We’re down to 141 unrestricted free agents and 127 of them are in their 30s or will be when the 2010 regular season opens.



That’s what happens when more than 200 scheduled UFAs settle for restricted status thanks to new labor rules requiring players to have six accrued seasons before hitting the open market. There are more UFAs in their 40s than aged 27 or younger.



Download the full list of remaining UFAs, complete with team-by-team chart, right here.



The chart breaks down UFAs from NFC West teams, by position.

A serious sounding Derek Anderson spent some time with KTAR620 radio in Phoenix after agreeing to terms with the Cardinals.



It’s been a tough run in Cleveland for him recently. The situation in Arizona should be much less tense. Anderson should be able to relax a little.



“I’m happy to move on and start in a new city,” Anderson said. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about Arizona and their fans.”



KTAR620 has the full audio here.

Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart sent a text message to coach Ken Whisenhunt after the team added veteran Derek Anderson to compete for the starting job.

Leinart

Leinart wasn’t complaining.

“He is fired up about where he is and about getting in here in the offseason program and working with the guys,” Whisenhunt told reporters in Arizona.

Leinart seems to have the right attitude. Or at least he isn’t demonstrating the wrong one. Leinart also responded favorably when Whisenhunt offered only a conditional endorsement earlier in the offseason, even though the retiring Kurt Warner was the only other quarterback on their roster.

“That indicated to me that Matt was in a good place with it and today was another example of that,” Whisenhunt said. “I don’t know necessarily that it was a function of any announcements about us reaching an agreement with Derek as much as it was just Matt staying in communication. That is what we want from our players and I was excited to see that.”

The Cardinals and Seahawks sought veteran quarterbacks with upside this offseason.



Both teams met with Charlie Whitehurst and Derek Anderson.



Arizona landed Anderson, 26, with a two-year deal worth more than $7 million. Seattle landed Whitehurst, 27, with a two-year deal worth $10 million, plus the equivalent of 2010 draft choice late in the second round.



Anderson has one Pro Bowl season and, more recently, two mediocre seasons on his resume. Whitehurst has nothing on his resume. He might be great. He might be good. He might be average. He might be poor. He might be Dan McGwire.



The money and draft capital Seattle invested in Whitehurst makes him the logical starter for 2011, if not sooner. And if Whitehurst flops, this move will be one the Seahawks’ new management team hears plenty about.



The Chargers must be thrilled to get significant value for a third-string quarterback with no credentials.



The Seahawks can still come out OK in the end, but the Cardinals and Chargers look better right now.

Charlie Whitehurst had better become more than a backup after the Seahawks paid handsomely for the Chargers’ third-string quarterback Wednesday.



Seattle agreed to move down 20 spots in the second round and part with a 2011 third-rounder to acquire Whitehurst from San Diego. The Seahawks go from holding the 40th overall choice, worth 500 points on the NFL draft trade value chart, to holding the 60th choice, worth 300 points. The 2011 third-round choice translates in value to a 2010 fourth-rounder, valued between 44 and 112 points.



A pick in the middle of the fourth round would be worth about 70 points. That means the Seahawks are parting with 270 points in draft capital to make this deal. The final pick of the second round is worth 270 points.



The price is a bargain if Whitehurst turns into a good starter for the Seahawks after signing what is expected to be a two-year deal worth about $5 million annually. With other teams trading quarterbacks for a discount, the Seahawks are betting on Whitehurst to become a meaningful addition. They also faced competition from Arizona, which probably drove up the price. Not having a 2010 third-round choice also limited their options somewhat.



Assuming Matt Hasselbeck remains in place, this move could diminish the likelihood of the Seahawks drafting a quarterback in the first round. At the very least, it says the Seahawks do not see a quarterback worth drafting early after Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen come off the board.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt will address the team’s addition of Derek Anderson at the team’s facility Wednesday afternoon.



I would expect Whisenhunt to promote the idea of competition for Matt Leinart.



The move to sign Anderson, confirmed by the team, makes more sense than trading for Charlie Whitehurst, I think, because the Cardinals didn’t have to part with a draft choice. Anderson gives Arizona a quarterback with starting experience, one good season on his résumé and lots to prove.



The money Arizona is paying Anderson — reportedly more than $3 million per season, plus incentives — is in line with what we might expect for a backup quarterback with upside.

Charlie Whitehurst is on his way out of San Diego.

Whitehurst

The Chargers’ No. 3 quarterback was pursued both by Arizona and Seattle in restricted free agency. ESPN’s John Clayton is reporting Whitehurst appears headed to Seattle. Whitehurst is expected to get a lucrative deal as the Seahawks think he can be a future starter.



This is not a bad deal for a guy who has never tossed a pass in the regular season, but who has played well in the preseason and who was highly rated coming out of college.



Expect the Chargers and Seahawks to quickly execute a trade of Whitehurst. He signed a third-round tender. Whitehurst was taken in the third round in 2006. However, the Seahawks do not have a third-round pick. They do have two fourth-round picks.



Expect the two teams to work out a deal that satisfies both parties. Perhaps the teams could flip second-round picks as part of the deal. Whatever the compensation is, it will be a good deal for San Diego.



Whitehurst was buried behind Philip Rivers and Billy Volek. He was not going to get a chance to play in San Diego. To get compensation for a third-stringer is a solid deal. The Chargers need to reload at several positions. This trade will allow San Diego to get better.

It appears former Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson is headed to the desert.

Anderson

Multiple reports surfaced Wednesday that Anderson has agreed to terms with the Arizona Cardinals.



Arizona should be a good fit for Anderson. He needs good weapons around him to thrive and receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells are all good players. Anderson also provides insurance and competition for Matt Leinart.



Anderson, a former Pro Bowler, had his best year in 2007 but wasn’t able to duplicate that season with the Browns. He was often ridiculed in Cleveland and waited until his release to publicly fire back at Browns fans. Anderson later apologized.



In case you’re wondering, the Browns do not play the Cardinals next season.



(Update: He received a two-year deal worth $7.25 million with $3.25 million guaranteed. The deal could max out to as much as approximately $18 million if he reaches all of his performance incentives.)

The division that produced Joe Montana, Steve Young and Kurt Warner finds itself fawning over Charlie Whitehurst.



Such is the state of quarterbacking in the NFC West, where even A.J. Feeley and David Carr have a chance to start in 2010.



It’s still early in the offseason, of course, and rosters are evolving. But with Warner retiring, Marc Bulger possibly done in St. Louis, Derek Anderson heading to Arizona, Whitehurst coming to Seattle and Matt Hasselbeck entering the final year of his deal following two down seasons, it’s time to take inventory.



Arizona Cardinals



Projected starter: Matt Leinart. Coach Ken Whisenhunt keeps saying he’s confident in Leinart. Whisenhunt also believes in promoting competition. That’s why he said the Cardinals will not hand the starting job to Leinart until he appears in multiple Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl. Of course, Whisenhunt didn’t hand the job to Warner entering the 2008 season even though Warner had Pro Bowls and Super Bowls on his résumé. It’s fair to wonder whether an inexperienced quarterback such as Leinart might have a better chance for success if Whisenhunt endorsed him less conditionally. Whisenhunt’s approach was good for Warner, though, and Leinart must prove he can handle the challenge.



Backup: Anderson. The Cardinals are expected to sign Anderson and let him compete with Leinart for the job. Anderson will need time to learn the offense. He has a strong arm and starting experience, but accuracy has been a problem. Anderson should benefit from working with a receiving corps vastly superior to the one he left behind in Cleveland.



Third-stringer: None. Brian St. Pierre is an unrestricted free agent. He suffered back trouble last season.



Issues to resolve: Any moves the Cardinals make at quarterback should also take into account the longer-term future of the position. Leinart’s deal balloons in value for 2011. A disappointing or even unconvincing performance in 2010 could end his tenure in Arizona. Anderson could benefit from such a scenario. The Cardinals probably do not draft early enough to consider selecting a franchise quarterback. Adding Anderson gives the Cardinals some flexibility on that front. He might not be the long-term answer, but he gives Arizona another option. It’ll be interesting to hear how Whisenhunt frames the quarterback competition.



San Francisco 49ers



Projected starter: Alex Smith. The 2005 first-round choice posted a 5-5 record as the 49ers’ starter last season. He set career highs for completion percentage (60.5), touchdown passes (18), touchdown-to-interception ratio (18-12) and passer rating (81.5). It wasn’t enough for the 49ers to seriously consider extending his contract. Smith must show continued improvement. He also needs to win games.



Backup: Carr. The 49ers signed Carr and traded former starter Shaun Hill even though the 49ers had a 10-6 record in games Hill started. Hill was 3-3 as the starter last season and his career as a starter had plateaued. He looked like the perfect backup, but the 49ers do not need a backup. They need a starter. Smith can still be the starter, but if he falters, Carr could provide more upside as a starter than Hill, whose time in the role had passed.



Third-stringer: Nate Davis. Giving Davis a couple of years in Jimmy Raye’s offense could give Davis a chance to emerge as the eventual No. 2.



Issues to resolve: Smith is entering the final year of his contract. He needs a productive season to stay in the team’s plans beyond 2010. Smith must become more comfortable operating from under center. The offense lost too much of its stated identity when Smith took over and the 49ers suddenly became more of a shotgun passing team. Frank Gore operates most comfortably running out of the I-formation. The 49ers need to bridge the Gore-Smith gap this season. Drafting a quarterback could make sense for the 49ers, but the top two prospects could be gone and the 49ers might find more value at other positions early in the draft.



Seattle Seahawks



Projected starter: Hasselbeck. He turns 35 in September and has missed 11 games over the past two seasons, playing hurt much of the time. The Seahawks need to line up his long-term replacement even if Hasselbeck shows he can start for a couple more seasons. Hasselbeck is learning a new system for the second consecutive offseason. He had more value in Mike Holmgren’s offense because he knew it so well.



Backup: Whitehurst. The Seahawks traded longtime backup Seneca Wallace to the Browns for a conditional 2011 late-round pick. Whitehurst could be in line to replace Hasselbeck beginning in 2011. The parameters of his deal will be telling. It’s unlikely Whitehurst would agree to a trade for insignificant money, however. The deal he signs with Seattle should position him as a likely future starter.



Third-stringer: Mike Teel. The Seahawks’ previous leadership used a 2009 sixth-round pick for Teel, who played well enough during the preseason to justify his role. New general manager John Schneider believes teams can find good value by drafting one or more quarterbacks per year, developing them and then either keeping or trading them. That makes Teel’s status uncertain.



Issues to resolve: The team could still draft a quarterback in the first round. The main issue in the meantime is determining whether Whitehurst legitimately has a future as an NFL starter. It just seems unlikely for a third-stringer with zero regular-season attempts to suddenly emerge as a franchise quarterback. I checked in with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. for a second opinion.



“That seems farfetched, as he has been the No. 3 in San Diego, while guys like Matt Schaub and Kevin Kolb are at least the immediate backup,” Williamson said. “Still, it is very much of a QB-starved league, and he comes from a potent passing attack. He also has good physical skills. He’s tall and stands tall in the pocket. Quick, crisp release. Enough arm strength, but not a cannon. Arm strength may have improved as he has physically matured while in the NFL. Needed a few pounds/bulk/strength when entering the league and probably has gotten some of that, but that is speculation by me. Well-coached, though, under Norv Turner/Philip Rivers/Billy Volek. Overall, he is still quite an unknown, but I see why some are intrigued.”



St. Louis Rams



Projected starter: Sam Bradford. The Rams have put themselves in position to draft a quarterback first overall. It doesn’t mean a decision has been made. Bradford’s health and performance at his pro day could affect how teams view him. But if Bradford checks out fine physically and the Rams think he possesses the intangibles to become a face of the franchise, the decision should be pretty straightforward. I’ll project Bradford as the long-term starter for now even though it’s possible the Rams could draft someone else, and likely that Bradford or any rookie might start the season on the bench.



Backup: Feeley. The Rams paid backup money to Feeley, so I’ll leave him in this role even though he could conceivably open the season as the starter. He certainly wasn’t signed as the long-term starter. Feeley knows the Rams’ offense and knows his role. He’ll mentor the next starter.



Third-stringer: Keith Null. Null’s overall stats were dismal last season, but I thought he held up reasonably well under the circumstances. No sixth-round rookie should start four games for a team with no chance. It’s possible the experience damaged Null, but at least he got to play.



Issues to resolve: Bulger remains on the roster with only an outside chance of figuring into the team’s plans. His salary for the 2010 season is $8.5 million. The Rams will presumably release him at some point. The team also must firm up its draft plans relative to the position. Selecting Bradford would give the franchise needed direction overall and at quarterback.

Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Biggest needs revisited.



Arizona Cardinals



Losing Karlos Dansby in free agency and not signing Larry Foote left the Cardinals with a need at inside linebacker even though Paris Lenon’s addition helped some.



Safety could have been another concern, but the Cardinals acted quickly to replace Antrel Rolle with Kerry Rhodes. The Cardinals also protected themselves on the offensive line by adding guard Rex Hadnot and re-signing tackle Jeremy Bridges. Those moves bought some flexibility in the draft.



The Cardinals aren’t picking early enough to seriously consider landing a franchise quarterback, although that could be a position of need even after the team signs a veteran to push Matt Leinart. Leinart’s contract balloons in value in 2011.



Arizona still could stand to bolster its defensive line in the draft, particularly at nose tackle.



San Francisco 49ers



The opening weeks of free agency have only confirmed the 49ers’ needs on the offensive line. It’s important for the team to find a starting right tackle. A starter or at least quality depth at guard would also help.



Offensive tackle was a draft need even before Tony Pashos signed with Cleveland and Barry Sims scheduled a visit with the Redskins. Sims has had value as a swing tackle. Pashos provided more depth even though he was one-dimensional as a right tackle only



Cornerback remains an obvious position for the 49ers to target in the draft. They’ve relied on older veterans at the position in recent seasons. Nate Clements‘ long-term future with the team is in some question. The 49ers haven’t addressed the position in free agency. The draft awaits.



Finally, the 49ers have been visiting with free-agent linebacker Akin Ayodele. Signing Ayodele would give the team welcome veteran depth at inside linebacker behind Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes. That type of signing would address a potential draft need.



Seattle Seahawks



The Seahawks’ needs have become more obvious since the free-agent signing period opened. Deon Grant’s release left Jordan Babineaux and Jamar Adams as the only safeties under contract. That’s a position the Seahawks need to address, probably in the draft.



Existing needs included offensive tackle, guard, quarterback, defensive end and cornerback.



Seattle could sensibly address the need at guard by signing a veteran free agent such as Ben Hamilton, who has experience in line coach Alex Gibbs’ system. The Seahawks’ interest in Chargers backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst could lead to a trade that would address another need.



The team is different but not necessarily better at defensive end after sending Darryl Tapp to the Eagles for Chris Clemons and a 2010 fourth-round choice. Defensive end remains a need as Seattle tries to improve its pass rush.



St. Louis Rams



The Rams’ draft scenarios came into clearer focus when the team signed A.J. Feeley as its No. 2 quarterback before adding defensive tackle Fred Robbins.



The moves set up the Rams to select a quarterback first overall if Sam Bradford appeals to them. Feeley could mentor Bradford while Robbins provided needed muscle on defense (the Rams would be bypassing defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy under this scenario).



The Rams haven’t upgraded their front-line talent in free agency. Their core draft needs remain. Losing pass-rushers Leonard Little and/or James Hall in free agency would accentuate the immediate need for help in that area. The Saints might have interest in one or both.



Placing the lowest tender on restricted free agent Oshiomogho Atogwe showed the Rams could be willing to part with him. Losing him would create another need along with linebacker. The Rams have shown interest in veteran linebacker Na’il Diggs, but they need more young talent at the position and the draft could help.