Maurice Jones-Drew and Underpaid Vets Who Are Getting Screwed

Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the best running backs in the NFL, but his pay wouldn't reflect that. 

Drew Brees made a mockery of opposing secondaries in 2011 but has yet to receive a long-term contract from the team he led to a Super Bowl title just a few years ago. 

MJD and Brees aren't the only ones. 

There's a handful of underpaid players, true NFL stars, who are flat out getting screwed by their current employers. 

Maurice Jones-Drew

Jones-Drew led the NFL in rushing last season with 1,606 yards on the ground.

He was the sole life force on a pitiful Jaguars offense. 

The 27-year-old has been the team's workhorse since Fred Taylor's departure after the 2008 season. 

He can run to the outside and between the tackles with equal effectiveness, is a dedicated blocker in pass protection and is comfortable catching passes out of the backfield. Just as important, he's only missed three games in his career.

MJD is a complete running back, who's set to make less than $4.5 million in base salary this year. 

He's undoubtedly deserving of an extension. 

Drew Brees

Brees has been the poster child for NFL players displeased with their contracts this offseason, something that's hard to believe after he shattered the single-season passing yards record. 

Not only is Brees arguably the best quarterback in the game, but the Saints have endured one of the worst offseasons from a public relations standpoint in league history.

One would think inking their signal-caller to a multi-year deal would be a no-brainer. 

Nothing yet. 

Sure, he's set to make $14.4 million in 2012 as New Orleans' franchise player, but doesn't he deserve a lucrative long-term deal after resurrecting the organization?

Dwayne Bowe

Bowe has been the steadiest receiver on the Kansas City Chiefs since his rookie season in 2007.

He's eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark three times and has a respectable 36 touchdowns in his young career.

Without him, who knows what Matt Cassel's numbers would look like?

After witnessing Pierre Garcon receive a five-year, $42.5 million deal from the Washington Redskins and Laurent Robinson getting a five-year, $32.5 million from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bowe, having better numbers than both those wideouts, knows what type of money he'd potentially receive on the open market. 

He's the Chiefs' franchise player and is set to make $9.4 million in 2012. But like the other franchise players on this list, he's after the financial security that comes with a multi-year deal. 

Matt Forte

Forte has been the backbone of the Bears offense for three solid years.

He made up nearly 50 percent of the team's offensive output last season before injuring his leg. 

At 26, he's still got plenty left in the tank as one of the league's more versatile backs. 

Unfortunately, he's yet to come to an agreement on a long-term contract with Chicago, and the 2011 injury won't help him in terms of leverage during negotiations.

He'll make $7.7 million during the 2012 campaign if he doesn't ink an extension, a considerable increase from the $550,000 he made in base salary last year, but he deserves a multi-year contract.