Arizona Cardinals
Veteran to watch: In his sixth season, massive OLT Leonard Davis enters his contract year with expectations higher than ever. Considered a potential chink in the team's armor, the Cardinals' offensive line is going to be under serious scrutiny. Davis has had a good camp, and he needs to keep that up during the regular season and play at or near a Pro Bowl level. The Cardinals are still trying to figure out whether he's worth re-signing, which could be a very pricey proposition.
Rookies to watch: Third-round TE Leonard Pope might not play all the time, but his huge frame (6-7, 256) should be a threat inside the red zone, where the offense needs to show major improvement getting into the end zone. If the Redbirds' run game continues to struggle, Pope will be even more important because defenses will concentrate on WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. In addition, although he's firmly entrenched behind starting QB Kurt Warner, the high-profile presence of first-round pick Matt Leinart will be impossible to ignore.
Injury update: After initial fears that he would be out six to 10 weeks, starting ORT Oliver Ross (knee) is hoping to return by the start of the season. Reserve DL Kenny King (hand) is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. Starting SLB Karlos Dansby was happy to find out he probably won't need surgery on his bothersome left big toe, but a timetable for his return was undecided at press time. FB James Hodgins (knee) and DE Anton Palepoi (shoulder) remained on the physically unable to perform list.
Strongest position: Wide receiver gets the no-brainer nod. With Fitzgerald and Boldin, the Cardinals have two potential Pro Bowlers coming off monster '05 campaigns. Bryant Johnson, a former first-round pick, isn't great, but he's not bad for a third wide receiver. Speedy No. 4 WR LeRon McCoy has some real upside, and No. 5 WR Troy Walters, a former Colt, is a solid veteran.
Weakest position: Offensive tackle. Davis is good, but there are questions about Ross even when he's healthy. The players currently replacing Ross are Jeremy Bridges, who was cut twice last season as a guard, and Fred Wakefield, who was originally a defensive end. If that isn't scary enough, there doesn't appear to be another competent tackle on the roster. Second-year pro Elton Brown has done some work there, but he's a guard.
St. Louis Rams
Veteran to watch: One of the keys to any success in the Rams' dramatically revamped defense will be how much life free-agent addition La'Roi Glover has left in his 32-year-old legs as the team's new starting defensive tackle alongside 2003 first-round pick Jimmy Kennedy. With six Pro Bowl berths under his belt and an attitude that is still very hungry, Glover commands respect and has taken on a joint leadership role on the defense with fellow free-agent newcomers Will Witherspoon and Corey Chavous. A big part of that role is helping to groom Kennedy, a newcomer on the nose replacing departed Ryan Pickett.
Rookie to watch: New Rams head coach Scott Linehan's offenses always have counted a great deal on tight ends, which was never the case in the previous regime under Mike Martz. That's why second-round pick Joe Klopfenstein, who has been the starter from the get-go this offseason, is a rookie worth watching. Intent on developing a strong intermediate passing attack, Linehan would like 40-plus catches from Klopfenstein, who also has to show he can block effectively at the pro level.
Injury update: The Rams had remained amazingly healthy approaching the preseason's halfway point. The only injury victims of note are OG Claude Terrell, whose nagging wrist ailment had him in limbo at this writing, and FB Madison Hedgecock, who could be out two to six weeks with a high-ankle sprain.
Strongest position: The same as it has been since 1999: wide receiver. No. 1 WR Torry Holt is a Pro Bowler in his prime; veteran No. 2 WR Isaac Bruce has had a strong camp; and a case can be made for fleet-footed Kevin Curtis as the best No. 3 wideout in the league. Shifty No. 4 WR Shaun McDonald, reliable No. 5 WR Dane Looker, ex-Colt Brad Pyatt and impressive-looking youngsters Dominique Thompson and Marques Hagans fill out a very deep and talented WR corps.
Weakest position: The most unproven position on the roster: tight end. Behind rookie Klopfenstein are Aaron Walker, who has only six career starts and was released by an awful 49ers team, and third-round draft pick Dominique Byrd, who has struggled more often than not so far.
San Francisco 49ers
Veteran to watch: Fifth-year pro Brandon Moore has been put on the spot as the team's starting left outside linebacker, a position widely perceived as a weak link heading into camp, and has responded well so far. In the preseason opener against Chicago, the Bears opted to run away from the right side occupied by first-round pick Manny Lawson and right at Moore, who more than held his own after primarily playing inside before this season. But can he keep that up?
Rookie to watch: Lawson, considered to be the key to any pass-rush the Niners might be able to muster, has yet to really distinguish himself. Even though the Bears ran away from him in the preseason opener, Lawson was noticeably overmatched by Bears OLT John Tait. In Lawson's defense, he's being asked to play a very complicated position in the Niners' defensive scheme, and it's expected to take him awhile to get comfortable. There's no denying Lawson's speed, but he needs to show more explosiveness off the ball.
Injury update: Veteran C Jeremy Newberry was placed on injured reserve after surgery to his left knee. CB Shawntae Spencer (hamstring) and rookie DE-OLB Parys Haralson (sprained foot) were sidelined at press time. Spencer is expected to be out until at least the start of the season, and Haralson could remain out a tad longer. WR Arnaz Battle has chronic knee problems and practices on a limited basis.
Strongest position: The Niners had such a well-stocked RB corps that they felt comfortable trading away sixth-year pro Kevin Barlow for a draft choice. Up-and-coming second-year pro Frank Gore, who always picks up positive yardage, has won the starting job by default now that Barlow is gone. Elusive Maurice Hicks, who seems to take advantage of most of his playing opportunities; good-looking rookies Michael Robinson and Delanie Walker; and special teams savant Terry Jackson offer quality depth.
Weakest position: Outside newcomer Antonio Bryant, who has drawn rave reviews as the team's new featured wideout, the Niners have very little in the way of established talent at wide receiver. Battle has talent but can't stay healthy; Bryan Gilmore is the epitome of a journeyman NFL pass catcher; and rookie Brandon Williams and second-year pros Marcus Maxwell and Rasheed Marshall are greener than Kermit the Frog.
Seattle Seahawks
Veteran to watch: Free-agent addition Mike Green had been getting nearly all the first-team reps at strong safety with incumbent Michael Boulware recovering from knee surgery. Boulware is getting healthier and is starting to practice, but Green, who led Seattle's defense with five first-half tackles in the preseason opener against Dallas, won't relinquish the starting job without a fight. Stay tuned.
Rookie to watch: Ben Obomanu, only a seventh-round pick, is the prohibitive favorite to lock down the Seahawks' sixth and probably final WR spot -- unless the team opts to keep only five this year. Obomanu has an NFL body, but he just didn't get much experience in a pro-style passing game while at Auburn. He's not flashy, just very consistent. And his upside is evident.
Injury update: TE Jerramy Stevens will be out at least six weeks after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee in one of the final training camp practices. He underwent surgery the day after the injury. Veteran C Robbie Tobeck was expected to miss seven to 10 days after undergoing surgery to remove bone fragments from his left elbow. DT Russell Davis might miss the rest of the preseason with a torn plantar fascia in his right foot. Starting OLG Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack was continuing to nurse a hamstring injury at press time, and WR Darrell Jackson and DT Marcus Tubbs had yet to make an appearance this season after offseason knee and foot surgery, respectively. Jackson was expected to be ready by the third preseason game.
Strongest position: Assuming everybody stays healthy, it would have to be linebacker. Second-year pros Lofa Tatupu and LeRoy Hill and versatile free-agent addition Julian Peterson, a former Pro Bowler with the Niners, make for a mighty potent one-two-three punch. Certainly, linebacker is the position with the most talent. If you're looking for the deepest position, it might be the offensive line or defensive tackle, even with some of the injury issues both places.
Weakest position: The DE position drops off sharply after the first three guys on the depth chart -- Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher and second-round draft pick Darryl Tapp. Tapp has shown promise, but the Hawks really need Wistrom, who missed much of camp recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and Fisher to stay healthy. Joe Tafoya and Kemp Rasmussen are adequate backups, but there really aren't more than two starting-caliber players at the position.
Veteran to watch: In his sixth season, massive OLT Leonard Davis enters his contract year with expectations higher than ever. Considered a potential chink in the team's armor, the Cardinals' offensive line is going to be under serious scrutiny. Davis has had a good camp, and he needs to keep that up during the regular season and play at or near a Pro Bowl level. The Cardinals are still trying to figure out whether he's worth re-signing, which could be a very pricey proposition.
Rookies to watch: Third-round TE Leonard Pope might not play all the time, but his huge frame (6-7, 256) should be a threat inside the red zone, where the offense needs to show major improvement getting into the end zone. If the Redbirds' run game continues to struggle, Pope will be even more important because defenses will concentrate on WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. In addition, although he's firmly entrenched behind starting QB Kurt Warner, the high-profile presence of first-round pick Matt Leinart will be impossible to ignore.
Injury update: After initial fears that he would be out six to 10 weeks, starting ORT Oliver Ross (knee) is hoping to return by the start of the season. Reserve DL Kenny King (hand) is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. Starting SLB Karlos Dansby was happy to find out he probably won't need surgery on his bothersome left big toe, but a timetable for his return was undecided at press time. FB James Hodgins (knee) and DE Anton Palepoi (shoulder) remained on the physically unable to perform list.
Strongest position: Wide receiver gets the no-brainer nod. With Fitzgerald and Boldin, the Cardinals have two potential Pro Bowlers coming off monster '05 campaigns. Bryant Johnson, a former first-round pick, isn't great, but he's not bad for a third wide receiver. Speedy No. 4 WR LeRon McCoy has some real upside, and No. 5 WR Troy Walters, a former Colt, is a solid veteran.
Weakest position: Offensive tackle. Davis is good, but there are questions about Ross even when he's healthy. The players currently replacing Ross are Jeremy Bridges, who was cut twice last season as a guard, and Fred Wakefield, who was originally a defensive end. If that isn't scary enough, there doesn't appear to be another competent tackle on the roster. Second-year pro Elton Brown has done some work there, but he's a guard.
St. Louis Rams
Veteran to watch: One of the keys to any success in the Rams' dramatically revamped defense will be how much life free-agent addition La'Roi Glover has left in his 32-year-old legs as the team's new starting defensive tackle alongside 2003 first-round pick Jimmy Kennedy. With six Pro Bowl berths under his belt and an attitude that is still very hungry, Glover commands respect and has taken on a joint leadership role on the defense with fellow free-agent newcomers Will Witherspoon and Corey Chavous. A big part of that role is helping to groom Kennedy, a newcomer on the nose replacing departed Ryan Pickett.
Rookie to watch: New Rams head coach Scott Linehan's offenses always have counted a great deal on tight ends, which was never the case in the previous regime under Mike Martz. That's why second-round pick Joe Klopfenstein, who has been the starter from the get-go this offseason, is a rookie worth watching. Intent on developing a strong intermediate passing attack, Linehan would like 40-plus catches from Klopfenstein, who also has to show he can block effectively at the pro level.
Injury update: The Rams had remained amazingly healthy approaching the preseason's halfway point. The only injury victims of note are OG Claude Terrell, whose nagging wrist ailment had him in limbo at this writing, and FB Madison Hedgecock, who could be out two to six weeks with a high-ankle sprain.
Strongest position: The same as it has been since 1999: wide receiver. No. 1 WR Torry Holt is a Pro Bowler in his prime; veteran No. 2 WR Isaac Bruce has had a strong camp; and a case can be made for fleet-footed Kevin Curtis as the best No. 3 wideout in the league. Shifty No. 4 WR Shaun McDonald, reliable No. 5 WR Dane Looker, ex-Colt Brad Pyatt and impressive-looking youngsters Dominique Thompson and Marques Hagans fill out a very deep and talented WR corps.
Weakest position: The most unproven position on the roster: tight end. Behind rookie Klopfenstein are Aaron Walker, who has only six career starts and was released by an awful 49ers team, and third-round draft pick Dominique Byrd, who has struggled more often than not so far.
San Francisco 49ers
Veteran to watch: Fifth-year pro Brandon Moore has been put on the spot as the team's starting left outside linebacker, a position widely perceived as a weak link heading into camp, and has responded well so far. In the preseason opener against Chicago, the Bears opted to run away from the right side occupied by first-round pick Manny Lawson and right at Moore, who more than held his own after primarily playing inside before this season. But can he keep that up?
Rookie to watch: Lawson, considered to be the key to any pass-rush the Niners might be able to muster, has yet to really distinguish himself. Even though the Bears ran away from him in the preseason opener, Lawson was noticeably overmatched by Bears OLT John Tait. In Lawson's defense, he's being asked to play a very complicated position in the Niners' defensive scheme, and it's expected to take him awhile to get comfortable. There's no denying Lawson's speed, but he needs to show more explosiveness off the ball.
Injury update: Veteran C Jeremy Newberry was placed on injured reserve after surgery to his left knee. CB Shawntae Spencer (hamstring) and rookie DE-OLB Parys Haralson (sprained foot) were sidelined at press time. Spencer is expected to be out until at least the start of the season, and Haralson could remain out a tad longer. WR Arnaz Battle has chronic knee problems and practices on a limited basis.
Strongest position: The Niners had such a well-stocked RB corps that they felt comfortable trading away sixth-year pro Kevin Barlow for a draft choice. Up-and-coming second-year pro Frank Gore, who always picks up positive yardage, has won the starting job by default now that Barlow is gone. Elusive Maurice Hicks, who seems to take advantage of most of his playing opportunities; good-looking rookies Michael Robinson and Delanie Walker; and special teams savant Terry Jackson offer quality depth.
Weakest position: Outside newcomer Antonio Bryant, who has drawn rave reviews as the team's new featured wideout, the Niners have very little in the way of established talent at wide receiver. Battle has talent but can't stay healthy; Bryan Gilmore is the epitome of a journeyman NFL pass catcher; and rookie Brandon Williams and second-year pros Marcus Maxwell and Rasheed Marshall are greener than Kermit the Frog.
Seattle Seahawks
Veteran to watch: Free-agent addition Mike Green had been getting nearly all the first-team reps at strong safety with incumbent Michael Boulware recovering from knee surgery. Boulware is getting healthier and is starting to practice, but Green, who led Seattle's defense with five first-half tackles in the preseason opener against Dallas, won't relinquish the starting job without a fight. Stay tuned.
Rookie to watch: Ben Obomanu, only a seventh-round pick, is the prohibitive favorite to lock down the Seahawks' sixth and probably final WR spot -- unless the team opts to keep only five this year. Obomanu has an NFL body, but he just didn't get much experience in a pro-style passing game while at Auburn. He's not flashy, just very consistent. And his upside is evident.
Injury update: TE Jerramy Stevens will be out at least six weeks after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee in one of the final training camp practices. He underwent surgery the day after the injury. Veteran C Robbie Tobeck was expected to miss seven to 10 days after undergoing surgery to remove bone fragments from his left elbow. DT Russell Davis might miss the rest of the preseason with a torn plantar fascia in his right foot. Starting OLG Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack was continuing to nurse a hamstring injury at press time, and WR Darrell Jackson and DT Marcus Tubbs had yet to make an appearance this season after offseason knee and foot surgery, respectively. Jackson was expected to be ready by the third preseason game.
Strongest position: Assuming everybody stays healthy, it would have to be linebacker. Second-year pros Lofa Tatupu and LeRoy Hill and versatile free-agent addition Julian Peterson, a former Pro Bowler with the Niners, make for a mighty potent one-two-three punch. Certainly, linebacker is the position with the most talent. If you're looking for the deepest position, it might be the offensive line or defensive tackle, even with some of the injury issues both places.
Weakest position: The DE position drops off sharply after the first three guys on the depth chart -- Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher and second-round draft pick Darryl Tapp. Tapp has shown promise, but the Hawks really need Wistrom, who missed much of camp recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and Fisher to stay healthy. Joe Tafoya and Kemp Rasmussen are adequate backups, but there really aren't more than two starting-caliber players at the position.
