NFC West Draft Review

Arizona Cardinals: If a team is going to take a running back in round one, the best place to do it is at the bottom. The value of the contract is lower, and the player can be locked up for five years. Throw in a franchise season, and that’s 96 regular season games at a fairly reasonable cost. So it was wise for the Cardinals to get Beanie Wells with pick No. 31, and then to shed Edgerrin James and his $5 million salary. Second-round linebacker Cody Brown will provide another body for the ongoing transition to a full-blown 3-4, and third-round safety Rashad Johnson provides short-term depth and a possible long-term starter. Of course, the Cardinals could have had even more picks if they’d finally dealt with the Anquan Boldin mess. They didn’t, and thus the situation will continue to hover over the franchise like a cloud of noxious fumes from last night’s bean burrito buffet. St. Louis Rams: Desperate to trade out of the No. 2 overall pick, the Rams played it safe with a left tackle instead of a quarterback. But for the cap hit resulting from a trade of incumbent starter Marc Bulger, the Rams might have opted for Mark Sanchez. But Jason Smith could be the team’s next 10-year-plus fixture on the offensive line, something they’ll desperately need in order to get back to where they were a decade ago. Linebacker James Laurinaitis unexpectedly slid to round two, and likely would have gone higher if he’d come out a year ago. He could add a level of throwback toughness to a defense that has been a glaring weakness. Still, they waited too long to address a shockingly weak receiver depth chart, though they get extra points for picking in round five the guy who signs his name like Foster Brooks might have during one of his classic ‘70s era faux benders. San Francisco 49ers: The last time a receiver unexpectedly slid to the 49ers in round one, he only ended up being the greatest NFL player of all time. Michael Crabtree has a lot of work to do to justify any additional comparisons to Jerry Rice. Crabtree provides the ultimate boom or bust proposition -- there’s no in between. He’ll either be great, or he’ll be wearing a red vest and stocking DVDs in three years. Running back Glen Coffee should give the team a reliable complement to Frank Gore, who has endured plenty of injuries during his career. Quarterback Nate Davis could be a steal; his slide didn’t start until the non-football pre-draft stuff began. If he can overcome dyslexia, he can be a solid contributor. Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks were expected to take a quarterback or a left tackle. They went with neither. Linebacker Aaron Curry might have been the best player in the draft, and he’ll be counted upon to replace Julian Peterson from Day One. Second-round lineman Max Unger could end up playing various different positions as the Seahawks shuffle the pieces in connection with the eventual retirement of Walter Jones. We’re intrigued by sixth-round quarterback Mike Teel, who’ll get a chance to develop under the radar and could potentially secure an opportunity to replace Matt Hasselbeck.