Dallas Cowboys
2010 team salary: $154,087,871
2010 dead money: $16,651,942
Player with highest team salary number: DeMarcus Ware, LB ($13,230,693)
Non-tendered player in a contract year: Kyle Kosier, G
The Cowboys traded for the restricted free-agent tender contract of left tackle Alex Barron in an effort to get younger on the offensive line. Other than Barron and Doug Free, who will battle for the left tackle position, the Cowboys' offensive linemen are all older than 30. Kosier, 31, enters 2010 uncertain about his future in Dallas. The Cowboys do not appear to have a successor on the roster, so he may well be playing for a short-term extension until his replacement is found.
Player who has to live up to salary: Marion Barber, RB ($9,860,000)
When you have the fourth-highest salary on your club, you should be the starter at your position. With that in mind, Barber faces a tough training camp battle from third-year running back Felix Jones. Even if Jones wins the battle, Barber will get his fair share of touches as the Cowboys' power back. But he's not providing the same bang for the buck as Jones ($1.59 million) or Tashard Choice ($579,750).
New York Giants
2010 team salary: $124,657,048
2010 dead money: $200,590
Player with highest team salary number: Eli Manning, QB ($12,100,000)
Non-tendered player in a contract year: Steve Smith, WR
Going into the 2009 season, many questioned how productive the Giants' receiving unit would be after the loss of Plaxico Burress. Smith's performance silenced the skepticism -- he had a breakout season and earned a Pro Bowl berth. As he enters the final year of his rookie contract, the Giants may take a wait-and-see approach with Smith to ensure that he was not a one-year wonder. The team is also attempting to gauge the market for Smith, who is essentially a productive possession receiver.
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Player who has to live up to salary: Chris Canty, DT ($6,450,000)
Canty, a free-agent signing from last season, has the third-highest salary on the Giants but is the team's third defensive tackle. After signing a contract that guaranteed him $16 million, Canty played in eight games last season, starting four. When the Giants signed Canty to his lucrative contract, they surely did not envision him as their third defensive tackle, so his challenge is to seize one of the starting positions and live up to the performance and financial expectations placed upon him last offseason.
Philadelphia Eagles
2010 team salary: $127,444,934
2010 dead money: $13,293,113
Player with highest team salary number: Jason Peters, LT ($13,082,000)
Non-tendered players in a contract year: David Akers, K; Stewart Bradley, LB
In 2009, Akers was the NFC's Pro Bowl kicker after he finished the season second in the league in kicking points with 139. This will be a contract year for the 35-year-old, who is still a reliable and productive kicker for Philadelphia. This year also will be Akers' last opportunity to earn a substantial signing bonus, but his production this season will determine how lucrative his final payday will be.
Bradley, 26, could be a significant contributor to the Eagles in 2010. He missed the 2009 season with a knee injury after starting all 16 games in 2008. Look for Bradley to be handsomely rewarded during or after the 2010 season if he can bounce back from his knee injury.
Player who has to live up to salary: Kevin Kolb, QB ($5,847,905)
Kolb is surely the player under the most pressure in Philadelphia. Not only did the Eagles feel comfortable enough with Kolb to trade longtime starter Donovan McNabb within the NFC East, they also felt comfortable guaranteeing Kolb $12.8 million. With that kind of number, they are fully investing themselves in the fourth-year player and first-year starter. Kolb's deal is for only two years, so if he proves to be the player the Eagles expect him to be, expect him to receive a lucrative long-term deal before the 2011 season (if the labor environment allows).
Washington Redskins
2010 team salary: $189,475,961
2010 dead money: $31,110,613
Player with highest team salary number: Albert Haynesworth, DT ($25,600,000)
Non-tendered player in a contract year: Donovan McNabb, QB
When the Redskins traded for McNabb, they acquired the final year of his contract. Many thought that with the trade would come a multiyear extension of McNabb's contract. McNabb is still waiting on that extension, which makes you wonder whether his agent and the team just can't come to terms on a new deal -- or whether the club, agent and player are simply taking a wait-and-see approach to ensure that McNabb and the Redskins can have a mutually beneficial long-term relationship. For a club that was burned by the Brandon Lloyd trade and subsequent quick extension, perhaps it is better if the Redskins hold off on committing a significant amount of money to a new player.
Player who has to live up to salary: Albert Haynesworth, DT ($25,600,000)
Despite the discontent between Haynesworth and the Redskins, it appears Haynesworth will indeed play in Washington in 2010. By now, we all know the story: that Haynesworth received $21 million in April only to skip offseason workouts and a mandatory minicamp. Although there may be some initial awkwardness in the locker room, if Haynesworth comes out and plays dominant football, all the drama of the offseason will surely be forgotten -- but that's a big if.
Lost behind the scenes of the Haynesworth episode has been the restructuring of cornerback DeAngelo Hall's contract. Hall was given a signing bonus of $15 million and $3 million guaranteed. He has been a good soldier by participating in the Redskins' offseason program, but the Redskins are still expecting returns on their significant investment in Hall.
J.I. Halsell is a writer for Football Outsiders.
). Il problema per lui ora è che c' ha un po' troppo concorrenza è pur vero che i vari Ochocinco, T.O., Bryant, Caldwell sono ricevitori diversi...però sarà davvero dura per l' ex longhorns farsi spazio, dovrà essere davvero bravo al che dovrò per forza di cosa mangiarmi il cappello :gazza:
