Paul Woody: Skins experience salary-cap crunch

Skins experience salary-cap crunch

Gibbs is disappointed by his defense's losses of Smoot and Pierce

BY PAUL WOODY

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Joe Gibbs is not known as a fisherman, but he wanted to make sure everyone knows he's bothered by the ones that got away.

In this case, the Washington Redskins' coach is disappointed that cornerback Fred Smoot and middle linebacker Antonio Pierce signed with other teams during free agency.

"I wish we didn't have a salary cap," Gibbs said.

Because of the cap, the Redskins could not reach contract terms with Smoot and Pierce.

Smoot signed with the Minnesota Vikings for a deal that has been reported to be worth $34 million over six years, including a $10.8 million signing bonus.

The Redskins apparently offered Smoot a $10 million signing bonus, but the Vikings appear to have structured the deal so that Smoot is paid a large sum in the first three years of the contract.

According to reports, the Redskins had offered Pierce a signing bonus of $3.5 million. The Giants offered Pierce a signing bonus of $6.5 million.

"We felt like those players laid it on the line for us," Gibbs said. "We wanted to lay it on the line for them. It reached a point where I thought we did, but we just couldn't get it done.

"If we go too far on one player, it affects another player. It affects the salary structure, and it will affect getting other players down the road."

The Redskins could afford to hold the line on their offer to Smoot because Walt Harris remains on the roster.

Harris, a nine-year veteran, has started 115 games in his career. He started twice last season for the Redskins.

Replacing Pierce will be more difficult. He was an every-down linebacker who also called the defensive signals and made sure the front seven players were in the right spots.

Gibbs said Mike Barrow, who missed the entire 2004 season with a knee problem, is making progress and could return.

But the odds are long on that. Barrow is 34, and players at that age who miss an entire season with knee problems often have difficulty returning.

If Barrow can't come back, Lemar Marshall, who started at outside linebacker when LaVar Arrington had knee problems last season, will have a chance to play in the middle.

"And we have the draft," Gibbs said.

Gibbs declined to address the charges made by wide receiver Laveranues Coles in several publications this week.

Coles said Gibbs wasn't flexible about his offense, favored running back Clinton Portis and refused to give Coles a chance to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in the season finale.

Coles ended last season with 950 yards receiving.

Coles also accused Gibbs and team owner Dan Snyder of reneging on a deal to release him if he would forfeit a $5 million bonus due to him on April 1.

The Redskins have traded Coles to the New York Jets for wide receiver Santana Moss.

"I'll address that tomorrow [today]," Gibbs said of Coles' comments. "We want to make sure everything is consummated before we address that." The deal was concluded last night when Coles passed a physical.

Contact Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444 or pwoody@timesdispatch.com

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