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With Peyton Manning heading to Denver, we got our big score in the AFC West for the free-agency season. Regardless of the Manning addition, it has been a busy week of movements in the division. Let’s look at some of the remaining stories left in the division as free agency slows down:

Tebow’s future: Denver is expected to try to trade Tim Tebow. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen has said he thinks Tebow will be released if he is not traded. I think Denver wants a fast rotation, but there may not necessarily be fast clarity.

Manning’s friends: There have already been reports that Denver could sign former Colts center Jeff Saturday and receiver Brandon Stokley. Tight ends Dallas Clark and/or Jacob Tamme and running back Joseph Addai could also be on the list.

Michael Bush: The Oakland running back has visited Chicago and Cincinnati and is set to go to Seattle. His market has been slow, but circumstances may prevent his return to Oakland.

Chargers backup running back: The Chargers are looking at several players, including Kansas City’s Jackie Battle, as a replacement for key backup Mike Tolbert, who signed with Carolina.

Denver’s defense: Denver still has to improve the defense. It has signed Cleveland safety Mike Adams, but it needs more. Defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, who has visited New Orleans, remains a priority. Denver has also been linked to Baltimore linebacker Jameel McClain, Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes and Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant.

Marcus McNeill said he is planning to visit the Kansas City Chiefs. He was cut by the Chargers earlier in the week.

McNeill broke the news on his visit with the Detroit Lions. He is also scheduled to visit the Falcons and he said he won’t sign until he weighs all of his options. The news of the Kansas City visit begs some questions. The Chiefs are visiting with right tackle Eric Winston on Friday.

If Winston signs, the only way McNeill would join the Chiefs is if they want to replace Branden Albert at left tackle. I wouldn’t think they would want to replace Albert right now. If Winston doesn’t sign in Kansas City and McNeill does, McNeill would play left tackle and Albert could slide to right tackle. An Albert move to the right side has been discussed for a few years.

McNeill maintains he is now healthy following last season, which was cut short due to a neck injury last season. The Chargers cut him because he was owed a huge signing bonus. Interestingly, McNeill’s replacement is Jared Gaither, who was cut by the Chiefs during last season.

In other AFC West news:

NFL Network is reporting Oakland receiver Chaz Schilens is close to signing with the Jets. He was once a promising player for Oakland, but injuries derailed his Oakland career. UPDATE: Schilens is officially a Jet. He signed a one-year deal. He reunites with former Oakland position coach Sanjay Lal, who has the same job with the Jets.

ESPN’s Suzy Kolber reports the Cardinals are exercising a huge option for quarterback Kevin Kolb, so the Cardinals are out of the running for Peyton Manning. However, the 49ers have joined the race. For now, it appears the Manning chase is down to Denver, Tennessee and San Francisco.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports pass-rusher John Abraham is staying in Atlanta. Denver had been interested. Denver is also interested in Baltimore linebacker Jameel McClain, Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes and Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Washington Redskins have landed safety Brandon Meriweather.

Denver is looking for a veteran safety with Brian Dawkins considering retirement. Meriweather did visit with Denver. The Broncos also visited with Cleveland’s Mike Adams.

Schefter reports former Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant will visit the Broncos on Friday.

The Broncos have otherwise been quiet in free agency -- despite having $38 million in cap room -- as they wait for Peyton Manning to make a decision.

Meanwhile, San Diego's four-year deal with left tackle Jared Gaither includes an $8 million signing bonus. His 2012 contract is fully guaranteed.

The Seattle Seahawks looked around the NFC West in 2003 and decided they needed a cornerback with Marcus Trufant's size, speed and skill.

They made Trufant the 11th pick of the draft.

"In this division we're in, you can't have enough good corners," then-coordinator Ray Rhodes said on draft day 2003.

Trufant wound up covering Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald while all were at or near their primes. He fared well enough to earn Pro Bowl honors during the 2007 season, but age and injuries eventually caught up with him.

As Danny O'Neil reports, the Seahawks plan to release Trufant in a move that seemed inevitable for various reasons.

Trufant, 31, missed 12 games to injury last season. Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman flourished in his absence. There was no way Seattle was going to bring back Trufant at his $7.2 million salary for 2012. The question was whether the sides might work out something allowing Trufant to return at a diminished rate, and in a diminished role. He had taken a reduced salary for 2011 heading into the season.

Trufant was the longest-tenured current Seahawk. He started at least 15 games in seven of his nine seasons, picking off 21 passes. Trufant started the only Super Bowl in franchise history. He made an immediate impact, starting every game as a rookie and playing well early.

"It’s hard to put into words when you’ve been at this a long time how a young player like Marcus, who’s a rookie, can be as consistent and solid as he has been," then-coach Mike Holgmren said at the time. "I'm one of those who has said, 'Let's not anoint him yet.' But he has been playing very, very well for us."

Terence Newman, Andre Woolfolk and Nnamdi Asomugha were the other first-round cornerbacks entering the NFL with the 2003 draft class.

Back trouble slowed Trufant in 2009 and again last season. He started the first four games in 2011 before landing on injured reserve.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The frustration Alex Smith expressed for the San Francisco 49ers' offensive skill players was genuine and appropriate Sunday.

Most of them were just OK. Some, including Smith, struggled through one of their least satisfying performances of the season.

They will have to settle for a 9-1 record and the organization's first winning season since the 2002 team went 10-6 with Jeff Garcia, Garrison Hearst and Terrell Owens. Their 23-7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Candlestick Park felt as inevitable as any since ... when? This was certainly the least satisfying 49ers victory in a while.

Smith summed up the mindset thusly: "Yeah, we got the win, but definitely frustrated. You don't expect to hit everything [on offense], but we missed too many today."

This game was high in fat, low in fiber, overly spiced (thanks to Dashon Goldson's ejection after one of several skirmishes) and lacking in nutritional value. It will have to tide over the 49ers until their Thursday night game at Baltimore, but they already were getting hungry Sunday night. They acknowledged the significance of 9-1 without reveling in it.

"We don't talk about the simple fact that we're a winning team now," tight end Vernon Davis said. "We kind of just go with the flow now. We expect to win now. It's a blessing. It feels great to be in this situation."

A look at what else we learned and confirmed around the division after the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks coasted to victories over NFC West rivals:

1. The NFC West carrot could dangle a little longer.

San Francisco must step outside the division to measure itself. The 49ers lead second-place Seattle (4-6) by five games with six to play. But with the Seahawks playing their next three games at home against losing teams, the 49ers might have to wait a couple weeks before clinching. Their magic number is down to two.

A San Francisco loss at Baltimore, coupled with a Seattle victory over Washington, would further prolong the inevitable. But a reverse of those results would make the 49ers division champs in Week 12.

2. No quarterback controversy in Arizona

John Skelton or Kevin Kolb? There's no question after Skelton completed 31.6 percent of his passes with three picks before coach Ken Whisenhunt replaced him with Rich Bartel to start the fourth quarter.

Kolb will start against St. Louis in Week 12 if he's healthy enough to do so. The Cardinals can say that was going to be the case anyway, but the game Sunday provided Skelton an opportunity to stay in the lineup a little longer. But the second-year pro failed so miserably that Whisenhunt finished his postgame news conference with a career high for quarterback hits.

"They played well," Whisenhunt said of the 49ers, "but we had wrong reads, bad throws, bad decisions. John played like a rookie today and that was tough."

Whisenhunt said the offense played too poorly "especially at the quarterback position to give us a chance against a good football team." He noted that Skelton "hasn't been the fastest starter" and that the defeat felt worse than the final score suggested.

"The very first pass of the game, he takes an incorrect drop and that throws the timing off and it sails it over the receiver's head," Whisenhunt said. "Those are things you can't do. ... Listen, I'm not trying to blame John, I'm not trying to put it all on John. It was a tough day for a lot of us out there."

The only positive for Skelton: His fourth-quarter passer rating for the season remained unchanged at 101.8.

3. Seahawks showing Rams how to rebuild.

The Rams hired Steve Spagnuolo as coach and promoted Billy Devaney to general manager for the 2009 season. No team in the league has used more top-five draft choices than the Rams since then. The Rams landed their franchise quarterback, invested heavily in their offensive line and should be a least a year ahead of Seattle in the rebuilding process.

That they lost at home to Seattle by a 24-7 score confirmed that the opposite is true.

The Seahawks, now in their second season with coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider, have done a better job building up their roster. They've gotten better at every position but quarterback. They've been better prepared than the Rams for injuries.

In some cases, injuries to established players (think Marcus Trufant) have allowed young talent (think rookie Richard Sherman) to shine, brightening the long-term outlook. Even when Seattle missed on players in the draft (think Golden Tate), others have picked up the slack, and then some (think Doug Baldwin). Two players the team acquired by trade, Leon Washington and Chris Clemons, were impact players Sunday and have been since their arrival. Free-agent addition Sidney Rice completed a pass for 55 yards.

Much work still lies ahead for Seattle, but the Seahawks appear further along than the Rams, who have yet to exceed 16 points in a game this season with Sam Bradford behind center.

4. The Cardinals' defense keeps making strides.

Arizona appeared lost on defense early in the season, allowing 932 yards over the first two games. Execution is improving. Effort remains strong.

The Cardinals should expect a multi-sack game from defensive end Calais Campbell at St. Louis after the Rams lost another tackle to injury. But with nose tackle Dan Williams suffering a season-ending broken arm, coordinator Ray Horton might need to adjust. It's tough running a Pittsburgh-style 3-4 defense without top talent at nose tackle. Is David Carter ready for more snaps at the position?

Even before losing Williams, the Cardinals lacked ideal personnel to run Horton's scheme.

Of course, scheme won't matter much for Arizona on defense without better play from Skelton or Kolb. The Cardinals controlled the ball for only 15:44 against the 49ers, their lowest possession total in a game since at least 1981.

No wonder Whisenhunt seemed so ticked off after the game.

5. The 49ers earned the Cardinals' respect.

The 49ers-Cardinals rivalry has produced harsh words and hurt feelings in recent seasons. There's also healthy respect between the best players on each team. Arizona, having already faced Pittsburgh and Baltimore this season, gave San Francisco its due.

"They up there, they can play, they play smart," Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett said.

Guard Daryn Colledge, who won a championship with Green Bay last season, joined Trent Dilfer and Brian Billick in comparing the 49ers to the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.

"They play great team defense, they run the ball well, they control the clock," Colledge said. "That gives you a chance to win."

6. The 49ers need better quarterback play.

Skelton's performance gave the 49ers a low bar to clear Sunday, but for continued success against playoff-caliber teams, the 49ers will need better play from their quarterback.

Smith has defined "elite" quarterback play as consistent performance at a high level. He missed open receivers for touchdown passes that could have blown open this game against Arizona. He also threw a pick in the end zone after scrambling away from a near sack.

"We all understand what we can be when we're rolling and hitting on all cylinders," Smith said. "Definitely frustrating [today]."

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 11:

Skelton's opportunity. Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton steps up in class when he faces the San Francisco 49ers' defense. The matchup figures to be a tough one from a protection standpoint, but the Cardinals have found ways to strike for big plays this season. They have seven pass plays of at least 40 yards this season, fourth-most in the league behind Detroit, Green Bay and Houston. The 49ers have given up seven such plays, tied for fourth-most in the league. That gives Arizona a puncher's chance against the 49ers. And if Skelton can somehow pull out a victory, his stock will rise considerably.

Ganging up on power backs. Steven Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Beanie Wells and Frank Gore give the NFC West four running backs able to dish out punishment. All are physical runners. I'm most interested in seeing whether Jackson can top 100 yards rushing for the fourth game in a row. He has 30 career games with at least 100 yards, but none against Seattle. That's surprising given that Jackson has faced the Seahawks more times than he has faced any other team -- 14, counting playoffs.

49ers hold their ground. Every NFL team but the 49ers has allowed at least three rushing touchdowns this season. San Francisco has allowed zero. The 49ers are the first team since the 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars to go nine games into a season without allowing one, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Cardinals rank tied for 11th in the league with eight rushing scores, but they have zero in their past two games. Wells' injured knee has robbed power from him. Wells had only 10 carries for 29 yards against the 49ers last season. He did carry 15 times for 79 yards against them as a rookie in 2009.

Cornerbacks in focus. The St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks will play without cornerbacks Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Al Harris, Walter Thurmond or Marcus Trufant, among others. The team best able to exploit issues in the secondary could prevail. Seattle feels better about its cornerback situation, but the raw talent is questionable. Two of the Seahawks' five players at the position were undrafted. Two others are rookies. None of the five was drafted earlier than the fifth round. That was partly by design, however. The team traded 2006 first-rounder Kelly Jennings and 2007 second-rounder Josh Wilson.

Explosive potential in return game. Patrick Peterson and Ted Ginn Jr. give the Cardinals-49ers game big-play potential on returns. Peterson has helped Arizona go from 27th last season to second this season in punt-return average. He leads the NFL in that category with a 17.6-yard average among players with more than 15 punt returns. His three touchdowns on punt returns also lead the NFL. The 49ers' Ginn ranks third in punt-return average and third in kick-return average among players with more than 15 returns in each category. He also has two touchdowns. The Cardinals' kick returner, LaRod Stephens-Howling, has been quiet this season. He scored three times on returns over the previous two seasons.

SEATTLE -- When the Arizona Cardinals needed their quarterback to drive them into field-goal range with the game on the line, Kevin Kolb threw an interception.

Fluke play? Not for the Cardinals during an unsightly 13-10 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at CenturyLink Field.

Kolb had faced a similar set of circumstances right before halftime. The Seahawks picked him off that time as well, one of the leading reasons the Cardinals left Seattle with the same point total they managed with Max Hall and Derek Anderson as their quarterbacks during a 22-10 defeat here last season.

Watching the helplessly overmatched Hall flail away in the uncompromising Northwest elements on that September day in Week 7 last season represented rock bottom at the quarterback position for the Cardinals under coach Ken Whisenhunt. That game, as much as any other, forced the organization into the market for a quarterback good enough to upgrade them right now, not just in the distant future.

Kolb has generally delivered, with a few very specific and damaging exceptions. He's had a hand in four turnovers, all in opponents' territory, during the Cardinals' 1-2 start to this season. Switch a couple of those giveaways into positive plays and Arizona might not have lost to Rex Grossman and Tarvaris Jackson in consecutive weeks.

"I just have to be smarter with the ball, know the situation, think about every play, every down, and then have great trust that we're going to go in there and, worst-case scenario, we're going to kick a field goal," Kolb said afterward. "You have to sock it away and learn from it. It's hard to swallow. Trust me, it's hard to swallow."

Kolb delivered his postgame remarks with appropriate levels of regret and perspective. He wasn't buying the idea that Arizona, having lost a fourth-quarter lead during a 22-21 defeat at Washington last week, was only a couple plays away from being 3-0.

"Guess what, we're one play away from being 0-3, too, because Carolina had the ball there at the end," Kolb said refreshingly. "This game comes down to that. It's an inch in this league and you better be willing to go get that inch."

The Cardinals converted just three times in 14 chances on third down, marginally better than their 2-of-12 showing at Seattle last season. They averaged 4.6 yards per play, up from 4.1 here last season. Their lone touchdown this time was as spectacular as it was unrepeatable, with Kolb retreating to the Seattle 27-yard line before throwing a jump ball to Larry Fitzgerald against double coverage.

And those two interceptions Kolb threw Sunday outnumbered the one Arizona threw at Seattle last season.

Kolb faced third-and-12 from the Seattle 36 with 1:15 remaining when Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor jumped his pass over the middle to tight end Todd Heap. I was watching free safety Earl Thomas on the play, figuring Thomas would be the Seattle defender most likely to make a play on the ball, but Chancellor caught it in stride. Kolb admitted to "getting a little bit greedy" on the play. Having seen an inside defender jump tight end Jeff King's route, Kolb figured he could find Heap with a back-shoulder throw.

"I probably had [receiver] Andre [Roberts] coming right underneath him wide open," Kolb lamented. "Just need to read it out, put the ball in the guy's hand."

Kolb was at his best running the Cardinals' no-huddle offense during an eight-play, 78-yard touchdown drive midway through the second quarter. Arizona went back to the no-huddle sparingly in the second half, after Seattle had time to adjust.

"We mixed up a lot of packages, gave him a lot of different looks, blitzing from different places, dropping into different coverages to keep him off-balance," veteran Seahawks safety Atari Bigby said. "A lot of times with young quarterbacks, that can be difficult for them. I noticed they went into hurry-up mode so we could not change personnel on them, trying to control the game."

The five-year, $63 million contract Arizona handed Kolb should not obscure his relative inexperience. This was his 10th career regular-season start and his second in a row against a solid defense on the road.

"We're still growing around Kevin and what he does well," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "There were a couple times where plays were mixed up and we didn't run them correctly. That is a product of getting familiar with our offense and that just takes time. It's not something you can snap your fingers and you are running efficiently."

Those are fair points, but it's also reasonable to expect better during clutch situations. There are times when Kolb's winning personality translates to mistakes when a more experienced passer would show greater restraint. As Kolb acknowledged last week, he must learn to walk the line between being aggressive and being careless.

The interception Kolb threw in Redskins territory last week stands as one example. The pass Seattle's Marcus Trufant picked off at the Seattle 17 before halftime Sunday was another. The Cardinals had first down from the Seattle 41 with seven seconds remaining. Kolb threw aggressively for Fitzgerald along the right sideline.

"It was Cover 2, a soft 2, and 'Tru' did a really good job of kind of slow playing it," said Fitzgerald, who had five catches for 64 yards and was shut out in the second half. "He is a nine-year veteran, he is a savvy guy and he just made a heckuva play."

The good news for Arizona is that Kolb appears to have the physical skills, mental makeup and work ethic to succeed. He should only improve as he masters an offense he began practicing only 52 days ago. But those expecting instant results in critical situations will have to wait at least another week.

SEATTLE -- Thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks' 13-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at CenturyLink Field in Week 3:

What it means: The Cardinals and Seahawks are tied with1-2 records, one game behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.

What I liked: Both offensive lines generally fared well clearing lanes in the ground game. Seattle was markedly improved in this area. Arizona fared better than expected, save for short-yardage situations, given Beanie Wells' unavailability stemming from a hamstring injury suffered Friday. Seattle quarterback Tarvaris Jackson did a much better job using his mobility to scramble. He finally found a passing rhythm during a 14-play, 72-yard drive that ended with Jackson diving into defenders and across the goal line. Sidney Rice topped 100 yards in his Seattle debut, and the secondary made timely plays, including interceptions by Marcus Trufant and safety Kam Chancellor. For the Cardinals, quarterback Kevin Kolb found receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a memorable 28-yard scoring reception against double coverage. Kolb was retreating to his left and threw a jump ball off his back foot from the Seattle 27-yard line. Fitzgerald made his leaping grab about five yards deep in the end zone.

What I didn't like: Kolb couldn't get much going for too long during the second half. He also blew a scoring chance before halftime when throwing aggressively to Fitzgerald, only to have Seattle's Trufant break on the ball for an interception. He threw another interception with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. Turnovers in those situations were costly because the game was so close. For Seattle, the offense continued to struggle despite occasional signs of life. Procedural penalties kept setting back Seattle. Jackson's fumbled shotgun snap in the fourth quarter was costly and could have been disastrous if Arizona had recovered. Neither team got the ball to its 2010 receiving leaders enough. Fitzgerald had five catches for 64 yards. Mike Williams, who caught 22 passes against Arizona last season, had none Sunday.

For the record: Fitzgerald's first-half touchdown reception was the 67th of his career, breaking Roy Green's franchise record. Also, Cardinals tight end Todd Heap moved past Ben Coates into 14th place on the NFL's all-time receiving yardage list for tight ends. Jeremy Shockey, Riley Odoms and Mike Ditka stand immediately ahead of Heap on the list and within striking distance this season, although Shockey continues to improve his totals.

Okung's infractions: Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung entered Week 3 leading NFL players in most penalties, accepted or declined. He continued to have penalty problems in this game, possibly an indication he isn't playing with full confidence after suffering repeated ankle injuries.



Injuries of note: Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington returned from a calf injury and started. Teammates Richard Marshall, Heap and Levi Brown returned to the game after suffering injuries. Cardinals linebacker Paris Lenon aggravated a groin injury and left the game.

What's next: The Cardinals are home against the New York Giants. The Seahawks are home against the Atlanta Falcons.

Three things to watch for in the Seattle Seahawks' preseason home game against the Oakland Raiders at 10 p.m. ET:

1. Pass protection: The Seahawks want their offensive line to make strides in preparation for the regular-season opener at San Francisco. Starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has taken seven sacks and avoided several others. The pressure has played a role in his 3.8-yard average per attempt. The Raiders have only four sacks through three exhibition games, including zero in first quarters and only one in first halves. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging a healthy 7.9 yards per attempt against Oakland overall. The 49ers' Alex Smith, under siege against New Orleans and Houston this preseason, completed 8 of 13 passes for 136 yards with no sacks when facing the Raiders. The Seahawks will remain without starting left tackle Russell Okung, their best lineman. But they should still expect improvement in pass protection against this opponent. Right tackles James Carpenter and Breno Giacomini are in the spotlight for this game.

2. Golden opportunity: Lame cliched lead-in, I know, but at least it's an accurate one. Receiver Golden Tate should expect to play more reps than usual. Seattle is missing a few receivers to injury in this game. The team would like to accelerate Tate's development following a condensed offseason. Tate, chosen in the second round of the 2010 draft, has four receptions for 24 yards to this point in the exhibition season. He dropped a pass against Minnesota, leading to a turnover. Tate does not appear to be fighting for a roster spot, but neither has there been signs he's going to factor into the offense as much as coach Pete Carroll has said he expects.

3. Young defensive players. Wait, that covers pretty much everyone, come to think of it. Linebacker Malcolm Smith, linebacker K.J. Wright and free safety Mark LeGree are the youngest players on the Seahawks' defensive roster. Safety Jeron Johnson and cornerback Richard Sherman aren't far behind. I'll be attending this game and hope to get a better feel for the young depth on defense, to the extent that is possible in a fourth preseason game. Oh, and there are five Seattle defenders in their 30s: Raheem Brock, Junior Siavii, Colin Cole, Marcus Trufant and Jimmy Wilkerson. Only one, Trufant, starts.

Five quick notes/thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks' trading cornerback Kelly Jennings to Cincinnati for defensive tackle Clinton McDonald:

• 

  Kelly Jennings

  #21 CB
  Seattle Seahawks

  2010 STATS

  • Tot40
  • Solo35
  • Ast5
  • FF0
  • Sack0.0
  • Int1
  Size matters: The Seahawks have gone big and tall at cornerback. Jennings is listed at 5-foot-11, but he's slight of frame and struggled in matchups against bigger receivers.
• Experience does not matter: Jennings was one of two cornerbacks on the Seahawks' roster with significant starting experience. The team has decided to go young -- very young -- and Jennings was practically ancient by Seattle cornerback standards at 28.
• Roster churn: Jennings' departure leaves the Seahawks with five of their own first-round choices and three from other teams. One of their own, cornerback Marcus Trufant, took a pay reduction from $5.9 million to $3 million recently. One of the others, linebacker Aaron Curry, restructured his contract in a manner that makes him easier to trade or release next year. The other three first-rounders project as long-term starters. James Carpenter, Russell Okung and Earl Thomas were chosen by the team's current leadership. The Seahawks are taking a sledgehammer to the foundation they inherited. Chris Spencer, Lofa Tatupu, Josh Wilson, Lawrence Jackson, Rob Sims and Darryl Tapp were all relatively high draft choices under previous regimes.
• Money inconsequential: The Seahawks paid a $200,000 signing bonus to Jennings as part of the one-year deal he signed this offseason. That bought little security in the end.
• NFC West reunion: Jennings heads to a Bengals secondary already featuring NFC West castoffs Taylor Mays and Nate Clements, both late of the San Francisco 49ers. Jennings was never going to live up to his first-round status in Seattle. He has more value to the Bengals without those expectations.
• Clinton who?: McDonald was a seventh-round choice of the Bengals in 2009. The team had released him previously. He played in eight games last season. McDonald stands just under 6-2 and converted from linebacker in college. Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly, writing for his 2009 draft guide, lauded McDonald for possessing toughness and a mean streak. He thought McDonald would project as a three-technique defensive tackle in a one-gap scheme. McDonald was not expected to earn a roster spot in Cincinnati.

Lots more moves to come. Teams must reduce to 80 players by Tuesday.

RENTON, Wash. -- The 6:10 a.m. PT flight from Phoenix to Seattle has its advantages: arriving in time to catch the Seahawks' first fully padded practice of the summer.

A few thoughts and observations:

• Catching on: This team is catching the ball well throughout the roster. Coach Pete Carroll alluded to at least a half-dozen "circus" catches already from Sidney Rice. Guys fighting for playing time and roster spots are also making the impressive appear routine. Isaiah Stanback, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin and Pat Williams were among those catching my attention Saturday. Williams stole the ball from safety Josh Pinkard after Pinkard undercut the route. I'm still not sure how Williams caught the ball. Stanback made a leaping grab in the end zone. Tate seized possession of a pass to the flat that cornerback Marcus Trufant contested closely.
• The more you can do: Stanback, former quarterback at the University of Washington, could have additional value as teams transition to 46-man rosters on game days. Fullback Michael Robinson also would qualify as an emergency quarterback for a team keeping only two on its 53-man roster. Stanback and Robinson are both strong special-teams players.
• Whitehurst watch: Third-string quarterback Josh Portis stood out Saturday. He's having a strong camp and the team plans to keep him around in some capacity. Carroll heaped praise upon Portis after practice: "He is in command of the offense as much as he could be at this time. He is handling the huddle well and he's very confident. He has a great delivery and a very strong arm and he is very poised. He has just been a real pleasant surprise. We're real excited about him being the third guy right now and knowing that in time he is going to gain knowledge of the offense, get settled in and let that ability come to the front. This is an extremely big get for us in free agency." Carroll offered no specifics when I asked whether Portis could realistically compete for the No. 2 job, which Charlie Whitehurst currently holds. Pushing an undrafted rookie into the No. 2 role sounds ambitious and could be a long shot. The footing beneath Whitehurst has softened since Carroll committed to Tarvaris Jackson as the starter, however.
• Legging it out: Offensive linemen must run laps around the field immediately after committing false-start penalties. I wasn't sure right tackle James Carpenter was going to make it through practice. He's a huge man built to maul other huge men at the line of scrimmage. He's not a candidate for the cross-country team. Of all the offensive linemen guilty of false starts Saturday, left tackle Russell Okung appeared most comfortable taking his laps. Carpenter is having a strong camp, by the way.
• Injury watch: Receiver Mike Williams is practicing again after sitting out with an unspecified leg injury. I was watching to see if he opened up and ran full speed. If he did, I missed it.
• One last note: More than 2,100 fans packed the hill overlooking practice. The Seahawks have limited space for fans at practices because Lake Washington and Interstate 405 frame the facility narrowly. Fans park off-site and then ride buses a short distance to the facility.

I'll be heading to San Francisco 49ers camp beginning Monday, with an extended trip to St. Louis from Rams camp scheduled the following week. It's great having football back.

Jeremy from Houston thinks the Seattle Seahawks will decide during the exhibition season that their young cornerbacks are roughly as good as veteran Marcus Trufant. He thinks the Seahawks will try to trade Trufant for draft picks to a team outside the division.

Mike Sando: Trufant had to feel a little vulnerable after seeing the team part with Matt Hasselbeck and Lofa Tatupu. Trufant is now the longest-tenured Seahawk. I'm surprised the team hasn't approached him about reducing his $5.9 million salary for the coming season. I also think that salary would discourage interest from potential trade partners.

Coach Pete Carroll gets excited when he talks about going with younger players. General managers are usually the ones pushing to go young. Carroll and Seahawks GM John Schneider appear unified in their desire to do so. I think the lockout gave them an opportunity to make a clean mental break from the past. This was the second-youngest team in the NFL heading into free agency. If Trufant struggles during camp and the exhibition season, the Seahawks will not carry that $5.9 million salary, in my view. Their dealings with Tatupu suggest as much.

Trufant, 30, can still play reasonably well when he's healthy, in my view. He just has a hard time staying healthy, particularly when forced into run support too frequently. He suffered two concussions last season. And not everyone is convinced he can play at a high enough level to justify that $5.9 salary.

"I am not a fan at all of Trufant," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. "I don't think he has played well at all in the last 2-3 years. Even at his best, he was inconsistent. His name value is a lot better than his on-the-field value."

Not that there are many viable alternatives on the market. Carlos Rogers remains unsigned. He's been mentioned as a possibility for the San Francisco 49ers.

The Seahawks did re-sign Kelly Jennings, according to Peter King. Trufant and Jennings are the only Seattle cornerbacks with meaningful NFL experience. Jennings projects ideally as a backup and does not fit the Carroll/Schneider size prototype for the position.

"Their corners overall have been undersized in recent years," Williamson said. "Experts say Pete Carroll likes big corners that are physical and can run. So does everybody. Carroll could get them at USC."

Williamson rates quarterback and cornerback as the Seahawks' two weakest positions. He thinks Seattle could use a first-round choice for cornerback or possibly make a hard play for a top one in free agency next year.

The chart shows the cornerbacks Seattle listed on the rosters team officials made available Sunday. I added Jennings.

Reflections upon learning that the Seattle Seahawks are likely to move on without three-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who refused to accept a reduction from his $4.3 million salary, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter:

• Breaking from the past. The lockout gave the Seahawks extra time to consider their long-range plans. The team basically decided to make a clean break from the past. If Matt Hasselbeck's departure over a few million dollars didn't drive home the point, Tatupu's release should leave little doubt. New leadership often prefers operating without baggage left over from its predecessors. Some of that is at work here.
• Pride on the line. Cooler heads sometimes prevail when a player has time to think about accepting less pay. That happened in St. Louis when guard Jacob Bell returned to the team one day after initially decided to refuse a pay cut. Instead of testing the market, Bell decided he could live with an adjustment. Tatupu spent the past couple days mulling his options while the team held him out of practice. His ultimate decision to refuse a cut affirms how difficult it can be for a proud player -- particularly one with multiple Pro Bowls on his résumé and a leadership role in the locker room -- to swallow his pride.
• Was this necessary? Tatupu was scheduled to earn $4.35 million. The team wanted to save a couple million dollars. Injuries have caught up to Tatupu. He hasn't reached his former Pro Bowl level in recent seasons. The roster is evolving around him. On paper, Tatupu was not worth what his contract was going to pay him. But it's not like he was scheduled to earn $6 million or $8 million per season. In my view, his $4.3 million number wasn't far enough out of line to merit parting with one of the few leaders remaining on the team. Tatupu's contract was scheduled to count $6.1 million against the cap this season. It will count $1.1 million after releasing Tatupu, with another $2.2 million counting against the cap in 2012. So, the team saves about $5 million under the cap, a significant savings. Was it enough to justify parting with him? The answer is "yes" if one removes emotion from the equation.
• Who's next in line? Like Tatupu, cornerback Marcus Trufant signed a lucrative contract when working under the team's previous leadership. Like Tatupu, injuries have caught up with Trufant. With a $5.9 million salary for 2011, it's fair to wonder whether the 30-year-old cornerback might be next in line for a reduction. As of Saturday, however, the team had not approached Trufant.
• Youth will be served. The Seahawks had the second-youngest roster in the NFL heading into the negotiating period (not counting unrestricted free agents or players who had reached contract agreements before the signing period). Without Tatupu, the Seahawks have only seven players with more than six years' experience. Trufant and Colin Cole have the most, with nine. The contract Cole signed in 2009 carried a $4.25 million cap figure for this season, including $3.75 million in salary. The team recently paid out around $5 million per year to Brandon Mebane, then announced that Mebane would play nose tackle. Seems like something has to give.

It's still possible, at least in theory, that Tatupu could return to the team after considering his options elsewhere. I wouldn't bet on it at this point, however.

By the way, Leroy Hill and Trufant are the only players remaining with Seattle from the team's Super Bowl appearance following the 2005 season.

Note: I adjusted the figures on Cole's salary after previously stating his 2011 base salary as $4.4 million. That is the figure for 2012.

Projecting the best 30-and-over player in my division by the start of the 2014 season.

A quick look through NFC West rosters showed 112 players already in their 30s or scheduled to turn 30 by the first month of the 2014 season.

Larry Fitzgerald and Vernon Davis stood out right away as the ones best positioned to excel at that time. Some of the others with name recognition -- Matt Hasselbeck, Frank Gore, Steven Jackson, Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett, Lofa Tatupu, Marcus Trufant -- could be wearing down or out of the league by then.

I'll focus on Davis here because his contract runs through the 2015 season. Fitzgerald's deal runs only through 2011, making him more likely than Davis to depart the NFC West before 2014. Several factors point to sustained production for Davis:

• Davis could lose a step or two and still rank among the most athletic tight ends of his generation.
• The 49ers' quarterback play and offensive scheming figure to improve over the next few seasons. Davis, who has 20 touchdown receptions over the past two seasons after an underwhelming start to his career, stands to benefit.
• Coach Jim Harbaugh values tight ends.
• Davis' work ethic has always been there. He has matured considerably and that will continue as he ages.

Fitzgerald would overtake Davis as my leading candidate if the Cardinals re-signed him to a long-term agreement. His talent and work ethic should allow him to produce well into his 30s.

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

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: biggest team needs.

Arizona Cardinals

Quarterback stands out as the most obvious need for the Cardinals after Arizona suffered through a rough 2010 season with Derek Anderson, Max Hall and John Skelton under center. Acquiring a veteran passer in free agency or trade would clear the way for Arizona to focus on other areas in the draft. But if the labor impasse continues through April, the Cardinals will face more pressure to find one in the draft.

Beyond quarterback, the Cardinals need fresh talent at outside linebacker to improve their pass rush and perimeter run defense. They need help at offensive tackle, where Levi Brown hasn’t played to his status as the fifth player drafted in 2007. Their starting interior offensive linemen are without contracts for 2011, so that area is another concern.

Arizona does not have a starting-caliber tight end. Inside linebacker is another position needing attention.

San Francisco 49ers

Quarterback, cornerback and outside linebacker rank among primary needs for a team that has invested five first-round picks in its offense since 2006, including three over the past two drafts.

David Carr is the only quarterback under contract to the 49ers for 2011. Starting cornerback Nate Clements will not return under his current contract. Will Alex Smith come back for another year?

While San Francisco’s front seven has been strong, the team hasn’t had a player reach double digits in sacks since Andre Carter had 12.5 in 2002. That was also the last time the 49ers posted a winning record. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio likes to build around a pass-rusher and a cover corner.

Nose tackle could become another concern. Starter Aubrayo Franklin played last season as a franchise player. The balloon payment Washington paid to Albert Haynesworth pumped up the projected franchise value for defensive tackles, making it prohibitive for the 49ers to name Franklin their franchise player for a second consecutive season, should the designation exist in a new labor agreement.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams are set at quarterback and picking late enough in the first round -- 14th overall -- to let the draft come to them. They’re in position to benefit when a highly ranked player falls unexpectedly. They should not feel pressured to reach for a position even though they do have needs.

It’s important for the team to arm Sam Bradford with a more dynamic outside receiving threat. Injuries severely weakened the position last season. Front-line talent was lacking at the position even when most of the Rams’ wideouts were healthy.

Defensive tackle and outside linebacker jump out as two additional primary needs. Finding a defensive end to develop behind James Hall would also make sense. Landing a right guard in the draft would solidify the offensive line while letting 2010 starter Adam Goldberg back up multiple positions. The team also needs safety help after letting Oshiomogho Atogwe leave. Finding a change-of-pace back to supplement Steven Jackson's contributions might count as a luxury.

Seattle Seahawks

Quarterback will be a primary need if the Seahawks fail to re-sign Matt Hasselbeck. The position needs to be stocked for the long term even if Hasselbeck does come back for an 11th season with the team.

Restocking the offensive line must take priority no matter what happens at quarterback. The Seahawks’ running game has disappeared in recent seasons, putting too much pressure on the rest of the offense. Drafting left tackle Russell Okung sixth overall a year ago was a start. Seattle needs to find answers at both guard spots and probably right tackle (assuming Max Unger returns from injury and takes over at center, as expected). Adding Robert Gallery in free agency could take off some pressure in the draft. Gallery played under Seattle's new line coach, Tom Cable, in Oakland.

The cornerback situation needs attention. Marcus Trufant’s salary jumps significantly, raising questions about how the team will view him coming off an inconsistent season. Another corner Seattle chose in the first round, Kelly Jennings, is without a contract and lacks the size Seattle prefers at the position.