2009 Redskins Roster - Cap Burdens

[Schneed10]

Those who have been around the Warpath long enough know that Crazy Canuck tends to jump into action around this time of year, meticulously minding the Redskins' salary cap numbers. I love to take a look at his spreadsheets, found at the link in my signature, because they can tell you so much about the team's offseason plans.

As I did last year, I'll eventually start a thread projecting some of the contract and roster moves the team will likely make. As a prelude to that detailed look, below is a list of the players you can be assured will be Redskins in 2009, for better or worse.

CrazyCanuck's "release fee" tab is extremely helpful. (Click here, then click the Release Fee tab at the bottom). The 2009 column shows the cap number for the player in 2009. The "R Fee" column just to the right shows what the cap number would be if we cut or traded that player. Essentially, if the R Fee number is lower, we could save money by jettisoning the guy.

The Redskins are over the cap as of right now, and will work to get under it. To that end, they will make cuts, trades, restructure offers and extension offers. But one thing they'll hesitate to do is cut or trade anyone whose R Fee is higher than their 2009 cap number. This does not rule out the possibility by any means - JLC has mentioned on Redskins Insider the possibility of Carlos Rogers being traded. The Redskins could move forward with such a transaction, but Rogers makes the list below because trading him would cause the 'Skins to carry $3.9 million on their books instead of the current $2.4 million.

Because of these financial considerations, it makes the Redskins more likely to carry these guys in 2009:

Chris Cooley
Counts $3.0 million on the roster
Counts $11.1 million if cut or traded

Clinton Portis
Counts $5.6 million on the roster
Counts $13.3 million if cut or traded

Randy Thomas
Counts $4.9 million on the roster
Counts $9.5 million if cut or traded

Jon Jansen
Counts $3.4 million on the roster
Counts $6.2 million if cut or traded

LaRon Landry
Counts $5.4 million on the roster
Counts $7.6 million if cut or traded

London Fletcher
Counts $4.3 million on the roster
Counts $6.3 million if cut or traded

Carlos Rogers
Counts $2.4 million on the roster
Counts $3.9 million if cut or traded

Ladell Betts
Counts $2.0 million on the roster
Counts $2.8 million if cut or traded

Antwaan Randle El
Counts $6.1 million on the roster
Counts $6.7 million if cut or traded

Santana Moss
Counts $6.7 million on the roster
Counts $7.2 million if cut or traded

Andre Carter
Counts $6.6 million on the roster
Counts $6.8 million if cut or traded

Chris Samuels
Counts $9.3 million on the roster
Counts $9.4 million if cut or traded

Most of these players are guys we absolutely want to see in Burgundy & Gold in 2009, so this initial post is much to do about nothing. But Jon Jansen and Randy Thomas are two declining players who the Redskins are likely stuck with in 2009.

In future posts and threads, we'll look at cuts and restructures the Redskins are likely to make in the offseason.