Last year, the NFL stripped $36 million in cap space from the Redskins, who along with the Cowboys apparently took the term “uncapped year” too literally in 2010.
In response, the Redskins employed half-measures to recover the cap dollars, filing a grievance under the labor deal that did nothing other than stir up a cockeyed collusion claim from the NFLPA.
This year, with half of the penalty due to hit the 2013 salary cap, the Redskins could be opting for a more complete assault on the league’s position. Or at least threatening it.
According to Mark Maske and Mike Jones of the Washington Post, the Redskins are spreading the word in Indianapolis that they’re considering legal action aimed at delaying the start of free agency while litigation proceeds regarding the question of whether the Redskins’ legal rights were violated. The Redskins are telling agents that any contract talks will be delayed until the situation is resolved.
If the Redskins proceed, it would be a big deal. And if they delay the start of free agency until their claims are resolved, it would be a huge deal.
We addressed the situation a couple of weeks ago, reporting that the Redskins were still upset about the situation but explaining that their options are limited. They could bebluffing about going to court in order to get, for example, half of their cap money back (i.e., the $18 million that would apply to this year’s cap). But the NFL could choose to call their bluff and go to court.
Either way, Daniel Snyder could be inching toward ground previously occupied by the late Al Davis: Snyder could soon be suing his partners.