Washington Redskins' Salary-Cap Breakdown by Position

They say in the NFL that the salary cap is the ultimate equalizer. As a result, the best teams aren't the ones that necessarily spend the most, but spend the wisest. 

From their exorbitant expenditures in free agency, to the $36 million salary-cap penalty they were slapped with in 2012, the Washington Redskins' struggles under the guidance of owner Daniel Snyder are easy to explain under this pretense. 

But you're here for the specifics. You want to know where the $139 million the team has already spent in 2015 is being wasted.

So let's find out. Here is the Redskins' salary-cap breakdown by position.

All salary-cap and contract information is via Spotrac.com.

Quarterback

Mark Tenally/Associated Press

There are two ways of looking at the $7.4 million Washington has invested in its quarterbacks for 2015. 

On one end, the Redskins don't have hordes of cap space tied to one player. 

In an era in which the likes of Jay Cutler and Alex Smith are commanding yearly salaries north of $17 million, the rookie-wage scale can provide teams starting young quarterbacks a distinct advantage. Just look at the NFC representative in the Super Bowl the last three years. 

With young quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick accounting for only a small portion of their cap space, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers fielded two of the deepest rosters in the NFL.

Now for the other side. Kaepernick became a $100 million quarterback after his third NFL season and Wilson is in line to join him after leading his team to back-to-back Super Bowl berths.

At the stage of his career where he too should be negotiating a rich contract extension, Robert Griffin III isn't even viewed as a core member of the franchise by Washington's brass at the moment, if the team's recent letter to season-ticket holders is any indicator.

So not only did the Skins fail to capitalize on this window to bolster the overall roster—surprise, surprise—but worst of all, the state of the quarterback position is still murky.

Running Back

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Bargain isn't a word you'd often associate with the Redskins in light of Snyder's wasteful spending, but it's what the team has at the running back position. 

Washington has a minuscule $690,775 committed to its running backs in 2015. To put that in perspective, the Minnesota Vikings lead the league with $17.8 million tied to the position.

Roy Helu is a free agent, but as a situational player he is more than replaceable. The team does have in-house options in Silas Redd and Chris Thompson.

Sporting one of the NFL's top rushing offenses the past three seasons, the Skins' success gives validation to the theory that teams shouldn't pay backs top dollar. With Alfred Morris due for a hefty raise in 2016, the team could look to the 2015 NFL draft to find his heir apparent.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

When it comes to spending on wide receivers, only four teams can rival the $23.2 million the Redskins have allocated to the position in 2015.

Notice a problem with that picture?

While both are top-tier receivers, DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon aren't featured in one of the league's top aerial attacks. Washington was 11th in passing yards and 18th in pass attempts in 2014. With the team left to pick from Kirk Cousins, Griffin and possibly Colt McCoy at quarterback, this isn't likely to change next season either. 

Factor in the $3.3 million the team has going to its tight ends—who can't block—and the team has little choice but to cut back on the spending at these positions. 

Due to count $9.7 million against the cap, Garcon's name is a popular one being tossed around as a possible trade candidate.

Garcon's production tailed off last season, and it wasn't a coincidence that it coincided with Jackson's arrival. His targets dropped from 184 in his record-breaking 2013 campaign to 105 in 2014. With his ouster, the team would save $5.3 million.

Still, while this is money the team certainly could use to bolster its defense, the drop-off from Garcon to Roberts at the No. 2 receiver spot makes this scenario highly unlikely.

In fact, if not for the $3 million cap hit the Skins would take with Roberts' release, he'd be the receiver targeted as a potential cap casualty.

This leaves Logan Paulsen as the odd man out. Clearly behind Jordan Reed on the team's depth chart, Paulsen's $2.1 cap hit is a poison pill Washington shouldn't be willing to swallow. Coupled with a restructuring of Garcon's contract, the Skins could begin the process of balancing their cap sheet.

Offensive Line

Mark Tenally/Associated Press

With $29.7 million allocated to it, you can count Washington's offensive line as the latest problem spot Snyder has thrown money at.

In the big picture, the Skins will be outspent by just two teams in this department in 2015. 

As you'd expect, Trent Williams leads the way with a cap hit of $13.7 million in the last year of his rookie deal. But while Williams' contract stands as money well spent, the same can't be said about his cohorts up front. 

Shawn Lauvao was a bust his first season in town. Washington went from 43 to 58 sacks allowed and dropped from fifth to 19th in rushing offense last season, and Lauvao was the only new starter up front to start the year. Making matters worse, the Skins paid $17 million to acquire this problem child last offseason.

And unfortunately for whoever suits up as Washington's quarterback in 2015, he'll likely be given a second life in D.C. because he carries a dead cap hit of $3 million.

Chris Chester won't be as lucky, though. He may have been the team's third-best lineman in 2014—which really isn't saying much—but the $4 million the Skins would save with his release outweighs that. This is especially true when you consider last year's third-round pick Spencer Long plays his position. 

He didn't make the smoothest transition from guard to center, but Kory Lichtensteiger did enough to warrant a place on next season's team. The $4.3 million cap hit he carries is a tad high, but without any internal options on the roster, his release wouldn't be to the team's benefit—especially with a dead cap hit of $1.6 million.

The Redskins could finagle enough cap space to pursue a top-tier offensive lineman like Mike Iupati or Orlando Franklin in free agency. But with the money the team already has invested here, improving through the draft is Washington's best route.

Defensive Line

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

There's the amount of money the Redskins are spending on their defensive line and the age of the players their spending on.

The team is due to spend $26.8 million on this position group in 2015. With top earners Jason Hatcher, Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen all on the wrong side of 30, it's easy to see how this can be problematic.

Injuries were an issue for this trio in 2014, as it combined to miss 19 games. Hatcher's dead cap hit of $6.75 million essentially makes him untouchable, but both Cofield and Bowen could be cap casualties.

With a cap hit of $8 million, Bowen's spot in D.C. is the most tenuous. His ouster would net the team $5.5 million. Combine that with what little he's contributed on the field—55 tackles and one sack the past three years—and his exodus should be a foregone conclusion. 

In Cofield's case, it's more complicated. Despite being miscast as a nose tackle in the team's 3-4 scheme, he ranked as one of Washington's better pass-rushers along the defensive line prior to getting hurt. During the 2012 and 2013 seasons, he led the defensive line in sacks. 

Still, with Frank Kearse making headway last season and Chris Baker showing he could handle Cofield's position, in addition to the 2015 NFL draft being loaded with defensive linemen, the cons outweigh the pros in regards to keeping Cofield and his $7.6 million cap charge.

Linebacker

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

With 11 players accounting for the $16.7 million the team will spend on linebackers in 2015, the Redskins are in a healthy spot here.

Brian Orakpo is Washington's only free agent at this position, and considering he was hardly on the field to begin with, the team should be comfortable moving on from him. 

In prime position to select a pass-rusher in the first round of the draft, there's little need for the team to seek his replacement in free agency.

After stellar campaigns in 2014, Keenan Robinson and Ryan Kerrigan have aligned themselves to receive hefty deals on their next contracts. For the time being, though, both stand as bargains while they play out the final year of their rookie deals.

So if there's any wiggle room to be gained here for Washington, it'd have to come from Perry Riley. He's due to count $4 million against the cap, and his release would save the team $2 million.

Furthermore, with both Riley and Robinson missing time, the Skins did get a look at what backup Will Compton could do once handed the reins. During a three-game stretch at the end of the season, he tallied 38 tackles. 

It remains to be seen how new defensive coordinator Joe Barry feels about Compton, or Riley for that matter. But with Riley's cap number due to grow to $5 million in 2016, his ouster is a question of when, not if.

Secondary

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Money hasn't fixed Washington's problems in the past, but looking at the current state of the team's secondary, how can it not spend more on this position group?

The 24th-ranked pass defense in 2014, Washington's secondary has just $12.9 million on the books for the 2015 campaign. Looking at which players are currently contributing to this figure, this number could decrease substantially, believe it or not. 

Combined, Tracy Porter and DeAngelo Hall will account for $8.6 million of the team's cap space. Knowing that the duo played in six games total last season, the Skins would be within their rights to cut ties with both players. 

Porter's release would net the team $2.8 million and Hall's ouster would save $2.4 million.

The draft is an avenue the team will surely explore to bolster this unit, but with the contracts of starters Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather also expiring, Washington will have to pursue its share of veterans once free agency opens.

Special Teams

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Washington received solid seasons from specialists Tress Way and Kai Forbath in 2014. 

Way sported an NFL-high 47.5 yards per punt last season.

As for Forbath, he bounced back from a rough 2013 and connected on 24 of 27 field goals. Still, with him being a restricted free agent, his status on next year's team will remain up in the air. Remember, the Skins did draft Zach Hocker in last year's draft to challenge him.

So as it stands, Way and his $510,000 salary is the only contract the team currently has on the books.