ESPN’s Mike Sando talked with Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald about the state of the NFC West, and one of the NFL’s best receivers had very nice things to say about Seattle’s new and improved secondary.

Sando: How do you think the Seattle Seahawks have changed the most under Pete Carroll?

Fitzgerald: They are much more physical, much more physical. At the Pro Bowl last week, they had three guys from their secondary, Brandon Browner and Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. When you look at Chancellor, Chancellor is 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and a phenomenal athlete with good ball skills, good range. Earl Thomas is like a young Troy Polamalu, flying around and making plays. And Brandon Browner is the biggest cornerback I’ve ever seen in my life. He can play, too. He can cover.

I really like the young rookie they have, (Richard) Sherman from Stanford. He is going to be a good player. Obviously, when they get Marcus Trufantback, that will only make them deeper. They challenge you at the point of attack. They want to pressure you and make things uncomfortable for you at the line of scrimmage, and their whole philosophy has changed. It’s fun to play against them.

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Jeff Fedotin of the National Football Post provides a bit of an update on former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu. Fedotin reports that, according to a source, Tatupu is healthy and looking for employment after sitting out the 2011 season.

Tatupu asked for his release from Seattle after refusing to take a pay cut at the beginning of training camp. Tatupu was due to make $4.35 million in 2011. Part of the reason Tatupu did not stay with Seattle is because there was no guarantee he would make the final roster, and the Seahawks had an able replacement for Tatupu in David Hawthorne.

Tatupu had surgery on both knees in January of last year, and there was some concern within the organization if he would hold up through the 2011 season. Now, after sitting out a full season, Tatupu appears healthy and ready to resume a productive NFL career at the age of 29, with free agency set to begin March 13.

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I had a chance to talk with Rob Rang, senior draft analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, and get his thoughts on last week’s Senior Bowl, including a couple players who helped themselves heading into April’s draft

And at the top of Rang’s list was Cal receiver Marvin Jones, who he believes elevated his draft stock with a solid performance during practices and in the game on Saturday.

“The one guy that immediately jumps out is Cal wide receiver Marvin Jones,” Rang said. “During the week of practice he was the best receiver on the field. He was kind of thought of as just a guy. A 6-2, 200 pounds, he was a good looking player and caught everything thrown to him.”

However, Jones did suffer a knee injury during the game, which could affect his draft evaluation down the road.

Along with Jones, Rang said fellow Pac-12 receiver Jeron Criner of Arizona played well.

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I thought Jim Armstrong’s piece for Football Outsiders attempting to measure an Aggressiveness Index among NFL coaches was an interesting read this morning.

Armstrong says that most statistical analysts who follow the game believe that NFL coaches should go for it more on fourth down because the percentages say they should.

The Aggressiveness Index ranks coaches based on how often they go for it on fourth downs. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll finished 10th overall, which sounds about right.

It’s interesting that the top two coaches on the list, Jacksonville’s Mel Tucker and Steve Spagnuolo, are no longer with their perspective teams – the risk/reward of going for it on fourth down and not converting enough is unemployment.

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Tony Pauline of Sports Illustrated offers his risers and fallers from Saturday’s Senior Bowl game. Pauline liked the performance of Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins, whom the Seahawks talked to this week, while pointing out Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson struggled to make plays from inside the pocket.

I’ll talk with Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com and get his thoughts on the Senior Bowl later on today.

Pauline: Kirk Cousins/QB/Michigan State: Cousins completed 5 of 11 passes for 115 yards, yet the stats tell a fraction of the story. Cousins made all the NFL throws from the pocket, displaying great speed on the ball while also putting touch on passes when required. His timing and accuracy was right on the mark as Cousins always gave his targets a good opportunity to make the reception. When he did miss on throws more times than not it was due to receiver error. It was important for Cousins to have a good game, as scouts questioned his judgment under center. At the Senior Bowl, decision-making was right on the money.

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Clare Farnsworth of Seahawks.com catches up with Seattle safety Earl Thomas by phone Hawaii, one of five Seattle players in this year’s Pro Bowl. Thomas says it’s not just another game for him this weekend.

Look in the front row of the picture above and I think you’ll recognize some lime green cleats.

“This is something special to me. I don’t know how the other guys are taking it, but I’m going to give it my best when I get out there. Because I know once I start playing, it’s going to be like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. So I’m just really looking forward to it.”

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Rob Rang, senior draft analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, praised the performance of North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples so far through the first two days of Senior Bowl practices.

Rang had Coples going to Seattle in his first mock drafts this year, but now has the North Carolina product headed to Buffalo at No. 10.

Rang: “Measuring in at nearly 6-6 and 281 pounds, Coples has the size, strength and athleticism to be a force regardless of scheme. Rated as the No. 1 defensive end prospect and 12th overall by NFLDraftScout.com, Coples is the highest-rated Senior Bowl participant. He hasn’t disappointed, terrorizing the South team’s quarterbacks and running backs by consistently penetrating the line of scrimmage to blow up plays before they’ve even begun.

“He’s been impressive,” one high-ranking team official thought likely to be considering a defensive lineman with their first round pick said Tuesday, on the condition of anonymity. “He played really well on Monday and followed that up with another strong effort today.”

Matt Bowen of the National Football Post also had high praise for Coples, saying he looks like a legitimate edge rusher.

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The Seattle Seahawks announced this afternoon that running back Marshawn Lynch was added to the NFL Pro Bowl roster, the fifth player headed to Hawaii for the Seahawks this year. Lynch replaces San Francisco running back Frank Gore, who will not play in the game because of an illness.

Lynch set career highs in rushing yards (1,204), carries (285) and rushing touchdowns (12) this season. Lyncb also set a franchise record with at least one touchdown in 11-straight games, breaking Shaun Alexander’s 2005 record of nine. Lynch became Seattle’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Alexander set a club record in …

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