2012 NFL Free Agents: Could Oakland Raiders Release Overpaid Kamerion Wimbley?

Oakland Raiders' general manager Reggie McKenzie has vowed to get his new team's salary cap under control. As his first major move as Raiders GM, he cut cornerback Stanford Routt, who was just one year into a five-year, $54.5 million contract.

Now, according to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, he's prepared to make another big splash. If linebacker Kamerion Wimbley is unwilling to re-structure his contract, McKenzie will release him. 

The contract in question is a big one.

Last August, Wimbley signed a five-year, $48.5 million deal to avoid the transition tag. Under that enormous new contract, Wimbley is due $11 million dollars with $6.5 million guaranteed next season.

Also, La Canfora points out another reason as to why the Raiders might want to cut Wimbley loose if he's not willing to alter his deal.

"Wimbley also has triggers in his deal that execute $19 million in future guarantees if he’s not released before the start of the league year," La Canfora wrote.

That leaves the Raiders in a tough cap situation, even if Wimbley represents one of the Raiders' best pass-rushing options.

According to Pro Football Focus, Wimbley had six sacks, 16 quarterback hits and 40 pressures on 1,075 snaps in 2011. Only defensive tackle Tommy Kelly had more sacks last season.

Wimbley also had more pressures than any 4-3 linebacker in the NFL in '11, and graded out as the top defensive player on the Raiders roster. In 96 career games, Wimbley has 42.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles.

There's no question that he has value, but McKenzie doesn't think that Wimbley is worth all the money that the Raiders previous regime threw at him last summer.

It's hard not to agree with that sentiment, but this is a difficult scenario to work around for both sides.

Wimbley took a top-money deal that overvalued his worth last summer, which is something any player would do in his shoes. On the flip side, the Raiders can't really afford to lose an important pass-rusher in their front seven.

Wimbley might have the leverage in this situation, too. If released, he'd arguably become the second best pass-rusher available on the open market, which could mean big guaranteed money.

And don't forget, that $6.5 million in his contract is guaranteed for next season. He'd double up in a big way if the Raiders released him outright. In the end, there's very little reason for Wimbley to alter what is a favorable deal, regardless of what the Raiders decide to do with him.