ESPN NFL

» AFC Scenarios: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Rams in 2012:

Dream scenario (8-8): Sam Bradford takes every snap on offense for the second time in three seasons as the Rams protect their franchise quarterback with sensible play-calling. It's the sixth time a Jeff Fisher-coached team finishes 8-8, but no one is complaining after the Rams' 15-65 run over the previous five seasons. Trusting offensive line coach Paul Boudreau to salvage right tackle Jason Smith becomes one of the surprise success stories of the 2012 season, and a critical one for the Rams' efforts to re-establish Bradford.

Turns out the Rams were not fibbing when they suggested Brian Quick, the receiver they took in the second round, ranked up there with first-rounder Justin Blackmon on their board. The constant threat of Steven Jackson and Isaiah Pead out of the backfield creates favorable matchups for Quick and the Rams' underrated receivers. Bradford publicly downplays a Week 2 victory over Robert Griffin III and Washington, but it feels good to win at home against the player St. Louis could have selected second overall this year.

Watching Janoris Jenkins score on a fourth-quarter punt return in Patrick Peterson's house improbably stakes the Rams to a 6-5 record, stirring visions of the postseason. It's certainly sweet to finally win within the division again. The Rams lose to San Francisco the following week and ultimately finish the regular season with a respectable defeat at Seattle, but the season is a success by any measure.

Nightmare scenario (3-13): Road games against Detroit and Chicago in the first three weeks expose Bradford to significant punishment as Smith and the line struggle to find their bearings. Bradford doesn't want to talk about the ankle injury he aggravated at some point in the season's first month, but it's clearly a factor. Facing Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Ndamukong Suh, Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Julius Peppers, Chris Clemons, Bruce Irvin, Calais Campbell, Darnell Dockett, Cameron Wake and Clay Matthews in the first seven games leaves Bradford limping toward the bye week, his confidence shaken.

Jackson continues to plug away, but we've seen this movie before, and it doesn't end well for the Rams. The depth at receiver is indeed improved, but Bradford doesn't have any truly dynamic weapons. Quick understandably needs seasoning, but with Blackmon and Arizona's Michael Floyd challenging rookie receiving records, the Rams look bad for trading down. It's tough finding open receivers with Smith struggling at tackle, anyway.

First-round pick Michael Brockers and free-agent addition Kendall Langford upgrade the run defense, but life as an every-down defensive end is tough for Robert Quinn. The veteran outside linebackers signed as stopgaps represent only a minor upgrade from last season. Off-field issues dog Jenkins, and the defense fails to meet expectations. Critics conveniently blame Gregg Williams' suspension, but the problems are more complex than that.

The Rams head into the offseason with another high draft choice, one they'll almost certainly have to invest in a playmaker of some sort.

Alex Smith's comments referencing Cam Newton, featured here and elsewhere, have caught the Carolina Panthers' attention.

Perhaps they have been overblown. Smith isn't the type to talk trash or disrespect an opponent. He did seem to cross a line when mentioning Newton by name in a manner that diminished Newton's accomplishments as a rookie quarterback.

"Alex smith, don't hate on Cam Bc your stats would've gotten u cut if Peyton decided to come 2 San Fran.Truth b told..That's after a 13-3 yr.," Panthers linebacker Jon Beason said through his verified Twitter account.

Smith isn't on Twitter, to my knowledge, but I would expect some sort of response or clarification from him at some point. He'll be asked about it, for sure.

As for Beason, he's naturally going to stand up for his teammate. Using the 49ers' interest in Peyton Manning against Smith served that purpose, although Manning's status as an all-time great attracted lots of teams, not just San Francisco. Beason has been a better linebacker than Smith has been a quarterback, but if the Panthers could upgrade at his position, they would consider making a move as well. It's what teams do.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says Randy Moss has found friends on the 49ers' defense, not just their offense. Linebacker Patrick Willis: "He's my best fishing buddy. We went fishing a couple times now, and I've out-fished him both times. ... It's an honor to have a guy like that on our team. For people to say the things they said about him, that's in the past. All we know is what we've seen here, and that's all that counts to us. So far he's been unbelievable."

Also from Inman: Smith's thoughts on the 49ers' pursuit of Peyton Manning. Smith: "It was more strange that anything. Looking back, I’d been in constant communication the entire time with Jim (Harbaugh) and Trent Baalke, even before the season ended, about a new contract and going to get things worked out. We were doing the back and forth, them and my agent. The contract was out there. It was about getting the language right and the numbers right. Then all of a sudden, you think you’re close, free agency is approaching and the deal is about to get done, then obviously a little strange to get the Peyton Manning thing thrown in there. But the thing through all of it, Jim has always been up front with me, has never lied to me and that’s what I’ve appreciated that through all of it."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals signed free-agent linebacker Quentin Groves from Oakland. Urban: "There has been speculation the Cards will bring back Clark Haggans, who has been with the Cards since 2008. Regardless, the team probably needed to add depth at outside linebacker, where much is unproven. Sam Acho and O’Brien Schofield are the projected starters, but beyond that are untested veterans Brandon Williams and Antonio Coleman, along with undrafted rookies Zach Nash and Broderick Binns." Noted: Groves' signing did make me wonder whether Haggans remained in Arizona's plans at this point. But with only 2.5 career sacks and none since 2008, Groves wouldn't seem to replace what Haggans provided. Then again, Haggans had only three sacks in 16 starts last season, his lowest single-season total as a starter.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams running back Steven Jackson, who compares the team's new offense to the one it ran in 2010. Jackson: "This offense is very similar, not identical. The learning curve has not been too harsh on myself. Sam (Bradford) is looking good, our receivers, we have a deep group that is very competitive that's going to not only help us, but is also going to bring the best out of each individual guy. All in all, as an offense we're looking good. And especially Coach (Paul T.) Boudreau up front, what he's doing with the offensive line is very impressive as well." Noted: The Rams are banking on Boudreau to help Jason Smith and others realize more of their potential on the line.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers notes from the most recent organized team activities. On rookie Bobby Wagner: "The team’s second-round draft choice continues to work at middle linebacker with the No. 1 defense, and also is seeing time in the No. 1 nickel. Today, he showed why by making an impressive read and an even more athletic move to intercept a Jackson pass over the middle. Wagner’s play came in the same 7-on-7 drill where Pro Bowl strong safety Kam Chancellor jumped a Russell Wilson pass to make an interception along the sideline."

Also from Farnsworth: Kellen Winslow describes himself as the "knight in the chess game" for creating mismatches. Noted: Winslow does almost resemble a large wide receiver.

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times says Pete Carroll remains vague on the Seahawks' quarterback competition. Noted: That will continue in the absence of meaningful evidence. It's tough to get more than an early feel watching non-contact practices.

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times explains why the Seahawks wanted Winslow. General manager John Schneider: "He's a guy that brings that energy and passion that fits our group and our locker room right now. Kellen is so passionate about the game. He really is all ball. And those are the kind of guys you feel like it's worth bringing into your program. He's the type of guy who wants to be great."

NFC West teams owned six first-round choices in the 2010 NFL draft.

Sam Bradford, Russell Okung, Anthony Davis, Earl Thomas, Mike Iupati and Dan Williams were the selections.

One of them has emerged as a Pro Bowl performer (Thomas). Another has shown signs of reaching that level (Iupati).

One has been up and down to this point, subsequently drawing high marks from his coach for his footwork and overall improvement this offseason (Davis). Another is coming off a rough second season and learning his third offensive system in as many years (Bradford).

That leaves Okung and Williams in another category: highly valued players coming off season-ending surgeries.

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic says Williams has reported to the Cardinals' organized team activities in much better shape than when the nose tackle reported to camp following the lockout last offseason. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "He had conditioning at the end of practice (Tuesday), and he made it, which is a great sign for where we are. The big thing with Dan is there have been a lot of players who have told him how much they are counting on him this year. And I think that has an impact on Dan. He's working hard, have to give him a lot of credit, especially coming back from the arm. But I'm excited to see how he continues to progress."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Greg Toler as the cornerback works his way back from knee surgery. Toler is wearing a brace in practice.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh stands by his comments about Michael Crabtree owning the best hands of any receiver the coach has ever seen. Also, Alex Boone is the starting right guard at this point, with Daniel Kilgore as the backup center. Harbaugh: "The comment stands on its own merit. I know you guys have dissected it about every which way it can be dissected. But it is literal. It is a literal fact, what I believe as I see it and believe it to be."

Also from Maiocco: Andy Lee's new deal is for $20.5 million over six years, with $7.1 million in the first two years.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers this from Alex Smith regarding the quarterback's rapport with Crabtree: "We're a little further along. I feel good about body language and things like that. The thing I'm excited for him is not only is it his first offseason, he's healthy. I think he's excited about that. He's feeling really good. It shows up here. He's running better than he ever has since I've seen him."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says much is on the line for Smith this season.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith sees no problem with the 49ers' No. 29 ranking in passing yards per game given how the team played overall. Smith: "I could absolutely care less on yards per game. I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you’re losing games in the second half, guess what, you’re like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That’s great. You’re not winning, though." Noted: Does anyone care much about passing yards per game?

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Kellen Winslow has no hard feelings about being traded to Seattle, according to Winslow's famous father. The elder Winslow, as quoted by the Chicago Tribune: "This came out of the blue that the trade was going to be going down. I was hoping he would be traded someplace that had the possibility of making the playoffs. He was happy. He knew Coach (Pete) Carroll from his days of being recruited to USC. So there is knowledge there. So many people take a trade as something negative. And it’s not. He may not fit in one team’s plan, but you fit in another team’s plan. So it is a good thing. In today’s game, a player moving around is nothing new. It is rare to see a guy stay with one team, unless you’re a quarterback or a left tackle."

Also from Farnsworth: Local product Donny Lisowski has impressed the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. Carroll: "I like Donny Lisowski. He was all over the place out here. I had no (idea about him), other than he ran extremely fast when he showed up for a workout day. Then he went out here and made a bunch of plays. So I was really fired up about him. I think he’ll surprise you. I’m anxious to see what he can do on special teams, and all kinds of stuff. He’s a playmaker and was all over the field."

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle explains why he thinks the quarterback job is Matt Flynn's to lose in Seattle.

Brent Schrotenboer of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Winslow's former landlord is trying to recoup $133,000 in alleged damages. Winslow's attorney denies any wrongdoing.

Danny Kelly of Field Gulls offers Winslow-related thoughts from Seahawks general manager John Schneider, as told to PFT Live. Schneider: "First and foremost, we've been looking for that position. We've been looking for a guy that can get down the field. Obviously, Kellen's been very productive the past couple of years down in Tampa Bay, I think second only to Jimmy Giles in team history. Secondly, I have a great relationship with Mark Dominik. We've known each other probably fifteen, twenty years now. When you have a strong relationship with someone like that, you're able to share situations, share experiences, and be able to work rather quickly with each other, and we have a specific trust level in place, and we were able to work it out."

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and select teammates. Rookie receiver Chris Givens, on Bradford: "He makes everything a lot easier for us. He's everything I heard about and more. He makes every throw, and he's always on point. He's just a great leader. He does a good job of picking us up after practice, working on the things where we had mistakes. Even during practice, he's there in our ear telling us 'Good job,' whether it was a bad play or a good play."

Also from Nelson: a look at the Rams' tight ends.

More than seven months have passed since Sam Bradford's ankle buckled during the St. Louis Rams' game against the Green Bay Packers last season.

Visions of Bradford hobbling through the Rams' Monday night game at Seattle have long since faded.

How about the physical pain? What about the ankle?

"It's getting there," Bradford told reporters Wednesday. "It seems to feel better every week. Less soreness, more things I can do, so I think it’s definitely on track."

On track? Wait, Bradford came back from the injury during the season. Shouldn't a sprained ankle heal after seven months? Not so fast.

"He played through the injury late in the season, so the clock for his recovery doesn't really begin until January," ESPN injury expert Stephania Bell said Wednesday. "You go February, March, April, May and it's not really that long. By the time you get through the rehab and then start football activities, which he is just getting into now, I don't find the timeline to be that crazy."

A few more highlights from Bradford's media session:

• On learning the offense: "It's just nice to have an offseason to be able to come out here and make mistakes. You learn from your mistakes. Coaches have been great about that. They're not pressing. They're not screaming. As long as we learn from it, I think we’re doing the right thing. It's just good to be out here going through those things."
• On rookie Chris Givens: "Extremely fast. He's a guy that defenses are going to have to be extremely aware of. If they fall asleep on him for a half second at all, he’s going to be by them. That's nice to have, just that added speed."
• On rookie Brian Quick: "I was working with him a little bit after practice today and it's just extremely impressive watching him move. As big as he is, as tall as he is, he gets in and out of breaks really well. He's fast as well."
• On having a quarterbacks coach, Frank Cignetti: "Coach Cig has been awesome. He really knows what he’s doing when it comes to coaching quarterbacks. He’s all over fundamentals. Every day he points something out on tape, whether it be my drop, my arm angle, something like that, whereas last year not having that, I probably missed some things and probably got a little lazy."

That Bradford is practicing shows his ankle situation isn't serious at this point. But the fact that the ankle is still not quite all the way back is instructive, too.

"It goes back to the question I get a kajillion times a week during the season: Is 'insert player name' fully healthy?" Bell said. "Sometimes they do something they can recover from in the season, but you take a more complex injury and you continue to aggravate it, it's tough to recover."

SeattleAztec from San Diego asks whether Matt Flynn might be the "most developed" quarterback in the NFC West after learning from Mike McCarthy in Green Bay.

"Alex Smith and Sam Bradford seem to be the least developed with having multiple offensive coordinators and no great vets to learn behind," he writes. "Kevin Kolb had a good upbringing in Philadelphia and Arizona has shown an ability to handle QBs, but Flynn had the benefit of learning in the Green Bay system. Learning behind Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy will give him an advantage, assuming he wins the starting job. Thoughts?"

Mike Sando: Flynn's background with McCarthy and the Packers appealed to the Seahawks. McCarthy, with nothing more than a compensatory draft choice to gain from advocating for Flynn in free agency, gave glowing reviews in conversations with the Seahawks. Those conversations appear more credible based on Seahawks general manager John Schneider's long association and friendship with McCarthy.

"We really respect the job that they’ve done with their offense and their quarterbacking and Matt is a beneficiary of that, so therefore we are also," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after signing Flynn in March. "His process to learn as Aaron Rodgers has learned has really been helpful to him. There are a lot of similarities in their style of movement and decision-making, play and conscience that I think helps us."

That doesn't necessarily mean Flynn will be the "most developed" quarterback in the division. A few thoughts on what the other NFC West quarterbacks have going for them:

• Smith (49ers): Jim Harbaugh should know the position better than any head coach in the division. Smith has more experience than any quarterback in the division. Harbaugh and Smith meshed well last season. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman and quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst round out what looks like a solid support group. Smith has finally had time this offseason to work on his mechanics. He's getting a second season in the offense. Spending one season with McCarthy and a second with Norv Turner probably counts for something, too, despite the passage of time.
• Kolb (Cardinals): Kolb did not practice with the Cardinals until 38 days before the 2011 opener. That made it tough for Kolb to learn a new system and settle into the role. Injuries derailed Kolb once he finally did get experience in the system. The Cardinals fired quarterbacks coach Chris Miller and promoted receivers coach John McNulty to the position. Arizona valued McNulty enough to block Tampa Bay from pursuing him as its offensive coordinator. The team's new receivers coach, Frank Reich, was an NFL quarterback for 14 seasons. What does it all mean? It's a little early to tell.
• Bradford (Rams): New coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was with Mark Sanchez previously. One line of thinking says Schottenheimer led Sanchez as far as Sanchez could go, then took the fall when Sanchez failed to carry more of the offensive load. Another line of thinking says Schottenheimer couldn't get Sanchez past a certain point. Bradford is on his third coordinator in as many seasons. The Rams went through 2011 without a quarterbacks coach. The new quarterbacks coach, Frank Cignetti, coached the 49ers' Smith under coordinator Jim Hostler in 2007. That was one of the worst offensive seasons in 49ers history. Hostler took the blame. It's tough to fault Cignetti in that context, but also tough to offer a strong endorsement without seeing results.

Circling back to the original question, we could make a case that Flynn should be the most developed quarterback in the division.

Other factors go into success, of course. Bradford and Smith were No. 1 overall choices, indicating that teams thought they were more talented than Flynn, a seventh-rounder who drew moderate interest in free agency this offseason. And if the Seahawks were convinced Flynn were the answer, they would have had less reason to use a third-round choice for a quarterback after signing Flynn.

I do think Flynn's background with the Packers was crucial for the Seahawks. Schneider's first-hand knowledge of Green Bay's quarterback training techniques was a factor.

David from Maryland wants to know what I expected from the St. Louis Rams' Sam Bradford as the quarterback prepares to play under his third offensive coordinator in three years, and with multiple new targets.

Mike Sando: Let's put a Mother's Day spin on this one, David. The hardest part of sports for any mother can be watching her child risk injuries during competition. The injury factor is critical for quarterbacks and the NFC West has demonstrated as much last season.

Alex Smith was the only NFC West quarterback to start all 16 regular-season games. He was the only one healthy enough to do so (to clarify, Smith was the only projected starter healthy enough to remain in the lineup all season; backups were healthy enough). His ability to hold up physically was the key to his season and a key to the 49ers' season.

Bradford suffered a thumb injury against Philadelphia in the season opener. He took a beating and eventually left the lineup for an extended period after suffering a high-ankle sprain against Green Bay. Bradford was much more impressive as a rookie in 2010. He was also much healthier, taking every snap.

Arizona's Kevin Kolb (toe, concussion) and Seattle's Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral) also had injury problems last season. Those injuries prevented them from reaching their potential.

The best NFC West quarterback in 2012 will probably be the healthiest one. There is some luck involved, but at least the Rams' new coaching staff plans to protect Bradford by putting greater emphasis on the run game. I'm expecting a better season from him as a result.

The Arizona Cardinals addressed primary needs at receiver and offensive tackle in the NFL draft last month.

They did not address every need, however. Arizona was the only team not to use at least one draft choice for a defensive lineman or linebacker, one reason Vonnie Holliday and Clark Haggans are expected to return for another season.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says there's no rush to bring back either player. Somers: "Haggans, 35, started all 16 games last season but, if he returns, it will be as a backup. Holliday, 36, backed up Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett last season. He played in all 16 games and finished with 16 tackles, 15 of them solo. The coaches were pleased with his production and think he could provide a similar level of play this season." Noted: Re-signing Haggans in particular would buy time for the Cardinals at outside linebacker, a position where the team has promising young players, but few established options.

Also from Somers: catching up with Matt Ware.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com revisits defensive coordinator Ray Horton's philosophy on cornerbacks. Horton: "Covering is the main job, but you want the physicality, get guys out of their game and let them know they will get it every play. As a defense, you have to have the tough guy mentality regardless. We don’t want an offense pushing us around, and if they get some calls, we have to live with that sometimes."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com sizes up the team's wide receivers and says competition is running high. Farnsworth: "In fact, Ben Obomanu, Doug Baldwin and Ricardo Lockette were so hungry during the players’ extended break following the season that they traveled to Alabama to work out with Tarvaris Jackson."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune takes a position-by-position look at the Seahawks' roster and has this to say about letting linebacker David Hawthorne leave in free agency: "Even with a nasty front that does a nice job of keeping the linebackers clean, someone has to scrape, fill the right gap and make the tackles. Along with doing that the past three seasons, Hawthorne was considered one of the more cerebral players on the team. And he also made game-changing plays, evidenced by his seven interceptions and six sacks in three years as a starter. Second-round draft choice Bobby Wagner has some big shoes to fill." Noted: Hawthorne's health had to be a key variable. The injury he played through last season affected his ability to move effectively.

Roger Hensley of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asks colleagues what Rams coach Jeff Fisher will be watching most closely during the upcoming rookie camp. Jim Thomas: "About two-thirds of the players on the field will be undrafted rookies, but Fisher obviously will have his eyes on the 10 draft picks, particularly cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson. Are both capable of competing for a starting job right away? That seems to be the expectation. Ditto for wide receivers Brian Quick and Chris Givens. The sooner they get the playbook down, the sooner they help QB Sam Bradford. This will be their first taste of NFL football, albeit in a minicamp setting."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch supports Kurt Warner's recent comments about player safety.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says Frank Gore is anxious to see new 49ers running back LaMichael James in action. Maiocco on Gore: "Gore, who turns 29 on Monday, enters his eighth professional season. He has 7,625 rushing yards -- the most for any 49ers player since the club became a member of the NFL in 1950. And he is just 33 rushing attempts behind the club's all-time leader Roger Craig."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee checks in with 49ers archivist Jerry Walker, who is collecting memorabilia for display in the team's Hall of Fame, set to open at the new stadium in Santa Clara. Barrows: "The hall of fame will be at least 15,000 square feet, and the team wants items from ticket stubs all the way up to big-ticket items like a trolley car or even perhaps a portion of the 'Niner Liner' aircraft that flew Montana and teammates to their first Super Bowl in Pontiac, Mich. The hall of fame is sure to be popular on game days. But, like recent hall of fames built in Green Bay, Foxboro, Ma. and elsewhere, the intent is to make a year-round destination, especially one for school field trips."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says safety Donte Whitner expects the defense to play faster this season. Whitner: "This year you can expect guys to fly around a lot faster without hesitation and really understand what the scheme is and what we’re trying to do to offensive football teams. And I believe that we’re going to be the No. 1 defense in the National Football League this year. The guys believe it and we just have to go out there, work and prove it."

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says Alex Smith and the 49ers' offense are trying to close the gap with the team's defense.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a closer look at 49ers first-round draft choice A.J. Jenkins. Branch: "Jenkins had 90 catches as a senior. The Illini’s second-leading receiver had 26. The disparity had something to do with the trust quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase had in Jenkins, an exacting route-runner."

Alex Smith had a sturdier look to him upon reporting for San Francisco 49ers training camp last season.

That was my first impression while watching Smith walk toward an interview podium between practices.

One of the quarterback's best friends on the team, left tackle Joe Staley, was standing nearby. I mentioned something about Smith's guns and Staley, ever the jokester, used the opportunity to tease Smith, striking body-building poses from a distance while Smith answered questions at a podium.

It's tough to say whether Smith was actually sturdier, but he did start all 16 games in a regular season for the first time since 2006. He started two playoff games as well. Smith's body held up through 18 starts, 51 sacks and 59 rushing attempts.

Other NFC West quarterbacks weren't as fortunate.

With Dan Graziano taking a closer look at Michael Vick's injuries, I decided to revisit the ones affecting NFC West passers in 2011, with special attention toward whether they could have been avoided.

• Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams: Bradford suffered a season-altering high-ankle sprain on the Rams' final offensive play during a 24-3 defeat at Green Bay. Why would the Rams risk injury by having Bradford drop back to pass on fourth-and-12 during the final minutes of a blowout defeat? This was a fair question at the time. We could use this injury to argue that coaches need to protect their indispensable players when a game is out of reach. However, the Rams' offense was moving the ball effectively that day, finishing with 424 yards. Bradford had played every snap of every game the previous season, answering questions about durability. The Rams took possession near midfield with 5:37 remaining. It was too early to give up.
• Tarvaris Jackson, Seattle Seahawks: Jackson suffered a season-altering torn pectoral injury during an 11-yard scramble against the New York Giants in Week 5. Designed quarterback runs can keep a defense off-balance. Smith and the 49ers proved a well-timed keeper can change field position and swing momentum in the postseason. We could argue that Jackson should have done more to protect himself during the run against the Giants, but I thought the Seahawks' coaching staff took an undue risk in this situation. The Seattle offense had come to life against Atlanta the previous week, but with Jackson ailing, the Seahawks lost their next three games, failing to exceed 13 points in any of them. That stretch might have cost Seattle a winning record.
• Kevin Kolb, Arizona Cardinals: Kolb suffered a turf-toe injury during a Week 8 game at Baltimore. He stayed in the game, making it unclear exactly when he suffered the injury. Kolb was under pressure frequently, however. Pass protection was a problem. Kolb eventually returned, only to suffer a concussion during a Week 14 game against San Francisco. Kolb took an inadvertent knee to the helmet. These could have been fluke injuries. In general, though, Kolb would benefit from improved pass protection and better pocket instincts.

Jackson and Kolb have competition for their jobs this year.

New Seahawks quarterback Matt Flynn hasn't played enough to demonstrate durability one way or another. His ratio of pass attempts (115) to sacks (12) over the last two seasons was about 9.6 to one, between those for Kolb (8.4) and Smith (10.1) last season.

Kolb's competition, John Skelton, appears durable. He's the biggest starting quarterback candidate in the division at 6-foot-6 and 244 pounds.

The Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers used early draft choices for players they hope will make big plays on offense.

Both teams have offensive-minded head coaches.

The Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams used early draft choices for players they hope will fortify their defenses.

Both teams have defensive-minded head coaches.

Coincidence? Perhaps, but whatever the reason for the differing approaches, the tack these teams took continues to generate discussion.

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks' emphasis on defense comes as teams with the best offenses win games. Kelley: "The Green Bay Packers had the worst defense in the league. They lost once. The New England Patriots were the second-worst defense. They went to the Super Bowl. With the exception of the Baltimore Ravens, who have decided they don't need wide receivers to win division titles, the teams with the most productive, most dynamic, most dizzying offenses won the most games." Noted: Seattle has made offense more of a focus in free agency. The team signed quarterback Matt Flynn from Green Bay. A year earlier, the Seahawks signed receiver Sidney Rice and tight end Zach Miller to lucrative contracts. The year before that, Seattle acquired running back Marshawn Lynch from Buffalo. Also, the Seahawks used an NFL-high 80 percent of their first-, second- and third-round draft choices for offensive players over the 2010 and 2011 drafts, the first two under coach Pete Carroll.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals went with a wide receiver in the first round largely because they wanted more game-changing plays on offense. Somers: "The Cardinals' selections also reflected their views on how the NFL game has changed. They selected Floyd in the first round because they think he has the ability to make big plays. That's more important in today's game, coach Ken Whisenhunt said, because moving the kickoff up last year resulted in more touchbacks. Being able to quickly flip field position is important. Floyd is expected to help do that." Noted: The Cardinals, like the Seahawks, will be relying heavily on a veteran quarterback acquired from another team. Kevin Kolb showed a few signs of promise early in the season, including when he took a huge hit at Washington while delivering a deep pass to Larry Fitzgerald. As far as the draft, Arizona had used three of its previous four first-round choices for defense, selecting Patrick Peterson (2011), Dan Williams (2010) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (2008).

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch took note of the trend in St. Louis, where the Rams used early picks for a defensive lineman (Michael Brockers) and a cornerback (Janoris Jenkins). Miklasz: "On the surface, [GM Les] Snead and [coach Jeff] Fisher have done little so far to secure immediate, impact help for quarterback Sam Bradford. With five of the first 65 selections overall, the Rams addressed the offense by drafting a small-college wide receiver (Brian Quick) from Appalachian State and a third-down back (Isaiah Pead) from Cincinnati. That's it. Only one probable but relatively unpolished offensive starter (Quick), and no offensive linemen to protect the quarterback. Of their five selections in the first three rounds, three were spent on defense. The Rams took a less urgent approach in attaching an IV to a sickly offense that's averaged an embarrassing 14.4 points over the past five seasons in going 15-65. Wow."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' decision to draft a receiver (A.J. Jenkins) and running back (LaMichael James) in the first two rounds shows the team wants to close some of the gap between its so-so offense and dominating defense. Cohn: "In free agency, the Niners got two speedy receivers to stretch the field -- Randy (Is He in the Mood to Play?) Moss and Mario Manningham. They already had two swift, strong intermediate route runners -- Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker. And they drafted two players to go underneath the coverage. They would be wideout A.J. Jenkins, a strange first-round choice until you realize the Niners brought him in to give Smith an option on third down. Jenkins loves the underneath crossing route, and he presumably can stretch the field, too. In the second round, they took fast, elusive, Oregon running back LaMichael James, who may be better at catching passes coming out of the backfield than actually running -- he’s small for the NFL. And they already have Frank Gore and they got free-agent Brandon Jacobs as a big short-yardage back. In the third round, they even took Joe Looney, a guard, to upgrade Smith’s protection."

The St. Louis Rams have been headed in reverse for a decade or so.

Their plan for moving forward involved moving backward repeatedly during the 2012 NFL draft.

The Rams, having already set up their long-term future by moving back four spots to No. 6 overall, moved back another eight spots Thursday in a trade with Dallas. They picked up the 14th and 45th overall choices immediately after Jacksonville traded ahead of the Rams to take Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon. Were the Rams content moving back, or did the Jaguars outflank them for a No. 1 wideout?

Either way, the Rams now hold the 14th, 33rd, 39th and 45th choices.

Cleveland and Jacksonville scrambled among the top five picks while the Rams stood pat. The big question now is whether the Rams can land a wide receiver with the talent to become a clear No. 1 option for Sam Bradford.

The Cowboys used the sixth pick for LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. The Rams, having spent big for cornerback Cortland Finnegan in free agency, decided quantity meant more to them than quality at that point.

Mel Kiper Jr. is back with his fifth and final 2012 NFL mock draft for the first round.

The San Francisco 49ers (Kevin Zeitler), Arizona Cardinals (Melvin Ingram) and Seattle Seahawks (Chandler Jones) went first in our analysis, reflecting reverse draft order.

The St. Louis Rams, picking sixth overall, round out the series.

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St.

Kiper's give: I had St. Louis as a team likely to move down, given that we know the front office has been openly interested in the idea. But if they're still here, I think Blackmon is the pick. He'll pay immediate dividends for the offense, and Sam Bradford will finally have a target most of us evaluators can see as a potential true No. 1.

Sando's take: Kiper had Morris Claiborne, Trent Richardson and Matt Kalil going with the third through fifth picks, respectively. It doesn't matter so much what order those players come off the board if they're gone among the top five picks. The Rams aren't likely to trade up. Blackmon was also the player I projected going to the Rams at No. 6, despite some concerns about value. The Rams have needs throughout their roster. They have acute needs at wide receiver, defensive tackle and outside linebacker, with a special emphasis on finding weapons to help quarterback Sam Bradford succeed. The Rams don't simply need a wide receiver. They have decent depth at the position. They specifically need a No. 1 receiver, the type teams seek near the top of the draft. The question is whether Blackmon projects as that type of player.

NFL teams rarely hand fat, long-term contract extensions to older running backs.

The San Francisco 49ers' Frank Gore felt the urgency last offseason, leading him to hold out from training camp briefly before accepting a relatively modest new deal -- the best he could do under tough circumstances.

Is Steven Jackson next?

Mike Lombardi's report for NFL.com suggests that Jackson wants a new contract from the St. Louis Rams. Jackson, like Gore, has reached his late 20s, when running backs tend to slow down. Jackson, like Gore last offseason, is starting over with a new coaching staff while realizing the window for negotiating is closing despite all he's given to the team.

Jackson's contract is scheduled to pay him $7 million in salary for each of the next two seasons. The deal would have voided after last season had Jackson averaged 1,200 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving over the first four years of the deal. He fell short of that average, arguably because the Rams failed to support him adequately.

I've got no problem with Jackson fighting to improve his contract situation, should that be the course he chooses to take. No player has given more to his team -- in production, attitude and pure heart -- than Jackson has given the Rams during some of their darkest seasons. The fact that he signed his current contract doesn't automatically mean he has to live by it; NFL teams routinely rip up contracts when it serves them.

One question is whether Jackson has enough leverage to force the Rams into a new deal.

We'll have a better idea upon discovering whether the Rams select running back Trent Richardson in the draft Thursday. Selecting Richardson or even a running back in the second round Friday would give the team options beyond Jackson, affecting leverage.

Would Jackson be happy if the team simply guaranteed some of his remaining salary? Would he hold out? I'm hesitant to say more without hearing from Jackson directly.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to finish here," Jackson told Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before last season. "I do want to finish here I can honestly say -- and I hope no one takes this the wrong way -- but I've been a beast in transitioning this organization from the dark days to now, the days of Sam (Bradford). I don't want all my hard labor to go for nothing."

Moderately accomplished quarterbacks are more likely than great ones to mentor a young prospect, in my view.

They have less to lose.

The "Outside the Lines" video above provides fresh and archived interviews with NFC West alums Joe Montana, Steve Young and Trent Dilfer while taking a closer look at the dynamics. Montana wasn't interested in mentoring Young for obvious competitive reasons. Dilfer warmed to mentoring Matt Hasselbeck.

Young NFC West quarterbacks are largely without veteran mentors heading toward the 2012 season.

San Francisco 49ers starter Alex Smith might be the closest thing to a mentor in the division. He has the experience and personality to become a resource for second-year pro Colin Kaepernick. To what degree that has happened, I'm not sure. Smith returns as the starter, but the situation is competitive, too.

The St. Louis Rams have no veteran mentor for Sam Bradford. The Arizona Cardinals have none for Kevin Kolb or John Skelton. The Seattle Seahawks have none for new quarterback Matt Flynn, although Tarvaris Jackson is nearly 3 years older and does have 34 career regular-season starts.

Having a veteran backup as a resource makes sense in theory, especially when his presence isn't seen as an imminent threat to the young starter's job security.

Among NFC West teams, the Rams would seem to benefit the most from adding a veteran backup. They're the one team in the division with a young starter and no plans for competition at the position.

Current backup Kellen Clemens has only 12 career starts, but he does have considerable knowledge of the offensive system Bradford is learning for the first time.

The chart reflects Flynn's status as the expected starter. He has not yet won the job, however.

Sam Bradford has eight victories as a starter and three offensive playbooks to show for his time with the St. Louis Rams.

No one said rescuing a struggling franchise would be easy, but the journey to this point has been more treacherous than anticipated.

Jeff Fisher's arrival as head coach this offseason represents a fresh start. Yet, as much as the Rams might want to forget their recent past, the experience Bradford has gained in 26 starts will be important to the success he might enjoy in the team's latest offense.

That was one takeaway from a telephone interview with Bradford on Tuesday. First, a little background.

The offense new coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is installing marks a dramatic departure from the one St. Louis ran under predecessor Josh McDaniels last season. It's closer in approach to the system Bradford ran during his rookie season, when Pat Shurmur brought a version of the offense Andy Reid had run in Philadelphia.

Adopting a system closer to the one Bradford ran during a generally successful rookie season sounds good in theory, but just last offseason, Bradford was genuinely excited about heading in another direction. He was ready to take the next step and sounded almost giddy when discussing the possibilities during an interview from Rams training camp.

"I really like it and I’m really comfortable with it because it’s a lot more like what I did in college," Bradford said at the time, speaking of McDaniels' offense. "Because we had progressions, but at the same time, we had certain plays where, 'OK, if they give us roll, we’re going to short-cut it and we’re going to work these two receivers and this concept, and if they give us [another coverage], we're going to short-cut this and work the three-man combination right here."

On he went.

Bradford welcomed the added responsibilities McDaniels entrusted him with, taking ownership of the pre-snap protection adjustments. Bradford, having relied on his offensive line to handle those calls during his rookie season, eagerly anticipated transitioning to the system Tom Brady had mastered under McDaniels in New England years earlier. He wanted to run the show, and the Rams had drafted him first overall in 2010 to do just that.

The approach under Fisher and Schottenheimer will be different.

St. Louis signed veteran center Scott Wells from Green Bay in part to handle the protection calls before the snap, lightening the load for Bradford. Fisher has stressed the role a strong ground game plays in protecting quarterbacks, particularly young ones, from punishment.

Why would Bradford, so eager to assume greater command of the offense under McDaniels, happily hand back control? This is where the experience he has gained over the past two seasons becomes critical in striking a balance between the power Bradford coveted under McDaniels and the relief he might gain from leaning on his center.

"My rookie year, when the center was making the calls, it's not that I was scared, but I was so new that I didn't see things, and sometimes I was hesitant to trump the center's calls," Bradford said. "This year, going into my third year, I'm more comfortable out there and will not have a problem [changing a call] if I see something -- the Mike [linebacker] over there."

So, while Bradford will give back some responsibilities, he will not necessarily lose ultimate control. Ideally, Wells' involvement would free Bradford's mind, taking off some pressure. And the 26 starts Bradford has made to this point, though most of them were painful, will inform his decisions.

"The longer me and Scott play together, the better it's going to be," Bradford said.

As a rookie, Shurmur's West Coast system focused on working through progressions regardless of the coverage. The Rams would do what they do, over and over, and opponents would have a hard time matching the precision and timing that would develop eventually.

That is the essence of the West Coast approach, but as Bradford indicated last offseason, the NFL has increasingly become a week-to-week league. Under McDaniels, the Rams hoped to reach a point where they could install 30 or 40 new plays in a given week, all based on where the opponent might be vulnerable. The offense would become less about what the Rams wanted to do and more about the opportunities they could exploit.

"There is no doubt I can learn from everything I went through last year -- playing with an injury, playing in that offense, learning from Josh and the things he taught me," Bradford said. "He did teach me a lot. ... Everything we can take from last year, I've taken, moved on and am concentrating on 2012."

With a new stadium on the way and a division championship in their possession, the San Francisco 49ers' leadership has fresh opportunities to enjoy the sporting spotlight.

Those opportunities have not been missed this week.

Interviews with CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke have hit the news just as the NFL was announcing five prime-time games for the 49ers in 2012, tied for most in the NFL.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News gathers thoughts from Baalke on parallels between the 49ers and San Jose Sharks, drawing on the relationship between Baalke and the Sharks' leadership. Baalke on Sharks GM Doug Wilson: "Everyone has an individual style; some styles mesh closer with others. I think with Doug and I, there’s a strong mesh. I like how he conducts business. He keeps things very private. We like to keep things really private. He’s not a guy that wants to be the face of the organization, nor am I. We like to do things subtly and behind the scenes and I respect that out of him."

Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury News offers part three of his interview with York, who has this to say about the technological vision for the new stadium: "It's not putting something in there that's a hardware-driven stadium; you want to make sure it's a software-driven stadium. Smart phones in two years are going to be different than what they are today, the same with tablets. I'm not going to limit what HP, Apple, Google create. I just want to make sure that the experience is enhanced and you can use those devices to the fullest capability and beyond."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers thoughts on the 49ers' schedule, including this one about the Week 17 game against Arizona: "In two games against the 49ers last season, Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb attempted just one pass. He missed one game with an injury and he was knocked from the second game with a concussion after throwing his first pass. Like the 49ers, the Cardinals went after free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning. Failing in that bid, Kolb is back for his second season."

Also from Maiocco: a 49ers offseason scorecard.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee points to the 49ers' game against the New York Giants as a highlight. Barrows: "This could be the best game of the season. The 49ers and Giants are evenly matched and they meet for the third time in a year. Did the Giants target Kyle Williams in the NFC Championship because they knew he had previous concussions? Will the 49ers be avenging that still-painful loss? The fact that San Francisco has added two ex-Giants, including one, Brandon Jacobs, who wasn't always happy with his former team, only adds to the drama."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals should be "pleased" with their 2012 schedule. Somers: "They need to start fast and three of the first four games are at home. They play at New England on Sept. 16, so they won't get clobbered in the snow, as they were in 2008. The game in Green Bay is on Nov. 4, so it would take an unusually early dose of winter to impact the game."

Also from Somers: The Cardinals' schedule should help them avoid another slow start. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "The first thing that jumps out at me is something that's been different for me, is a lot of home games at the front end of the schedule. We've talked about trying to carry the momentum we built at the end of last season into next season, and you'd like to think playing at home would give us a better chance to do that."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams quarterback Sam Bradford for thoughts on the team's new offense. Bradford on having a position coach this year: "I'm glad that we have a quarterbacks coach now. Obviously, with Josh (McDaniels) trying to do both last year, I think it was just a lot for him to handle. Sometimes some of the little things such as drops, footwork, throwing mechanics kind of got put aside as opposed to putting reads and everything in front. ... I think it's going to be great for my development."

Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says defensive line coach Mike Waufle played a role in recruiting free agents to the Rams.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams coach Jeff Fisher as the team holds its minicamp. Burwell: "We've been through this a lot with the Rams, listening to the predictable comments of the players after another coaching change. Every time, it's the same stuff, as the team kept shifting leaders, kept shuffling the deck, kept hiring and firing, kept searching for the man with the magic touch. Fisher is the first one since Dick Vermeil to show up with a résumé that had some head-coaching heft behind it. And that matters to this group of players, who are sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com offers notes from Rams practice, including this one: "Jason Smith also was back on the field and he appears to be more chiseled and focused than ever. I’ll have more on Smith’s enthusiastic return to the team in a full story for the front page tomorrow but Smith wanted it known that he has used his battles with concussion to really zero in on the important things. To the point where he says the experience has been life changing."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times runs through the Seahawks' schedule, game by game. On the December game at Chicago: "This is the sixth time in seven seasons the Seahawks and Bears will play in the regular season. They've also met twice in the playoffs in that time. This is the third year in a row the Seahawks play at Chicago, Seattle winning there each of the previous two regular-season meetings."

John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune says the NFL's schedule rollout stands as the latest example of the league's domination. McGrath: "During the first week in April, fans figured to be savoring a heavenly confluence of sporting events: The NCAA tournament championship game on a Monday, the domestic opening of the Major League Baseball season on a Wednesday, the first round of the Masters golf tournament on a Thursday. And in the Pacific Northwest, what was the most talked-about story that week? The unveiling of the new Seahawks uniforms on a Tuesday."