talker: We'll surely hear more about whether the NFL should adjust its playoff seeding formula.

Big revelation: Matt Hasselbeck was healthy enough to serve as the No. 2 quarterback, but the Seahawks did not start him. That surprised me. I thought Seattle would start Hasselbeck if he were healthy enough to play, or else name him the third quarterback. Hasselbeck appeared to be moving and throwing as usual during warmups.

Goat: Rams quarterback Sam Bradford threw a crushing interception in the fourth quarter as St. Louis was driving toward what could have been the tying touchdown. I'm not sure whether Bradford or receiver Brandon Gibson erred on this one, but the results were costly for St. Louis.

What's next: The Rams hold the 14th overall choice in the 2011 NFL draft. The Seahawks advance to the wild-card round.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks gift-wrapped a victory for the 49ers with five Matt Hasselbeck turnovers. Hasselbeck: "I know that today was as bad as it could look. More than anything I feel like I let the guys down in terms of protecting the ball, because that's the No. 1 job, and I didn't do that job well." Hasselbeck will have to play much better for Seattle to win another game this season. The team faces long odds against Atlanta in Week 15 even though the game is at Qwest Field. A cross-country trip to face Tampa Bay on the day after Christmas looks like another tough one. This season will stand as a success if Hasselbeck can get Seattle to 8-8 with two victories in its last three games. Getting Mike Williams back gives him a chance, but 7-9 is probably more realistic.

Also from O'Neil: Deon Butler's broken leg is the latest and most serious injury suffered by a Seattle receiver.

More from O'Neil: a quick look at the NFC West.

More yet from O'Neil: The screen pass San Francisco threw to Brian Westbook was the perfect call against Seattle's defense.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times found some symbolism in Butler's misfortune. Brewer: "It was a broken leg so nasty that Seahawks running back Leon Washington, who suffered a compound fracture last year, cried after visiting with Butler postgame. For a Seahawks team clinging to unexpected playoff hopes, the injury is more significant than the loss of yet another receiver. The misfortune reflects where the Seahawks (6-7) stand with just three games left. They're valiant, but not victorious. They're admirable, but inadequate. They're brave, but broken."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Hasselbeck was at his worst Sunday. Hasselbeck said the 49ers played him differently this time. Hasselbeck: "Because of the score, I think they didn’t have to be as aggressive, and they just played very, very soft, doubled one guy on the left and one guy on the right pretty much most of the day on third down. They were opportunistic making turnovers, and stopped us when we tried to run the ball, and stopped us in some critical situations.”

Also from Williams: Leon Washington's 92-yard touchdown return stood out as a rare bright spot for Seattle.

More from Williams: thoughts on Butler's injury. Running back Justin Forsett: "We were definitely praying for Deon, he’s a heck of a player. He handled it like a pro. He was calm and we just went on to encourage him. He is a big part of this team and it is sad to see him go down."

John Boyle of the Everett Herald says Ruvell Martin stepped up for Seattle on a day when the team played without Williams and Ben Obomanu.

Also from Boyle: When Seattle loses, the team loses big.

More from Boyle: Hasselbeck made no excuses.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Video replays suggested Seattle Seahawks receiver Deon Butler had suffered a severely broken leg following his late touchdown reception Sunday.

The scene around Butler after the game supported those concerns.

Butler suffered a broken leg, the Seahawks said. The team will presumably have more details Monday.

Multiple doctors from both teams and various medical personnel surrounded Butler after the game in a side room adjacent to the 49ers' locker room at Candlestick Park. They spilled out of the room into the hallway. Butler was lying down inside the room, awaiting transport to a hospital.

Before heading from San Francisco's locker room to a postgame interview room, 49ers coach Mike Singletary worked his way through the doctors so he could share his concerns with Butler in person. Singletary did not stay long, but the fact that he felt compelled to visit Butler in person spoke to the seriousness of the injury.

"I was just out there and I know what I saw," Seattle receiver Ruvell Martin said. "You can see something sticking out of his leg, so it didn't look so good. ... He just looked at me and goes, 'My leg.' All I could do was just give him my hand and say a prayer for him and try to comfort him as much as I could."

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Butler was "unbelievably courageous and tough about it on the field" immediately following the injury.

Butler had just caught a 2-yard scoring pass with 1:55 remaining in the Seahawks' 40-21 defeat when a defender's leg collided with Butler's leg.

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints named Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Jeremy Shockey and Darren Sharper inactive against the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle, meanwhile, has left tackle Russell Okung and slot receiver Brandon Stokley back from injuries.

Inactive for New Orleans: Thomas, Bush, Shockey, Sharper, cornerback Patrick Robinson, safety Malcolm Jenkins, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar and tackle Charles Brown. Former Seahawks Julius Jones starts at running back for the Saints. Usama Young starts at free safety. Jimmy Graham starts at tight end.

Inactive for Seattle: running back Michael Robinson, guard Mike Gibson, receiver Golden Tate, receiver Ruvell Martin, tight end Anthony McCoy, defensive tackle Colin Cole and defensive lineman E.J. Wilson. J.P. Losman is the third quarterback.

Having Okung available for the first time since Week 7 gives Seattle a shot at improving its offensive line, particularly in run blocking. Okung has battled ankle injuries this season. He has been active for only three regular-season games previously.

Playing without Robinson and McCoy, a backup tight end, limits some of the personnel groups Seattle might otherwise employ. The team used four tight ends at times last week, including with John Carlson lining up at fullback.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers announced their list of inactive players for Week 10 without making waves.

The situation was much different in Arizona, where the Cardinals named defensive lineman Darnell Dockett (shoulder) and running back Beanie Wells (knee) inactive against Seattle. The Seahawks named left tackle Russell Okung inactive, no surprise but a significant development nonetheless.

A look at NFC West inactives:

Arizona Cardinals: Wells, Dockett, receiver Max Komar, cornerback A.J. Jefferson, safety Hamza Abdullah, linebacker Cyril Obiozor and center Ben Claxton. John Skelton is the third quarterback. Paris Lenon is starting at linebacker despite an ankle injury. Alan Branch starts for Dockett. Branch has played well this season; he had two sacks against the Seahawks earlier this season in a breakout game for him.

Seattle Seahawks: Okung, receiver Brandon Stokley, fullback Michael Robinson, guard Mike Gibson, receiver Golden Tate, nose tackle Colin Cole and defensive lineman E.J. Wilson. Gibson provided quality depth on the offensive line. Ruvell Martin is active at receiver while Stokley and Tate recover from injuries.

St. Louis Rams: cornerback Justin King, cornerback Quincy Butler, safety James Butler, tight end Fendi Onobun, linebacker David Vobora, guard John Greco, receiver Danario Alexander and defensive end Eugene Sims. The Rams are thin in the secondary, as usual, but the 49ers aren't likely to spread the field with wide receivers all afternoon, either.

San Francisco 49ers: receiver Kyle Williams, quarterback Alex Smith, cornerback Tramaine Brock, linebacker Keaton Kristick, linebacker Thaddeus Gibson, tackle Barry Sims, tackle Alex Boone and receiver Jason Hill. The 49ers are keeping four wide receivers active, the minimum. They are healthier at tight end.

The Seattle Seahawks weren't holding open a roster spot for Randy Moss when they left three open Tuesday.

The team signed receiver Ruvell Martin, defensive end Jay Richardson and center Chris White in moves announced by the team Wednesday.

Martin has been with the Seahawks previously. He provides depth while Mike Williams and Golden Tate deal with injuries. Richardson was a fifth-round choice of the Oakland Raiders in 2007. White was with Green Bay in 2005 when Seahawks general manager John Schneider was there. He spent the last three seasons with the Houston Texans.

Roster turnover is a leading topic for discussion in Seattle following the release of T.J. Houshmandzadeh in particular.

I've addressed the subject in depth across the division -- first May 26 and again July 30 -- and it's worth another look now that teams have reduced to 53 players for the regular season.

This time, I'm going to break down the changes by position, listing players no longer on the active roster at each main position group (with new players in parenthesis). Departures outnumber replacements because some players finished last season on injured reserve, meaning they were not part of the 53-man roster.

Some players no longer on the active roster remain with the team (they could be suspended, deemed physically unable to perform or part of the practice squad).

St. Louis Rams (34 off roster)

Defensive back: Eric Bassey, Quincy Butler, Danny Gorrer, Clinton Hart, Cordelius Parks, David Roach, Jonathan Wade (added Kevin Dockery, Jerome Murphy, Darian Stewart)

Defensive line: Victor Adeyanju, Adam Carriker, Leger Douzable, Leonard Little, LaJuan Ramsey, James Wyche (added Jermelle Cudjo, Fred Robbins, George Selvie, Eugene Sims)

Linebacker: K.C. Asiodu, Paris Lenon (added Na'il Diggs, Josh Hull)

Offensive line: Roger Allen, Alex Barron, Ryan McKee, Mark Setterstrom, Phillip Trautwein, Eric Young (added Renardo Foster, Hank Fraley, Rodger Saffold)

Quarterback: Kyle Boller, Marc Bulger, Keith Null, Mike Reilly (added Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Thaddeus Lewis)

Running back: Samkon Gado, Chris Ogbonnaya (added Keith Toston)

Special teams: Ryan Neill

Tight end: Randy McMichael (added Mike Hoomanawanui, Fendi Onobun)

Wide receiver: Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Brooks Foster, Jordan Kent, Ruvell Martin (added Mark Clayton, Dominique Curry, Mardy Gilyard)

---

Seattle Seahawks (33 off roster)

Defensive back: Jamar Adams, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson (added Kam Chancellor, Kennard Cox, Nate Ness, Earl Thomas, Walter Thurmond)

Defensive line: Lawrence Jackson, Patrick Kerney, Cory Redding, Nick Reed, Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill (added Kentwan Balmer, Raheem Brock, Chris Clemons, Dexter Davis, Junior Siavii, E.J. Wilson)

Linebacker: Leroy Hill, Lance Laury, D.D. Lewis (added Matt McCoy; note that Hill is suspended for the first regular-season game)

Offensive line: Trevor Canfield, Brandon Frye, Walter Jones, Damion McIntosh, Rob Sims, Steve Vallos, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto (added Stacy Andrews, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Ben Hamilton, Russell Okung, Chester Pitts, Tyler Polumbus)

Quarterback: Mike Teel, Seneca Wallace (added Charlie Whitehurst)

Running back: Justin Griffith, Louis Rankin, Tyler Roehl, Owen Schmitt (added Quinton Ganther, Michael Robinson, Leon Washington)

Special teams: Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson (added Clint Gresham)

Tight end: John Owens (added Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy)

Wide receiver: Nate Burleson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh (added Golden Tate, Mike Williams)

---

Arizona Cardinals (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Ralph Brown, Bryant McFadden, Antrel Rolle (added A.J. Jefferson, Trumaine McBride, Brandon McDonald, Kerry Rhodes)

Defensive line: Jason Banks (added Dan Williams)

Linebacker: Monty Beisel, Bertrand Berry, Cody Brown, Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Chike Okeafor, Pago Togafau (added Paris Lenon, Cyril Obiozor, Joey Porter, Daryl Washington; Hayes can return from the physically unable to perform list after six games)

Offensive line: Mike Gandy, Herman Johnson, Reggie Wells (added Alan Faneca, Rex Hadnot)

Quarterback: Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Kurt Warner (added Derek Anderson, Max Hall, John Skelton)

Running back: Justin Green, Dan Kreider (added Jerome Johnson)

Special teams: Neil Rackers (added Jay Feely)

Tight end: Anthony Becht (added Jim Dray)

Wide receiver: Anquan Boldin, Sean Morey, Jerheme Urban (added Andre Roberts, Stephen Williams)

---

San Francisco 49ers (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Dre' Bly, Walt Harris, Marcus Hudson, Mark Roman (added Phillip Adams, Tramaine Brock, William James, Taylor Mays)

Defensive line: Kentwan Balmer, Derek Walker

Linebacker: Scott McKillop, Jeff Ulbrich, Matt Wilhelm (added NaVorro Bowman, Travis LaBoy)

Offensive line: Tony Pashos, Chris Patrick, Cody Wallace (added Alex Boone, Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati)

Quarterback: Nate Davis, Shaun Hill (added David Carr, Troy Smith)

Running back: Thomas Clayton, Glen Coffee, Brit Miller, Michael Robinson (added Anthony Dixon, Brian Westbrook)

Special teams: Shane Andrus, Ricky Schmitt

Wide receiver: Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill, Brandon Jones (added Ted Ginn Jr., Kyle Williams, Dominique Zeigler)

---

The first chart shows how many players are back -- at least for now -- from Week 17 rosters and injured reserve lists. Seattle has the fewest number back with 26.

The second chart shows how many players each team has shed since Week 17 last season. This counts players who were on injured reserve. Teams with lots of players on injured reserve had more players to lose.

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

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

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

Here's what I'm thinking Monday:

Quarterbacks (3)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.9

Keepers: Matt Hasselbeck, Charlie Whitehurst

Looking safe: J.P. Losman

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

Running backs (6)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

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

On the bubble: Owen Schmitt

Also: Louis Rankin

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

Wide receivers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

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

Looking safe: Deon Butler

On the bubble: Ben Obomanu, Brandon Jones

Also: Ruvell Martin, Kole Heckendorf

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

Tight ends (5)

Average number kept since 2003: 3.1

Keepers: John Carlson, Chris Baker

On the bubble: Anthony McCoy, Cameron Morrah

Also: Nick Tow-Arnett

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

Offensive linemen (15)

Average number kept since 2003: 8.9

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

Not sure what to think: Steve Vallos, Ben Hamilton

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

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

Defensive line (15)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.6

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

Looking safe: Quinn Pitcock

On the bubble: Craig Terrill

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

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

Linebackers (8)

Average number kept since 2003: 6.9

Keepers: Lofa Tatupu, Aaron Curry, David Hawthorne

Looking safe: Matt McCoy, Tyjuan Hagler, Will Herring

Also: Joe Pawelek

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

Defensive backs (15)

Average number kept since 2003: 7.9

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

Looking safe: Kelly Jennings, Jordan Babineaux

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

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

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

Specialists (4)

Average number kept since 2003: 3.1

Keepers: Olindo Mare, Jon Ryan, Clint Gresham

Also: Clint Stitser

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

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

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

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

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

I'll first list the players by team.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Seahawks have five tall receivers from the Pac-10 after signing former No. 1 draft choices Mike Williams and Reggie Williams following a three-day minicamp.

The Pac-10 connection is somewhat by chance. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Oregon State) and Mike Hass (Oregon State) were already on the roster when the Seahawks hired coach Pete Carroll from USC.

But there's no question the Seahawks are getting bigger at the position. They have four receivers 6-foot-4 and taller. Eight of their 11 receivers are at least 6 feet tall.

Seattle has had tall receivers in the past, including Jordan Kent (6-4). But some of their key wideouts -- Bobby Engram (5-10) and Darrell Jackson (6-0) -- would be on the smaller side relative to the current group.

"Historically, if you look back at our past, we love big guys, and have had a lot of success with them and haven’t changed our attitude on that at all," Carroll told reporters Thursday.

Carroll also singled out Branch, suggesting he could play a significant role in the offense.

"I think he recognizes that and really embraced it and is excited about what is going on," Carroll said.