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Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic thinks Kevin Kolb tops the Cardinals' list of quarterbacks to pursue this offseason. Somers: "There is no question the Cardinals are interested, and I get the feeling Kolb is their first choice to be their starter in 2011. The Cardinals liked Kolb when he was coming out of the University of Houston, and he has the type of personality (gym rat) that Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt likes in a quarterback. The Cardinals are leery, however, of what the Eagles might want for Kolb." Somers says the Cardinals would likely go along with a trade similar to the one Houston orchestrated for acquiring Matt Schaub from the Falcons. I don't recall any reporter from the Arizona market previously saying without qualification that Arizona has more interest in Kolb than it has in other options, and enough interest in Kolb to trade for him. Might be time to update the Cardinals' QB timeline.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com passes along initial jersey numbers for the Rams' 2011 draft class. First-round choice Robert Quinn gets No. 94. Second-rounder Lance Kendricks gets No. 88. Wagoner: "No player on the active roster wore 94 last year. DT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen wore it on the practice squad. Victor Adeyanju had it previously. Tight End Derek Schouman wore 88 last year. He is not under contract for 2011."

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis looks at DeAngelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, Michael Bush, Darren Sproles, Tim Hightower, Ronnie Brown, Jerome Harrison and Mewelde Moore as running backs for the Rams to consider in free agency.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers have fired Lal Henhegan, their executive vice president of football administration since 2006. Maiocco: "The departure of Heneghan is not believed to be related to any hiring in the team's personnel department. When Heneghan was hired in March 2006, owner John York cited the valuable experience he would bring to a youthful front office and coaching staff. Heneghan was vice president of football operations and general counsel for the Cleveland Browns from 1998 to 2004 prior to joining the 49ers. Heneghan spent seven years with the NFL Management Council as director of labor relations. He supervised the daily operation and interpretation of the NFL salary cap." The 49ers continue to tweak their front office. Henhegan had always worked in the background. I cannot recall hearing his name associated with any decision regarding the 53-man roster, the draft or free agency.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat takes a closer look at Bruce Miller, the player San Francisco is projecting as a fullback. Miller played defensive end at Central Florida. One of the defensive assistants there, John Skladany, had this to say about Miller: "The biggest thing is he’s just relentless. He really enjoys that part of the game. He goes and looks for the contact. He just keeps going and going and going. You’re going to have to shoot him to stop him. If he’s going to be blocking, some linebacker is going to have a long day."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says defensive tackle Craig Terrill is headlining a concert in the Seattle area Saturday night. Farnsworth: "Terrill’s previous musical adventures have included singing the National Anthem prior to the Seahawks’ wild-card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys in 2007 and a show-stopping performance at the team party in Detroit after the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL. He also has played the House of Blues in Chicago and Orlando, as well as several venues in Seattle."

Also from Farnsworth: Seahawks draft choice Kris Durham was working out with quarterback Charlie Whitehurst before the draft. Farnsworth: "It was a revelation that slipped through the cracks on a very busy third day of the draft for the Seahawks -- when they selected seven prospects in the final four rounds and also held an introductory news conference with first-round pick James Carpenter, a tackle from Alabama. But the Whitehurst-to-Durham connection definitely is worth revisiting. Whitehurst was born in Green Bay, when his father, David, was playing for the Packers. But he grew up in the Atlanta area and went to Clemson. He spends time there in the offseason."

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says there's a better than 50-50 chance Matt Hasselbeck will re-sign with Seattle, according to ESPN.com's John Clayton. Henderson: "Clayton thinks the market shrunk for Hasselbeck when Tennessee and Minnesota, the two teams with the "most urgent" quarterback needs, filled those vacancies by drafting quarterbacks in the first round. Arizona, which didn't draft a quarterback and has a clear need at the position, would seemingly have at least some interest in Hasselbeck. But Clayton believes Marc Bulger would be the Cardinals' preference over Hasselbeck."

Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News says Matt Leinart could be an option for the Seahawks. Wolf says the Seahawks spoke with Leinart about joining the team next season. I'm not sure when this would have happened, given that there has not yet been a free-agent signing period. It's also worth noting that Seattle has shown no apparent interest in Leinart previously. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has been selective in pursuing his former players at USC. He placed strict conditions on receiver Mike Williams. He quickly released running back LenDale White after determining White wasn't serious enough in his approach. He traded defensive end Lawrence Jackson to Detroit, where Jackson appears to be a much better fit.

NFC West teams have drafted 22 defensive ends since 2002, a number smaller than I would have anticipated.

An even smaller number -- two! -- start for the teams that drafted them.

One, Antonio Smith, starts for another team.

A few notes relating to this latest item in a series examining various positions:

• Kentwan Balmer appears as a defensive end because the San Francisco 49ers drafted him to play that position. Balmer played defensive tackle in college.
• Darnell Dockett does not appear as a defensive end because the Arizona Cardinals drafted him to play defensive tackle. Yes, Dockett plays defensive end in the Cardinals' current scheme, but the NFL lists him as a tackle for Pro Bowl voting and he is not a typical defensive end even by 3-4 standards.
• Of the 22, only Chris Long and Calais Campbell are starting for their original teams. Smith is starting for the Houston Texans.
• Six of the eight most highly drafted ends since 2002 came from teams most recently affiliated with the ACC.
• Long was the only player on the list drafted before the 28th overall choice.
• Will Davis and Parys Haralson were listed as defensive ends coming out of college, but both projected as outside linebackers. That is why they do not appear below. Cody Brown also projects at linebacker.
• I've used the term "not active" loosely in the charts to describe players who weren't on active rosters during the regular season recently.

Now, on to the charts. I've broken them up with italicized comments representing what NFL teams might have been thinking at corresponding stages of these drafts.

Playing it safe and hoping those NFL bloodlines pay off ...


Defensive linemen are at a premium, and we might find out why ...


The pure pass-rushers are gone by now ...


If these guys don't pan out, it'll be a while before we take another third-round end ...


It's an upset if we find a starter at this point ...


Time to fill out the practice squad, but you never know ...

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

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

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

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

St. Louis Rams (34 off roster)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Special teams: Ryan Neill

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

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

---

Seattle Seahawks (33 off roster)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Arizona Cardinals (24 off roster)

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

Defensive line: Jason Banks (added Dan Williams)

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

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

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

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

Special teams: Neil Rackers (added Jay Feely)

Tight end: Anthony Becht (added Jim Dray)

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

---

San Francisco 49ers (24 off roster)

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

Defensive line: Kentwan Balmer, Derek Walker

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

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

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

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

Special teams: Shane Andrus, Ricky Schmitt

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

---

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

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

The St. Louis Rams hold the No. 1 priority for waiver claims and they'll probably put that status to work following the mandatory reduction to 53 players Saturday.

With that in mind, let's take a position-by-position look at the Rams' roster heading into their second season under coach Steve Spagnuolo (current roster counts listed in parentheses):

Quarterbacks (4)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.9

Keepers: Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley

Looking safe: Keith Null

On the bubble: Thaddeus Lewis

Comment: Lewis has played well enough to intrigue the Rams, but probably not well enough for another team to claim him off waivers. That makes Lewis a natural choice for the practice squad.

Running backs (5)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: Steven Jackson, Mike Karney

Looking safe: Kenneth Darby

Not sure what to think: Keith Toston, Chris Ogbonnaya

Comment: The Rams are carrying as many running backs as teams typically keep, but multiple spots could be up for grabs depending on which running backs become available via waivers. I'd rather list Toston, Ogbonnaya and Darby in one group until it becomes clear which backs -- and which types of backs -- hit the waiver wire. Ogbonnaya showed potential last season and looked good early in camp, but his performance hasn't carried over to exhibition games and that could cost him. Perhaps expectations were too high. Darby's toughness and special-teams contributions could help him. Toston runs hard and could land on the practice squad.

Wide receivers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 5.3

Keepers: Laurent Robinson, Mardy Gilyard, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Keenan Burton

On the bubble: Dominique Curry

Also: Brandon McRae, Jordan Kent, Danario Alexander

Comment: Curry stood out as an undrafted steal during camp. He has excellent size and has showed good ability on special teams. Burton's durability should remain a concern, but that's the case with Robinson and even Gibson at this point. Gibson's value rises with Donnie Avery on injured reserve.

Tight ends (6)

Average number kept since 2003: 3.0

Keepers: Billy Bajema, Mike Hoomanawanui

Looking safe: Fendi Onobun

Not sure what to think: Daniel Fells, Darcy Johnson

Also: Dennis Morris

Comment: But wait, Fells is the incumbent starter, right? Yes, but he hasn't been durable and there's so much to like about the rookies Onobun and Hoomanawanui. Bajema is an obvious keeper for his blocking and all-around game (he has caught the ball well on limited chances). Johnson has shown toughness and blocking ability, so he could be an option if the team wants to move on from Fells. Perhaps I'm over thinking things here, but the emergence of Onobun and Hoomanawanui during camp creates dilemmas.

Offensive linemen (13)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.3

Keepers: Jason Brown, Jacob Bell, Rodger Saffold, Jason Smith, Adam Goldberg, Hank Fraley

Looking safe: John Greco, Roger Allen III

Also: Eric Young, Drew Miller, Ryan McKee, Renardo Foster, Tim Mattran

Comment: It's tough finding nine keepers here, so the Rams could be active in the waiver-claim game. Greco's versatility works in his favor. Are the Rams still high on Allen's prospects? I know they liked him last season, but that was before reconstructive knee surgery. Trading Alex Barron made sense in the big picture, but the Rams would have better depth here if Barron were still around.

Defensive line (12)

Average number kept since 2003: 8.6

Keepers: Chris Long, Fred Robbins, Clifton Ryan, James Hall, Gary Gibson, Darell Scott

Looking safe: George Selvie

On the bubble: Victor Adeyanju, C.J. Ah You, Jermelle Cudjo

Also: Ernest Reid, Eugene Sims

Comment: Durability concerns could cost Ah You. Adeyanju also could be on the bubble depending on what options the Rams have beyond their own roster. Cudjo has made a positive impression during camp and preseason. Same goes for Selvie, although an injury sidelined him part of the time.

Linebackers (9)

Average number kept since 2003: 6.3

Keepers: James Laurinaitis, Larry Grant, Na'il Diggs, Chris Chamberlain

Looking safe: Bobby Carpenter

On the bubble: David Vobora, Josh Hull

Also: Devin Bishop, Cardia Jackson

Comment: Carpenter has gotten some work at defensive end. Perhaps his presence in an emergency capacity at that position could allow the Rams to keep one fewer defensive lineman, at least early. Chamberlain is probably the best special-teams position player on the Rams, enhancing his value. Hull could provide depth behind Laurinaitis because he's a true middle linebacker, whereas Vobora can back up every position. That could be a close call.

Defensive backs (14)

Average number kept since 2003: 9.7

Keepers: Oshiomogho Atogwe, Ron Bartell, Justin King, Bradley Fletcher, James Butler, Kevin Payne, Craig Dahl, Jerome Murphy, Kevin Dockery

Looking safe: Quincy Butler

On the bubble: Darian Stewart

Also: Brett Johnson, Marquis Johnson, Antoine Thompson

Comment: James Butler's knee injury probably makes keeping Payne a higher priority. Stewart could be a candidate for the practice squad.

Specialists (3)

Average number kept since 2003: 2.7

Keepers: Josh Brown, Donnie Jones, Chris Massey

Comment: Strong group here.

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Thoughts after watching the St. Louis Rams practice Monday for the first time since their exhibition opener Saturday night:

• The only breaks the Rams seem to catch on their offensive line are the ones they find through X-rays. Starting left tackle Rodger Saffold was the latest victim. He left practice Monday with a back injury of unknown severity. A teammate fell into Saffold's back while Saffold was blocking. Trainers tended to Saffold while the rookie sat on the grass with his legs outstretched. They brought him to his feet and then wrapped his midsection (presumably with ice). Saffold walked off the field slowly and appeared to be favoring his left side (he wears a knee brace on his right leg).
• 

  
  Bradford
  
  
  
  Sam Bradford's timing and accuracy jump out right away. Seven-on-seven drills look like an extension of his pro day. Sometimes the ball arrives on target before the safeties can turn around. There is no pass-rush during seven-on-seven drills, of course.
• Bradford and veteran A.J. Feeley split the first- and second-team reps equally, a slight change designed to get more work for Feeley as the season approaches.
• Defensive end Victory Adeyanju did not finish practice after injuring his left knee. The severity of the injury was not yet known. Adeyanju is a strong run defender.
• The linebackers fared better than the running backs during blitz-pickup drills.
• Veteran safety Oshiomogho Atogwe spent extra time after practice working on catching the ball. He dropped one potential interception and failed to fully break up another pass (the ball bounced into the arms of its intended receiver, Darcy Johnson, for a touchdown).
• Coach Steve Spagnuolo focuses on much more than just the defense. He was in the offensive huddle between plays during a goal-line period. He was also taking a special interest in pass-protection work after the line struggled to protect Bradford during the game Saturday night.
• Rookie receiver Mardy Gilyard did not play for the Boston Celtics during the 1980s, but the Larry Bird shorts he wears during practice would have fit in back then. Gilyard has his own style and flair. He's been hurt recently, but he was practicing Monday and looks the part (minus those shorts).
• Players benefited from temperatures in the 80s, some 20 degrees cooler than highs earlier in camp. Temperatures on the artificial field can hit 140 degrees when the St. Louis weather is at its hottest.
• Despite the favorable weather, Spagnuolo said he thought the team was still a little sluggish. That is typical for the first practice following a game.
• Running back Steven Jackson is moving well. I could see no evidence of the back surgery he underwent this offseason. If anything, Jackson appears even fresher than normal. He did not play Saturday night and the team has limited his full-contact work. Jackson looked great catching a one-handed pass over the middle in stride.
• Two outstanding individual plays I saw: guard Roger Allen III putting defensive tackle Clifton Ryan on his back, and rookie defensive end Hall Davis pushing down tackle Eric Young (to the point that Young fell into Feeley's legs, forcing the quarterback to move).
• Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis stood out with an interception off Feeley early in practice and a successful pass-rush battle against running back Kenneth Darby.

The Rams have two practices Tuesday. I'll be at both and hope to get a better feel for the team as the week progresses.

The Arizona Cardinals' Deuce Lutui and the St. Louis Rams' Oshiomogho Atogwe remain the only 2010 NFC West restricted free agents without deals for the upcoming season.

Lutui has said he expects to sign the Cardinals' one-year offer. Atogwe, free to sign elsewhere after the Rams declined to upgrade his original RFA tender by June 1, has no known options beyond returning to St. Louis.

The chart provides an overview of RFA activity for NFC West teams this offseason.

The San Francisco 49ers' Ahmad Brooks signed a two-year deal featuring a $1.85 million signing bonus with base salaries of $900,000 and $1.2 million, with another $275,000 in bonuses available in 2011.

The Rams added 11 players in the 2010 NFL draft, pushing Steve Spagnuolo past Scott Linehan for the coach with the most draft choices on the team's roster.

Adding quality must remain a top priority, however.

The Rams have more of their own seventh-round choices -- eight -- than any team in the league.

Ten choices remain from the Scott Linehan era: Clifton Ryan, Keenan Burton, Donnie Avery, Justin King, Chris Chamberlain, David Vobora, Mark Setterstrom, Chris Long, John Greco and Victor Adeyanju.

Five remain from the Mike Martz era: Ron Bartell, Steven Jackson, Chris Massey and unsigned restricted free agents Alex Barron and Oshiomogho Atogwe.

Adam Carriker's trade from the Rams to the Redskins -- rumored for weeks and now a done deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter -- reflects what happens when teams change coaching staffs. The Rams and Redskins swapped fifth-round choices.


The move reunites Carriker with former Rams interim coach and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, now with the Redskins. I never sensed the Rams' current leadership disliked Carriker, but neither was the leadership ever personally invested in Carriker's career. Haslett has a better feel for what Carriker can become. Perhaps Carriker will fit better at defensive end in the Redskins' 3-4 scheme than at defensive tackle in the Rams' 4-3. A shoulder injury prevented Carriker from playing last season, perhaps hastening his departure.

The Rams made Carriker the 13th player chosen in the 2007 draft. His departure leaves restricted free agent Clifton Ryan, a fifth-round choice, as the only 2007 Rams choice still with the team. The current leadership previously traded second-round choice Brian Leonard. Other members from that class -- Jonathan Wade, Dustin Fry, Ken Shackleford, Keith Jackson and Derek Stanley -- are also gone.

Victor Adeyanju and Mark Setterstrom are the Rams' only 2006 choices still with the team.

The dismantling continues in St. Louis.

Restricted free agents have until Thursday to sign offer sheets with new teams.

Most of the RFA movement has already taken place -- by trades, not offer sheets.

Steve Swenson of the Bakersfield Californian says Cardinals outside linebacker Joey Porter plans to fight his DUI arrest amid reports that the arresting officer has issues of his own. Swenson: "The officer who arrested Porter has a pending drunken driving case of his own, and the first man stopped by officers -- who Porter followed into a parking lot that led to his arrest -- got off scot-free." Porter's attorney is painting the officer as a "bad apple" while saying he expects his client to be exonerated.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals want Joey Porter to give their defense more toughness. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "I keep going back to that Green Bay playoff game, and how a defense that gave up 10 points in the first half could allow 35 in the second half. And it always gets back to mental toughness. We need more of an edge behind us defensively as far as backing up the talk that we put out there, and I think Joey brings a lot of that to the field."

The Cardinals' Web site offers video of assistant coach Russ Grimm throwing out the first pitch at an Angels spring-training baseball game. Grimm's shoulder appeared to hold up OK.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch points out reasons the Rams could still draft someone other than quarterback Sam Bradford first overall. Miklasz: "Look, he checks out great. Bradford should be just fine. But the Rams can’t be sure -- no one can -- until Bradford actually takes a huge hit and gets slammed around in live, full-speed action. That’s still the X Factor in all of this. Devaney has to be a little anxious about the worst-case scenario: turn down an offer for Bradford, draft him No. 1 overall, and have the shoulder crumple as soon as the kid gets driven to the ground by some runaway blitzer. Is that fear enough to give the Rams a reason to reconsider?"

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says during a chat that he doesn't know why ESPN's Adam Schefter recently cast doubt on Shahid Khan's ownership bid. Thomas gives Khan a 65 percent chance of approval, noting that past issues with the IRS could come into play.

Also from Thomas: Victor Adeyanju's signing gives the Rams three defensive ends under contract.

Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat provides an updated breakdown of the Rams' free-agent activity this offseason.

Brian McIntyre of scout.com expects Memphis receiver Duke Calhoun to visit the Seahawks in another week or so. McIntyre: "Calhoun's 212 receptions and 2,981 receiving yards are school records, and his 19 career receiving touchdowns rank 3rd on the school's all-time list. Last season, Calhoun led the Tigers with 68 receptions for 923 yards and 5 touchdowns, and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player after the season."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times doesn't expect the Seahawks to pursue Darren Sharper. O'Neil: "I don't see Seattle looking to get older at safety. Sharper is -- rightfully -- looking for a significant payday, and that's what it would take for him to leave the Saints. If he's not going to get a big-budget deal, I don't see him leaving the Saints. I don't see Seattle seeing investing in an older safety." Agreed, but I could see the team re-signing Lawyer Milloy, who began his career in New England and played under Pete Carroll there.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says the Seahawks' special-teams coverage units haven't been very good in recent seasons. Perhaps Sean Morey can help change that.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks might be better off drafting a big back late than investing an early choice for C.J. Spiller.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says offensive lineman Alex Boone is pushing for playing time with the 49ers. Barrows: "Boone said he began working out with former NFL player LeCharles Bentley in Cleveland a week after the season ended. He worked out six days a week and changed his routine. He took shorter breaks between repetitions. He added more cardio and essentially worked a lot harder. As a result, his body fat dropped from 25 percent at this time last year to about 19 percent today."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers are reportedly scheduled to meet with Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis.

Also from Maiocco: a quick look at free-agent happenings involving the 49ers this offseason.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has written off David Carr after a couple of voluntary practices. Kawakami: "Carr throws spirals, but he was consistently throwing well behind the WRs on any ball longer than 15 yards. I mean, way behind the WRs. And he has a weird, shot-put motion that fans will probably not enjoy. If there’s a training camp competition -- if it’s CLOSE AT ALL between presumed No. 1 Alex Smith and Carr -- then the 49ers are in some trouble. Because Carr’s not the answer."

The Rams have tendered their restricted free agents as follows:

• Oshiomogho Atogwe, FS, right of first refusal. The team must upgrade its $1.226 million offer to nearly $7 million guaranteed in June if Atogwe is unsigned and the Rams want to retain his rights.
• Clifton Ryan, DE, second round.
• Alex Barron, OT, second round.
• Victor Adeyanju, DE, original round (fourth).
• Craig Dahl, S, right of first refusal.

The Rams can match any offers these players receive. All but Atogwe and Dahl would return a draft choice as compensation if the Rams decided against matching.

Eight players will become unrestricted free agents after the Rams declined to make RFA offers: safety Eric Bassey, long snapper Ryan Neill, cornerback Jonathan Wade, running back Samkon Gado, wide receiver Ruvell Martin, guard Mark Setterstrom, tight end Daniel Fells and defensive tackle Gary Gibson.

The minimum RFA offers exceed $1 million. Some of those eight players could conceivably return for less.

The team also retained rights to defensive end C.J. Ah You, cornerback Quincy Butler, running back Kenneth Darby, linebacker Larry Grant, wide receiver Jordan Kent, tackle Ryan McKee, safety David Roach and linebacker David Vobora.

Arizona Cardinals

Unrestricted free agents: TE Anthony Becht, LB Monty Beisel, LB Bertrand Berry (retired), LT Jeremy Bridges, CB Ralph Brown, LB Karlos Dansby, LT Mike Gandy, FB Dan Kreider, WR Sean Morey, LB Chike Okeafor, K Neil Rackers, NT Bryan Robinson, QB Brian St. Pierre, S Matt Ware.

Restricted free agents: SS Hamza Abdullah, WR Steve Breaston, G Ben Claxton, FB Justin Green, LG Deuce Lutui, TE Ben Patrick, C Lyle Sendlein, TE Stephen Spach, WR Jerheme Urban, NT Gabe Watson.

Franchise player: none

What to expect: The Cardinals generally do not pursue marquee free agents from other teams. That trend figures to continue. The Cardinals have too many of their own free agents to re-sign for them to worry about chasing other teams' castoffs. We might see Arizona plug the roster with a few lower-tier free agents. They had success doing that last offseason, particularly with Becht at tight end. Dansby leads the list of 2009 starters expected to depart. Arizona is reportedly interested in quarterback David Carr.

St. Louis Rams

Unrestricted free agents: QB Kyle Boller, DE James Hall, SS Clinton Hart, LB Paris Lenon, DE Leonard Little, LS Chris Massey, TE Randy McMichael.

Restricted free agents: S Eric Bassey, S Craig Dahl, TE Daniel Fells, LS Ryan Neill, DT Clifton Ryan, CB Jonathan Wade, DE Victory Adeyanju, FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, T Alex Barron, RB Sam Gado, DT Gary Gibson, WR Ruvell Martin, G Mark Setterstrom.

Franchise player: none

What to expect: The Rams could be in the market for a veteran quarterback such as Chad Pennington. Beyond quarterback, coach Steve Spagnuolo said the Rams could use a little more seasoning in the form of veteran role players. The Rams will remain a young team, but they could add some experience. The team parted with players fitting that profile last offseason, but most had inflated salaries. The ones St. Louis adds this year figure to carry lower price tags in most cases. The Rams have said they want Little and Hall back. McMichael figures to be gone.

Seattle Seahawks

Unrestricted free agents: WR Nate Burleson, FB Justin Griffith, LS Kevin Houser, LB D.D. Lewis, CB Ken Lucas, T Damion McIntosh, S Lawyer Milloy, DE Cory Redding, LS Jeff Robinson.

Restricted free agents: T Brandon Frye, WR Ben Obomanu, LB Lance Laury, G Rob Sims, G Chris Spencer, DE Darryl Tapp.

Franchise player: K Olindo Mare

What to expect: The Seahawks are a little difficult to figure. Their owner has the money to bankroll aggressive spending if Seattle chooses to go that route. Coach Pete Carroll surely realizes the team could use talent upgrades. The new general manager, John Schneider, comes from the Ted Thompson school of personnel. Thompson's aversion for free agency is well established, although Schneider has characterized himself as slightly more aggressive. The problem, of course, is finding good players on the market. Burleson will hit the market. He could return if the price is right. Carroll has said nice things about Redding, who should be affordable.

San Francisco 49ers

Unrestricted free agents: WR Arnaz Battle, CB Dre Bly, CB Walt Harris, T Tony Pashos, FS Mark Roman, T Barry Sims, LB Jeff Ulbrich (retired), LB Matt Wilhelm.

Restricted free agents: LG David Baas, LB Ahmad Brooks, CB Marcus Hudson.

Franchise player: NT Aubrayo Franklin

What to expect: The 49ers have largely turned their back on free agency now that they feel better about their roster. I would expect the team to lay low again when the signing period begins late Thursday night on the West Coast.

NFC South maestro Pat Yasinskas has acquired and shared a list featuring NFL players scheduled to become restricted free agents again if the league and its players fail to extend the collective bargaining agreement.

Basically, these players might have to wait an extra couple seasons to become unrestricted free agents.

Among NFC West players, this could prove particularly costly for Ahmad Brooks, Oshiomogho Atogwe and Deuce Lutui.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are showing the strains associated with prolonged futility. Burwell: "Eventually, the losing wears you down. You look out there and see that there are so many holes to fill, so many things to improve, so many injuries to overcome, so many weird things like swine flu to cope with, so much of a gigantic talent gap between you and a playoff team like the Cardinals that the adversity has to get to you."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers a postgame Rams report card featuring a "B" grade for the Rams' defensive line and lower grades for the other positional groups. Coats: "Strong outings by Chris Long, Victor Adeyanju and rookie Darell Scott. LaJuan Ramsey forced a fumble when he sacked Kurt Warner. Long had a sack and two quarterback hits. Pretty good showing vs. the run. Cards averaged just 3.4 yards on 32 carries."

Also from Coats: a closer look at rookie quarterback Keith Null's performance.

More from Coats: Chris Ogbonnaya, Roger Allen and Cord Parks made their regular-season NFL debuts. Allen couldn't wait to call his fiance after the game. Allen: "I've set foot on an NFL field. It feels amazing to finally get in there and help the team."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says former Rams starter Jonathan Wade has fallen so far that the team isn't even using the cornerback in its dime defense. The Cardinals used four wide receivers to help break open the game in the second quarter. Ken Whisenhunt: "I felt like it was the best personnel group matching up against them because of their injuries and losing some players in the secondary. We thought it might be the best way to give us the advantage."

Also from Thomas: Null struggled against the Cardinals. Running back Steven Jackson wasn't there to help carry the load, sitting out for the first time this season. Jackson: "The back was just giving me a lot of problems. It wasn't loosening up. There was pain down my leg. So it was all clear signs telling me that I wasn't ready to go. Signs that I wasn't having in previous weeks."

Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says the Rams' lack of talent jumped out Sunday. Balzer: "Consider that of the 45 players active for Sunday’s game, 30 entered the league as either a sixth- or seventh-round draft pick or an undrafted free agent. That includes four sixth-round picks, 10 seventh-rounders and an astounding 16 players that went undrafted. Of the eight players inactive, five were undrafted, meaning 35 of 53 players entered the league after the fifth round."

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers' decision to evaluate younger players over the final two weeks will not extend to quarterback, for obvious reasons. Coach Mike Singletary: "It would be different if Alex Smith was a proven player. I want Alex to get all the playing time he can. It's important for us and him. Every situation he can possibly be in, I want him to learn every lesson he possibly can. I want to see every drop of everything he has."

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers will find playing time for offensive lineman Cody Wallace, a player they would like to evaluate.

Also from Maiocco: 49ers president Jed York anticipates no major changes during the offseason. York: "If there's a Hall of Fame quarterback on the market, we'd explore that possibility. But I don't think you're going to find any Hall of Fame quarterbacks on the market."

More from Maiocco: York assesses Smith's growth at quarterback. York: "I see a guy improving every time he steps on the field. I'm glad we went out to Philly to play an important game, and he didn’t play great and he didn’t play terrible. It’s more the opportunity to play in games like that because he’s going to be in games like that in the future, and Alex is going to grow from that experience."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says the team has refocused on winning its final two games despite having no postseason prospects.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' Ben Graham looks like a Pro Bowl favorite at punter in the NFC. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "When you talk about a punter, you don't really think about the kind of effects they can have on a game, other than maybe changing field position. But you look at what our guy has done with his plus-20 punts and even the ones inside the 10, it's phenomenal. It's incredible. Our punter has helped us win games and for that, he's been a real weapon for us."

Also from McManaman: The Cardinals expect to sell out their game against the Rams in Week 16.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says outside linebacker Will Davis moved well during his first practice back from injury.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com compares Beanie Wells to Ottis Anderson. Ron Wolfley: "He has a lot higher gear than Ottis I think ever dreamed of having, and that’s not a slam on Ottis. But Beanie has that same kind of coo-coo-cachoo, I call it, that little hiccup where those hips just ‘boom’ and break you down. He can embarrass you. He can embarrass you in front of your family, he can embarrass your wife who is watching you because this man can run right over you. And that makes his moves in the open field that much better." Only 9,567 yards separate the two. Seriously, though, Wells has an outside shot at 1,000 yards this season. He has 706 yards with two games remaining.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says Matt Hasselbeck jokingly asked for his money back on the retirement motorcycle Seahawks players bought for Mike Holmgren. Hasselbeck on what it would have meant if Holmgren had returned to the team as an executive: "He'd be up on the third floor with all the important people. We're down here on the first floor, so I don't know how much that would have affected what we do. But we might want to get our retirement motorcycle money back."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks nose tackle Colin Cole has a point to make against his former team when Seattle visits the Packers. Cole: "Not that this is a vengeance thing, but we’re in a great situation to make it so this team doesn’t get an opportunity to go into the postseason, and if we can make that happen and play spoiler to somebody and make someone’s Christmas not as happy, that’d be awesome."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' offensive line improved during a 24-7 defeat to the Bucs, unlikely as that sounds. Rookie Max Unger played pretty well after moving to center. The Seahawks blocked pretty well. Hasselbeck's struggles overshadowed the progress. Coach Jim Mora on the line: "The way they played Sunday was much more like the way we wanted them to play. That gives us cause for hope, and that was a good sign that came out of an otherwise dismal day. So, if we can build on that, it will be good."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams remain noncommittal on which quarterback will start against Arizona. Coach Steve Spagnuolo: "We haven’t made that decision yet. I did want to see (Kyle Boller) today. It looked like he moved around all right. We’ll kind of wait. We may go a little while before we decide. It’s been a while since he’d been out there, so he needs a couple of days to kind back into the swing of things." Can there be any justification for not taking another look at Keith Null?

Also from Coats: It's been a tough season for Rams cornerback Jonathan Wade. A starter to open the season, Wade was not even active in Week 15. Wade: "It's tough to take. I'm not the coach. I continue to go and give it everything I have. What happens on Sunday, happens on Sunday. I just do as I'm told."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Null admires Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner. Null: "I definitely looked up to Kurt Warner. I think he's a great guy on and off the field. Great Christian man -- that's what I definitely look up to the most about him. He gives God the glory for everything he does. He's definitely been one of those guys that I've loved watching play."

Jim Rodenbush of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says the Rams have named Victor Adeyanju one of their captains for Week 16. Spagnuolo: "You go back and look at the tape, and it may not show up in a stat, but he pressured the quarterback a couple of times and he plays with tremendously great effort. I love Victor. I thought he did a nice job."

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat draws parallels between Null and Warner. Null: "Our stories are really similar in that fact. We both bagged groceries for a time. Mine was only two weeks, though."