JAG
03-14-2004, 01:12 AM
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.
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.