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Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III have dominated NFL headlines as young quarterbacks on the rise. NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas expects Cam Newton to upstage them all in 2013.

"Call it bouncing back, breaking through or whatever you want, but I’m predicting a big 2013 season from the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers," Yasinskas writes in a column that has generated 5,000 comments and counting. "Yeah, I’ll even step out on a limb and say he has a better 2013 season than Wilson, Kaepernick, Luck and RG III."

Newton did finish strong last season. He is supremely talented. He could outperform those other quarterbacks. But I would challenge the idea that Wilson and Kaepernick relied disproportionately on their running ability.

"Wilson, RG III and Kaepernick each have some throwing ability, but they aren’t pure pocket passers, and their big 2012 seasons came largely because of their mobility," Yasinskas writes.

Dispelling myths about Kaepernick and Wilson has become sport around here. These young quarterbacks run because they can, not because they're deficient as passers. Wilson in particular throws effectively from outside the pocket, but like Kaepernick, he's been among the NFL's best from inside it, too.

Wilson does rely heavily on his scrambling ability to find receivers downfield. But as the charts below demonstrate, he and Kaepernick stack up very well as pocket passers, too. They were better than Newton in this area last season.

Both charts include stats only for games each player started. Kaepernick played in a reserve role also.

The second chart shows production from inside the pocket for the same quarterbacks, limited to the final six games of the regular season. I chose that time frame because, as Yasinskas indicates, Newton became more effective following the Panthers' 2-8 start, partly because the team "let Newton be a pocket passer," according to Yasinskas.

Newton did become more effective as a pocket passer during this time. However, Wilson and Kaepernick also gained momentum as pocket passers during this time.

We'll revisit this one during the season.

The 2013 dates for organized team activities and minicamps have been announced. The minicamp schedule includes both rookies and veterans unless specifically noted:

AFC

Baltimore Ravens
Minicamps: May 3-5 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 29-31, June 4-7

Buffalo Bills
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 13-15, May 20-21, May 23, May 28-31

Cincinnati Bengals
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 28-30, June 3-6

Cleveland Browns
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 4-6
OTAs: May 14-16, May 21-23, May 28-31

Denver Broncos
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 20-22, May 29-31, June 3-6

Houston Texans
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 20-21, May 23, May 28-30, June 3-6

Indianapolis Colts
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 20-22, May 28-30, June 3-6

Jacksonville Jaguars
Minicamp: June 11-13
OTAs: May 13-15, May 20-21, May 23, June 4-7

Kansas City Chiefs
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 4-6
OTAs: May 14-16, May 21-23, May 28-31

Miami Dolphins
Minicamp: June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 29-31, June 3-6

New York Jets
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 20, May 22-23, May 28, May 30-31, June 3-6

Oakland Raiders
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 20-21, May 23, May 28-30, June 3-6

Pittsburgh Steelers
Minicamp: June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 28-30, June 3-6

San Diego Chargers
Minicamp: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 13-15, May 20-22, June 3-6

Tennessee Titans
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 18-20
OTAs: May 29-31, June 3-4, June 6, June 10-11, June 13-14

NFC

Arizona Cardinals
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 14-16, May 21-23, June 3-6

Atlanta Falcons
Minicamp: June 18-20
OTAs: May 28-30, June 4-6, June 11-14

Carolina Panthers
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 28-30, June 3-6

Chicago Bears
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 13-14, May 16, May 20-21, May 23, June 3-6

Dallas Cowboys
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 28-30, June 3-6

Detroit Lions
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 28-29, May 31, June 3-4, June 6-7

Green Bay Packers
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 4-6
OTAs: May 20-22, May 28-30, June 11-14

Minnesota Vikings
Minicamp: June 18-20
OTAs: May 28-30, June 4-6, June 10-13

New Orleans Saints
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 4-6
OTAs: May 21-23, May 28-30, June 10-13

New York Giants
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 22-23, May 29-31, June 3-7

Philadelphia Eagles
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 4-6
OTAs: May 13-15, May 20-22, May 28-31

St. Louis Rams
Minicamp: May 10-12 (rookies)
OTAs: May 21, May 23-24, June 3-4, June 6-7, June 11, June 13-14

San Francisco 49ers
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 21-23, May 28-30, June 3-6

Seattle Seahawks
Minicamps: May 10-12 (rookies), June 11-13
OTAs: May 20-21, May 23, May 28-29, May 31, June 3-6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Minicamp: June 11-13
OTAs: May 20-21, May 23, May 29-31, June 3-4, June 6-7

Washington Redskins
Minicamp: June 11-13
OTAs: May 20, May 22-23, May 28-30, June 3-6

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

With the draft in the rearview mirror, what’s the most pressing issue on each NFC West team's agenda?

Arizona Cardinals: Figuring out what's up with Daryl Washington should rank high on the Cardinals' list. Washington can be one of the most dynamic linebackers in the league. He had nine sacks last season and should be a player for the Cardinals to build around. Recent events have called into question his longer-term standing with the team. First came news that to open the season, Washington would serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Now, one month later, authorities are investigating a domestic abuse allegation levied against him. There has been no arrest. The Cardinals already have blown up quite a bit of their roster while making the transition to a new coaching staff. They'll have to decide after the 2013 season whether to exercise a $10 million option bonus for Washington.

St. Louis Rams: Tweaking the offensive scheme to fit the Rams' new personnel came to mind as one potential priority for the Rams, but the most pressing one? Developing the young unproven talent on the roster has to head the list. The Rams had the youngest roster in the NFL last season. It could be even younger this season. That's invigorating to a certain extent, but also a bit concerning. The situations at running back, receiver and safety come to mind. Top running backs Daryl Richardson, Isaiah Pead, Terrance Ganaway and fifth-round pick Zac Stacy have a combined 108 NFL carries. The wide receivers on the roster own a combined 15 starts, 12 of them by Chris Givens. At safety, rookie third-round choice T.J. McDonald and 2012 backup Darian Stewart are the leading candidates to start after the Rams released Quintin Mikell and let Craig Dahl leave in free agency. McDonald did not enjoy a stellar final season at USC. Is he ready for a Rams schedule featuring Larry Fitzgerald, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, Vernon Davis, Justin Blackmon, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, Percy Harvin, Vincent Jackson and other players capable of putting pressure on even veteran safeties?

San Francisco 49ers: Developing 2012 first-round draft choice A.J. Jenkins has to rank high on the list of remaining priorities for the two-time defending NFC West champions. Jenkins made zero receptions during his rookie season. He wasn't a factor, and the 49ers didn't really need him. They ran their passing game through Michael Crabtree and still had other weapons such as Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Randy Moss and, when healthy, Mario Manningham. Crabtree and newcomer Anquan Boldin will join Davis in giving the 49ers three legitimate weapons for 2013. While the 49ers' passing game is not hinging on Jenkins' immediate development, the team needs to find out whether Jenkins will factor for the longer term. Crabtree's contract runs through the 2014 season. Re-signing him to a long-term deal is no given for the 49ers, particularly with quarterback Colin Kaepernick also in line for a new deal at roughly the same time. Boldin is signed through the upcoming season only. Developing Jenkins would expand the 49ers' options.

Seattle Seahawks: Getting another starter signed to a contract extension before the 2013 season could make sense. They recently struck a long-term deal with strong safety Kam Chancellor. Potential monster deals for Earl Thomas and/or Richard Sherman await in the not-too-distant future, as both are signed through 2014. In the meantime, Seattle might be wise to work out a more modest extension for cornerback Brandon Browner, a player ideally suited for their defensive scheme. Browner is signed through the 2013 season. While this will be only his third season with the Seahawks since leaving the CFL, Browner did get credit for an accrued season when he spent 2005 on injured reserve with the Denver Broncos. That makes 2013 Browner's fourth NFL season, enough to qualify as an unrestricted free agent under the collective bargaining agreement.

Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay and Bill Polian discuss their winners and losers from the 2013 NFL draft.

The NFL draft becomes a blur on the final day as teams select lesser-known players one after another.

By the end, it's helpful to take a look at the bigger picture.


The chart above shows which general positions NFC West teams targeted. Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers are listed as skill players. The other group names are self-explanatory.

Seattle Seahawks seventh-round pick Jared Smith played defensive tackle at New Hampshire. He will play guard for Seattle. The chart reflects that change. There will be other tweaks and distinctions as we learn more about how teams plan to use players.

A few thoughts initially based on available information:

• RB picture: NFC West teams loaded up on running backs. That position was already evolving with Steven Jackson's departure from the St. Louis Rams and Beanie Wells' departure from the Arizona Cardinals. Spencer Ware, the running back Seattle selected from LSU in the sixth round, projects at fullback to some extent, coach Pete Carroll said.
• WR shifts: Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Early Doucet, Randy Moss and Ben Obomanu are among the veteran wide receivers to leave NFC West teams this offseason. The division added Anquan Boldin and Percy Harvin before selecting five wideouts in the draft, four in the first four rounds.
• DT focus: Seattle drafted three players listed as defensive tackles, not counting Smith. No other team in the division drafted one. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told reporters the team could address that position in free agency.
• Safety numbers: Every team in the division but Seattle needed a safety. The 49ers took Eric Reid in the first round. The Rams took T.J. McDonald early in the third. The Cardinals did not take one, but they plan for early third-round choice Tyrann Mathieu to play a hybrid safety-corner role. Mathieu is listed as a cornerback.
• Front seven: Think the 49ers wanted to help their front seven, which wore down last season and needs to develop players for the line in future seasons? San Francisco drafted three players listed as defensive ends. Tank Carradine is 275 pounds with versatility. Corey Lemonier, at 255 pounds, is more of an outside linebacker type. Quinton Dial is 318 pounds and a pure lineman.

Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for Rounds 4-7 of the 2013 NFL draft.

Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. See you there.

The St. Louis Rams' bold move up the draft board to select Tavon Austin was not their final move for a wide receiver in the 2013 NFL draft. Stedman Bailey, chosen Friday with the 92nd overall choice, comes to St. Louis as a polished possession receiver coming off a season in which he led the nation in touchdown receptions with 25.

Bailey played with Austin at West Virginia. Scouting one of them meant scouting the other, so the Rams should have a very good feel for both players and how the two could compliment one another.

St. Louis now has a young fleet of receiving targets for quarterback Sam Bradford. Austin and Bailey join Brian Quick, Chris Givens, Austin Pettis and tight ends Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks in that regard.

The Rams selected Bailey with a pick acquired from Atlanta in the trade that allowed the Falcons to climb from 30th to 22nd in the first round. That trade was critical for the Rams, in my view, because the team had given up considerable capital in moving up eight spots to get Austin. The trade down from No. 22 recouped picks and allowed the Rams to address other needs. The trade armed St. Louis with the 30th, 92nd and 198th picks.

The Seattle Seahawks entered the 2013 NFL draft with few (if any) pressing needs.

The team flaunted it a bit, it seemed, by using a second-round selection for a running back even though Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin combine to make that position one of great strength.

Seattle addressed one of its needs in the third round by selecting Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill with the 87th overall choice. San Francisco traded into the 88th slot to take pass-rusher Corey Lemonier from Auburn, and fellow division rival St. Louis was set to be on the clock shortly at No. 92.

The Seahawks will be saving money at defensive tackle in 2013 after letting Alan Branch leave in free agency. Seattle added free-agent defensive tackle Tony McDaniel in a modest deal. Hill will join the rotation. Scouting reports suggest he's better at rushing the passer than defending the run. We'll hear more from coach Pete Carroll in a bit.

The Arizona Cardinals have built their secondary around former LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. They've got another ex-Tigers corner after adding Tyrann Mathieu -- also known as "Honey Badger" for his tenacious playing style -- with the 69th overall choice Friday.

Mathieu projects as a slot corner, a position of increasing importance in the NFL as offenses lean on the passing game. The Cardinals will have to deal with St. Louis' Tavon Austin and Seattle's Percy Harvin, two quick slot players recently added to Arizona's NFC West rivals.

Mathieu reportedly failed to show up for a pre-draft workout with Seattle. Scouts have described him as a high-risk, high-reward prospect, with concerns relating to his maturity. Mathieu was kicked off the team at LSU, reportedly for drug-related reasons. He has a marijuana-related arrest on his record.

Mathieu should bring attitude and ability to the Cardinals' secondary. It's up to the team's coaching staff -- and Mathieu himself -- to maximize the investment.

San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said his team had a specific player in mind with the 34th choice in the 2013 NFL draft.

Perhaps the team will get that player with the 40th choice instead.

The 49ers traded the 34th pick to Tennessee for the 40th and 216th choices, plus a 2014 third-rounder. Adding a third-round pick in 2014 continues to set up the 49ers for the future. Losing six spots in the second round was no problem for a 49ers team with few holes in its roster.

The Titans used the 34th pick for receiver Justin Hunter.

Zach Ertz, the Stanford tight end some thought the 49ers might covet, went to Philadephia at No. 35. Ertz played for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and against new Eagles coach Chip Kelly when Kelly was at Oregon.

The Arizona Cardinals had their offensive line in mind when they used the seventh overall choice in the 2013 draft on North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper.

They were also thinking about the NFC West.

"Our division is so physical," coach Bruce Arians told reporters Thursday night, "and the thing that sets San Francisco, Seattle, and now St. Louis also, apart is their offensive and defensive lines of scrimmage are extremely good."

It's not yet clear whether Cooper will play left guard or right guard for the long term. The Cardinals can use him against NFC West interior defensive lines featuring Brandon Mebane, Michael Brockers and Justin Smith in base and/or sub packages.

"We have to match that physicality on both sides of the ball," Arians said.

Daryn Colledge, Rex Hadnot, Deuce Lutui, Alan Faneca, Adam Snyder, Rich Ohrnberger and Pat McQuistan have started at guard for the Cardinals over the past three seasons.

The Cardinals see Cooper becoming a perennial Pro Bowl player. They embraced comparisons to Larry Allen, who was recently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"He has a unique skill set, maybe one of the more athletic offensive linemen I've [scouted] in the 15 years I've been in the business," Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said. "He has tremendous feet, bend, athleticism, space skills, and the ability to pull and play on the perimeter."

Keim is in his first season as the Cardinals' GM. He played on the offensive line at North Carolina State, potentially giving him special insight into the position.

Drafting a guard will never captivate the broader public, but evaluators with experience in line play can border on giddiness when they see a prospect as talented as Cooper. That was the sense in Tennessee when Titans coach Mike Munchak and line coach Bruce Matthews drafted Chance Warmack, the other highly rated guard in the 2013 draft. Munchak and Matthews were Hall of Fame linemen.

"I've known Munchak and Matthews since 1996," Paul Kuharsky wrote on the AFC South blog. "I can't recall ever seeing the two low-key, business-like football men beam quite so brightly. The glow they gave off at the news conference at the Titans' headquarters after making the 10th pick made me believe it when they said there was no question Warmack was their man early on -- something virtually every coach stated Thursday night."

The feeling had to be similar for Keim in Arizona.

"I think the question was first posed to me at the combine in Indianapolis of whether I thought No. 7 was too high to take an offensive guard," Keim said. "I think that we have our answer."

Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2013 NFL draft.

Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 6 p.m. ET. See you there.

LSU safety Eric Reid was an increasingly popular projection to the San Francisco 49ers as the 2013 NFL mock drafts piled up late this week.

The assumption was that the 49ers might get him at No. 31. But with New Orleans taking safety Kenny Vaccaro at No. 15, the 49ers put their considerable draft capital to use. They traded up to No. 18 and selected Reid in that spot, filling a need created when the team allowed Pro Bowl free safety Dashon Goldson to leave in free agency.

The 49ers traded the 31st and 74th overall choices to the Dallas Cowboys for the 18th pick. This trade favored San Francisco slightly on the traditional draft-value chart dating to the early 1990s. Dallas came out ahead by some of the more recently developed value charts, including those calculable on Steve Drake's site.

Value is in the eye of the beholder, of course. The 49ers obviously loved Reid, who projects as a player versatile enough to play either safety spot. Veteran strong safety Donte Whitner is entering the final year of his contract. With Goldson gone, the 49ers needed to address the position for the longer term, even with Craig Dahl arriving as insurance through free agency. Reid could start right away.

San Francisco entered this draft with a league-high 13 picks. That gave the 49ers ample flexibility to move up the board for a specific player. Reid was that player. He fills an immediate need. The 49ers still have two second-round choices, one third-rounder and two fourth-rounders. They could still use a defensive lineman; only two defensive tackles came off the board in the top 19 picks.

San Francisco is just getting started.

St. Louis Rams general manager Les Snead has repeatedly vowed to act boldly and without fear. The team is succeeding on both fronts.

One year after swinging a blockbuster trade with the Washington Redskins, Snead and the Rams moved up eight spots in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft Thursday to select West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin at No. 8 overall.

The Rams sent the 16th, 46th, 78th and 222nd choices to Buffalo for the eighth and 71st choices. The exchange lined up evenly on the traditional trade-value chart dating to the early 1990s. However, the Rams came out ahead using some of the modernized trade-value calculations, such as the ones Steve Drake has made easy to figure out.

This is an exciting move for the Rams because Austin projects as a game-breaking talent with value in the return game. He is 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds with a slight lower body, so he is not another Percy Harvin. Still, Austin can affect a game in some of the same ways, and his salary will easily fit into the Rams' salary structure thanks to the rookie wage scale that has given teams even more incentive to build through the draft.

Austin gives the Rams needed playmaking help. He joins a receiving corps featuring Chris Givens, Brian Quick and Austin Pettis, plus tight ends Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks.

Quarterback Sam Bradford has needed upgraded weapons for some time. Now, he might have them. Austin should be a factor right away. His size raises concerns about long-term durability. That will be something to watch, for sure, as Austin navigates a rough-and-tumble NFC West featuring extremely physical defenses.

Three pass-rushers and three offensive tackles were off the board when the Arizona Cardinals went on the clock with the seventh overall choice in the 2013 NFL draft.

That left the Cardinals with their choice of offensive guards. They went with North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper over Alabama's Chance Warmack.

This move backs up pledges from general manager Steve Keim to sink resources into the offensive line. Arizona had a greater need at guard than tackle, so there was no sense taking the fourth-best tackle over the top-ranked guard. The question for some will be whether a guard is worthy of such a high selection in any year, but Keim has said he'll take a Pro Bowl-caliber guard that early if he can find one.

Scouting reports suggested Cooper was the better pass-protector, while Warmack was more of a run-blocker.

Arizona needed help at guard after overpaying Adam Snyder in free agency last offseason. Cooper will move into the starting lineup right away, I would expect.

The Cardinals can now move forward with Levi Brown and Bobby Massie as their tackles and Lyle Sendlein at center. Daryn Colledge is the incumbent left guard. Cooper could start at right guard, solidifying the line on paper, at least.

Arizona had not drafted an offensive lineman in the first three rounds since making Brown the fifth overall choice back in 2007.