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What are the St. Louis Rams going to do at outside linebacker?

The team faces other questions coming off a 2-14 season, but that position went largely unaddressed in the draft. St. Louis emerged from the draft with five linebackers on its roster, leaving roughly six or seven spots to fill for training camp.

The Rams used a seventh-round choice for Aaron Brown, a weakside linebacker from Hawaii, but linebackers selected that late would generally project as special-teams contributors only if they earn roster spots at all.

Veteran Jo-Lonn Dunbar, signed from New Orleans in free agency, projects as one starter. Josh Hull, a seventh-round choice in 2010, projects as the other starter until the Rams can further address the position.

James Laurinaitis is a solid starter in the middle. He should fare better in 2012 playing behind recently acquired Kendall Langford (Miami Dolphins) and Michael Brockers (first-round draft choice). He cannot make every play from sideline to sideline, however. He needs help. The Rams desperately need speed on the outside.

After struggling through last season with aging stopgap options such as Ben Leber and Brady Poppinga, the Rams have gotten younger at the position, but they have not gotten appreciably better. Some of the players they cast aside in previous seasons -- Paris Lenon, Pisa Tinoisamoa and Will Witherspoon come to mind -- would have been better than the players St. Louis wound up relying on.

At one point in the draft, the Rams traded down from the 45th spot, coming away with running back Isaiah Pead and the 150th choice. Philadelphia and Seattle took inside linebackers with the 46th and 47th overall picks. The Rams could have drafted Nebraska's Lavonte David, who went to Tampa Bay at No. 58, but they thought Pead would bring greater value at another position of need.

Teams running 4-3 defenses selected only four projected outside linebackers from the third through fifth rounds, with Jacksonville selecting Nevada's Brandon Marshall at No. 142, eight spots before the Rams chose South Carolina guard Rokevious Watkins.

The bottom line was that St. Louis entered this draft with more needs than it could address with the available picks. Outside linebacker moves closer to the top of their priority list as the roster rebuild enters its next phase.

September can be an exciting, gratifying time for those NFL players deemed significant enough to earn "captain" status, usually by vote of their peers.

Enjoy it while you can, gentlemen.

Take a look at the St. Louis Rams' captains from 2008: Marc Bulger, Tory Holt, Will Witherspoon, Corey Chavous and Todd Johnson.

Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.

The Arizona Cardinals' captains two seasons ago? Kurt Warner, Reggie Wells, Karlos Dansby, Sean Morey and Aaron Francisco. Gone, all of them.

The Seattle Seahawks (Matt Hasselbeck, Lofa Tatupu) and San Francisco 49ers (Patrick Willis, Eric Heitmann) each still employ two of their captains from 2008. But Seattle has parted with four others: Walter Jones, Deon Grant, D.D. Lewis and Lance Laury. The 49ers have waved goodbye to 2008 captains Michael Robinson (now a Seahawk) and Walt Harris.

How many of the 2010 team captains, listed below, will remain with their teams in two seasons?

Arizona Cardinals

Offense: Larry Fitzgerald, Lyle Sendlein

Defense: Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett

Special teams: Ben Graham, Jason Wright

St. Louis Rams

Offense: Steven Jackson

Defense: Oshiomogho Atogwe

Week 1 at-large: Chris Massey, James Hall

San Francisco 49ers

Offense: Eric Heitmann, Vernon Davis, Alex Smith

Defense: Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Justin Smith

Note: Coach Mike Singletary names captains for the 49ers. He added Alex Smith to the list this year and said the quarterback had earned the distinction.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have not yet voted on captains.

Update: Matt Hasselbeck (offense), Lofa Tatupu (defense) and Roy Lewis (special teams) are 2010 captains for Seattle.

The Rams placed starting receiver Keenan Burton on injured reserve Monday, ending his season. The position has been hit incredibly hard by injuries this season, recalling what Seattle went through in 2008.

The Rams were already rebuilding at the position after releasing Torry Holt as part of a youth movement and salary-cap adjustment. General manager Billy Devaney made a solid move in acquiring Laurent Robinson from the Falcons before the season. Robinson was the Rams' best receiver through the first two games, but a season-ending injury landed him on injured reserve. Starter Donnie Avery has hit stride recently after battling injuries most of the season. Brandon Gibson, a rookie acquired from Philadelphia in the Will Witherspoon trade, made strong contributions Sunday.

Burton had shown significant improvement in recent weeks. He ranks second to Avery in receptions among St. Louis' wide receivers. Running back Steven Jackson leads the team overall.

The Rams have had nine receivers on their 53-man roster this season: Gibson, Avery, Burton, Robinson, Danny Amendola, Ruvell Martin, Tim Carter, Nate Jones and Derek Stanley. Fifth-round choice Brooks Foster landed on injured reserve before the season. Ronald Curry was with the team in camp.

Avery, Gibson, Amendola and Martin remain. Sean Walker is on the practice squad. Chris Davis, Skyler Green, David Tyree, Larry Beavers, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne and Jordan Kent have had tryouts with the team over the last two months.

Keeping Avery healthy is critical. Gibson will continue getting significant reps after catching seven passes for 93 yards against the Saints in Week 10.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Power Rankings: Preseason: 32. This week: 30.

2009 Schedule/Results

	Fernando Medina/US Presswire
	Steven Jackson has emerged as a leader under new head coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Where they stand: The Rams are fourth in the NFC West with a 1-7 record. Expectations were low because the Rams parted with so many established players as part of a massive rebuilding project. The Rams are showing signs of improvement, particularly on offense, and they have continued to battle admirably despite glaring deficiencies at some positions, notably receiver. Beating the Lions before the bye week might have been critical for the Rams' psyche. They have bought into rookie coach Steve Spagnuolo, but believing would have been tougher if the Rams had taken an 0-8 record into their bye week.

Disappointments: The Rams knew they would struggle some as a young team finding its way amid significant scheme changes. To be competitive and win a few games to this point, they needed more from safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, cornerback Ron Bartell, defensive end Chris Long, receiver Donnie Avery, tight end Randy McMichael, quarterback Marc Bulger, tackle Alex Barron and defensive tackle Adam Carriker (placed on injured reserve). The team has invested considerable resources in each of those players. None is enjoying a particularly strong season. Veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon was another player expected to contribute. The Rams waited for him to emerge before trading him to the Eagles. Losing receiver Laurent Robinson to a season-ending injury was crushing. He had emerged as the Rams' best option.

Surprises: Defensive-minded coaches can sometimes be combustible, as Mike Singletary and Jim Mora have shown within the division. Spagnuolo has shown unwavering poise despite the Rams' struggles. He has been consistent with his message and unflappable. The team's veteran players have bought into Spagnuolo to a degree the Rams could not have anticipated. Having the previously volatile Steven Jackson onboard with the program was critical for Spagnuolo. Jackson has become a leader and a leading Spagnuolo proponent. His growth and maturity has helped the Rams stick together through brutally tough defeats, notably the overtime loss at Jacksonville after defensive end Leonard Little scored to put the Rams ahead in the final minutes of regulation.

Outlook: Jackson gives the Rams their best chance at being competitive. He has four 100-yard rushing games and a 4.8-yard average per carry even though defenses have little else to fear from the Rams' offense. The Rams play a relatively tough schedule over the second half of the season, starting with a home game against the undefeated Saints in Week 10. They have a chance to win a couple more games, but the rough schedule and the Rams' limitations make any final record projection better than 3-13 seem optimistic. The final eight games will stand as a success if the Rams win a couple of them while watching some of their core players develop. Even then, the Rams could very well need to consider drafting a franchise quarterback. The team also needs better young talent on its defensive line. Little and fellow veteran James Hall are the best pass-rushers on the team. That is not a good sign for a team that has recently used high first-round choices for defensive linemen.

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

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Falling

Hill

1. Shaun Hill, QB, 49ers. The 49ers are following a familiar pattern here. A year ago, J.T. O'Sullivan started the first eight games before newly named interim coach Mike Singletary benched him for Hill. Hill lasted seven weeks this season before Singletary made the move to Alex Smith. If Smith plays reasonably well but not great down the stretch, the 49ers could enter the 2010 season in the same spot they found themselves heading into this season -- feeling OK about their quarterback situation in the short term, but not longer. Hill wasn't entirely to blame for the 49ers' problems on offense, of course. He wasn't the solution, either. Hill has proved he can lead the 49ers to victory when the team plays games on its terms. But continued problems on the offensive line were making the 49ers too predictable, exposing Hill's limitations.

Devaney

2. Billy Devaney, general manager, Rams. Midseason is generally a bit early for team executives to start appearing in stock watches. Their work is best measured over the longer term, and Devaney is still in the early stages of a massive rebuilding project. Still, it was a bad week for him. The Rams traded veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon, weakening their defense in the short term, and Witherspoon repaid them with a monster performance for the Eagles on "Monday Night Football." Witherspoon returned an interception for a touchdown, forced a fumble and sacked Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell in his Eagles debut. Receiver Brandon Gibson, acquired from Philadelphia in the Witherspoon trade, wasn't active for the Rams in Week 7 even though Devaney said he expected immediate contributions. Again, the one-week mark isn't time to evaluate trades, but this wasn't a good week to be the Rams' GM.

Bulger

3. Marc Bulger, QB, Rams. Two second-half interceptions against the Colts helped turn a 21-6 deficit into a 42-6 blowout as the Rams fell to 0-7. Bulger completed 14 of 26 passes for 140 yards and no touchdowns. He took three sacks and the Colts laid him out on a few other plays. This was supposed to be the season when a restored offensive line gave Bulger the time he needed to rejuvenate his career. Instead, the line still has issues and Bulger lacks the receivers he needs exploit defenses. It's a dispiriting combination. The longer this goes on, the more it seems as though Bulger will have to continue his career elsewhere. It's just not working in St. Louis.

Rising

1. The Cardinals in general. I couldn't single out one player as the key to Arizona's eye-opening victory over the Giants in the Meadowlands. That was the best part of this victory from the Cardinals' perspective. It was a team effort all the way and a potentially transforming victory for coach Ken Whisenhunt. Arizona has won its last four road games, counting playoffs, and six of eight dating to a 34-13 victory at St. Louis in Week 9 last season. Rookie Beanie Wells made strides toward providing the needed balance to the Cardinals' offense. The last couple of weeks have also given first-year defensive coordinator Bill Davis something to build around. Even third-year nose tackle Alan Branch is turning into an effective player.

Smith

2. Alex Smith, QB, 49ers. Three second-half touchdown passes against the Texans made Smith an easy choice to replace Hill as the 49ers' starter until further notice. The past few years have tested Smith on and off the field. I get the sense he has emerged in a better place. That doesn't necessarily mean Smith will pick up where he left off against the Texans (minus that desperation interception on fourth down to end the 49ers' final rally). But it's clear the 49ers' offense needed to change something. Smith appeared relaxed, decisive and in control while completing 15 of 22 passes for 206 yards. The 49ers will be eager to see him develop more of a rapport with rookie first-round draft choice Michael Crabtree.

Davis

3. Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers. A career-high and team-record three touchdown receptions against the Texans left Davis with six in seven games this season. The 49ers have overhauled Davis' role. They are sending him into pass routes more regularly and building him into the passing game. Davis spent much of last season serving as a glorified offensive tackle for Mike Martz's pass-oriented offense. Davis has proven to be a difficult matchup for safeties and linebackers down the middle of the field. He stands as the biggest success story of the Singletary era in San Francisco. Adding Crabtree to the offense should give defenses more to think about in the passing game. If only the 49ers could protect the quarterback more consistently.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' defense is gaining in confidence. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "There's been a significant shift in our mentality and attitude and it's really showed up the last three weeks." Not good news for the rest of the NFC West.

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic plays the schedule game and thinks the Cardinals are in good shape. She is right. Boivin: "Only two of the Cardinals' 10 remaining games are against teams with winning records. Their next five opponents -- Carolina, Chicago, Seattle, St. Louis and Tennessee -- are a combined 7-24. In this bizarre NFL season riddled with have-nots, the Cardinals will benefit from having the 0-7 Rams on their schedule twice and the 0-6 Titans and 1-5 Lions once."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic passes along a hilarious story from the Cardinals' victorious locker room Sunday night. Somers: "I'm interviewing Alan Branch after the game. He had just been informed that he had two sacks -- the first one came when he chased (Eli) Manning out of bounds. Branch was so excited he had to tell nose tackle Bryan Robinson and the two exchanged a high five. Or they tried to. I happened to be in the middle. Robinson's hand (I think it was him, haven't checked the replay) hit me in the nose, pushing the glasses against it. Broken glasses. Very small scrape on a nose that's been broken a few times and wasn't pretty to begin with. Don't ask me why I had reading glasses on in the locker room. Veteran mistake. Both players apologized profusely. And thanks to Cardinals media relations manager Chris Melvin for giving me some Band-Aids and telling me a few times that 'it wasn't bleeding that bad.'"

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie suffered a "low sprain" of his ankle, which beats the alternative. Also from Urban: "Beanie Wells is not going to be the starter anytime soon (more on that story later today on the homepage). But he will continue to get more work. Whisenhunt made three things clear: Beanie is explosive and a day when he breaks out is coming for some unsuspecting opponent; the fumbles, especially in the limited amount of carries, is not going to help him with playing time (although he acknowledged Tim Hightower has to be careful too); and there will continue to be a running back rotation, including Jason Wright, so it’s unlikely Wells is going to end up getting 25 carries a game."

Also from Urban: a more detailed look at Wells' situation.

Revenge of the Birds' Andrew602 grades the Cardinals' performance on offense against the Giants.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says 49ers quarterback Alex Smith feels more confident. Maiocco: "Smith said he's more confident, in general, at this stage of his career. He said he did look more confident on film in yesterday's game, but it's the same way he's been playing -- or practicing -- for a while."

Also from Maiocco: 49ers coach Mike Singletary says he thinks Smith has matured. Maiocco: "Singletary said Smith had made good use of the time he spent in mothballs. He has continued to learn the offense. Unlike his rookie season, Smith could watch another player for an extended period to help figure out some things he could apply to his own game."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers are handling their quarterback situation in the right way and in a manner that should prove instructive for the Raiders.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News describes Smith as the 49ers' last, best hope -- again.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers do not plan to switch back and forth between Smith and Shaun Hill.

Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News says quarterback isn't the only problem for the 49ers. Singletary wants to clean up communication problems on defense. Linebacker Patrick Willis has been wearing the radio transmitter in his helmet. That could change, Singletary indicated.

John Crumpacker and Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers are playing it safe with strong safety Michael Lewis. Lewis said he remains "somewhat" concerned about concussion problems.

Also from Crumpacker: a look back and forward as the 49ers reinstall Smith as their starting quarterback.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Seattle got healthier during its bye week, although Damion McIntosh will likely start at left tackle. Farnsworth: "Cornerback Kelly Jennings was back after sitting out last week because of a sore hip and rib, as was left guard Rob Sims, who has missed the past two games with a sprained ankle."

Also from Farnsworth: Seahawks linebacker David Hawthorne will start against his hometown Cowboys in Week 8. His father, also named David, is a die-hard Cowboys fan. Said the younger Hawthorne: "Last year, he had to wear one hat that had the Seahawks going forward and the Cowboys going backwards."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times quotes Seahawks coach Jim Mora as saying quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is "fine" despite not doing much in practice Monday.

Also from O'Neil: "Still iffy" is how Mora described statuses for Walter Jones and Sean Locklear. O'Neil: "The league does not require teams to submit an injury report until Wednesday so there was no official list of who practiced and how much, but Mora conceded that Jones didn't do much. Neither did tackle Sean Locklear, who is coming back from an ankle injury."

John Morgan of Field Gulls sizes up the Seahawks' situation at running back. Morgan: "(Julius) Jones doesn't seem slower and he doesn't seem hobbled by injuries. He has developed a reputation as an unremarkable back and maybe he is. But Jones blocks well, receives well and is one the cheapest starting running backs in the NFL. His brother Thomas fits the same profile and was passed around the league before he landed on a contender. Thomas Jones has never been a remarkable rusher, but he stayed healthy, kept his speed and does the little things well. No one would argue if Thomas could be the lead rusher on a Super Bowl-winning team -- he was a Rex Grossman away from being just that in 2006."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch assesses the Rams' injury situation, which is not pretty. Cornerback Bradley Fletcher's knee injury was so serious that the rookie will require two surgeries and a long rehab. The Rams traded Tye Hill in part because they liked their young corners, notably Fletcher. This injury hurts the team quite a bit. Thomas: "Fletcher, a third-round draft pick from Iowa, was just starting to come on when he was injured. He was playing his best game of the season against the Colts, in just his third NFL start. Fletcher's injury occurred when he turned to make a play on a deep ball, breaking up a pass intended for Pierre Garcon. It's something Fletcher wasn't doing earlier in the season. (Coach Steve) Spagnuolo said that last week he stepped into the indoor practice facility about 15-20 minutes after practice, and there was Fletcher working on just that technique -- learning how to play the ball."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Spagnuolo thought the Rams' intensity waned in the fourth quarter against the Colts.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams could use better talent and better coaching. Miklasz: "This is the worst roster in the NFL. But even where there is talent, the Rams don’t utilize it properly. One example: giving Steven Jackson only five touches in the second half of the Jacksonville game. (And ignoring Jackson at times in other games.) Another example: not playing No. 2 overall draft pick Jason Smith at left offensive tackle, where he belongs, from the time he checked into camp. And what’s up with this three-man rotation at OT? A third example: as a rookie DE, Chris Long was better in the pass rush than he’s been in this, his second season. Why has he regressed? Isn’t the pass rush supposed to be a Spagnuolo specialty?" Long will never be a dynamic pass-rusher, in my view.

The Associated Press breaks down Will Witherspoon's performance for the Eagles in his first game since the Rams traded him to Philadelphia. Not bad.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. joined me Wednesday morning to discuss key issues in the NFC West. I'll lay them out, one per team, following the order of the division standings.

1. San Francisco 49ers (3-2): What should we expect from Michael Crabtree and are the 49ers making the right decision to start him now?

Matt Williamson: I agree with it. I haven't seen him in practice, but he must be impressive. I thought he was the best player in the draft. I didn't have to try to sign him, sit down with him, know what kind of person he was, but from what I saw on tape in game situations, he was the best player available. He's an immense talent and probably already the second most talented player on their roster besides Patrick Willis, and they may be equal. He has a chance at some point to be their best offensive playmaker. Get him on the field. He's better than what they have had and the passing game hasn't been all that great.

Mike Sando: One question might be whether rushing him onto the field could lead to injuries.

Matt Williamson: I would bet there will be some fatigue for him. How many times has he run 40 routes in a game and blocked? You can try to do all that stuff in practice, but it isn't the same.

Mike Sando: What does Isaac Bruce have left? Are they making the right decision sitting down Josh Morgan?

Matt Williamson: In the long term, no. But they are a contender and they have as good a shot as anyone to win this division. There's a high trust factor with Bruce. Vernon Davis has improved, but he can still be erratic mentally and assignment-wise. They need somebody out there who can get 8 yards on third-and-7. I'm not sure how reliable Vernon Davis and Josh Morgan would be from that standpoint. When the quarterback gets in trouble, he knows where Bruce is going to be and he will not embarrass you. Morgan will see the field plenty, too, to spell Crabtree.

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2. Arizona Cardinas (3-2): What should we expect from Arizona on the road against the Giants? Can the Cardinals win that game?

Matt Williamson: Normally I would say no, but I'm really on the fence about it. Anquan Boldin would be a big loss if he is out. I think New York's defense is very good, but I thought New Orleans really exposed them over the middle of the field and that is why I mentioned Boldin. C.C. Brown was awful for the Giants. Their safety play and linebacker pass defense is poor right now, mostly because of injuries but also because Antonio Pierce and Chase Blackburn aren't good in coverage. The Cardinals do not have a great tight end, but Boldin and Fitzgerald can have success over the middle.

Mike Sando: Will Warner have time to throw?

Matt Williamson: I think they are at a massive disadvantage in pass protection. I would take the Giants for that reason.

Mike Sando: Arizona stopped the Giants' running game last season, but Eli Manning lit up their secondary.

Matt Williamson: That could happen again. I think they are going to have a hard time getting to Manning. I do not like their pass rush.

Mike Sando: Unlike Seattle in Week 6, the Giants will not be starting Kyle Williams at left tackle. Manning has taken only three sacks all season. He has 11 touchdowns, three interceptions and an 8.4-yard average per attempt.

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3. Seattle Seahawks (2-4). Seattle has lost twice at home already. Is it too early to write off this team?

Matt Williamson: I don’t think so. A week ago, I kind of felt like they were going to win the division, and then their line got so exposed and nothing went well. They are already 2-4 with a lot of road games ahead of them. They are not the type of team that can afford to lose at home. And can Matt Hasselbeck really play 10 more games for you? I have some doubts there. Are they a contender? No. Are they a drag, either? No.

Mike Sando: Nine wins should be enough to win this division, I think. If that is the case, Seattle probably must win its remaining four games at home -- against Detroit, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Tennessee -- plus half of its six remaining road games. A victory over Dallas in Week 8 would seem pretty much essential because it's a stretch to think Seattle will win at Minnesota, Arizona or Green Bay. Can the Seahawks beat the Cowboys?

Matt Williamson: I don’t think Dallas is all that good, but I would certainly take the Cowboys right now based on what I have seen today. I don’t know how well they can protect Hasselbeck and Demarcus Ware is a beast. If Sean Locklear comes back, he would still be at a disadvantage, but at least it would be more competitive. Seattle's run game isn’t good enough, but when they are hot and can protect a little bit, they are good in the passing game. They could pick apart that Cowboys secondary. ... I know Lofa Tatupu is out, but David Hawthrone is not a terrible player. He has filled in OK. Aaron Curry is a stud in the making and I don’t think Dallas is all that dangerous. I could see it being competitive. I would really worry about Seattle's offensive line against that defensive front.

Mike Sando: What is Seattle's long-term outlook?

Matt Williamson: They need to fix that running game and draft a lineman or two and I think they could be back in a big way next year.

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4. St. Louis Rams (0-6): What should we make of the Rams' decision to trade Will Witherspoon and their approach to rebuilding overall?

Matt Williamson: What was Witherspoon's contract situation?

Mike Sando: He had two years left. His deal was going to count $6.8 million against the cap in 2010.

Matt Williamson: That makes sense, then. That has to be the motivation, that they want him off the books. They are really happy with James Laurinaitis. If you look at the Giants' defenses, they never had a lot of money tied into linebackers. They were fourth- and fifth-round picks, journeymen. I don’t disagree with that, especially running a 4-3. That is the place you can get bargains. It wouldn't shock me if they took that money and got a killer defensive end, using the Giants' formula of, 'Let's beat your tail up front with our defensive line.' "

Mike Sando: What about the receiver St. Louis got from the Eagles for Witherspoon?

Matt Williamson: Brandon Gibson? I watched him at the Senior Bowl and thought he was very ordinary. He is a physical kid, not real fast, not real special, not great movement skills. He is a bottom-of-the-roster guy. Maybe that is the best guy they could get.

Mike Sando: Are they handling the rebuild properly, dumping so many older players?

Matt Williamson: I think so. That makes it such a big project. That is the problem. It is not going to be overnight or one year. You probably still need to find the quarterback. And if you draft him, he still is not going to be ready for two years. And by then, what does Steven Jackson have left? Your best player might never be a factor when you're good. How long can Jackson play given his injuries and how much they run him into a wall? Will he be serviceable in three years? Will he be on the team in five?

What I don’t have a great grasp of is, 'Where do they want to use their resources?' I have no problem with the Jason Smith pick, no problem with Laurinaitis. If you are going to get rid of Witherspoon, what are you going to do with it? If they harvest a bunch of defensive linemen, I'm cool with that. It's a terrific formula. Defensive linemen are gold. I tend to think Steve Spagnuolo thinks that as well.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The latest in our periodic spin around the NFC West radio dials:

Rams

101ESPN St. Louis: general manager Billy Devaney

101ESPN St. Louis: former linebacker Will Witherspoon

101ESPN St. Louis: reporter Jim Thomas

101ESPN St. Louis: La'Roi Glover

1070 The Fan Indianapolis: me

49ers

KNBR680: defensive coordinator Greg Manusky

KNBR680: Mike Singletary

Cardinals

XTRA910: safety Adrian Wilson

KTAR620: coach Ken Whisenhunt

azcardinals.com: Whisenhunt

Seahawks

710ESPN Seattle: Jim Mora news conference

710ESPN Seattle: analyst Steve Raible

KJR950 Seattle: receivers Nate Burleson and Deion Branch

KJR950 Seattle: analyst Hugh Millen

If you find others, please pass along links.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch breaks down the Will Witherspoon trade from the Rams' and Eagles' perspectives. Also, the Rams assured running back Steven Jackson that they were never going to trade him. Thomas: "Sunday against Indianapolis, the Rams plan to start Paris Lenon at weakside linebacker in Witherspoon's place. Larry Grant will start at strongside linebacker. Next week, linebacker David Vobora returns from a four-game suspension for violating NFL policy on performance-enhancing drugs."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams had "no choice" but to trade Witherspoon for a receiver. Burwell: "Because of injuries -- and a mind-boggling offseason failure to foresee that they hadn't fortified the roster adequately with more proven receiving talent -- the Rams' offense has found it a struggle to generate any consistency. The offense was restricted by a group of backups who have yet to prove that they can get open against even the most basic defensive coverage on a regular basis."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers' faith in Michael Crabtree says as much about their offense as it says about Crabtree. Barrows: "(Agent) Eugene Parker must be slapping his forehead and yelling 'Doh!' at the top of his lungs. When he and Crabtree finally came in from the cold, the 49ers were 3-1, were enjoying an avalanche of praise and had virtually all of the bargaining power. A week later, the 49ers suffer their worst defeat ever at Candlestick Park and immediately elevate Crabtree to the starting lineup. Parker's negotiating stance was built on the hunch that the 49ers were desperate for Crabtree. Turns out he was right, but he blinked one week too early." I don't think the 49ers would have caved under any circumstances. Staying away under the current situation would have made Crabtree less popular among fans.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News thinks Crabtree's sudden move into the lineup puts pressure on Shaun Hill and Jimmy Raye to get him the ball. I wondered during camp whether an offense featuring Crabtree and Brandon Jones might be better off with a stronger-armed quarterback such as, hmmm, let me think, Alex Smith. We never found out, although Smith didn't do enough during the exhibition season to justify serious consideration. Kawakami: "So only a few weeks after reporting, Crabtree is right in the thick of things, after zero training camp and no organized team work of any kind since the final game of his Texas Tech career. Clearly, coach Mike Singletary, Jed York and general manager Scot McCloughan believe Crabtree can be an instant difference-maker. But only if he has a quarterback who can get him the ball. And that’s on Hill, who has never had this kind of pressure before."

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says the 49ers haven't gotten their money's worth from Nate Clements. Poole makes good points about Clements' struggles against Terrell Owens and Roddy White. Clements has matched up favorably against Larry Fitzgerald, however. He is also a tremendous tackler, which contributes to the 49ers' soundness against the run. Seems to me Clements could become more consistent in his fundamentals. Sometimes he seems to suffer from lapses.

Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle says Crabtree might need time to win over fans. Jerry Rice, Cliff Branch, Terrell Owens and Vernon Davis have been there before. Ratto: "The Bay Area has a history of harsh grading when it comes to wide receivers. Jerry Rice did a year in fan purgatory because of a string of early drops. Cliff Branch was in the Raiders fans' pooch hut for more than two years for the same reason, and came to like playing on the road more than at home because of that. And though he was loved early as the logical inheritor to Rice's throne, Terrell Owens left town as PE1 -- Public Enemy No. 1."

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says the 49ers' blowout loss before the bye week might have opened their eyes to a few realities.

John Morgan of Field Gulls breaks down the Seahawks' situation at left guard.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with Marcus Trufant, who practiced Tuesday for the first time all season. Trufant: "I want to play right now. I wish we had a game this week. But it’s one of those things. I'm working hard and I hope that I can play in Dallas. We're going to kind of see how things go."

Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune says Trufant felt the "mental grind" of a long rehab process.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers wants to be viewed as one of the guys. Bickley: "In the preseason, he recovered his onside kick against the Packers, emerged from the pile and spiked the ball with great fury. He drew a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration. It was far more acceptable than the antics of Bill Gramatica, who blew out a knee celebrating a short field goal, becoming the poster boy for goofy kickers everywhere."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic breaks down Larry Fitzgerald's touchdown reception against Jordan Babineaux on a play the Cardinals had been waiting to run all season. Good context and background information here.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals would like Beanie Wells to take a deep breath and slow down. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "He's a young player and so geeked up. Normally, guys will take a drop step and then they'll go because it times up better with the quarterback. Beanie is getting there sometimes before the pull of the guard or he's getting there too tight for the quarterback."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com explains how charity work affects Matt Leinart and Karlos Dansby. Both shared thoughts on life outside football.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Rams picked up a receiver familiar with their system and got younger in the process.

The price: starting linebacker Will Witherspoon, 29 years old and a bit banged up following the Rams' overtime defeat at Jacksonville.

St. Louis gets Eagles receiver Brandon Gibson, a rookie already familiar with the offense current Rams coordinator Pat Shurmur left in Philadelphia. The Rams also get a 2010 draft choice, believed to be in the fifth round. The Eagles get a terrific team player in Witherspoon. Witherspoon comes out a winner because he won't have to line up against Peyton Manning in Week 7, and now he has a chance at the playoffs.

The Rams aren't fooling anyone here. They are 0-6 and rebuilding. They might not have top receiver Donnie Avery against the Colts this week. Injuries have also affected other Rams receivers, including Laurent Robinson, now on injured reserve.

I thought Witherspoon was the Rams' most impressive defensive player at training camp. He hasn't stood out so much during the regular season. The St. Louis defense is worse for his absence, but with rookie middle linebacker James Laurinaitis emerging and the Rams desperate for help at receiver, the move could make sense.

Gibson, 22, was a sixth-round choice this year. He's 6-foot, 210 pounds, giving him good size. He should have a chance to play right away, given the state of the Rams' receivers. Gibson hasn't caught a pass in a regular-season game.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are 0-16 since Oct. 18, 2008. Miklasz: "In the NFL they don’t hand out trophies and ribbons for trying hard. And 0-6 is really bad. And 16 consecutive losses is unacceptable. But I respected the Rams’ effort and determination and several aspects of their performance at Jaxville. There have been many times since the start of the 2007 season when I’ve wanted to stop watching the game, because the Rams have been so weak in terms of competitive character. I’ve seen too many Rams games where the players don’t care, and these no-shows are disgusting. Watching Sunday’s game, I saw a group of players who were doing everything and anything they could to win a game. And I respect that. I think the Rams are getting better."

Turf Show Times' VanRam says the Rams should have gone for the end zone instead of kicking the tying field goal with 7 seconds remaining. I understand the thinking, but if the Rams had called a pass play and given up a sack or worse, we'd be talking about coach Steve Spagnuolo's strategic gaffe.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says this Rams defeat might hurt more than any of them given how close the Rams came to winning. Spagnuolo: "I don't have any magical words. I just asked them to hang together, hang tough."

Also from Thomas: Spagnuolo defends his decision to kick a field goal at the end of regulation. Also, the Rams hope Donnie Avery's hip injury isn't serious.

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Marshall Faulk would welcome a chance to become part-owner of the Rams, though no one has contacted the retired running back.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says Leonard Little showed heart in making a game-changing interception return for a touchdown despite playing with strep throat.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Torry Holt picked a good time for his first 100-yard game since 2007. Rams cornerback Ron Bartell: "He has a lot of juice left, if you ask me. Things didn't work out for him like he wanted to [in St. Louis], so he moved on and he's happy."

Also from Coats: "When he finally trudged from the trainer's room to his locker Sunday, Rams defensive end Leonard Little was a mess. His eyes were swollen, his face puffy, his white uniform pants dotted with blood and grass stains. Little, 34, spent Friday in bed, suffering from strep throat. He wasn't feeling any better Sunday."

More from Coats: a Rams report card with a C-minus grade for the offensive line.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch quotes Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon as saying the Rams are "on the verge" of winning. Guard Richie Incognito: "When Leonard scores that touchdown, I was thinking, 'Wow, these are the things that usually happen to us.' It's usually the other team that intercepts the ball and goes into the end zone. But this time, it was us. It was Leonard running in for the score, and now I'm thinking, 'Holy crap! We're going to win this ballgame.'"

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis says David Vobora could sue the manufacturer of a supplement containing the banned ingredient behind the linebacker's four-game suspension. Stull: "In fact, the NFLPA had appealed the initial result of the test -- and the source states Vobora had properly called the 'hot line' for players to check supplements and the product was cleared as not having any banned substance in its listed contents. A different source close to the situation shares there will likely be legal action taken on Vobora's behalf against the manufacturer -- as toxicology testing revealed the supplement did contain the banned substance, despite it not being included on the product label."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says during a chat that he thought the Rams would blitz more under coach Steve Spagnuolo. Thomas: "The most surprising thing to me so far, is the lack of blitzing. I realize there haven't always been ideal situations. The Rams haven't played with the lead much at all -- they've led for only 12 1/2 minutes (out of a possible 180!!) in the three games this season. They haven't had the opposition in a ton of predictable throwing situations -- third and long, etc. Still, I expected a more aggressive approach." Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sometimes proved dangerous when the Rams blitzed. Will Witherspoon got immediate pressure on Rodgers midway through the first quarter. Rodgers recognized the situation and threw immediately to Donald Driver for a first down at the St. Louis 26. A few plays like that can serve as a strong deterrent.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says a potential uncapped year could give Patrick Willis and Vernon Davis incentive to bide their time before seeking long-term contract extensions. Davis' improvement stands as one of the 49ers' most important developments of the season, should he continue to improve.

Also from Maiocco: Frank Gore's injury gives the 49ers reason to lean more heavily on quarterback Shaun Hill. Coach Mike Singletary did acknowledge that Hill "took a step" with his latest performance. I still think the 49ers will remain resolute in their commitment to the run.

Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle checks in with 49ers defensive lineman Ray McDonald, whose father played receiver at Florida in the mid-1980s. That revelation makes me feel ancient.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers have no immediate plans to sign Kory Sheets from the practice squad, even with Gore sidelined. The thought of trusting a rookie in pass protection probably does not appeal.

Howard Mintz of the San Jose Mercury News updates the 49ers' efforts to secure funding for a new stadium in Santa Clara. Research for an environmental impact study is complete.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic offers reasons for Cardinals fans to have optimism -- and pessimism -- about the team following a 1-2 start. Somers: "The Cardinals haven't shown yet that they learned much from last season's playoff run. Through the first few weeks, players alluded to poor practices as part of the reason for losing the opener. Defensively, the Cardinals' attention to detail seems to come and go like the wind."

Also from Somers: Rookie Beanie Wells did not play much Sunday night because he isn't yet ready to handle all the duties associated with playing in the three- and four-receiver offense.

Mike Jurecki of XTRA910 says Wells needs to spend the bye week learning his assignments. Jurecki: "Hopefully Beanie Wells will use the bye week and some down time to get up to speed on learning his assignments on pass protection, otherwise it’s going to be tough for the coaching staff to trust him on game day. All the time he missed in Flagstaff is hurting him now."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team could be interested in re-signing Monty Beisel, released by the Chiefs.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks need to target T.J. Houshmandzadeh more frequently in the passing game. Tight end John Carlson was also open several times against the Bears without getting the ball. There's a reason NFL teams prefer their quarterbacks to be taller than Seneca Wallace. Sometimes it seems as though Wallace doesn't see the field as well as a taller quarterback might. His accuracy suffered when he tried to throw over pressure up the middle.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team signed running back Louis Rankin to its practice squad, releasing running back Devin Moore and linebacker William Thomas.

John Morgan of Field Gulls says the Seahawks are a better team this season even though they have the same record through three games as in 2008. I agree. The current coaching staff has done a very good job preparing backups to perform at decent levels. David Hawthorne was dramatically better and more decisive against the Bears than he was against the 49ers, one reason the run defense didn't allow huge gains. The offensive line has weathered injuries much more effectively than when starters were sidelined in past seasons.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

So much for the Chris Draft Show on 101ESPN St. Louis.

The Rams released Draft, presumed to be a starting linebacker, in a surprise move. The veteran linebacker refused a pay cut earlier in the week, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Draft was scheduled to earn $1.225 million in salary this season.

The Rams are rebuilding, obviously, and that means getting younger. But releasing a veteran starter three days before the season opener strikes me as the type of move that can backfire in the locker room, at least short term.

The Rams' linebackers minus the 33-year-old Draft feature Will Witherspoon, James Laurinaitis, Chris Chamberlain, David Vobora and Larry Grant. Re-signing Quinton Culberson could be one option. Update: The team did re-sign Culberson.

I thought the Rams were already thin at linebacker after releasing Pisa Tinoisamoa, who subsequently signed with the Bears. If nothing else, this move shows that the Rams viewed Draft far differently than thought.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Rams' roster requires additional study after a thorough house-cleaning this offseason. With so many new faces, I feel less familiar with the Rams than with the other teams in the division. This initial look at the roster will hopefully help bring some focus.

Donnie Avery's injury and overall health concerns at receiver could influence how many players the Rams carry into the season at the position.

Marc Bulger's broken pinky shouldn't affect the roster as long as he recovers on schedule. Teams must reduce to 75 players by Sept. 1 and 53 players by Sept. 5. Those initial 53-man rosters sometimes change by Week 1 kickoffs. For that reason, I've been focusing on Week 1 rosters when setting baseline expectations for each position.

St. Louis Rams Week 1 Roster Counts since 2003 QB RB WR TE OL DL LB DB ST Fewest 2 5 5 2 9 8 5 8 2 Most 3 7 6 4 10 9 7 11 3 Average 2.8 5.5 5.5 3.0 9.2 8.3 6.3 9.7 2.7 Currently on roster 4 7 10 5 15 13 9 14 3

T
he chart provides a framework for how many players the Rams might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the Seahawks.

Here's a quick look at which Rams players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players:

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The Rams practiced without pads Wednesday for the first time in a morning practice since training camp opened.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo and running back Steven Jackson addressed reporters in a group setting afterward. I spoke with center Jason Brown and rookie tackle Jason Smith individually thereafter.

Only time will tell if Brown and Smith play well for the Rams. In speaking with them and looking into their eyes, it's pretty clear Spagnuolo has found a couple of players to build around. Brown seems down to earth, personable and an eager advocate of Spagnuolo's efforts to build around the "four pillars" set out by the coach (faith, character, core values and team first). Smith, who mentions "Mr. Brown" when referring to the Rams' new center, spelled out what role each starting offensive lineman is playing in his development.

I'll develop these and other themes in the Rams' Camp Confidential file, scheduled to appear here Thursday. A few notes from practice:

• Spagnuolo said the first-team offense and defense will likely play one quarter and possibly a little longer Friday night against the Jets.
• Rookie defensive tackle Darell Scott injured his left knee in practice Tuesday. The team rested him Wednesday in an effort to get him ready for the game Friday night.
• Daniel Fells and Billy Bajema seem to be getting more work than Randy McMichael in double-tight sets. The Rams are not limiting McMichael for any reason, though the tight end wouldn't mind getting more reps, Spagnuolo said.
• A sore hamstring limited cornerback Ron Bartell in practice.
• The team wants to take a long look at its return specialists, particularly Derek Stanley.
• Linebacker Will Witherspoon keeps making plays in practice. He looks like the best player on defense at times. He batted a pass and intercepted it Wednesday.
• Cornerback Quincy Butler made plays in coverage, including when he jumped a pass route to pick off Kyle Boller.