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Good morning, and thanks to those who offered well wishes as our family drove back to Washington from California following a visit to see my father-in-law. His health has improved in recent days, and we made it back safely.

Thursday was mostly quiet in the NFC West, save for the Seattle Seahawks' re-signing of linebackers Leroy Hill and Matt McCoy. We're to the point in free agency where most of the re-signings feel more like a matter of when, not if. Players have few attractive options at this point. These will mostly be one-year deals with relatively modest compensation.

Clark Haggans and Vonnie Holliday are two candidates to re-sign with Arizona, for example.

The earlier players sign, the more fully they can participate in voluntary offseason programs. The St. Louis Rams and other teams with new head coaches began their programs on April 2. The other teams can begin Monday.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com previews the Cardinals' offseason program. Urban: "Quarterback Kevin Kolb will be here. I’ve already gotten a bunch of questions about what Kolb has been doing with teammates. I don’t think it’s been anything yet, but the vast majority of players haven’t yet. That'll change now (the new rules allow QBs to throw to receivers without defenders the next couple of weeks before things morph again.) I don’t know why some question if Kolb will be willing to put in the work this offseason. I expect it, and as I had mentioned before, I think it will help him when it comes to how he plays this season."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch updates the Rams' free-agent picture after the team signed former Philadelphia Eagles backup defensive tackle Trevor Laws. Thomas on Jacob Bell, who left the Rams for Cincinnati recently: "Bell spent his first four seasons playing for Jeff Fisher in Tennessee, and for a while hoped to re-sign with the Rams and play for him in St. Louis as well. But the Rams never showed more than lukewarm interest in re-signing Bell, who was athletic and played pretty well in space, but occasionally got overpowered by bigger defenders. It's not clear where Bell will play next since since another Bengals free-agent signee, Travelle Wharton, also is primarily a left guard."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com looks at four interior offensive linemen the San Francisco 49ers could consider selecting with the 30th overall choice in the upcoming draft. Wisconsin's Peter Konz, Iowa State's Kelechi Osemele, Midwestern State's Amini Silatolu and Wisconsin's Kevin Zeitler were the four prospects. Maiocco on Silatolu, a player Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. recently referenced in relation to the 49ers: "He dominated at the NCAA Division II level as a left tackle. He'll be a guard in the NFL. His good feet and willingness to play to the whistle are attributes that make him worthy of a late-first or second-round pick."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com has this to say about Matt McCoy's re-signing with Seattle: "McCoy led the Seahawks with 19 special-teams tackles in 2010, his first season with the team. McCoy, also 29, had three special-teams tackles and also was being used as a situational linebacker last season before having season-ending knee surgery after just four games."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times lists dates and times for the Seahawks' exhibitions, beginning with an Aug. 11 matchup against Matt Hasselbeck and the Tennessee Titans. They also play Denver on Aug. 18, Kansas City on Aug. 24, and Oakland on Aug. 30.

Steven Jackson's yards per carry jumped to 4.4 last season, his seventh in a row with at least 1,000 yards rushing.

The sustained production suggests the St. Louis Rams' running back has not slipped appreciably after eight seasons, a franchise-record 9,093 yards rushing and more than 2,500 offensive touches.

Jackson's new coach, Jeff Fisher, looks beyond the numbers when determining whether an older back still has what it takes to play the position at a high level.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Fisher watches to see whether running backs are getting tackled or increasingly absorbing big hits. Fisher: "You lose a step, you lose the ability to avoid, and then all of a sudden the vision changes and then you start getting hit. Steven is still a very aggressive runner." Even so, Fisher's affinity for running backs makes the Rams a candidate to select Trent Richardson in the draft. Noted: Jackson turns 29 this summer, which means it's time for the Rams to line up his successor, even if Jackson defies the odds by remaining productive for a couple more seasons. Fisher wants a strong ground game for the long term. A 29-year-old back is a short-term bet.

Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com says Eagles defensive tackle Trevor Laws indicated via Twitter he would be signing with the Rams. Noted: Laws, 26, played 14 games, starting one, while playing one-third of the Eagles' defensive snaps last season.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team grades draft prospects in relation to its own players. General manager John Schneider: "We build our (draft) board based on our team and what we have currently. So we compare these players to our current roster, and that’s how we build our board. We don’t build our board for the league, per se. ... So while people in a mock draft might feel like we need a certain position or a specific player, it’s just really who has the highest grade -- and if it fills a specific need, that’s great. But it’s a grade comparable to what our team is and how we see our own players at each position. That’s why it’s so important to know your team and evaluate your team first and foremost."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals have promoted Ryan Slowik from defensive quality-control coach to outsid- linebackers coach. Somers: "There was no immediate indication from the Cardinals if a new quality-control coach would be hired, or if Slowik would continue doing those duties. Either way, it's a good move for Slowik, who joined the Cardinals in 2009. His father Bob is the Redskins' defensive backs coach."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com thinks the Cardinals could still have room for unsigned veterans Clark Haggans and Vonnie Holliday.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers' roster appears strong enough for the team to avoid reaching to fill needs in the draft.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee does not expect the 49ers to try Anthony Davis at right guard, but he thinks such a move could make the offensive line better. Barrows: "The 49ers traded up two slots to nab Davis in the 2010 draft, and he improved last year after an up-and-down rookie season. The 49ers love Davis' potential at right tackle, he's about to have his first full offseason under Jim Harbaugh's coaching staff, and he is unlikely to be moved. Still, it would seem that an offensive line in which Alex Boone plays right tackle and Davis plays right guard is better than one where they are switched."

Also from Barrows: The 49ers appear to be a poor match for HBO's "Hard Knocks" series.

The NFL took a break from dominating the sports news cycle over the weekend.

The silence will not last long.

Bounty-related punishments for current and former New Orleans Saints players await. The NFL will address recent bounty-related appeals from Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis. Teams will continue filling out their rosters with second-tier free agents. The league will also release its 2012 regular-season schedule in the next week or so.

In the meantime, we take a quick look around the division on a Monday morning.

Peter Delevett of the San Jose Mercury News says San Francisco 49ers players spent part of their weekend participating in the search for missing Bay Area teenager Sierra LaMar. Delevett: "The search effort is being aided by thousands of volunteers; by the families of other Bay Area youngsters who have been kidnapped and killed, including those of Polly Klaas and Xiana Fairchild; and by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. On Saturday, Smith and teammates Joe Staley, Delanie Walker and Scott Tolzien were among about 500 people combing southern Santa Clara County for signs of Sierra. The NFL stars made it clear they did not welcome the media attention, but Sierra's sister, Danielle, was grateful for the celebrity support. 'When those kinds of people get involved, it gives us a whole new audience,' she said."

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times checks in with former Seattle Seahawks players Joe Tafoya and Kerry Carter, who have joined forces with other former teammates to operate a mobile apps company. Kelley: "Two years ago, Tafoya, now 33 and a computer-science major from Arizona, bought an 11-year-old Redmond mobile apps distributor. Now he's joined forces with like-minded former Seahawks Carter, Chike Okeafor and Omare Lowe to form Jump It Media. ... They're building profile applications for athletes to help them increase their brands through online channels. Among their subjects are Chicago Bears defensive end Lance Briggs and Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry."

Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710ESPN Seattle discuss whether the Seahawks would be wise to move back from the 12th overall spot in the 2012 draft.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports on the wine company Cardinals guard Daryn Colledge founded with two former teammates. The label -- "Three Fat Guys" -- reflects their good humor and significant girth as offensive linemen. Somers: "It started small in 2008 and has stayed that way. The initial objective was to produce enough wine to stock the three fat guys' homes and for them to give away as presents. Only 126 or so cases are produced each year, so it's more than a novelty but less than a full-time business. ... Their greatest fear now is not that the operation will go under, but that it will grow too fast and consume too much time. The players see the humor in that, because they weren't long out of college when the idea of becoming winemakers was hatched."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com offers thoughts on Deuce Lutui's departure from the Cardinals to the Seahawks as an unrestricted free agent. Urban: "The door hadn’t been closed on Lutui in Arizona, but I didn’t see him starting again here. He may not in Seattle, but he reunites with his college coach, Pete Carroll, and the Cards will get a chance to see him again."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Trevor Laws, a free agent from the Philadelphia Eagles, visited the St. Louis Rams recently. Thomas: "A second-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2008, Laws has been a rotation player for the Eagles, used specifically as an interior pass rusher in the nickel package. He has started only twice in 56 regular-season games, but registered a career-high 40 tackles last season, including a sack and 16 quarterback pressures. He had four sacks in 2010. Laws, 6-1, 304, is at least the fifth free agent to visit Rams Park this week, joining quarterback Dennis Dixon (Pittsburgh), defensive end William Hayes (Tennessee), and wide receivers Jerricho Cotchery (Pittsburgh) and Jerome Simpson (Cincinnati). All told, the Rams have had nearly two dozen free agents in for visits, signing eight to contracts."

ESPN.com’s NFL writers rank the top 10 linebackers in the league today. Next week: Top 10 cornerbacks.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis beat out a strong and diverse field for top billing in ESPN.com's latest positional power rankings.

All eight panelists ranked Willis among their top three, elevating the 26-year-old perennial Pro Bowler above James Harrison and DeMarcus Ware as our No. 1 linebacker in the NFL.

Even 12-time Pro Bowler Ray Lewis, the dominant linebacker of his era, pointed to Willis as a worthy successor to his undisputed reign. Not that Lewis is finished just yet. He placed fifth in the rankings behind Willis, Harrison, Ware and the Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews. But there was no more complete linebacker than Willis.

"Nobody in the NFL plays their position better than Patrick Willis, and that is saying a lot," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc., whose insights helped shape my ballot. "He is as good a linebacker as Peyton Manning is a quarterback, as Andre Johnson is a receiver, as Adrian Peterson is a running back. He has no weaknesses."

Willis, a three-time Associated Press All-Pro first-team selection, is the first 49ers player since Ronnie Lott to earn Pro Bowl honors in each of his first four seasons. Joe Thomas and Peterson are the only other 2007 draft choices with four Pro Bowls.

Apples and oranges: Comparing linebackers from 3-4 schemes to their 4-3 counterparts proved problematic for some panelists. AFC East blogger Tim Graham ranked Ware first among pass-rushers three weeks ago, but only ninth among linebackers.

"Patrick Willis, Brian Urlacher and Ray Lewis would be great linebackers in a 3-4 or a 4-3," Graham explained. "DeMarcus Ware and Cameron Wake might not even be linebackers if they played in Indianapolis, Tennessee or Minnesota. At some point, I had to value elite pass-rushing abilities on my list even though those players aren't universal-type linebackers."

There was room for differing views. ESPN.com's John Clayton and AFC North blogger James Walker ranked Ware first among linebackers and first among pass-rushers. AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky ranked Ware first among linebackers and second among pass-rushers.

"Separating Ware, Willis and Harrison is like splitting hairs, because it really depends on what you want in a linebacker," said Walker, who went with Ware, Willis and Harrison atop his ballot. "Ware is a slightly better pass-rusher than Harrison, and Willis is a future Hall of Famer in his prime. Age also has to be a consideration if you’re building a defense, and Harrison will be 33 in May. But they're all great."

First things first: Graham and NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert joined me in ranking Willis first. AFC West blogger Bill Williamson had Willis second only to Harrison.

"When I think of linebacker play in the current day, James Harrison pops out," Bill Williamson said. "I think he’s the gold standard of complete linebacker play. Look at his signature play in the Super Bowl against Arizona. That play will forever be part of NFL lore. Patrick Willis, who is also a great player, doesn’t have that play on his résumé. Plus, Harrison is an ornery cuss on the field. The man was born to be a 'backer."

Willis can't match Harrison in Super Bowl memories -- he could use a quarterback, for starters -- but he's not hurting for signature plays:

• There was the time, as a rookie in 2007, when Willis tracked down and tackled Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Sean Morey 62 yards downfield, in overtime, to save the game.
• There was the time in 2008, when Willis picked off Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and weaved his way 86 yards to the tying third-quarter touchdown -- the longest interception return by a linebacker since Willis entered the league.
• There was Willis' crushing hit against the New York Jets' Brad Smith in 2008, the hit that left Hasselbeck with a broken rib in 2009 and the two-game stretch last season when Willis collected 28 tackles despite wearing a cast following in-season hand surgery.

Lewis pointed to Willis when ESPN's Dana Jacobson recently asked him which young linebacker reminded Lewis of himself.

"I just love the way he plays the game," Lewis said. "He plays the game with a fire. He reminds me of myself -- a lot, a lot, a lot."

Unanimous decisions: The top five finishers received votes from all eight panelists. The gaps between highest and lowest votes fell between four and seven places for all but Willis, who ranked no lower than third.

Seifert ranked Lewis third. I had Lewis 10th and feared I might be measuring him against himself. No list of top linebackers would be complete without him, I thought, but a younger generation is taking over.

Hugs for Suggs: Lewis' teammate, Terrell Suggs, finished just out of our top 10 despite getting a No. 5 ranking from Kuharsky.

"I unabashedly love Suggs, and frankly would have placed him higher if I thought there was any way he needed help to crack the top 10," Kuharsky said. "To me, there is a great deal of subjectivity in ranking this position when mixing guys from 4-3s and 3-4s, so I did a lot of know-them-when-I-see-them ranking. Suggs is absolutely a top-10 guy to me."

Clayton, Seifert, Graham and I did not list Suggs on our ballots while searching for the right mix of 3-4 and 4-3 talent.

Fit to be tied: The players tied for ninth on our list illustrate the varied criteria for the position. Kansas City's Tamba Hali is a pure pass-rusher in the Chiefs' 3-4 defense. Carolina's Jon Beason is a traditional 4-3 linebacker with the versatility to play multiple spots. He changed positions twice in 2010.

Beason peaked at No. 5 on my ballot. NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas had Beason sixth and considered ranking him higher.

"There was a time when I would have ranked Beason in the same echelon as Willis," Yasinskas said. "I think he has a chance to re-emerge if Carolina can put a better team on the field, particularly by getting better at defensive tackle and keeping blockers off Beason. If that happens, I think Beason can be as good as any linebacker in the league."

Youth on his side: New England's Jerod Mayo appeared on six of eight ballots, ranking sixth overall between Lewis and Urlacher. At 25, Mayo was one of two linebackers younger than Willis to earn a spot among the top 10. Matthews, 24, was the other. Graham ranked Mayo third.

"Nose tackle Vince Wilfork might be the anchor of the Patriots' defense, but Mayo is the one who ties their defense together," Graham said. "Mayo is a tackling machine who compensates for shortcomings at outside linebacker and injuries along the defensive line. He would be a star in any system."

On an island: Four linebackers received a single vote. That list featured Brian Orakpo (Clayton), Lance Briggs (Seifert), London Fletcher (Walker) and Wake (Graham).

Best doesn't mean most valuable: Matt Williamson called linebacker the toughest position to evaluate. I'll close by passing along a few of his thoughts:

• "Willis is so exceptional it would be a coin flip with Ware. Willis has no weaknesses, but if I were a general manager, I would take Ware because pass-rushers are so hard to find. You can get away with a C-level middle linebacker and still have a good defense. You can have a two-down run-stopper and pull him out in nickel."
• "Ray Lewis would not be in my top five at this point. For his age, he is still exceptional and a borderline Pro Bowler, but he doesn't run like he did. I remember when I was with the Browns, I looked at every report the team had written since 1999 and Lewis had the highest grade ever given out. He was nearly perfect."
• "Hali is a one-trick pony, a pass-rusher, but he is great at it -- as good as any pass-rusher in the league."
• "Beason is like Patrick Willis, but he is 95 percent of him. He can play outside, inside, he's smart -- but there is so little around him that people don't realize how good he is."
• "Pass rushing is Clay Matthews' greatest gift, but he is the prototypical outside linebacker. He's a great technician and way more explosive and athletic than people realize. He's good in coverage, not great, but they line him up all over."
• "London Fletcher is underrated, but not in this conversation. How Beason is to Willis, Fletcher is to Lewis. He is smaller and slower than Lewis, good among older guys."
• "Brian Urlacher is still a really good player, but the top 10 might be a stretch. I would take him ahead of Lewis, behind Beason and Willis among 'Mike' 'backers. He is good in coverage. People forget that he was a safety at New Mexico. He doesn't run like he used to and is just not as dynamic as he was in the day."
• "The Steelers have the best linebackers in the league. LaMarr Woodley is very strong and in that conversation too. Definitely top 15. Harrison is great against the run, extremely strong and one of the few linebackers in the league that is a difference-maker from an attitude standpoint. He brings attitude to the table like a Jack Lambert or a Dick Butkus or a Ray Lewis type. He is feared. He is one of the best leverage players in the league, great in pursuit, tenacious as hell. The other guy to know about is Lawrence Timmons. He will be spectacular."

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

We've come to that time in the week where we take a (much) closer look at the teams in this division through our latest roided-out NFC West rosters. Download here.

With the Cardinals facing Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game, I threw in an Eagles roster featuring 25 columns of information for 146 players. Like the rosters for NFC West teams, this one includes players currently on the roster, players signed to future contracts, players on injured reserve and players no longer with the organization.

A few roster-related notes about the Cardinals and Eagles, based on information I track:

(Read full post)