[sportscurmudgeon]

Crazy Canuck says he has to look at the numbers and when you do that you come to the conclusion that there is something else going on in all these negotiations/posturings.

When Champ left, the Redskins turned around and signed Portis for comparable money - it was a little less but not enough to change the entier team salary cap structure. So they had the room for Champ but chose not to use it. Champ Bailey and his agent and the Redskins' FO got into a pissing match and it got to the point where Bailey decided he would go and play elsewhere.

Now, Bailey and Smoot are talking. What message do you think Bailey is giving Smoot? The money is there in Snyder's checkbook and the cap room can be massaged by adding a year or two at the end of Smoot's deal to make the signing bonus hit next year relatively small. But Smoot says he isn't sure the FO wants him. That's exactly what Champ was saying late last year.

IF Smoot leaves, - and I'm hoping he doesn't - start to look at the people who are negotiating deals with the agents because this will te twice in two years that a far batter than average CB and his agent can't seem to get together with the FO on a deal. NOT GOOD folks...