Jon Jansen’s decade in Washington makes him the longest-tenured Redskins player. Phillip Daniels, Cornelius Griffin, Shawn Springs and Marcus Washington - like Jansen - have started when healthy for virtually every game since they signed with the Redskins in 2004.
However, all five of those longtime Washington players could be gone by Feb. 28 as the Redskins prepare to reshape their roster during the free agent signing period.
Hard-pressed against the NFL salary cap in 2007 and not looking to tinker much in 2008 in the wake of the run to the playoffs last December, Washington owner Dan Snyder could return to his aggressive ways of offseasons past because the club is in relatively good shape capwise for 2009, the starting lineup is aging and brittle, and the 1-5 second-half crash uncovered some glaring holes that the 6-2 start hid.
Start with right tackle Jansen and the rest of the offensive line. The unit, which looked experienced when the Redskins’ offense soared during late September and early October, now looks over the hill.
Jansen ($4.54 million cap number for 2009) and right guard Randy Thomas ($5.018 million) both turn 33 in January. They could both be released and replaced by Stephon Heyer ($463,000) and Chad Rinehart ($537,000). Left tackle Chris Samuels ($8.63 million), who turns 32 in July, isn’t going anywhere, and center Casey Rabach ($3.65 million), 32 in September, probably isn’t either. Left guard Pete Kendall turns 36 in July and is unsigned, but he should return for a reasonable price after a solid season, especially if Jansen and Thomas are let go.
Cutting players with multiple years left on their contracts is complicated by signing bonus acceleration. Releasing Thomas, for example, would cost the Redskins $3.318 million in 2009 with the remaining $3.681 million hit coming in 2010. So he’s more likely to remain than his high cap number would indicate. Daniels, Jansen, Griffin, Washington and Springs would be less expensive for the Redskins to pay not to play in 2009.
Since most teams have more cap room than usual, more prospective free agents figure to re-sign before they can begin to explore other opportunities on March 1. As of now, the Redskins are a reasonable $6.09 million over the expected $123 million cap, and their only unsigned starters are Kendall, defensive end Demetric Evans, defensive tackle Kedric Golston and cornerback DeAngelo Hall, whom the team signed off waivers last month.
If Hall re-signs, as he has said he wants to, that could cause Washington to jettison Springs, who turns 34 in March and whose $8.485 million cap number includes a $6 million base salary. Fred Smoot, expensive for a fourth corner at $4.15 million ($2.65 million base salary), could also be a target for cap relief.
Washington’s defensive line could see even more change. Griffin is a proven tackle, but at 32, he’s slowing down and his $6.166 million cap number makes him vulnerable. The Redskins can match offers to restricted free agent tackles Golston and Anthony Montgomery, but they’re both unsigned.
Jason Taylor and Evans, the two players who’ve split the left end spot since Phillip Daniels suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first snap of training camp, might also not return. Daniels turns 36 in March and counts $2.156 million against the 2009 cap. Jason Taylor, a six-time Pro Bowl selection in Miami, has had two medical procedures and been a bust in Washington. The 34-year-old acknowledged he’s not worth the money he’s due in 2009 during an interview with WJFK-FM on Thursday.
“If I’m not back, I wouldn´t be surprised,” Taylor said about his $8.5 million cap number ($6.48 million base). “I’m not worth it. I’ll be the first to tell you, I stink.”
Linebacker Washington has missed six of the last 13 games and 16 of the last 32 with injuries. He turns 32 in October, and $4.5 million of his $6.52 million compensation for 2009 is base salary. The trouble is the Redskins don’t have a true comer among their backup linebackers and they have traded their second- (for Taylor), fourth- (to move up this year to select tight end Fred Davis) and seventh- (for the since-cut Erasmus James) round choices in next April’s draft.
Although rookie receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have been unproductive, the Redskins could drop Antwaan Randle El, who has a $4 million base salary and a $6.119 million cap number and hasn’t been a playmaker at receiver or punt returner.
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