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A quick look at front-office happenings around the NFC West:

• Seattle: Longtime Seahawks personnel evaluator Will Lewis is no longer with the team, Adam Schefter reports. Lewis had been vice president of football operations following a long stint as pro personnel director. He stayed with the team when John Schneider arrived as general manager, and the fit seemed good because the two had worked together in Green Bay. The team's flow chart became a bit top-heavy, in retrospect, when former San Francisco 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan joined the team as senior personnel executive in June 2010.
• San Francisco: Trent Baalke's three-year contract extension through 2016 seemed like a matter of when, not if, following the teams' 13-3 record. Just about every move the 49ers made contributed to their deep playoff run. Baalke's top lieutenant, Tom Gamble, has interviewed for the GM job in St. Louis. The 49ers do not want to lose him, but with Baalke signed for the long term, the front-office dynamic should remain similar either way.
• Arizona: Steve Keim, the Cardinals' director of player personnel, has also interviewed for the Rams' GM job. He has been with Arizona since 1999, an unusually long run with one organization. Rod Graves is the general manager, but Keim carries a significant part of the personnel load. The team lists director of pro personnel T.J. McCreight, director of football administration Reggie Terry and assistant pro personnel director Quentin Harris next on its football operations list. They joined the Cardinals in 2009 (McCreight), 2007 (Terry) and 2008 (Harris).
• St. Louis: The latest report from St. Louis suggests the 49ers and Cardinals need not worry about losing top execs to a division rival this offseason. Minnesota's George Paton and Atlanta's Les Snead have emerged as finalists for the GM job, with Paton as the most likely choice, Jim Thomas reports. Check out Paton's profile here.

Enjoy your Saturday.

Aaron Levine's report about the Seattle Seahawks hoping to bring a Super Bowl to the Northwest sent me back through notes to a 2002 interview with team owner Paul Allen.

The Seahawks were about to open their new stadium at the time, so it was natural to ask Allen whether the organization could bring a Super Bowl to Seattle.

"It is certainly do-able," Allen said at the time. "The league, there hasn’t been one in a northern city for some time. There is some talk of New York and Washington. Certainly, our hat is in the ring if they decide to look beyond cities like that."

The recent positive Super Bowl experience in Indianapolis would seem to help.

"I think probably it will be in another Northern city first," Allen said during that 2002 interview, "and if it’s a positive experience, hopefully some momentum will build."

CenturyLink Field is an open-air facility, however, and that could be a problem. The NFL sent the Super Bowl to Indianapolis knowing Lucas Oil Stadium would shield fans and players from inclement weather. Indianapolis is also a major-league destination for conventions. Skywalks connect downtown hotels.

Steve Rudman of Sports Press Northwest looks at Shaun Alexander's Hall of Fame credentials following Cortez Kennedy's induction. He compares Alexander's production to that for Curtis Martin, something I'll break out later on the blog.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com breaks out pertinent NFL dates and makes this notation about the Cardinals regarding free agency: "The Cards have four restricted free agents (guys who could leave, but the Cards, if they tender an offer, have right of first refusal): running back LaRod Stephens-Howling, linebacker Reggie Walker, safety Rashad Johnson and cornerback Greg Toler." Note: Re-signing unrestricted free agent Calais Campbell has to be the top priority as far as addressing players already on the roster.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch updates the Rams' search for a general manager. The 49ers' Tom Gamble is next up, with Minnesota's George Paton up for a second interview. Thomas: "Gamble will be the ninth candidate to interview for the job. The others: Paton; Joey Clinkscales, vice president of college for the New York Jets; Lake Dawson, vice president of player personnel for Tennessee; Brian Gaine, director of player personnel for Miami; Ryan Grigson, director of player personnel for Philadelphia; Ron Hill, vice president of football operations for the NFL; Steve Keim, director of player personnel for Arizona; and Les Snead, director of player personnel for Atlanta. Grigson has since been hired as general manager by Indianapolis."

Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis says the Rams have signed an offensive lineman from the CFL.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com takes a look at how the 49ers' receivers performed in 2011. On Josh Morgan: "Morgan's rehab is ahead of schedule, and he should be able to participate in the entire offseason program. He is scheduled to be a free agent, and it would seem to make sense for the sides to agree on a contract for next season. In five games, Morgan caught 15 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco 49ers looks at which draft choices the 49ers hold for 2012.

News that the St. Louis Rams are considering San Francisco's Tom Gamble and, earlier, Arizona's Steve Keim as general manager candidates makes sense from at least one perspective.

Both men would give new coach Jeff Fisher direct, inside knowledge of teams the Rams must beat to become competitive again. St. Louis went 0-6 in the NFC West this past season. Fisher was not in the NFL last season. He was previously in the AFC South. He'll have a full offseason to study the Rams' division rivals, but Gamble and Keim would bring institutional knowledge an NFC West outsider would not.

The 49ers have focused on re-signing their own players and avoiding big free-agent purchases in recent seasons. Gamble would presumably bring to St. Louis the same mindset -- one Fisher was familiar with while working with GM Mike Reinfeldt in Tennessee.

Minnesota's George Paton is also among those under consideration, having received a second interview. From Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Paton is highly regarded within the Vikings organization, and his responsibilities are expected to expand should he stay in Minnesota. Paton played a large role in the trade for defensive end Jared Allen in 2008."

Finding a GM with the personality and people skills to work well with Fisher stands as a leading consideration for the Rams.

Defensive coordinator Ray Horton isn't the only Arizona Cardinals employee expected to interview with the St. Louis Rams this offseason. Steve Keim, director of player personnel, has surfaced as a candidate on the general manager front, according to Mike Jurecki of XTRA Sports 910 in Phoenix.

This is good strategy by the Rams even if they're still focusing primarily on hiring Jeff Fisher as head coach and a Fisher-vetted candidate for GM. The team gets a chance to learn more about its rivals in the division -- rivals that went 6-0 against St. Louis this season and 20-4 against the Rams since 2007.

Keim's name has surfaced previously in media speculation surrounding jobs in the division. That was the case back before the Seattle Seahawks hired John Schneider as general manager. Keim never interviewed with Seattle. His standing took a hit when the Cardinals went 5-11 last season and 1-6 to open 2011. But with the Cardinals rallying to 8-8, the overall success Arizona has enjoyed since 2007 comes back into focus.

The Rams would be wise to check out other candidates in the division as well. San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley are two assistants I would investigate. Both have overseen units that have gone young over the last few seasons. The 49ers' overall success under Jim Harbaugh should make Roman appealing. Seattle's defensive improvement has been striking.

The fact that current Seahawks coach Pete Carroll retained Bradley from Jim Mora's staff and kept him in place as coordinator also speaks well of Bradley. How many defensive-minded head coaches retain the defensive coordinators they inherit from previous regimes? That is highly unusual.

Seattle's assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable also stands out as a candidate to consider. Cable's history with Oakland included some controversial moments, but the Rams would have to like the way Seattle's ground game kept getting strong production despite suffering injuries similar to the ones that undermined the Rams' offense.

The Seahawks' ability to identify and acquire young talent through the draft and off the street should make members of their personnel department appealing to the Rams. Vice president of football operations Will Lewis and senior personnel executive Scot McCloughan are the most experienced high-ranking members of Schneider's staff. Both were with the Green Bay Packers with Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson in the 1990s; McCloughan helped to acquire much of the 49ers' current talent while serving in senior positions with the team.

The 49ers' more recent success in the draft and free agency reflects well on Tom Gamble, the team's director of player personnel.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider sizes up the 49ers' inside linebackers. Lynch: "The best thing the 49ers do as a team is play inside linebacker. The reputed Patrick Willis remains the team's best player and largely because of his talents, the 49ers are excellent against the run. Last season may have been Willis's most challenging. Teams figured they had to run away from Willis or be devoured. Opposing offenses decide to run offensive linemen at Willis instead of running backs and his tackle total for the season dropped. Nevertheless, the 49ers dropped just two places from fourth to sixth according to profootballoutsiders.com in their effectiveness against the run. Even though Willis wasn't always making the tackle, they were still able to cage running backs. Why? Two words: Takeo Spikes." The 49ers' signing of Spikes before the 2008 season stands as one of the better low-profile moves an NFC West team has made in recent seasons. He projected as a one- or two-year stopgap initially, but Spikes has started 44 of 48 games. He's been credited with six interceptions and 16 passes defensed. At age 34, he does not appear finished.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains how 49ers kicker Fabrizio Scaccia can play in the Arena League during the lockout. The Cardinals' Cliff Louis is doing the same thing. Maiocco: "The players are required to report to their NFL teams when the lockout ends. The AFL is in Week 6 of their 18-game regular season. The Arena Bowl, the league championship, is scheduled for Aug. 12. Scaccia also played last fall with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' Tom Gamble and Tom Rathman were there when Eastern Washington University's Taiwan Jones ran for scouts. Branch: "Jones, perhaps the draft’s most tantalizing running-back prospect, clocked 40-yard dash times that ranged anywhere from 4.28 to 4.35 seconds, according to the figures from the phalanx of scouts on hand. Perspective: On a different surface, Maryland’s Da’Rel Scott had the fastest 40 (4.34) among running backs at the NFL Combine and Miami cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke had the fastest time overall (4.28). Jones also registered some other eye-opening measurables, including a 40-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot broad jump, five inches shy of the all-time combine record."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic gives the Cardinals a "C" grade for the first-round selections they've made since Ken Whisenhunt became head coach in 2007. The grade isn't any better for the second and third rounds. Somers on the first-rounders: "Levi Brown is the most controversial of the four, partly because the Cardinals passed on running back Adrian Peterson to take him. Whisenhunt defends Brown, who moved from right tackle to left in 2010, calling him an improving player. But Brown has been average, at best, and more is expected of a fifth pick. A bust? I don't say that. But more was/is expected. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie took a step back last year after making great progress his first two years. A Pro Bowler in 2009, he’s been worth the first-round pick. Wells has yet to live up to expectations, but I've seen the Cardinals give up too early on other backs. A little patience could pay dividends. Dan Williams showed improvement in the latter half of the 2010 season."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com profiles new defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who likes keeping people off-balance -- on the field and with the braided hair he wears. Urban: "In Horton’s world, he doesn’t want to be that predictable. He’ll drive to work various routes. If he’s playing golf, he may use a 6-iron on a particular shot and then, if a similar shot comes up again, try to 8-iron, just to see the difference. He’s also got the hair, which he started growing in Pittsburgh and -- when no one said anything -- just kept growing it, in part egged on by his players." Said Cardinals assistant DeShea Townsend: "Most coaches don’t have the good hair. That’s how I see it. This is his Samson moment."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' offensive linemen are working out together during the lockout. Thomas: "We train on Tuesdays and Thursdays together as a group. That way we get some camaraderie and cohesiveness that everybody who knows anything about football knows is important for our group. So we train together twice a week, and then most of us train there at other times during the day on a one-on-one basis [with a personal trainer]."

Also from Thomas: Draft prospects visiting the Rams hung out in the late Georgia Frontiere's posh suite at Rams Park, dining on steaks catered by Ruth's Chris. Julio Jones and Corey Liuget were among the 19 confirmed attendees.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says the Rams were better than expected at defensive end last season, including backups. Wagoner: "C.J. Ah You’s performance came as a bit of a surprise on the heels of his return from a season-ending knee injury in 2009. But he answered the bell as a third-down pass rush specialist as he was fourth on the team with four sacks and 10 quarterback hits and pressures while also showing the versatility to move inside. As a seventh-round choice, George Selvie impressed coaches with a strong preseason before he was put on the sidelines early with a foot injury. Selvie pushed through and contributed 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hits while also proving solid against the run."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says former receiver Michael Bumpus is giving soccer a try. Writes Mark Gaschk of soundersfc.com: "He started playing club soccer at age 13 with Santa Monica United and played his high school soccer at Culver City High School, where he was one of the better defenders in the region and was heavily recruited. He even went to Europe with his club team, where the soccer bug had him fully enraptured. However, when it came time to decide on his future in his senior year of high school, the scholarships he was being offered to play football outweighed a scenario that would have him playing soccer and paying his own way through college."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times provides a chat transcript featuring former Seahawks coach Jim Mora. Mora says the Eagles would be a great fit for Jake Locker. Also from Mora: "I'd like to see them re-sign Matt (Hasselbeck) just because I have so much respect for him and he's such an institution here in Seattle. But I think it's irresponsible as an organization if you don't address the future at such an important position as quarterback. And I think they've tried to address the future with the signing of Whitehurst and they'll continue to do so." But he thinks selecting Locker wouldn't be a great idea for Seattle.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at what the Rams have on offense and what they need heading into the offseason. Thomas on what the line needs: "You can get by with one 'finesse' blocker at guard, but not two. The Rams need a road grader there to help with run blocking and to neutralize wide-body DTs. One of the season's mysteries was why the Rams couldn't get John Greco in uniform over the second half of the season. The run blocking was at its best when Greco was part of a time-share at right guard with Adam Goldberg. A smart, tenacious player who helped keep Smith settled down on the right side, Goldberg lacked the bulk to handle bull rushes and power moves inside; he's scheduled for unrestricted free agency. At center, Jason Brown didn't play as well as he did in 2009. At left guard, Jacob Bell had some problems with power players but was generally effective." Adding a more dynamic threat at receiver could also help open up running lanes. Teams were able to load up against the run without enough regard for giving up the big play. That made life tougher for the linemen in ground game.

Also from Thomas: what the Rams have on defense and what they need. Thomas on what the team needs at linebacker: "A quality weakside linebacker, someone with range who can play the run and the pass, is one of the Rams' top overall needs. In an ideal world, this guy could also rush the passer. Too often the Rams got burned on outside runs because they couldn't hold the perimeter, or couldn't get to the edge in time. Too often, opposing running backs and tight ends leaked out late as receivers with the Rams slow to detect them, which meant what should have been small gains turned into costly bigger ones. Better play at outside linebacker would help shore up these problem areas."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hands out end-of-season awards for the Rams. He says it was "disgraceful" for the team to fire longtime equipment manager Todd Hewitt. Miklasz: "One thing I've learned from watching the good and the bad at Rams Park for the last 16 years is this: It's never healthy for coaches to worry about things that have nothing to do with winning or losing games. It's never healthy for coaches to be insecure about having 'their' guys in place all over the building. Hewitt was loyal to the Rams because he deeply loves the franchise -- which means he was loyal to Steve Spagnuolo and to all of the men who have passed through as the head coach."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune asks whether familiarity with the Chicago Bears can help the Seahawks when the teams play in the divisional-playoff round. Safety Lawyer Milloy: "I think it always helps. We know what to expect. We beat Chicago in their home stadium, but they’re definitely a different and better team since the last time we played them."

Doug Farrar of Sportspress Northwest says the Seahawks will face an improved Bears offense when the teams meet for the second time this season. Farrar: "In the second half of the season, the Bears have used pre-snap motion as often and as effectively as any team in the league. On their first play from scrimmage against the New York Jets in Week 16, the first formation was an empty backfield before running back Matt Forte and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna motioned into the backfield, changing the Jets’ interior defensive structure and loosening up the run defense enough for Forte to gain four yards. On the next play, Devin Hester’s motion from right to left forced the defensive backfield to shoft that way, which left Forte with an opening outside for an additional five yards on the ground. When extra blocking was needed, Manumaleuna might motion from inline to an I-formation or H-back look in order to give second-level protection and allow Jay Cutler to move and roll out in the pocket, and this was a major improvement."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says money isn't the only factor when it comes to the Cardinals re-signing Larry Fitzgerald. Somers: "The team needs an upgrade at quarterback to improve upon its 5-11 record this season, and to convince Fitzgerald that the offense is heading in the right direction. Fitzgerald caught 90 passes for 1,137 yards and six touchdowns this season, but he was open on numerous other occasions, and the quarterbacks had trouble getting him the ball. At this point, the Cardinals probably are doing most of the talking, and agent Eugene Parker likely is doing more listening."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the word "preliminary" in relation to contract talks can mean very little is going on substantively. Urban: "But the Cards have never been anything but sure they wanted to keep him long-term, and I have always thought his remaining in Arizona was the most likely outcome."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers will make some changes to their front office. Maiocco: "Tom Gamble, director of pro personnel, will become the team's director of player personnel. Gamble has been in the NFL for 23 seasons, the past six with the 49ers. He has worked for nine playoff teams -- five with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Philadelphia Eagles. After the promotion of Gamble, the 49ers plan to hire an experienced NFL executive to serve in a senior football advisor role."

Also from Maiocco: 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky interviews with Carolina.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at ties between the defense Dom Capers runs in Green Bay and the one Vic Fangio is expected to run with the 49ers. Barrows: "The two started coaching professional football together under (the elder) Jim Mora for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL. That team's famed 'Doghouse Defense' blitzed often and was one of the first to bring pass rushers from an array of angles. Many of the blitzes Capers uses today had their origins in the USFL 25 years ago and the experience influenced both men. The Stars appeared in all three of the league's championship games and won two of them."

Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' hiring of Jim Harbaugh stands as a coming-of-age moment for team president Jed York, who understands why people are skeptical about a leadership team featuring York and first-time general manager Trent Baalke. York: "I'm 29 years old, Trent's a first-time general manager. People are going to have questions. And we haven't done anything yet. It's time to get to work."

A few notes from 49ers president Jed York's conference call with reporters following Trent Baalke's promotion to vice president of player personnel:

• The 49ers complied with the Rooney Rule, though York would not say which minority candidates he interviewed;
• Joel Patten's hiring as college scouting director comes in conjunction with David McCloughan's departure from that post;
• Pro personnel director Tom Gamble will focus some on college personnel because York thinks it's important for guys on the pro side to have their own gut feel for college prospects, meaning they won't be entirely dependent on reading reports from guys on the college side;
• Baalke's power will be somewhat narrower than the powers of a general manager. He won't oversee areas relating to budgets or contract negotiations, for example. Baalke's experience is in personnel and his responsibilities reflect that focus;
• Mike Singletary will continue to hire and fire assistant coaches;
• Baalke, Singletary and executive vice president of business and football operations Paraag Marathe all report to York.

The structure seems to make sense on the surface. As noted previously, maintaining continuity in the short term had to be a top priority.

The 49ers announced a few moves Thursday that pretty much affirm their commitment to stay the course through at least the 2010 season.

Trent Baalke becomes vice president of player personnel after serving as director of player personnel for two seasons under general manager Scot McCloughan. Baalke had taken over most of McCloughan's duties after McCloughan left the organization in March. The 49ers said Baalke will "oversee all aspects of player personnel, including the draft, free agency, trades and re-signings" while continuing to manage the college and pro scouting departments.

Pro personnel director Tom Gamble takes on additional duties on the college side. Joel Patten, a former Redskins scout who spent 2009 as a regional scout for the Rams becomes college scouting director, as previously reported. Matt Malaspina becomes national scout. The team has hired Bob Morris, formerly of the Browns, to scout the south region, with scout Justin Chabot moving from south to southeast.

These moves allow the 49ers to maintain continuity at a critical time. The team can reevaluate after the 2010 season. Hiring new leadership from the outside right now would potentially undermine coach Mike Singletary, his staff and quarterback Alex Smith. That would have served no one in the short term, and the short term is what matters most after the 49ers improved to 8-8 last season. This team appears in position to make a strong run for the NFC West title and automatic playoff berth.

Retaining Baalke was pretty much a given unless he faltered badly during the draft or subsequently. The team appears to have stayed the course with Baalke, so there was no obvious need to make changes.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Falling

Scot McCloughan, former 49ers GM. News of his potential departure began filtering out about this time last week. The 49ers announced a "mutual parting" after five days of silence. Even some of McCloughan's longtime friends in scouting have told me they never saw it coming. It's just stunning for a GM to vanish from the scene without even making a formal comment -- just as his team finally appears in position to contend for a playoff spot with the players he helped assemble. It's all a little surreal. This marks a professional low point for McCloughan. He'll be back in some capacity. He's not yet 40 and his reputation as a scout shouldn't suffer in the long term.

Rising

Trent Baalke, 49ers player personnel director. McCloughan's departure left Baalke in charge of the 49ers' draft room. Baalke has a chance to show he can lead the 49ers' personnel department. If the draft appears to go well, it's conceivable Baalke could remain in charge through the 2010 season at least. He probably never would have wanted to take the top job under these circumstances, but the opportunity is still a good one. The timing of McCloughan's departure makes it extremely difficult and probably unlikely for the 49ers to go outside the organization for a new personnel chief this offseason. The need for continuity makes Baalke the logical choice to remain in a leadership role. Pro personnel director Tom Gamble is also in the mix.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides more evidence the Rams are leaning toward drafting quarterback Sam Bradford. Coach Steve Spagnuolo: "Everything you hear about him, that's said, it's legit. He walks into a room, you can see he's a quarterback. That was impressive to me."

Also from Thomas: Rumors linking the Rams to Donovan McNabb are "utterly ridiculous" in general manager Billy Devaney's eyes.

More from Thomas: The Rams have had preliminary discussions with Bradford and other players the team could select first overall, according to executive vice president Kevin Demoff. Thomas: "Demoff doesn't think the current uncapped year and labor impasse between players and club owners will affect negotiations. But complicating a quick deal could be the proposed sale of the Rams to Urbana, Ill., businessman Shahid Khan. Khan's purchase of the Rams could be completed in May, in which case payment of any roster bonus due the player selected No. 1 overall could simply be postponed until then."

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com sees no reason for the Rams to pursue McNabb.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says during a chat that Scot McCloughan's departure could affect some players the former GM seemed to value. Barrows: "There was a lot of talk that Alex Smith could be vulnerable with McCloughan on the outs. I never bought that. But I wonder about a few other guys like Cody Wallace, Brandon Jones, Nate Clements and Tarell Brown. I'm not saying these guys will be cut. What I'm saying is that the front office had seemed to value them more than the coaching staff."

Also from Barrows: "The team is in capable hands between now and the draft. The vast majority of the evaluation already has been done. And with director of pro personnel Tom Gamble, who has 22 years of experience, helping run the show on draft day, there's every reason to believe that it will go smoothly as well. The much larger question is what happens after the draft."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Alex Smith posted better numbers in 2009 than any current NFC West quarterback.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks appear uninterested in trading quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. O'Neil: "If Seattle was going to move Hasselbeck, it probably would have already happened because there is this team in Cleveland now run by this guy who used to coach Hasselbeck who was searching for a quarterback."

Ron Borges of the Boston Herald checks in with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who can only blame himself if things don't work out in Seattle. Borges: "Today, Carroll realizes what it takes to win is a not always-benevolent dictatorship. It requires a head coach, not a camp counselor. It requires one rope with everyone pulling on the same end, not an atmosphere in which some are free to creep up the back stairs to management in order to undercut his authority. Just as importantly, it will not demand any cartoons in the newspaper like one that still haunts him."

Brian McIntyre of scout.com passes along quotes from Carroll praising Seahawks receiver Deion Branch. Carroll: "He’s a big-time player. I’ve seen him now on the field, throwing the ball around with a few players the couple days I was out (in Seattle). He’s gifted. He’s a natural player. He’s got terrific quickness. He’s got all the instincts. Terrific hands. With a good personality. The way he finished last year, the last four games of the year, he really looked good. He looked like a really good football player. It took him a little bit to get comfortable last year coming back from the stuff he dealt with. Once he got going, he looked like a very good player. Hopefully, we can utilize his talents and make sure he’s going to be a big factor for us."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic sees no evidence suggesting the Cardinals have interest in McNabb. Naming Matt Leinart the starter and signing Derek Anderson in free agency pretty much solved the position for Arizona in 2010.

Also from Somers: catching up with former Cardinals kicker Bill Gramatica, remembered for suffering a torn ACL upon landing following a celebratory jump. Gramatica kicked in the game after the injury. Gramatica: "I had a field goal and couple extra points. The coolest thing about that injury is Pat Tillman kicked off for us after I got hurt. I have some great memories with Pat Tillman. My rookie year we were coming back in a van from the kickoff luncheon. I remember Pat telling me, 'Just remember, football is what you love to do, but at the end of the day, you have to live simple. Just keep it simple.'"

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with running back Beanie Wells, who is ramping up for his second NFL season. Urban: "Wells is trying to use the offseason to get an even better start to his sophomore season. His rookie offseason was slowed when he couldn’t participate in most offseason work thanks to Ohio State’s late end to the school year. This year, without a draft for which to prepare, he feels like he’s already had a ton of free time. It makes Wells that much more anxious to get started on his football work."

Late March is no time for an NFL team to hire a general manager.

The San Francisco 49ers have put off the decision until after the draft, but late April isn't a good time, either.

May, June or July might be worse. The more time passes, the harder it becomes to justify introducing a strong new voice into a team's meeting rooms.

Forget about hiring one during training camp or the regular season.

"I haven't decided on whether we're going to have a general manager," team president Jed York said during a recent conference call.

The comment raised suspicions that York and/or executive vice president Paraag Marathe might continue their ascents within the organization, turning their backs on a strong personnel presence. York guaranteed that neither he nor Marathe would become GM, but someone would have to fill the power void if the team proceeded without anyone formally named to the position.

Player personnel director Trent Baalke is taking over through the draft. After that, who knows?

The tumult surrounding Scot McCloughan's departure has shaken some fans' already tenuous trust in the team. The 49ers have earned our skepticism after seven consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. But without knowing more -- specifically, to what degree McCloughan's demise was his own doing -- it's tough to make definitive judgments on the state of the franchise.

The team made progress last season in getting to 8-8, and the 49ers do have a promising young core of players. None of that has changed.

Questions linger. Let's find some answers.

(Read full post)

San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary, speaking Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings, offered a few thoughts on general manager Scot McCloughan's departure.

Player personnel director Trent Baalke is handling the draft.

"We've already begun communication and just making sure we're on the same page," Singletary told reporters. "Jed [York], myself, Trent, [pro personnel director] Tom Gamble -- I think we just have to continue to pull it in a little bit more and make sure everyone is seeing it the same way and continue to move forward with that. But I'm very excited about where we are as an organization and the upcoming draft and very thankful for where we are right now."

Singletary also addressed perceptions that the organization is in turmoil.

"I never worry about the perceptions," Singletary said. "The most important thing for us to do is stay focused on the goal at hand -- becoming a great organization and a contender to go to the Super Bowl and winning games. I don't know what the perception is and I'll never really know what the perception is because I don't pay attention to it. I focus on our team and I know how our team feels. I know how our players feel and our coaches feel. We just have t o continue to go forward and let all those other things fall by the wayside."