Lance Briggs - Potential Free Agent

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In reality, the ONLY two numbers that count towards the salary cap is a) money that is guarenteed, and b) money that has been earned.

Everything else is just a projection of salary to be earned and has no tangible value on the cap itself.

As Schneed just mentioned, $25 million dollars over five years was the deal that Fletcher signed to play here. However, Fletcher received 10.5 million of that as a SB, and earned $900,000 in base salary last year. Add the 900,000 to the 10.5 mil and Fletcher has EARNED 11.4 ish million as a Redskin. So that 25 million dollar contract is only worth 11.4 million if Fletcher never plays another down of football as a Redskin.

Now, out of that 11.4 million, only 3 million has been recorded to the cap in a prior year. So if the Redskins were to release Fletcher, they would owe the remaining 8.4 million to the 2008 cap. That is to say the Redskins have no way of not paying that 8.4 million at some point. It's being spread over the life of the contract, but the Redskins are on the hook for 8.4 million to Fletcher no matter what.

Now, when Fletcher gets paid for the 2008 season, the Redskins will owe him another 1.3 million in base salary. That, as well as another portion of his SB, is scheduled to hit the cap this year. Assuming no restructuring, that's 3.5 million against the 2008 cap, and then Fletcher is owed the remaining EARNED 6.3 million over the final three years of the deal.

But yeah, that's the rough n' simple version.