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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Seahawks have been plugging holes with mixed results in recent seasons.



In 2007, they threw $10.5 million in bonuses at Deon Grant and also signed another veteran free agent, Brian Russell, to address deficiencies at safety. They threw another $15 million in bonuses at Patrick Kerney to help the pass rush. In 2008, they hired Mike Solari to coach their offensive line and signed veteran left guard Mike Wahle to finally plug the hole Steve Hutchinson left two years earlier. In 2009, the Seahawks responded to chronic injury problems at wide receiver by committing about $15 million in guarantees to T.J. Houshmandzadeh, then trading up in the draft to select receiver Deon Butler.



The offensive line was the biggest problem for Seattle in 2009.



One look at the Seahawks’ coaching staff shows the team’s renewed commitment to that area. Seattle has three assistant coaches dedicated to its offensive line, more than any team in the division and more than any team I can recall. Alex Gibbs leads a group featuring assistant line coach Art Valero and quality control coach Luke Butkus. Seattle has a separate quality control coach for offense (Dave Canales), with Butkus focusing on the line only.

There are four men who spent the majority of their careers in the AFC West who are among the 17 finalists being considered for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The results of the voting will be announced at 5 p.m. ET Saturday.



We spent the week researching each finalist’s chances by talking to several members of the voting committee and several league observers.



Here is a look at each finalist’s case:



Tim Brown: Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders, wide receiver, 1988 to 2003



Known for: He was the face of the Raiders for years. He was a standout receiver and return man. The Heisman Trophy winner from Notre Dame was one of Oakland’s best draft picks ever. He was a reliable, smart player.



AFC West body of work: Of his 1,094 career catches, 1,070 came as a Raider. Brown, who played his final NFL season in Tampa Bay, caught at least 80 passes nine times and he had nine 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons.



Quote from a voter: “He posted great numbers but those have to be placed in context with the era in which he played. He’ll get in but maybe not this year.”



Scouts Inc.’s take: “I think he’ll probably get in, but I rank Cris Carter slightly ahead of him. If Jerry Rice is a 10, Carter is an 8.5 and Brown is an 8. Brown was excellent but I don’t think you could ever say he was the best player at his position. I’m not sure if he was really special or if he had a defining moment, But he was remarkably consistent and he helped on special teams. He never had any glaring weaknesses and he moved the chains. He ran every route.” — Matt Williamson



What I think will happen: A couple of years ago, I would have thought Brown was a slam-dunk choice in his first year of eligibility. But the voting committee has very high standards for receivers and there is a backlog of quality eligible receivers. With Rice (who played four seasons in Oakland and who announced his retirement at the Broncos’ facility after a fruitless preseason in Denver) a shoo-in and Carter, Andre Reed and tight end Shannon Sharpe making a push, Brown may not make it in his first year. If not this year, he’ll get in sometime because he was so consistent. Because his numbers were never truly jaw-dropping, he may have to wait in a long receiver line for a couple of years.



Don Coryell: San Diego, coach, 1978 to 1986



Known for: Coryell is credited with being a major innovator in the passing game, earning him the nickname “Air Coryell.” Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts credits his career to Coryell.



AFC West body of work: The Chargers were virtually unstoppable in the air under Coryell. San Diego changed the way the division played both offense and defense in an effort to keep up with the innovative Coryell.



Quote from a voter: “I’m a big Coryell fan. He won a lot of games … Sure, he didn’t win a Super Bowl, but he changed the way the game was played.”



Scouts Inc.’s take: “He was ahead of his time in the down-field passing game. He was a terrific, student of the game. He understood matchups and defenses. Coryell was that first guy to say, “Let’s go vertical and make some big plays.” He still has an influence on the game.” — Gary Horton



What I think will happen: Coryell is the only coach among the finalists. I think he will have a large group of voters behind him. I think many voters were impressed by the letter of support sent by Fouts in support of his former coach. Still, this is a very strong class and Coryell could be left on the outside. He is not a shoo-in.



Floyd Little: Denver, running back, 1967 to 1975



Known for: Little was one of Denver’s first true stars. He was the face of the franchise when he played.



AFC West body of work: He led the NFL in rushing from 1968 to 1973. When he retired, he was the seventh leading rusher in NFL history with 6,323 yards rushing and he had 54 touchdowns.



Quote from a voter: “One of the great running backs of his era. He played on some bad teams and never ran behind a Pro Bowl offensive lineman. He deserves to be in.”



Scouts Inc.’s take: “I’ve talked to Tom Jackson (former Denver star linebacker and current ESPN analyst) and he loves Floyd. Floyd was a tough, hard-nosed runner. He was the heart and soul of that team.” — Gary Horton



What I think will happen: Little may have the best chance of the four AFC West finalists. He is a senior’s committee finalist, so his path Saturday may be easier than the 15 traditional finalists. If Little doesn’t make it Saturday, he likely never will. I expect him to get in.



Shannon Sharpe: Denver, tight end, 1990 to 1999 and 2002 to 2003



Known for: Sharpe was one of the most accomplished receiving tight ends in NFL history. The boisterous Sharpe was a self-made player from a small school who was a huge part of Denver’s two Super Bowl winning teams.



AFC West body of work: Sharpe had 671 of his 815 catches in the AFC West. He had three 1,000-yard receiving seasons and two seasons in which he had 10 touchdowns.



Quote from a voter: “Crazy numbers for a tight end, and I think he’ll be on the edge of making it this year.”



Scouts Inc.’s take: “Sharpe should go in. He was a massive liability as a blocker but nobody cared. Tight ends don’t go to the Hall of Fame because they blocked well. In a way, he revolutionized the game because he was a wide receiver as much as he was a tight end. He was the Dallas Clark of his era. He was very tough and he was a very hard worker who overcame coming into the league as a small-school guy. I think that gets overlooked because he is so loud and brash. But he was a hard worker who was on a lot of great teams. He was a difference-maker.” — Matt Williamson



What I think will happen: I was surprised that Sharpe didn’t make it last year in his first year of eligibility. He was one of the best tight ends ever to play in the NFL. I think he may get in this season. But if some voters look at him as a receiver, he could get lost in the shuffle again.

Manning

Manning

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has kept a low profile this week while his older brother Peyton prepares for Sunday, but he did make a promotional appearance Thursday. Eli grew up in New Orleans as a huge Saints fan, but he told reporters that he’s lost that rooting interest over the years. And there’s no doubt that he’ll be pulling for the Colts on Sunday.



“No question about it,” the Giants’ quarterback said. “If you think about it, I’ve been cheering for the Colts and Peyton for the last 12 years. And having been in the NFL six years myself and having played against the Saints a few times, you kind of quickly lose your home-team loyalty in a sense when you start playing for another NFC team.”



“I keep up with the Saints a little bit, and a lot of my friends are big Saints fans. But for this game, it’s a no-brainer: I’ll be rooting for Peyton and the Colts.”



We’ve heard stories for years about how Peyton and Cooper Manning beat up on their little brother, but Eli came up with a couple I hadn’t heard Thursday. Apparently Peyton and Cooper took part in mocking their father’s old team at one point in the 80s.



“They were at Saints games and my mom was there with Cooper and Peyton and she looked down and they were wearing the ‘Aints’ bag over the head,” Eli said. “They didn’t really know what they were doing; they just thought it was funny to put a bag over your head.”



Wish we could’ve seen the look on Olivia Manning’s face.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Rams haven’t won enough recently to let damaging perceptions linger.



It’s not Billy Devaney’s style, anyway.



Devaney, the Rams’ general manager, has shown his pugnacious side a few times, including last season when ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth criticized the team’s handling of 2009 first-round choice Jason Smith. Schlereth later clarified his comments.



Devaney sought to right another alleged wrong Friday while making the Super Bowl media rounds Friday. According to Devaney, the Rams have never taken down photos of all-time franchise greats, as Marshall Faulk suggested in comments to Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.



Every new leadership group tries to establish its own program, but Devaney and coach Steve Spagnuolo would never trample on the team’s history so flagrantly, the GM said. Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood has also been critical of the organization lately, questioning the decision to fire long-time trainer Jim Anderson.



“It always matters what great players’ opinions are as to what we are doing and how we are doing,” Devaney said. ” ‘Spags ‘and I have a ton of respect for what they have accomplished and what they have meant to the Rams. They are always welcome. I have talked to Marshall in the past. I talked to Jack Youngblood when he was visiting this year.



“The one thing I really want to clear up, I don’t know how this notion got out of us taking pictures down. Steve came in and the only pictures Steve took down were of current Rams players and they were individual shots. He said, ‘I want pictures up, but I want five or six players. I want team pictures up.’ That is what we did. There are pictures throughout the building of Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Ricky Proehl and the Hall of Fame Rams, all the great Rams. That is throughout the building.”



The Rams might need to smooth over some of these relationships with their alumni. Mostly, they need to win.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The picks are in.



And the Colts are the more popular choice.



You can see what ESPN people are thinking about Super Bowl XLIV right here.



I’m asked regularly to pick games and decline. There is a liberty in not rooting for a result that makes you look like you had the right read on a game before kickoff. But Super Bowl week is different, and when the bosses ask for a pick, they get one.



You have to click through to find it, but I am guessing you know where I am heading.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — For those of you foolish enough to care what we think, our predictions for Sunday have been posted on ESPN.com’s Super Bowl XLIV page.



You see our picks and a quick synopsis of the reasoning behind them. I’ve been known as a contrarian in the past, but I’m among the majority who thinks the Indianapolis Colts will win.



Of the 41 writers, analysts and editors polled, only a dozen pick the New Orleans Saints.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Once the season reached the conference championship games, Bill Cowher knew that he had to support one team in particular.



“I was pulling for the Jets because that was old-time football,” Cowher said. “That was run the ball, play defense.”



Sounds downright archaic, doesn’t it? Run, run, run. Tackle, tackle, tackle. Win a 17-14 game if you have to.



The NFL has evolved into a passing game. The best teams know how to throw the ball well and often. The Super Bowl features the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints, the second- and fourth-ranked passing teams. The NFC Championship Game was a duel between the NFL’s top two quarterbacks based on passer rating.



That’s why Cowher was so sentimental about the ground-and-pound Jets.



“The game has changed,” Cowher said. “It caters to throwing. Clearly, if you have a quarterback you can do so much more. It’s a game that definitely has gone [against] the defense. Quarterbacks can’t get hit. Receivers can’t get hit. Anybody going over the middle can’t get hit.”



Cowher foresees a more balanced Jets offense next season. Behind backfield bulldozers Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene, they led the NFL in rushing at 172.2 yards a game, but they ranked 31st in passing at 148.8 yards a game.



No team threw fewer passes than the Jets did. The Buffalo Bills were closest, but threw 48 more times.



“What the Jets did with Mark Sanchez, they took a rookie quarterback and went pretty far with him,” Cowher said. “Now they’ve got to expand that by throwing, but don’t lose sight of the foundation.”

MIAMI — Regular readers know I rarely make predictions on this blog. Usually they correspond with direct assignment, and let’s just say I’m not often the most prescient in the group. But here’s one exception: I joined my ESPN.com colleagues in making a call on Super Bowl XLIV. I’m going with Indianapolis. My explanation, such as it is, can be found on our predictions page. Feel free to let me know what you think.