Here's The Best NFL Team a Salary Cap Can Buy: Defense and Specialists

It is the challenge of every NFL front office to draft and sign the best players and still remain under the salary cap. A team can usually only sign one or two highly priced free agents every year.

I'm picking my ultimate fantasy team but with the restriction of staying within the salary cap. This year's cap is $127 million.

I value young players just entering their prime over older veterans who have one or two prime years left.  The younger players, unless they are recent top 10 picks, are cheaper than accomplished veterans in their early 30's.

I also try my best to avoid players who have had multiple off-field issues or who come across as me-first players.

When I build a defense, I used a 4-3 scheme because more teams in the league use a 4-3 than a 3-4.  Because of this, I left out players like DeMarcus Ware who fit much better in a 3-4 than a 4-3.

As you'll discover, however, this doesn't mean I excluded all players currently in a 3-4 scheme.

If you missed my offense, click here.

Defensive Ends

Justin Tuck—estimated cap figure: $6 million. Age 26.

In his first season as a full-time starter, Tuck turned out an All-Pro year.  He recorded 12 sacks and forced three fumbles.  His tackle total of 52 is good for a defensive end and indicates that he's focused on both the run and pass.

Robert Mathis—estimated cap charge: $6.86 million. Age 28.

I scratch my head as to why Raheem Brock starts over Mathis for the Colts.  Mathis' numbers are clearly better. 

Anyway, Mathis starts for my team. He has averaged 10 sacks per season since his second year, and he has an eye-popping 30 forced fumbles in just six seasons. 

Backups—Mathias Kiwanuka, Bobby McCray (estimated total cap figure $4 million).

Defensive Tackles

Haloti Ngata—estimated cap figure: $2 million. Age 25.

This guy's stats are not that impressive, but all he does is push one or two interior offensive linemen backwards for an entire game. Talk about a linebacker's best friend.

Sedrick Ellis—estimated cap figure: $3.9 million. Age 24.

As a rookie, Ellis recorded four sacks in 13 games even though he had very little help around him.  Ellis will only get better each of the next few years as he becomes more acclimated to the NFL game and enters his prime years.

Backups- Fred Evans, Spencer Johnson (total estimated cap figure $3 million)

Linebackers

Patrick Willis—estimated cap figure: $2.25 million. Age 24.

Willis is already considered to be among the elite middle linebackers in the game today.  He is a tackling machine and has yet to miss a game in two seasons.  He made the All-Pro team as a rookie.

Chad Greenway—estimated cap figure: $1.5 million. Age 26.

When he was drafted two years ago, Greenway was older than most rookies.  This likely served as an advantage in his transition from college to the pros.

Greenway gives my team another tackling machine, this time at the strong side.  His five and a half sacks last year prove that he's effective in blitz situations.

Thomas Davis—estimated cap figure: $2.2 million. Age 26.

Davis brings speed and athleticism as a weakside linebacker.  Davis is a perfect fit for covering some of the faster running backs coming out of the backfield.

Backups—Xavier Adibi, Dan Connor, Omar Gaither (total estimated cap figure $1.5 million).

Cornerbacks

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie—estimated cap figure: $1.5 million. Age 23.

If Rodgers-Cromartie isn't the fastest player in the league, he's close to it.  He was able to use his speed to help him make up for some rookie coverage mistakes. He will only get better with experience.

He intercepted four passes and had a 99-yard touchdown last year.

Aaron Ross—estimated cap figure: $1.7 million. Age 26.

Ross is a solid corner who was a important part of a Super Bowl-winning team. In each of his two seasons, he has three interceptions and one touchdown.

Backups—Samari Rolle, Corey Ivy, Tim Jennings, David Jones (total estimated cap figure $4.5 million)

Strong Safety

Quintin Mikell—estimated cap figure: $950,000. Age 28.

Mikell is a late bloomer who was a backup for the first four seasons have his career. He started all 16 games for the first time last season and responded with a stellar season.  He had 90 tackles, two forced fumbles and three interceptions.

Backup—Jordan Babineaux (estimated cap figure $1.8 million)

Free Safety

Ed Reed—estimated cap figure: $7.5 million. Age 30.

This defense may be calling Reed "Grandpa" since he's almost 31, but he is the best free safety in the game and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Reed is a four-time All-Pro and ranks third among active players with 43 career interceptions.  His 11 career touchdowns prove that he also always a threat to score.

Backup—Danieal Manning (estimated cap figure $900,000)

Place Kicker

Jeff Reed—estimated cap figure: $1.5 million. Age 30.

Paying over a million dollars for a kicker may seem like a lot until you notice that Rob Bironas makes over $3 million.

Even though Pittsburgh is not the easiest place to kick field goals, Reed has been successful.  He has made over 90 percent of his field goals inside 40 yards and has made over half of his field goals outside of 50 yards.

Reed has made 17 field goals in the postseason and can kick in this league for another decade.

Punter

Mike Scifres—estimated cap figure: $1 million. Age 28.

Scifres has a strong leg and does an excellent job pinning his punts inside the 20-yard line. He's only had one punt blocked in his career.

Kick/Punt Returner

Josh Cribbs—estimated cap charge: $900,000. Age 26.

Cribbs is great as a kick returner and a punt returner.  He has at least one kick return for a touchdown in each of his four seasons.  He also plays on kick and punt coverage teams.

Cribbs will be my fifth or sixth receiver and would be able to concentrate the vast majority of his time working on the return game.

I know that he is looking for a bigger, better contract, but he won't be making near the $10 million per year that Devin Hester is making.

I have spent an estimated $55.46 million on my defense and special teams. Just as with my offense, many of my defensive players are still on their rookie contracts. 

This means that I am getting them at a bargain now, but I am going to have to make huge decisions in a few years as to who I keep and who I let go.