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NFL rosters undergo massive changes each offseason. That has been particularly true in 2012 as limits increased from 80 to 90 players.

As much as I'd like to comply with requests to publish specific roster breakdowns for age and other factors, the changes require quite a bit of time to process.

A few trends are coming into focus regarding the NFC West already:

• The St. Louis Rams keep getting younger. I'm projecting them to be the youngest team in the league by a relatively wide margin, pending a few missing dates of birth for undrafted rookies on other teams. Mario Haggan (32), Quintin Mikell (31), Scott Wells (31) and Harvey Dahl (30) are the oldest players on the team. Gone are Fred Robbins (35), James Hall (35), Justin Bannan (33), Ben Leber (33) and Josh Brown (33). The Rams have not re-signed any of their own unrestricted free agents, including A.J. Feeley (35), Tony Wragge (32) and Brady Poppinga (32). Al Harris, 37, is retiring.
• The Seattle Seahawks have quietly gotten older. They ranked among the one or two youngest teams in the NFL last season and could regain that status once roster cuts are made. For now, however, I'm projecting the Seahawks to rank just outside the 10 youngest teams. Seattle brought back Marcus Trufant (31), Leroy Hill (29) and Michael Robinson (29) while adding Alex Barron (29), Frank Omiyale (29), Deuce Lutui (29) and Barrett Ruud (29 this week).
• The Arizona Cardinals could get older on defense. Arizona has gotten younger overall, but re-signing Vonnie Holliday (36) and Clark Haggans (35) would probably move the Cardinals back among the 10 oldest teams. Some of Arizona's age is concentrated with its specialists, however. That is also true for the San Francisco 49ers. Sometimes age is a good thing at those positions.
• The 49ers are young up front on offense. I'm projecting San Francisco to take one of the two or three youngest offensive lines to camp. Parting with 30-year-old Adam Snyder in free agency affected the equation once the 49ers decided to let youngsters Alex Boone and Daniel Kilgore compete for the job at right guard.

Enjoy your Friday. Hope to see you at the rescheduled NFC West chat. I'll publish a reminder later Friday.

Alex Smith's commitment to improving his throwing mechanics promises to turn analysts into amateur position coaches during the upcoming NFL season.

Every touchdown pass or interception will invite questions about whether Smith's shoulders were square or whether his front knee was bent sufficiently at delivery.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains the changes Smith has made to his mechanics by incorporating more of his body into the throw. Maiocco: "The most noticeable difference is that Smith also has greater flex in his left knee. ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski, speaking in December, repeated what he has said since 2007: Smith's knee lock was a major issue."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith's work with pitching coach Tom House also addressed the psychological aspect of the game. Branch: "Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who recommended the pitching coach to Smith, credits his meeting with House after the 2003 season for transforming his previous nice-guy style of leadership."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Dashon Goldson played well last season with minimal offseason preparation, something to keep in mind as Goldson remains unsigned this year. Barrows: "Furthermore, Goldson's absence gives the younger players more exposure. As of now, C.J. Spillman is filling in at free safety when the first-team defense takes the field. The 49ers signed Spillman to a three-year extension this offseason. Spillman may be the most physically gifted of all of the team's safeties -- he's certainly one of the more aggressive -- but he lacks experience. Newcomers Mark LeGree and Trenton Robinson, a sixth-round draft pick, also get a bit more action with Goldson's absence."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team's emphasis on speed in the draft should help the special teams, which were already pretty good. Farnsworth: "Red Bryant set franchise records by blocking two field goals in a game and four kicks during the season. Jon Ryan led the NFL and tied a club record with 34 punts downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, broke his club single-season records for average (46.6 yards) and net average (39.3) and also got off the longest punt (77 yards) in franchise history. Steven Hauschka tied club records by kicking five field goals in the upset victory over the Ravens and converting at least one three-pointer in 12 consecutive games. Doug Baldwin blocked a punt that Michael Robinson returned for a touchdown, while Farwell also had a blocked punt to set up a TD."

Also from Farnsworth: Why Jeremy Lane appealed to Seattle in the draft.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Seahawks owner Paul Allen has denied rumors his sports empire could be for sale.

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says no one is quite sure why Marshawn Lynch calls teammate Matt Flynn by the name "Antonio" -- that's just Lynch.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Landon Cohen's addition to the Cardinals' roster gives the team 90 players. Somers: "The Cardinals had one spot open on the roster and obviously needed some depth at defensive end. Signing Cohen doesn't preclude them from reaching agreement with defensive end Vonnie Holliday or outside linebacker Clark Haggans. Whenever that happens, the club will make a corresponding roster move."

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis offers thoughts on the Rams' proposed stadium upgrades. Softli: "While there may seem to be a short-term downside, there is also a huge potential for economic growth that all Missourians can be very proud of once a top-flight facility is built. The bottom line is that this current stadium needs a major facelift, or else another one needs to be built, because this community can’t afford to lose another NFL team and millions of dollars in future revenue."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with new Rams linebacker Mario Haggan, the oldest player on the team at 32. Haggan: "Fresh start for me. Fresh opportunity. This is a young team with an established quarterback. I've heard so many good things about Coach [Jeff] Fisher; you talk to guys across the league and they all wish they could play for him. And it's close to home. Maybe my family can come see me play more in St. Louis."

Also from Thomas: a report from Fisher's first full-squad practice as Rams coach. Fisher: "We added a bunch of things today. We've got a lot of 'base' in, we've got third down, and red zone. Friday, we'll probably do some 2-minute. So we're throwing a lot at 'em. But they've responded very well and they're practicing well together."

Drafting front-line NFL starters in the second round isn't always easy.

The Arizona Cardinals have had their share of successes (Calais Campbell, Daryl Washington, Karlos Dansby and Deuce Lutui) in recent years. They've also suffered some disappointments (Cody Brown, Alan Branch).

Retaining Campbell on a long-term deal was important for quite a few reasons, especially with Dansby playing well elsewhere, Branch enjoying success for a division rival and Lutui threatening to do the same.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic put Campbell's new five-year deal in perspective. Somers: "By removing the franchise tag from Campbell and restructuring his contract, the Cardinals freed up money to explore free-agency options and possibly re-sign some of their free agents, such as outside linebacker Clark Haggans and defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday. It should should help them sign some of their picks from last month's draft, including first-rounder Michael Floyd. Just as important, the signing means Campbell won't follow the footsteps of former Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby. Several attempts to sign him to a multi-year extension failed, and Dansby, one of the team's key contributors, left via free agency and signed with Miami."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com sees a pattern: "The last four players the Cardinals kept saying publicly they would soon be extending -- Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett, Larry Fitzgerald and now Campbell -- all got their extensions. Something to remember when analyzing what the team says about future players."

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says Randy Moss and Michael Crabtree are becoming fast friends. Donte Whitner: "They have a great relationship. Whenever you're doing something where you need a partner, they're always together."

Also from Inman: Alex Smith consulted with a pitching coach this offseason.

Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Moss could be the key to San Francisco's season.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Alex Boone is embracing a chance to play right guard.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com previews the 49ers' rookie camp. Maiocco: "LaMichael James will be ineligible to return to the work at the 49ers practice facility until after Oregon's graduation ceremony on June 15. Stanford, Northwestern and Wisconsin also have late graduations."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Bobby Wagner is the latest in a long line of second-round linebackers with a shot at starting for the team. The others: Lofa Tatupu, Dave Wyman, Keith Butler, Terry Beeson and Terry Wooden. Scout Eric Stokes: "First and foremost, he’s a big-time upgrade athletically. His speed and his range are going to be very impressive and you’re getting a guy that’s really physical. It’s going to be a natural adjustment to middle linebacker."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune offers first impressions after watching the Seahawks during a 45-minute workout. Boling: "The new No. 72 is the surprisingly svelte guard Deuce Lutui, whom you may recall from the days when he was stretching out Arizona Cardinals jerseys. Lutui failed the physical last year with Cincinnati and returned to Arizona as a backup. Although said to have been topping out in the 400-pound range, he’s listed at a believable 338 now, having slimmed down by adopting some vegan concepts in his diet. That’s good news for an offensive line that finished the season without three injured high draft picks -- Russell Okung, James Carpenter and John Moffitt. Okung and Moffitt have recovered well enough to be active in drills going against bags, while Carpenter is on the hoof but mostly watching."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams fans shouldn't be too alarmed over the team's stadium lease situation. He says team owner Stan Kroenke has incentive to keep the requested stadium upgrades within a reasonable price range. Burwell: "The best way for Kroenke to maximize the G-4 loan is if the final Dome proposal mandates that his share of the financial burden for renovation not exceed $150 million and that the total cost of the project costs between $200 million and $400 million. ... The thing that works for everyone is making sure that the Rams stay right here. After seeing what it cost the good folks of Minneapolis to keep the Vikings, suddenly $400 million doesn't sound so bad."

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

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

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

Also from Somers: catching up with Matt Ware.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Seattle Seahawks

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

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

UFA added: none

UFA lost: tight end John Carlson (27)

Franchise player: none

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

San Francisco 49ers

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

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

UFA added: none

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

Franchise player: safety Dashon Goldson (27)

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

Arizona Cardinals

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

UFA re-signed: none.

UFA added: Snyder (30)

UFA lost: cornerback Richard Marshall (27)

Franchise player: defensive end Calais Campbell (25)

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

St. Louis Rams

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

UFA re-signed: none

UFA added: cornerback Cortland Finnegan (28)

UFA lost: none

Franchise player: none

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

The chart below shows a general overview.

We're still a month away from NFL free agency, but with the Super Bowl behind us, we'll start sizing up players without contracts for 2012.

Expanding upon Brian McIntyre's lists, I've plugged in offensive and defensive snap-count numbers for NFC West free agents, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information.

The charts below cover the Arizona Cardinals' free agents. The final column shows what each player's previous contract averaged annually.

Re-signing defensive end Calais Campbell will be a top priority. I don't see the Cardinals letting him get away. They moved on from Antonio Smith a few years ago, but they did so with Campbell ready to take over. They would have a hard time replacing Campbell.

Cornerback Richard Marshall proved valuable on a one-year deal. Early Doucet was a primary threat on third down.

Overall, though, the Cardinals have a relatively modest group of unrestricted free agents.

Safety Sean Considine played extensively on special teams. I've listed him with the offensive and defensive UFAs, however.

The Cardinals' key specialists are without contracts. The team has turned over those positions in recent seasons.

The Cardinals can keep their restricted free agents, listed below, by making one-year qualifying offers to them, then matching any outside offers.

Brandon from Winston Salem, N.C., thinks the San Francisco 49ers should consider trading Michael Crabtree after the team's wide receivers failed to produce much during the playoffs. He says Crabtree has questioned Alex Smith's validity as the starter in the past and notes that the current staff would have little invested in Crabtree, anyway.

Mike Sando: Mixed feelings here. Crabtree was the best wide receiver on the team once Josh Morgan suffered a season-ending injury. He was sometimes an outstanding blocker, too. And when the team needed him to make a clutch catch at Seattle in Week 16, Crabtree delivered. Subtracting him from the roster would make the team worse at the position.

But I also sense a disconnect. The trust between Smith and Crabtree doesn't appear to be as strong as it should be. That could be because Crabtree has spent almost no time practicing with the team during minicamps and training camps. That should finally change this offseason. Is now really the time to bail on what could still become a productive relationship? It could be, but ...

The 49ers would not get a great deal in return for Crabtree, in my view. I would recommend trading Crabtree only if the new coaching staff had witnessed things behind the scenes indicating Crabtree was unwilling to buy in or put in the necessary work.

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Greg from Seattle thinks Tom Brady was a stretch for inclusion on the Any Era team in part because the league changed rules to protect quarterbacks after Brady suffered a knee injury. He doesn't think Brady would hold up physically the way football was played in previous eras, without all the extra safety measures.

Mike Sando: That's an interesting point. However, Brady won three Super Bowls before suffering that knee injury. I also love the way he makes a point to rise from the ground before the man who hit him. I also think his extraordinarily strong fundamentals would translate to any era.

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Mick from Brooklyn thinks the Seattle Seahawks could still have interest in Matt Flynn even though they made no effort to acquire the Green Bay quarterback before ultimately acquiring Charlie Whitehurst from San Diego. He thinks Seahawks general manager John Schneider simply might have realized the Packers weren't going to trade Flynn at that point.

Mike Sando: That is possible, but I've still never heard any rumblings suggesting Seattle has interest in Flynn.

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Kelphelper from Anchorage sees five positives for the Seahawks in the 49ers' defeat to the New York Giants in the NFC title game:

• Seattle, having defeated Baltimore and nearly defeated San Francisco, has now defeated a Super Bowl team thanks to its victory over New York;
• It's always good for Seattle fans when the 49ers lose a big game they should have won;
• The manner in which the 49ers lost could diminish the impact of their otherwise successful season;
• Two weeks of 49ers Super Bowl hype is out the window;
• The NFC West blog will finally have more content relevant to the Seahawks.

Mike Sando: I'm a big believer in positive thinking, but usually not at the expense of another. Getting the 49ers in the Super Bowl would have been great for NFC West perceptions. All four teams in the division would have been to a Super Bowl since the 2001 season. The tough part for the 49ers is know just how hard it is to get back into a position where they only needed a home victory to reach the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks have a lot going for them independent of the 49ers' fate. The Week 16 game at Seattle should have affirmed for the 49ers' coaches and personnel people how close behind Seattle could be in the NFC West. Both teams have promising young talent. The 49ers were ahead of the Seahawks in their development and in their talent procurement. But I think everyone watching NFC West games closely over the second half of the season saw signs the 49ers will have their hands full in 2012.

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Abel from Mesa, Ariz., wants to know what 2012 pick Arizona acquired from Washington in the Tim Hightower trade.

Mike Sando: Arizona will receive a sixth-round pick in return. The pick would have upgraded to a fifth-rounder if Hightower had played at least 60.41 percent of the Redskins' offensive snaps, according to an item Kent Somers published back in October, before a knee injury sidelined Hightower for the season.

Hightower wound up playing about 20 percent of the Redskins' offensive snaps.

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Jim from Tucson wants to know which areas the Cardinals need to upgrade most this offseason. He points to offensive tackle, wide receiver and outside linebacker.

Mike Sando: The receiver situation is OK as long as Larry Fitzgerald is there. Yes, the team should try to improve the position, but I would not point to receiver as a big problem for the team. Offensive tackle is rightly atop your list. The Cardinals could really use two new tackles. Brandon Keith has injury concerns. Jeremy Bridges is as good as he's ever going to be. Levi Brown isn't really the answer, and his contract will need addressing anyway.

On defense, I would want to continue upgrading the speed at linebacker. Paris Lenon deserves all of our respect for bucking the odds and remaining a starter at age 34, but should he really be the best option at this point? Perhaps Stewart Bradley figures out things in his second year with the team.

All of this assumes the Cardinals re-sign Calais Campbell or use the franchise tag on him. They cannot let him get away.

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Eugene from Los Angeles disputes the notion that the Rams' community-building efforts in St. Louis indicate the team isn't acting as though it plans to leave the region. The way Eugene sees things, "business people make business decisions, and the sooner the yokels in St. Louis realize this, the less devastated they'll be if the team moves. Will the team move? I have no idea, but I want ONE person in St. Louis to articulate how, for Stan Kroenke, staying in St. Louis long term is preferable to moving to Los Angeles."

Mike Sando: Only the city of St. Louis can make it preferable. Right now, Los Angeles is like an impressive college prospect -- appealing for its potential. I'll pose the challenge here. Why should Kroenke prefer St. Louis over Los Angeles for the long term?

Referee Gene Steratore and crew oversaw a hotly contested Seattle-Arizona game featuring seven penalties for personal fouls.

Cameras showed Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch upset after Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson appeared to pull off Lynch's helmet at the end of a play.

Those fouls and the Lynch-Wilson incident led to no NFL fines this week, a mild surprise given the league's emphasis on punishing players for roughness and related acts.

Steratore and crew flagged Levi Brown, Early Doucet, Vonnie Holliday, Paris Lenon, Brandon Browner, Zach Miller and Richard Sherman for personal fouls during a game the Cardinals won in overtime, 23-20.

There were likewise no fines against St. Louis or San Francisco players for personal fouls called against Chris Culliver, Dashon Goldson and Quintin Mikell.

Five things I noticed while watching the San Francisco 49ers during their most recent game, a 21-19 defeat at Arizona in Week 5:

• Great receiver blocking continues. Josh Morgan, now on injured reserve, has stood out for the 49ers in that area for years. Michael Crabtree has made a statement with his blocking this season. Braylon Edwards was the one violently shoving Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson twice during Frank Gore's 20-yard run late in the first quarter. Edwards was the only wide receiver on the field. He was one of the most effective blockers on the field for this play. This has been a tough season for Edwards. Those types of plays indicate effort is not the problem.
• So close with Ted Ginn Jr. The 49ers aren't quite as conservative as it sometimes seems on offense. They've come close to connecting on deep passes to Ginn. A questionable penalty for a chop block negated a 75-yard touchdown strike to Ginn at Baltimore. Ginn beat Cardinals cornerback A.J. Jefferson deep for what should have been a 51-yard touchdown Sunday. Ginn lost track of the ball and could not make the catch. Cardinals defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday ran past guard Mike Iupati to pressure and hit Alex Smith on the play, but the ball was gone when Holliday made contact. The ball almost hit Ginn. I would expect the 49ers to keep trying. They'll connect on one of these eventually.
• Red zone chances galore. The 49ers' No. 32 ranking in red zone touchdown percentage is well earned. It was tough to figure how they failed to find the end zone after getting first-and-goal from the 4 in the second quarter. Smith appeared to miss Edwards with a back-shoulder throw on first down, but upon replaying the sequence in slow motion, I think Jefferson tugged at Edwards' collar, delaying Edwards' pursuit of the ball. It was subtle and tough to see at full speed. Edwards didn't even complain about it. Perhaps it was inconsequential. The play just seemed too straightforward for Smith and Edwards to miss. A run went nowhere on second down. The 49ers went with 22 personnel on third down, with Edwards as the lone wideout. Smith could find no one open. Another wide receiver on the field wouldn't seem to hurt.
• 49ers nearly knocked out two QBs. Cardinals starter Kevin Kolb dropped back to pass twice in this game. The 49ers hit him both times. They knocked him out with a concussion on the second one. Backup John Skelton narrowly avoided a massive hit. Safety Dashon Goldson, one of the 49ers' hardest hitters, missed high by a few inches when Skelton slid with the ball at the last moment. Goldson smashed into teammate Aldon Smith instead, accidentally delivering a helmet-to-helmet hit that briefly shook Smith. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman had flushed Skelton from the pockety by bulling over running back Chester Taylor in pass protection. The 49ers can be so physical on defense. This play showed how.
• Alex Boone passes initial test. Backup tackle is an important position for the 49ers after their starter on the left side, Joe Staley, missed seven games in each of the last two seasons. Boone signed a contract extension last week, then stepped into the lineup Sunday when a concussion forced Staley from the game early. The 49ers' offensive line had lost of problems, but most seemed to stem from the interior. Boone held up well in pass protection, even in obvious passing situations. The 49ers' money appeared well spent.

Looking ahead, I'll be interested in seeing how the 49ers defend Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Mike Wallace. Unlike the Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald, who hurt the 49ers from the slot, Wallace has lined up almost exclusively on the perimeter this season.

If the headline above this item sounds confusing, that was the point.

The Arizona Cardinals are at once a young, emerging team and an old, declining one.

As discussed earlier Wednesday in the Arizona section of this item, the Cardinals have the 15th-oldest players on offense and the second-oldest players on defense. No team in the NFL has older defensive backups in terms of average age. But that is only part of the story.

The Cardinals' five youngest players are starting. Their eight youngest players all own at least two starts this season. Their ninth-, 10th- and 11th-youngest players -- David Carter, LaRod Stephens-Howling and O'Brien Schofield -- are getting significant playing time and making positive contributions.

By my calculations, the Cardinals would go from third-oldest to roughly 15th-oldest in average age (not counting specialists) simply by replacing Vonnie Holliday, Clark Haggans, Joey Porter and Paris Lenon with players averaging 25 years old.

Haggans and Lenon remain productive players, but the team hopes to replace them with younger players. Schofield could realistically step in for Haggans next season. Free-agent addition Stewart Bradley, 28, will presumably play more next season as well.

Porter appears on his way out now that rookie Sam Acho is starting and producing (two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery against St. Louis). Acho has started the last five games. He has four sacks in those five starts, plus a fifth sack one game before he replaced Porter in the lineup. The 2011 fourth-round draft choice looks like a keeper.

The Cardinals will also get younger next season by welcoming back Ryan Williams from injured reserve. The team signed 32-year-old Chester Taylor as an emergency replacement when Williams, still not yet 22, landed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Nose tackle Dan Williams, 24, went on injured reserve more recently. His return will also make the Cardinals younger on average.

The goal should be to get better, not just younger. But if you're going to suffer through losing seasons, it's best to develop young talent along the way. The Cardinals are doing that. They could still stand to add young players throughout their roster.

For example, Arizona's backup offensive linemen are 28, 29 and 31 years old when 27-year-old Brandon Keith is healthy enough to start at right tackle. That gives the Cardinals the oldest backup offensive linemen in the league, by my calculations.

Plugging in an experienced player can be more comforting than turning to a raw rookie, but teams hire coaches to develop talent, not just manage it. Drafting for the offensive line (there's a thought) and defense would go a long way toward changing the overall makeup of the Cardinals' roster.

The Arizona Cardinals' efforts to develop young players and integrate new ones on defense continues to stagnate.

The reasons are simple to understand.
First-year coordinator Ray Horton is installing a complex new system that would be tough for young players to absorb even with a full offseason. And the team's highest-priced defensive addition in free agency, inside linebacker Stewart Bradley, came from a vastly different system, so he was going to face a transition period as well.

Finally, the Cardinals haven't done a great job drafting young personnel to fit their new system.

I found useful comments New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick made recently in explaining why his team has leaned less heavily on a pure 3-4 defense:

"We've played a mixture of odd fronts and even fronts, but I just felt like from a starting point -- given the lack of spring opportunities to practice and meet, and the shortened training camp in terms of actual number of practices -- that from a teaching standpoint, we felt like there would be more carryover teaching our base defense and nickel defense really as one front.

"We wanted a lot of carryover between our run responsibilities and run fits, and some of our pressure defenses and things like that. We'll transition and build into some of our odds fronts, but we felt like in trying to evaluate young players, asking them to learn one system in a 3-4 and then learn another system in nickel [was too much].

"As you know, we were in nickel defense just as much as we were 3-4 defense because of teams using multiple receivers on early downs and two-minute and all those kind of things. So, we felt like it would be a better opportunity to evaluate our players and not try to over-install and put in a ton of defense.

"There are so many intricacies to a 3-4 defense that I just didn't know if we'd be ready to handle them this year."

The Cardinals have scaled back. And, unlike the Patriots, they have not had Belichick teaching and overseeing their defense since 2000. Horton is finding his way as a coordinator and still getting a feel for the personnel he inherited. He also doesn't benefit from a Tom Brady-led offense putting points on the board and pulling out victories even when the defense falters.

What the Cardinals do have in their favor, at least this week, is great familiarity with the upcoming opponent, Pittsburgh. Horton coached the Steelers' secondary, so he should know how to scheme for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Arizona coaches Ken Whisehunt and Russ Grimm, among others, also have roots with the Steelers. And Arizona is coming off a bye week, which gave coaches needed time to reassess.

The first chart shows snap counts and percentages for the Cardinals' defensive players, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Younger players such as O'Brien Schofield and Sam Acho will presumably get more playing time as the season progresses. Bradley's snap counts are also much lower than I would have anticipated coming into the season.

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A few thoughts on NFC West rosters after calculating age ranks for NFL teams based on the rosters I maintain:

• The chart ranks teams from oldest to youngest, excluding special-teams players who can sometimes play into their 40s. The first column shows overall rank, counting offensive and defensive players. The third and fourth columns show where teams rank on each side of the ball. These are for starters and backups. In some cases, teams might plan to release older backups on the reduction to 53 players.


• Arizona Cardinals: Earlier in the preseason, Kevin Kolb referred to the Cardinals as a young team. They do have young players, some of whom played extensively last season and should be better for it. But the Cardinals have the sixth-oldest roster in the league overall. Vonnie Holliday (35), Clark Haggans (34), Joey Porter (34), Paris Lenon (33), Floyd Womack (32), Adrian Wilson (31), Todd Heap (31) and Nick Eason (31) are some of them. The team has also favored veteran offensive linemen, including veteran backups.


• St. Louis Rams: The Rams got older on purpose, adding seasoning to their defense through players added on one-year deals. Al Harris (36) is the oldest non-specialist on the team. James Hall (34) and Fred Robbins (34) remain valuable contributors. Both start. Rookie Robert Quinn will likely replace Hall at some point. Drafting a defensive tackle in the first round of the 2012 draft could make sense, too. Some of the Rams' additions could come at the expense of incumbent veterans such as Hank Fraley (34 next month) and Na'il Diggs (33).


• San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers have gotten younger this offseason, particularly on defense. They subtracted Takeo Spikes (34), Aubrayo Franklin (31 this week), Travis LaBoy (30), Brian Westbrook, Nate Clements (31), Brian Westbrook (32 next month), William James (32), Barry Sims (36) and Demetric Evans (32 next month).. Fulback Moran Norris (33) is their oldest non-specialist. The team has only six non-specialists in their 30s, half as many as the Cardinals have.


• Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks have been getting younger by design over the past two seasons. Like the 49ers, they have only six non-specialists in their 30s, with none older than 33 (Raheem Brock). They have subtracted Sean Locklear (30), Matt Hasselbeck (36 next month), Stacy Andrews (30), J.P. Losman (30), Brandon Stokley (35), Lawyer Milloy (37), Chester Pitts (32) and Craig Terrill (31). Most general managers want to make their teams younger when starting out. In Seattle, the head coach is also amendable to that approach. But a few players such as Brock (33), Junior Siavii (32), Colin Cole (31), Marcus Trufant (30) and Atari Bigby (30 next month) have kept the Seahawks defensive ranking from sinking further. Seattle is 16th oldest on that side of the ball.

I've sprouted a couple new gray hairs just typing in some of these names. Might be time to squeeze in an afternoon workout.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch credits Mike Martz for helping the Rams achieve offensive greatness, lamenting only that the current Rams couldn't learn more about the Greatest Show on Turf days by attending Marshall Faulk's Hall of Fame proceedings in Canton. Faulk on Martz: "Listen, man, this is part of my (induction) speech and I'll share that with you. Eight, 10 years ago, (people were calling) Mike Martz crazy, just crazy for throwing the ball the way he did, right? But if you look at today's game, Green Bay just won the Super Bowl throwing it 50 times. Pittsburgh lost throwing it 45 times. Look what Tom Brady does now. Look how much Peyton Manning throws it. This league is doing what Mike Martz started, what he envisioned professional football offenses should look like."

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says first-round pick Robert Quinn resumed practicing in individual drills after sitting out with an injury.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says Mike Sims-Walker made an impact quickly in his first practice with the Rams. Wagoner: "On Mike Sims-Walker’s second practice snap as a member of the St. Louis Rams, he ran past his defender and glided down the sideline where quarterback Sam Bradford hit him in stride for a touchdown that covered roughly 50 yards. It was a play that in Sims-Walker’s mind had been a long time coming. Although many of the veteran free agents who signed with the Rams in the last week have been in St. Louis for a few days, Thursday provided their first opportunity to practice with their new team."

Jason LaCanfora of NFL.com expects veteran tight end Bo Scaife to visit the Rams.

Steve Giegerich of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch experiences Rams camp through the eyes of team interns.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com checks in with 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh regarding Taylor Mays' availability by trade. Harbaugh suggests other teams initiated trade talks and the 49ers are merely indulging them. Harbaugh: "Full disclosure, there have been inquiries about Taylor over the past eight days. Now it's to the point, let's check it out. That's where we are now." Why send out an email to the rest of the league announcing Mays' availability if other teams had already initiated talks? It doesn't really matter. Mays is available. That is the bottom line.

Also from Maiocco: Braylon Edwards' addition gives the 49ers two of the first three players chosen in the 2005 draft. Alex Smith is the other.

Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat passes along a transcript from Smith's interview session. Smith: "I want to come out, a new offense, new coaching staff, new day, absolutely. I was pretty anxious, pretty jacked up. It didn’t help having to watch for basically a week, you can sign but you can’t do anything, and then you’re just sitting here watching, chomping at the bit. So it’s great to finally get out there, we had a lot of fun. Obviously, we’ve got a long road ahead of us, but it felt like we took a step today and we’ll look at film and try to take another one tomorrow."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Harbaugh wasn't interested in comparing quarterbacks.

Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News says nothing Smith does in practice matters as much any longer. The games are what matter.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle offers thoughts on the 49ers' revamped secondary. Branch: "Donte Whitner, 26, who reportedly signed a three-year contract worth $11.5 million, ranked fifth in the NFL with 140 tackles last year, the only season in his five-year career in which he's played 16 games. The deal signaled the end of free-agent safety Dashon Goldson's four-year tenure as the Niners' new regime continued to aggressively retool a defense which ranked 24th in the NFL against the pass last year."

Rod Mar of seahawks.com offers photos from the team's first practice with its 2011 free-agent class participating.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com provides notes from the Seahawks' practice Thursday. New tight end Zach Miller had this to say about new quarterback Tarvaris Jackson: "I was really impressed. Obviously, just seeing him play on film and on TV is a lot different than getting to play with the guy. I was really impressed. He had a ton of zip on the ball. He was hitting receivers out here and hitting the tight ends. I was really impressed with how accurate he was."

Also from Farnsworth: a quick run through the Seahawks' free-agent additions.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times has this to say about Jackson: "For the record, I thought Jackson looked like a competent quarterback who was practicing with this teammates for the first time. He made some nice throws, he looked natural in the instance I saw when he pulled down the ball and ran. He also admitted himself he missed Mike Williams on a go route, showing that he'll have to develop a better understanding of where his receivers like the ball. Jackson looks much more natural and fluid rolling out than Charlie Whitehurst has in his time here."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune offers thoughts via video regarding Jackson, singling out a couple plays that impressed.

Also from Boling: more thoughts on Jackson, this time in writing.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune files notes from practice, including this one: "Safety Kam Chancellor continues to shine, as he battles for the starting safety job next to Earl Thomas. Chancellor had his second interception in two days off a tipped ball by Aaron Curry intended to Carlson, Jackson’s only interception of the day."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says new Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb was working through issues associated with participating in practice for the first time following an extended layoff. Somers: "It was a unique practice because the number of players working increased from 66 to 90. It was the first workout for several expected starters such as Kolb, guard Daryn Colledge and tight ends Todd Heap and Jeff King. The only thing they learned from watching earlier practices is that standing in one place results in a sore back."

Also from Somers: "The Cardinals made no attempt to re-sign backup nose tackle Gabe Watson, who signed with the Giants on Tuesday. The team doesn't seem to be worried about replacing Watson, however. Veteran defensive ends Nick Eason and Vonnie Holliday can play there, said coach Ken Whisenhunt, and the hope is that David Carter, a sixth-round pick, can also give the team depth at nose tackle and end."

More from Somers: Newly signed linebacker Stewart Bradley is making a positive impression and will likely start at inside linebacker.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Kolb appeared comfortable in his first practice with the Cardinals. Center Lyle Sendlein: "I’m just amazed. Our plays have a lot of verbiage to it, a lot. I don’t think he screwed up calling one. That’s half the battle."