How do the Redskins sign all those players?

[JAG]

I've seen it asked quite a bit. I think this guy explains how your bill eventually comes due.

Rick Gosselin: Redskins have no time to lose
Washington has loaded up for title run, but the window is small

10:41 PM CST on Saturday, March 13, 2004

Suddenly, there is hope in Washington.

The momentum began building in January when club owner Dan Snyder persuaded Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs to abandon the pits for the sideline and return to coach the Redskins.

Handshake trade agreements with Jacksonville for quarterback Mark Brunell in February and Denver for halfback Clinton Portis in March locked two Pro Bowl presences into Washington's starting backfield.

Then Snyder bowled over the NFL with lavish free-agent spending this month that landed four veteran starters on defense: end Phillip Daniels, tackle Cornelius Griffin, linebacker Marcus Washington and cornerback Shawn Springs.

Counting contract renegotiations with Brunell and Portis, Snyder spent $50 million in signing bonuses alone to add these six players to a team that has not been to the playoffs in four seasons.

Gibbs won three Super Bowls in his first tenure as head coach of the Redskins (1981-92). He signed a five-year contract to restore the glory of this franchise.

But Gibbs won't have five years to win. He'll have two.

For all those who wanted to know how Snyder could spend millions upon millions of dollars to build his team while other NFL teams seemingly stood around this month and watched, here's how:

Snyder carved out a two-year window, structuring the million-dollar deals to be oh-so-club-friendly for two seasons. Then those salary-cap bills come due.

The cap figures of those six players in 2004 is only $13.17 million. Very workable in a world where teams are allowed to spend $80.582 million. Brunell has a base salary of $760,000 this season, Portis $360,000. That's dirt-cheap for their abilities.

The cap figures of those six players increase to $13.18 million in 2005. Again, highly competitive in the chase for a championship.

But all that changes in 2006, when the money takes a huge jump. The salary-cap figures of those six players vaults to $25.9 million that season. Add in three other contracts negotiated in 2003 – linebacker LaVar Arrington, wide receiver Laveranues Coles and guard Randy Thomas – and nine players will account for $46.8 million of the Washington payroll in 2006.

Why? Snyder has written into those contracts some hefty roster bonuses for the 2006 season. Arrington is due $6.5 million, Springs $3.1 million, Portis $3 million, Griffin and Washington $2.5 million apiece, Coles $2 million and Daniels $500,000.

Arrington has a $3.02 million salary-cap figure in 2004 and $3.023 million in 2005. But his cap figure escalates to $9.528 million in 2006. Coles is on the books for $6.857 million in 2006, Portis for $5.475 million, Brunell $5.4 million and Washington $5.167 million.

Now, if Snyder has a Lombardi Trophy or two on display at Redskins Park by that time, the checks he wrote in the winter of 2004 will prove to be money well spent. If not, Gibbs likely will be back in the pits and Snyder will be looking for a new batch of players, albeit cheaper ones.

[Taur]

When will Snyder ever learn the concept of there is no I in team. Team chemistry is something the winless Redskins do not have a clue on. These recent deals remind me a lot of Mart Shottenheimer's first year in Washington.

6-10 is my prediction as the team implodes around a QB contraversy and a head coach that will be grasping at straws as he gets a lesson in today's modern game.

BTW--The Broncos will use Washington's 2nd round pick to select a RB...perhaps even Clarrett.

[AgPete]

Originally Posted by Taur

When will Snyder ever learn the concept of there is no I in team. Team chemistry is something the winless Redskins do not have a clue on. These recent deals remind me a lot of Mart Shottenheimer's first year in Washington.

6-10 is my prediction as the team implodes around a QB contraversy and a head coach that will be grasping at straws as he gets a lesson in today's modern game.

BTW--The Broncos will use Washington's 2nd round pick to select a RB...perhaps even Clarrett.

Nah! Joe Gibbs was a terrific coach back in the day and I'm sure he hasn't just forgotten what made him a great one. If Vermeil can make the comeback after a decade, Gibbs can too. I think Snyder is placing him in cap hell but I still think we'll see a huge difference with the Skins this year. And believe me, I'm a Cowboys fan, I wish the Skins would continue to lose.

[Taur]

Originally Posted by AgPete

Nah! Joe Gibbs was a terrific coach back in the day and I'm sure he hasn't just forgotten what made him a great one.

Ye back in the Day Gibbs was a great coach. And, I am sure if he could be magically transported back 20 years he would once again become a great coach. Unfortunately he is a blank slate when it comes to todays modern game.

Originally Posted by AgPete

If Vermeil can make the comeback after a decade, Gibbs can too.

Vermeil admits that comiing back to the modern game was extremely hard for him. Even though he never left the game and was still spending upto 6hrs a day breaking down film it was a tough road back for Vermeil. Gibbs on the other hand completely left the game and maybe watched 6 hrs of game film a month. For Gibbs it is going to be a Mt. Everest climb.

[Anthony]

i told my friends that believe it or not the Bronco's made out like bandits in this deal. there's always one to three franchise backs in every draft, but that's not the case for franchise shut-down corners. look at teams like the Pats and Eagles, and you'll see you don't need one main hog-all-the-carries RB, but they both sure as hell wouldn't have been as successful over the last few years without their dynamite secondary. and i could get about 1,000 yards with the O-line Denver has. so they'll take Bailey (cuz they had bums in their secondary), and use the Skins' pick to take Clarett, and he or Mike Anderson will rush for about 1,200-1,500 yards.

[The_herd]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

i told my friends that believe it or not the Bronco's made out like bandits in this deal. there's always one to three franchise backs in every draft, but that's not the case for franchise shut-down corners. look at teams like the Pats and Eagles, and you'll see you don't need one main hog-all-the-carries RB, but they both sure as hell wouldn't have been as successful over the last few years without their dynamite secondary. and i could get about 1,000 yards with the O-line Denver has. so they'll take Bailey (cuz they had bums in their secondary), and use the Skins' pick to take Clarett, and he or Mike Anderson will rush for about 1,200-1,500 yards.

I agree that, given the Bronco's situation, they definately came out on top in this trade. I think all eyes are going to be on the Broncos during the draft, because they always seem to have the ability to identify the best back in the draft. This past draft the Broncos actually had Domanick Davis as the top back on their board and as the draft unfolded figured he would fall to them at pick 11 in the 4th round, and when Houston took him with the 4th pick Denver management actually called Houston to congratulate them on taking the best back in the draft.