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The earlier item on Vernon Davis led regular blog commenter EDTGO to recall a now-quaint 2011 item about Davis bracing for competition from NFC West rivals at the position.

That led me to produce this chart, which compares Davis' production last season (counting playoffs) to combined regular-season totals for all tight ends from the 49ers' division rivals.

We see that Davis finished with more than twice as many touchdowns and twice as many long plays (40-plus yards) as Jeff King, Todd Heap, Rob Housler, Jim Dray, Zach Miller, Anthony McCoy, Cameron Morrah, Lance Kendricks, Billy Bajema, Michael Hoomanawanui and Stephen Spach.

We'll continue this conversation in the not-too-distant future. First, off to the NFC West chat.

The St. Louis Rams' list of unrestricted free agents got a little shorter Thursday when longtime punter Donnie Jones reached an agreement with the Houston Texans.

Jones, 31, was generally outstanding for the Rams during five seasons with the team. He was twice a second-team Associated Press All-Pro selection.

Teammate Steven Jackson has called Jones the one Rams player he thought most deserving of the Pro Bowl.

The Rams have yet to re-sign any of their UFAs, no surprise as they break from the past and generally seek to get younger.

The Rams signed punter Tom Malone this offseason. Malone has spent time with New England, Seattle and San Francisco without playing in a regular-season game.

Dave Zastudil, Brad Maynard, Mat McBriar, Matt Turk and Daniel Sepulveda are among the UFA punters without contracts.

The chart lists the Rams' UFAs and their statuses. Brandon Lloyd and Chris Chamberlain were the only ones to sign elsewhere before Jones reached agreement with the Texans.

I'll be surprised if the Rams' new leadership re-signs more than a couple of the players listed. Most are older players. The Rams currently have the youngest roster in the NFL, slightly younger than those for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks.

Michael Robinson's expected re-signing with the Seattle Seahawks would give the team a league-high four re-signings in the unrestricted free-agent market.

Red Bryant, Paul McQuistan and Heath Farwell previously re-signed.

Seattle and the other NFC West teams have added only two UFAs from other teams, however. I've put together UFA scorecards for each team in the division. Ages are in parenthesis. Here goes ...

Seattle Seahawks

UFA unsigned (age): defensive end Raheem Brock (33), defensive lineman Jimmy Wilkerson (31), safety Atari Bigby (30), quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (29), linebacker Leroy Hill (29), linebacker Matt McCoy (29), defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove (28), linebacker David Hawthorne (26), running back Justin Forsett (26), linebacker David Vobora (25)

UFA re-signed: Farwell (30), Robinson (29), McQuistan (28), Bryant (27)

UFA added: none

UFA lost: tight end John Carlson (27)

Franchise player: none

Comment: Forsett has provided value, but the Seahawks will want to add a power back as depth behind Marshawn Lynch, who re-signed before free agency. Mike Tolbert, a free agent from the San Diego Chargers, could be worth a look if the running back market remains soft. Tolbert weighs 243 pounds, has 21 total touchdowns over the past two seasons, and caught 54 passes in 2012. The price would have to be right after Seattle committed to Lynch.

San Francisco 49ers

UFA unsigned: fullback Moran Norris (33), tight end Justin Peelle (33), safety Madieu Williams (30), quarterback Alex Smith (27), receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (26), guard Chilo Rachal (26), safety Reggie Smith (25)

UFA re-signed: cornerback Carlos Rogers (30), linebacker Tavares Gooden (27)

UFA added: none

UFA lost: guard Adam Snyder (30), linebacker Blake Costanzo (27), receiver Josh Morgan (26)

Franchise player: safety Dashon Goldson (27)

Comment: Randy Moss and potential addition Rock Cartwright do not appear in the listings because they were not unrestricted free agents. Re-signing Alex Smith and finding additional receiver help appear to be the top priorities. The 49ers are showing little outward urgency on either front, however.

Arizona Cardinals

UFA unsigned: defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday (36), kicker Jay Feely (35), long-snapper Mike Leach (35), outside linebacker Clark Haggans (35), outside linebacker Joey Porter (34), offensive lineman Floyd Womack (33), punter Dave Zastudil (33), tackle D'Anthony Batiste (29), safety Sean Considine (29), guard Deuce Lutui (28), safety Hamza Abdullah (28), tackle Brandon Keith (27), receiver Early Doucet (26)

UFA re-signed: none.

UFA added: Snyder (30)

UFA lost: cornerback Richard Marshall (27)

Franchise player: defensive end Calais Campbell (25)

Comment: The Cardinals have been in a tough spot. They would have faced criticism had they declined to pursue Peyton Manning. They could now face criticism for sacrificing the first week of free agency while waiting for Manning. The reality is that Arizona probably wasn't going to be all that aggressive in the market this offseason, anyway. It did hurt losing Marshall to the Miami Dolphins after coordinator Ray Horton called him the Cardinals' defensive MVP.

St. Louis Rams

UFA unsigned: cornerback Al Harris (37), quarterback A.J. Feeley (34), offensive lineman Tony Wragge (32), linebacker Brady Poppinga (32), punter Donnie Jones (31), offensive lineman Adam Goldberg (31), guard Jacob Bell (31), receiver Brandon Lloyd (30), cornerback Rod Hood (30), running back Cadillac Williams (29), defensive tackle Gary Gibson (29), receiver Mark Clayton (29), tackle Mark LeVoir (29), tight end Stephen Spach (29), safety James Butler (29), tight end Billy Bajema (29), quarterback Kellen Clemens (28), running back Jerious Norwood (28), linebacker Bryan Kehl (27), linebacker Chris Chamberlain (26), cornerback Justin King (24)

UFA re-signed: none

UFA added: cornerback Cortland Finnegan (28)

UFA lost: none

Franchise player: none

Comment: The Rams are not looking to re-sign many of their own free agents. They want to turn over the roster, and that is happening in a big way. The team's failure to secure playmaking help for quarterback Sam Bradford stands out as the biggest theme to this point. Finnegan was a welcome addition, but he isn't going to score many touchdowns.

The chart below shows a general overview.

The St. Louis Rams have 20 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

I'm not sure any of them qualify as players the Rams absolutely must bring back, particularly with a new coach and new schemes on both sides of the ball.

Receiver Brandon Lloyd would help fill a need, but at what price? Would he fit as well in a new offense after producing at disproportionate levels to this point when paired with former coordinator Josh McDaniels, now in New England?

Guard Jacob Bell played for new coach Jeff Fisher in Tennessee. He might have more value to the new staff than he had to the old one; McDaniels wanted more powerful guards, such as Harvey Dahl.

This item, like the previous one for Arizona, expands upon Brian McIntyre's lists. I've added columns for offensive and defensive snap counts from 2011, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information. The final column shows how much each player's previous contract averaged.

Update: Punter Donnie Jones is also an unrestricted free agent. His previous contracted averaged not quite $1.2 million.

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Receiver Danny Amendola, listed with the restricted free agents below, has not played since suffering an elbow injury in the 2011 season opener.

Five things I noticed while watching the San Francisco 49ers' final game of the 2011 regular season, a 34-27 victory over the St. Louis Rams in the Edward Jones Dome:

• Justin Smith's hidden impact: Parys Haralson stuffed Rams running back Steven Jackson for no gain on St. Louis' first play of the game. What did Smith have to do with the play? Well, the Rams assigned the left side of their offensive line to block Smith on the play. That left Haralson singled up against tight end Stephen Spach, who had lined up in the backfield. Haralson made a nice play. He gets credit for shedding Spach. Smith made Haralson's job a lot easier. Smith also applied the pressure that forced Jerious Norwood into an errant throw on a trick play. Cornerback Tarell Brown picked off the pass.
• Good trial run for Willis: The fact that Patrick Willis got through this game without aggravating his hamstring injury counts as a victory. Willis was rusty and sometimes not close to his usual self in this game. Better to shake off the rust in Week 17 than in a playoff game. At his sharpest, I suspect Willis would have chased down and punished Rams quarterback Kellen Clemens before Clemens could scramble for an 18-yard touchdown. Clemens was running across the yard-line numbers at the 17 when Willis, also positioned near the numbers, gave chase from the 9. Willis stumbled and fell in pursuit, giving Clemens a path to the end zone.
• Hat tip to Peelle, Gore: Alex Smith rolled right, cut back hard enough to slip, gathered himself and ran for a touchdown on third-and-goal from the 8. Good play by the quarterback? Yes, and also by his teammates. Tight end Justin Peelle and running back Frank Gore made the play possible. They alertly went into blocking mode and escorted Smith to the end zone. Peelle dove and chopped down James Laurinaitis at the 5. Gore took out linebacker Chris Chamberlain at the knees.
• Goldson dishing it out: Free safety Dashon Goldson has stood out all season for big hits. On third-and-18 in the third quarter, Goldson raced to the left flat and took out Jackson at the thighs, sending the 245-pound back airborne. This was a play made of mismatches. Willis ducked under fill-in offensive lineman Bryan Mattison at the line of scrimmage and was in Clemens' face too quickly, even for a screen play. The pass was a bit off-target. Goldson then outran Mattison to take out Jackson. Because Jackson was hunched over and reaching for the ball, his arm was vulnerable. Goldson smashed into the arm while making the tackle. Jackson suffered an injury to the arm and did not return.
• Third-down struggles. The 49ers converted 38 percent of their third-down chances, better than their season average of 29.4, which ranked 31st in the league. But the 49ers averaged only 2.5 yards gained on 15 plays of third-and-3 or longer. NFC playoff teams New Orleans (first), Green Bay (third) and Atlanta (sixth) ranked among the NFL's top six in third-down conversion rate this season. The New York Giants (14th) and Detroit Lions (20th) ranked lower.

All for now.

Brandon Lloyd's arrival in St. Louis has coincided with Steven Jackson's fuller return to health over the past two weeks.

The offense has gone through quite a transition.

With an assist from Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, I've put together a chart showing how playing time has changed for the Rams' skill players over the last two games.

Some of the changes are injury related (Jackson is healthy, Danny Amendola is on injured reserve). Some are roster related (Lloyd added, Mike Sims-Walker subtracted). Some are a little more complicated (Lance Kendricks seeing the field less frequently).

Of course, A.J. Feeley has taken over for the injured Sam Bradford at quarterback. The offensive line has changed since Adam Goldberg replaced an injured Jason Smith at right tackle.

A few quick thoughts:

• Rookie Greg Salas is getting significantly more playing time. The team successfully targeted him on a fourth-and-2 play against New Orleans on Sunday. He appears to be gaining momentum. Fellow rookie wideout Austin Pettis has seen his playing time fall.
• Tight end Michael Hoomanawanui has gained snaps at Kendricks' expense. Kendricks has sometimes struggled with dropped passes, but I haven't figured out for sure why his playing time has diminished. A healthier Hoomanwanui would account for some of the change. The team has run 10 snaps of a grouping with Lloyd, Jackson and all three tight ends.
• Receiver Danario Alexander was inactive with a hamstring injury against New Orleans. Against Dallas, he played 13 snaps with a group featuring Lloyd, Jackson, Billy Bajema and Hoomanawanui. That five-man combination has played more snaps than any other featuring Lloyd. The runnerup, with 11 snaps, features Brandon Gibson, Kendricks and Salas instead of Bajema, Hoomanawanui and Alexander.
• Again, this offense remains in transition. We can safely say Lloyd is the focal point at receiver. Salas and Hoomanawanui have been gaining, while Pettis and Kendricks have fallen back some. But the combinations will continue to evolve, particularly once Bradford returns from his high-ankle sprain. Bradford and Kendricks developed a quick connection at training camp.

The chart shows percentages of all offensive plays, whether or not a player was active, sorted by change from the first six weeks.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The St. Louis Rams and New York Giants have submitted their inactive lists for their Monday night matchup.

• Rams: receiver Danny Amendola, running back Steven Jackson, receiver Austin Pettis, safety Jermale Hines, linebacker Jabara Williams, tight end Stephen Spach and defensive end C.J. Ah You. Jackson tested his strained quadriceps during warmups, but was never expected to play. Amendola is recovering from a dislocated elbow. Rookie defensive end Robert Quinn is active after sitting out the opener. Ah You underwent wrist surgery recently. Right tackle Jason Smith, who suffered an ankle injury in the opener, is active.
• Giants: receiver Jerrel Jernigan, cornerback Prince Amukamara, running back Da'Rel Scott, tight end Travis Beckum, guard Mitch Petrus, defensive end Osi Umenyiora and tackle James Brewer. Umenyiora and fellow Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck missed the opener with injuries. Tuck is active and, if sufficiently healthy, will likely present matchup problems for the Rams, particularly when lined up against Smith.

We're about an hour from kickoff. I'm seeing Rams fans wearing Eric Dickerson and Jack Youngblood jerseys, and another with a Sam Bradford jersey. The stadium remains mostly empty at this time, however.

Stephen Spach's release from the Arizona Cardinals over the weekend came at a good time for the St. Louis Rams.

The Rams needed a tough, experienced tight end to help get them through while their No. 2 option, Michael Hoomanawanui, recovered from a calf injury.

Spach, already on the Rams' practice field Monday, is that type of tight end. He also played for New England when Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was there in 2007. That means he'll be familiar with the Rams' offense.

Spach does not project as a regular receiving target, but the Rams do not need one at the position. Rookie Lance Kendricks showed during camp and the preseason he's ready for the role. Spach brings toughness and an edge to the Rams, elements the team sought to add this offseason by signing guard Harvey Dahl, among others.

It's not clear how long Spach will stick around. Hoomanawanui is not expected to practice this week. Spach is a good fit for the Rams in the short term, at least.

Catching up with various moves around the edges of NFC West rosters Sunday:

• Seattle Seahawks: released kicker Jeff Reed, defensive lineman Junior Siavii, defensive lineman Pep Levingston and linebacker David Vobora; claimed defensive lineman Landon Cohen (New England), kicker Steven Hauschka (Denver), defensive lineman Al Woods (Tampa Bay) and tackle Jarriel King (New York Giants).
• Arizona Cardinals: released rookie linebacker Quan Sturdivant and veteran tight end Stephen Spach; put in a failed waiver claim for receiver Brandon Tate; agreed to terms with veteran running back Chester Taylor; claimed defensive backs Crezdon Butler (Pittsburgh) and Korey Lindsey (Cincinnati) off waivers.
• St. Louis Rams: lost quarterback Thaddeus Lewis to Cleveland, defensive end George Selvie to Carolina and receiver Mardy Gilyard to the New York Jets on waiver claims; agreed to terms with veteran interior offensive lineman Tony Wragge.
• San Francisco 49ers: claimed quarterback Scott Tolzien off waivers from San Diego, releasing linebacker Keaton Kristick with an injury designation to make room on the roster; put in a failed waiver claim for former New England tight end Lee Smith.

Teams are also assembling practice squads. The 49ers announced adding seven players to theirs, all released by the team on the reduction to 53 players. I'll round up those additions once they become official.

Teams relying on players coming off injuries and others who are unproven head into the 2011 NFL season with fewer returning starters.

The Seattle Seahawks are one of those teams.

Four projected Seattle starters -- Kam Chancellor, Leroy Hill, John Moffitt and James Carpenter -- started zero games last season. Three more -- Tarvaris Jackson, Max Unger, and Walter Thurmond -- made a single start.

Those are high numbers, a reflection of the Seahawks' youth movement and reliance upon talented players coming off injuries.

The figure for the San Francisco 49ers is one projected starter with zero 2010 starts (Ray McDonald). It is likewise one for the St. Louis Rams (Lance Kendricks) and up to three for the Arizona Cardinals (Dan Williams, possibly Anthony Sherman and A.J. Jefferson or Patrick Peterson).

Arizona has a high number of 2010 starts for players projected as backups for 2011, even after I moved Deuce Lutui into the lineup over Rex Hadnot at right guard. Richard Marshall, Floyd Womack, Stephen Spach, Jeff King and Paris Lenon or Stewart Bradley are backups with at least 11 starts last season.

Now, a look at Seattle's projected starters and why so many weren't in NFL lineups much last season:

• Leroy Hill, LB (0): Opened last season as a backup, then suffered Achilles' tendon injury that landed him on injured reserve Oct. 1.
• James Carpenter, RT (0): Was finishing his college career at Alabama last season.
• John Moffitt, RG (0): Was finishing his college career at Wisconsin last season.
• Kam Chancellor, SS (0): Spent rookie season backing up veteran Lawyer Milloy.
• Tarvaris Jackson, QB (1): Backed up Brett Favre in Minnesota.
• Max Unger, C (1): Suffered toe injury in opener, landed on injured reserve.
• Walter Thurmond, CB (1): A rookie last season, Thurmond was still recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in college.
• Alan Branch, DT (3): Rotation player for the Cardinals.
• Michael Robinson, FB (4): Fullbacks aren't always on the field.
• Sidney Rice, WR (5): Missed most of the season following hip surgery.
• Red Bryant, DE (7): Suffered season-ending injury to ACL against Oakland.
• Russell Okung, LT (10): Multiple ankle injuries set him back as a rookie.
• Robert Gallery, LG (12): Had a hamstring injury and missed four games with Oakland.
• Brandon Mebane, DT (12): Missed four games after suffering a calf injury.
• Mike Williams, WR (13): Foot injuries sidelined him for stretches.
• Marshawn Lynch, RB (14): Played 16 games, but did not start first and last games of regular season.
• Zach Miller, TE (15): While with Raiders, missed game against Kansas City with foot injury.
• Marcus Trufant, CB (16): Played through the ankle injury he suffered against San Diego.
• Earl Thomas, FS (16): Thomas isn't big for a safety, but he throws his body around and held up well as a rookie.
• David Hawthorne, LB (16): Has played in all but two games during three-year career.
• Aaron Curry, LB (16): Started every game in 2010 after missing final two of rookie season.
• Chris Clemons, DE (16): Played hurt and still produced, leading the division in sacks.

Four projected Seattle starters missed at least half the 2010 season to injuries (Hill, Unger, Rice, Bryant). Three others missed at least one-fourth the season to injuries (Okung, Gallery, Mebane). Four others were backups (Jackson, Thurmond, Branch, Chancellor). Two more were in college (Moffitt, Carpenter).

The team is counting on increased production from most of these players.

The chart totals 2010 starts for current NFC West players, regardless of where they played last season. An initial league-wide analysis showed the Rams with the highest figure and the Seahawks with the lowest, but I haven't had time to verify the numbers for every team in the league. I did verify them for NFC West teams, breaking out the numbers for projected backups and starters.

The Rams have added quite a few veteran players to their roster this season.

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.

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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.

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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?

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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.
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Kevin Kolb's arrival from Philadelphia gives the Arizona Cardinals renewed hope at quarterback and clear direction following Kurt Warner's retirement.

It provides a fresh start after a forgettable 2010 transition season for Arizona.

So much has changed for the Cardinals since their Super Bowl appearance following the 2008 season. Other rosters around the league have turned over since then, of course, but not every team was coming off a Super Bowl appearance.

Quite a few teams have sought change. For the Cardinals, it just happened.

Warner's departure, while easily the biggest change, was far from the only one. Between five and eight starters from that Super Bowl game project as starters in 2011, depending upon how many of the team's unrestricted free agents re-sign.

When Steve Breaston left the Cardinals for Kansas City this week, drawing attention to the cumulative effect of Arizona's roster upheaval, a Seahawks fan drew parallels between Seattle's post-Super Bowl decline and the Cardinals' plight last season.

"Don't misunderstand," Ricky Frey wrote on my Facebook wall, "I'm a Hawks fan, but it seems eerily familiar to watch this happen and know what happened to Holmgren/Mora. Writing on the wall?"

Not if Kolb has anything to say about it. Acquiring a relatively young, potentially ascending quarterback puts Arizona in position to avoid the decline Seattle experienced as a Matt Hasselbeck struggled with injuries while the roster around him withered away. The NFC West remains in transition overall, and the Cardinals know it.

"It’s obviously winnable, but it’s funny to think that everybody thinks you can just step in and win it," Kolb told reporters Friday. "You’re talking about NFL football teams here. I know last year 7-9 is what won it, but it doesn’t matter. ... The door is open, we know, and we’ll be ready to kick it in when it’s time, but it’s not going to be an easy task."

Larry Fitzgerald, Levi Brown, Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson and the recently re-signed Lyle Sendlein started for Arizona in the Super Bowl and remain starters in 2011. Another starter from that Super Bowl game, Gerald Hayes, was released this week. Three more are becoming unrestricted free agents: Deuce Lutui, Bryan Robinson and Gabe Watson.

Six Arizona starters from that game are retired or did not play last season: Mike Gandy, Warner, Edgerrin James, Terrelle Smith, Chike Okeafor and Monty Beisel. Seven more play for other teams: Reggie Wells, Leonard Pope, Anquan Boldin, Antonio Smith, Karlos Dansby, Antrel Rolle and the recently traded Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Some were role players. Others were tougher to replace.

Breaston was a backup on that team, but he played extensively as the third receiver and finished the season with more than 1,000 yards.

Kolb's addition headlined a flurry of transactions the Cardinals announced Thursday and Friday.

Sendlein, safety Hamza Abdullah, cornerback Michael Adams, tackle D'Anthony Batiste, center Ben Claxton, punter Ben Graham, fullback Reagan Maui'a and tight end Stephen Spach re-signed.

Five draft choices have signed. Guard Daryn Colledge, defensive end Nick Eason, tight end Jeff King, receiver Chansi Stuckey and linebacker Stewart Bradley have signed as free agents from other teams.

Re-signing Sendlein while adding Kolb, Colledge and Bradley suggests the 2011 team is still coming together, not necessarily falling apart.

Our ongoing discussion on tight ends raised questions about which ones possess the best -- and worst -- hands.

"Any way you can add in 'thrown to' and 'drops' in this stat?" Furfanam asked in one comments section.

Consider it done.

Jason Vida of ESPN Stats & Information produced the information. I've broken it out in four charts. A few notes on the findings:

• Jason Witten, who edged Antonio Gates for the top spot in our rankings, dropped only two of the 126 passes thrown his way last season. That gave him easily the lowest drop rate -- 1.6 percent -- among tight ends with at least 50 receptions.
• Heath Miller had the most receptions (42) without a drop. Green Bay's Jermichael Finley (21), Jacksonville's Zach Miller (20) and Jim Kleinsasser (17) were next.
• Brandon Pettigrew, Dustin Keller and Kevin Boss had the most drops with nine apiece. Chris Cooley, Tony Gonzalez, Aaron Hernandez and Owen Daniels were next with six each.
• The St. Louis Rams' Daniel Fells ranked 13th in lowest drop percentage among players with at least 20 targets. Teammate Billy Bajema, with three drops in 21 targets, had the highest drop percentage in the same category.

The first chart ranks NFL tight ends by most receptions. It also shows number of targets, drops and drop percentage. Witten, Jacob Tamme and Gates were the only tight ends with at least 50 receptions and no more than two dropped passes.



The second chart shows lowest drop percentages among tight ends targeted at least 20 times last season. Miller's standing atop the list backs up James Walker's contention that the Pittsburgh Steelers tight end was underrated in our power rankings.



The third chart ranks NFL tight ends with at least 20 targets by the highest percentage of dropped passes.

ESPN Stats & Information's totals on Bajema matched my charting. I had Bajema dropping passes against Tennessee, Denver and Arizona.



The final chart focuses only on NFC West tight ends, ranking them by lowest percentage of dropped passes.

There is Vernon Davis and then there is everyone else among tight ends in the NFC West.

I'll have more on Davis, who needs just four touchdown receptions to tie Brent Jones' franchise record, when our positional power rankings go live later Tuesday.

A quick look at some of the others in the division:

John Carlson
#89 TE
Seattle Seahawks
2010 STATS
• Rec31
• Yds318
• TD1
• Avg10.3
• Long37
• YAC131
• Most confounding: John Carlson, Seattle Seahawks. Carlson has had three head coaches in three NFL seasons. His reception total has declined every season, from 55 as a rookie to 31 last season. The Seahawks figured out how to use him late in 2010. Carlson caught two scoring passes against New Orleans in the playoffs, making the most of play-action fakes. Cameron Morrah increasingly became the tight end Seattle flexed out as a wide receiver type.
• Most upside: Mike Hoomanawanui, St. Louis Rams. The rookie caught scoring passes covering 25 and 36 yards in his final two starts before injury removed him from the lineup. Hoomanawanui caught three scoring passes in eight games. Teammate Daniel Fells has five touchdowns in 42 games with the Rams. Billy Bajema has two in 29 games. Hoomanawanui showed he can pass-protect as well.
• Most invisible: Any tight ends playing for the Arizona Cardinals. The team has had ample targets at wide receiver and no need to funnel passes toward Ben Patrick, Stephen Spach, Jim Dray or any of the other tight ends to play for the team in recent seasons. Arizona tight ends have three scoring receptions over the past three seasons, two by Patrick.
• Keep an eye on: Morrah. A seventh-round choice by Seattle in 2009, Morrah caught 12 passes over the team's final seven games last season, including a 39-yarder against New Orleans in the playoffs. He looks like strictly a receiving threat at this point. How will he fit in an offense led by new coordinator Darrell Bevell and assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable?
• Do not write off yet: Fendi Onobun, Rams. The team thought during training camp that Onobun would earn snaps as a rookie. Projections changed once players put on the pads and started hitting. Can Onobun become more than a converted basketball player?
• Most overshadowed: Delanie Walker, 49ers. Walker's speed and overall athletic ability have given the 49ers flexibility within their personnel groupings featuring two tight ends. Davis has rarely come off the field, however. If that continues, as expected, Walker's touches will be limited. He did set a career high with 29 receptions last season.

The chart shows leading receivers among NFC West tight ends since 2008.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says letting safety Oshiomogho Atogwe depart in free agency could raise questions about new owner Stan Kroenke if the decision came down to money. But there were probably other factors. Miklasz: "And I also realize that Atogwe's role had changed in the Steve Spagnuolo defense. Atogwe was no longer a sweeper back, looking to pounce on loose footballs at the rear of the Rams defense. Atogwe had to line up more frequently in the box, or close to the box. This cut down on Atogwe's takeaway rate. Rams safeties have to be enforcers in the Spags system. Atogwe was more of a free-lancer with nice range. This wasn't an ideal fit." Earlier: my thoughts on the Atogwe situation.

Also from Miklasz: He'd like to see Kroenke keep a higher profile. Miklasz: "We still don't have a handle on what to expect from him as the owner. When the new agreement is in place, the NFL will open its annual free-agent market. Will the Rams be major players, conservative shoppers or stay on the sidelines? Will Kroenke encourage GM Billy Devaney to go out and do what he needs to improve the roster? Or will Kroenke urge caution?"

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams receivers could get together with Sam Bradford on their own. Danario Alexander: "I'm sure we're going to get together. Sam is going to get us all together and we'll go probably a week or two, just working on routes and stuff like that."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic notes that the Cardinals did not extend restricted free-agent tenders to tight ends Ben Patrick and Stephen Spach. The NFL Players Association lists each as having four accrued seasons even though Spach has played in parts of five. Both would qualify as unrestricted free agents under long-accepted terms of the previous labor agreement, but those definitions could change under a new deal. In the meantime, none of this really matters.

Also from Somers: Getting a new labor deal would help the Cardinals in particular. Somers: "Cardinals officials have said little about the labor negotiations, but the folks running the football department had to be fearful of a prolonged lockout. The Cardinals need a productive off-season to solve their problems, and a long lockout would mean a condensed time frame in which to re-sign and players and pursue free agents."

More from the Republic: An elementary school honors the Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald with a mural of the Pro Bowl wideout. Said a teacher: "His mural has a dual purpose. It honors Larry Fitzgerald, but at the same time it provokes a question that students must answer one day. How will people paint you when you grow up? Will you leave a positive legacy?"

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers' assistant coaches would suffer a 20 percent pay reduction immediately and a 40 percent cut beginning in August during a lockout, with the ability to earn back all the money if the team played a full schedule in 2o11, according to NFL Coaches association executive director Larry Kennan. Maiocco: "Kennan said the 49ers and the Raiders generally rank below the top teams when it comes to how they treat their coaches. Kennan said the New York Giants, Packers, Cowboys, Broncos, Dolphins, Colts, Steelers, Redskins, Eagles and Ravens are among the teams with the best reputations for working with assistant coaches."

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says the 49ers' long-term interests hinge of getting a labor deal suitable to them. Lynch: "In the long run, the 49ers need a strong deal for ownership so they can fund their new stadium. Unlike many of their fellow owners, the Yorks are not billionaires. They also don't have a thriving side business that could help fund the football operation. Also, the 49ers are one of the lowest revenue teams, if not the lowest, in the league. Consequently, the 49ers will likely push for a huge set aside for stadium construction not only in savings realized from lowering the percentage devoted to players' compensation, but also from their fellow owners. Being a low-revenue generator, the 49ers will likely want to retain as much revenue sharing as possible."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat passes along Mike Singletary's comments regarding Alex Smith's 2010 season, as told to ESPN's Colin Cowherd. Singletary: "I’ll put it this way. I believed in Alex Smith before the season started. I think the most important thing for a guy that has struggled like Alex has -- I think the most important thing for him is to get him off to an early start. And our first five games were brutal. And so they were all playoff teams. And so we don’t get off to a good start. And when you don’t do that, then maybe Alex begins to look at himself and think ‘Maybe I’m not the guy.’ Maybe some of the players begin to look around and go ‘I thought we had it maybe we’re not.’ I just felt that if we could have got off to a better start then I think the season would have been a whole lot different."

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle says Matt Hasselbeck's price went up when the Seahawks failed to reach agreement with him before the league year expired. He expects the San Francisco 49ers in particular to show interest in Hasselbeck. How much interest? That is hard to say. Coach Jim Harbaugh has been talking up Smith recently, in part because the 49ers haven't had other options at quarterback. Hasselbeck would present another option. I don't think the Seahawks would panic if they lost Hasselbeck to a division rival; they're building for the longer term and realize Hasselbeck hasn't posted a single-season passer rating higher than 75.1 during the last three seasons. They also realize Hasselbeck might be their best option, and it makes little sense to get worse at a critical position.