Jake Delhomme & the 15 Most Overpriced Players in the NFL Today

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The NFL lockout continues to drag on as players and fans are hopeful that the season will start on time this year, but while the players would like to get back on the field, no one should be worried about the current unemployment of the league's stars. 

There were plenty of players who had hefty salaries last season, and while many were deserving of their big contracts, there was also plenty of players who were not deserving.

The Washington Redskins were the biggest offenders when it came to shelling out big bucks to guys who failed to produce, and to players who were more of a problem than the solution.

Here is a look at 15 of the NFL's most overpriced players.

Clinton Portis

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Portis made over $7.5 million last season for the Redskins, but he was cut in February and now he will be looking for work once the lockout ends.

Portis ran for a whopping 227 yards and two touchdowns last season as just one of many overpaid veterans playing for the Skins.

For the second time during his career, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan got rid of of the former Miami star, he traded Portis to the Skins from the Broncos for Champ Bailey back in 2004.

Albert Haynesworth

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Haynesworth is still cashing in on the $100 million contract that he signed with the Redskins after coming over from the Titans.

The defensive tackle has done much more harm than good during his time in Washington but he will still be laughing all the way to the bank.

There should be little argument that Haynesworth is the most overpaid player in the league today.

Chester Taylor

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Taylor made $7 million last season for the Bears to backup Matt Forte at running back.

Taylor ran for just 267 yards and three touchdowns, which isn't all that great even for a backup by today's standards, let alone one making as much money as he is.

Carson Palmer

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Carson Palmer says he would rather retire then play quarterback for the Bengals this season and based on the amount of money he made just last season alone, retirement will probably go just fine for the former Heisman Trophy winner.

Palmer made over $10 million last season while throwing 20 interceptions, some of which cost the Bengals a few wins last year.

Miles Austin

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Miles Austin is a very good NFL receiver, but I would not classify him as an elite receiver, and he is making elite receiver money.

Austin was scheduled to make a little over $17 million last season, that's more than both Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald combined.

Austin isn't on this list because he is a bad player, but because he is making far more than he should be when you compare him to the other top players at his position.

Matthew Stafford

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Stafford may $12 million last season despite attempting just 96 passes on the year due to injury.

The young signal-caller has been injury prone early in his career and if he is able to stay healthy than he will more then likely come close to justifying his salary, but it's hard to do right now when he hasn't been on the field all that much.

Deion Branch

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Branch made almost $5.5 million last season and although he was productive during his move back to the Pats, that is a lot of money to pay a receiver who is not a true No. 1 option.

Branch caught 48 passes for 706 yards and five touchdowns last year, as he showed a renewed energy after leaving Seattle to return to New England.

Reggie Bush

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Many Saints fans will disagree but I believe Bush has been a disappointment thus far in his career, particularly when it comes to running the football.

Bush has been an effective return man for the Saints and active in the passing game, but does that justify a salary of $8 million a year?

I don't think so.

Darren Sproles

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Sproles is another overpriced running back who has done some good things in his career but who was making far too much money last season.

Sproles made over $6.5 million last year, but he was ineffective on special teams and not much of a help in any other area.

There is a good possibility he will be looking for a new team when the lockout ends, and it is too bad because he appears to have lost the dynamite ability that he once had.

Jake Delhomme

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Delhomme made more than $7 million last season for the Browns while he spent most of the season not actually on the field.

Delhomme attempted just 149 passes and he threw many more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (two) last season for Cleveland.

His best days are clearly behind him even if his big paychecks are not.

Kareem Jackson

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Technically the entire Texans secondary was overpriced last season given how terrible they were but I'm going to single out their rookie corner Kareem Jackson.

Jackson showed improvement as the season wore on but still not enough improvement to justify the guaranteed $10 million he made.

Kerry Collins

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Collins wasn't terrible for the Titans last season, but he wasn't that good either, and he certainly was not as good as his $7 million salary warrants.

Collins completed just over 57 percent of his passes while throwing 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions in relief of Vince Young last year.

Ronnie Brown

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Brown's $5 million salary last season was yet another case of an overpriced running back who has seen better days.

Brown ran for just 3.7 yards per carry last season while finding the end zone five times on 200 carries. At 29 years of age, Brown is entering the final years of is NFL career.

Johnathan Joseph

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Joseph is another good, but overpriced player because of the fact that he is making more than some of the game's elite players at his position.

Joseph made over $8 million last season to play corner for the Bengals, who appear to be running a close second behind the Skins in poor contract decisions.

Julius Peppers

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Peppers is a stud, there is no denying that, but there are few players in the league who are deserving a $90 million contract and the Bears defensive end is not one of them.

Peppers did record eight sacks in his first season in Chicago last year and he definitely made his presence felt, but that is just way too much money to pay a defensive lineman in the league today.