Cut, Keep or Restructure: Making Call on Washington Redskins' Worst Contracts

You know them well. From Albert Haynesworth to Deion Sanders, the Daniel Snyder-owned Washington Redskins have handed out their share of onerous contracts over the years.

Set back by an NFL-mandated $36 million salary cap penalty in 2012 and 2013, such contracts, coupled with some unfruitful drafts, have hampered Washington's ability to field a quality team on the gridiron.

Harping on the comments he made during his introductory press conference, new general manager Scot McCloughan has designs on moving the Skins away from such roster building.

“We drafted our own, molded our own and re-signed our own,” McCloughan said in discussing how he constructed the San Francisco 49ers, via Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com.

Saddled with roughly $13 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.com, and a full allotment of draft picks for the first time since the Robert Griffin III trade, this would seem to be an ideal time to follow such a path.

Even with that said, to fully embrace McCloughan's mantra that the team develop and re-sign its own—Ryan Kerrigan, anyone?—he will first have to clear the dead weight weighing down Washington's cap sheet.

In light of that, let's take a look at the Redskins' worst contracts and determine the team's best course of action to remedy them.

All salary and contract information is courtesy of Spotrac.com.

G Chris Chester

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

In some respects, it's questionable how Chris Chester even made it to this point. Lured away from the Baltimore Ravens in 2011 with a five-year, $20 million contract, Chester hasn't had the look of a starting-caliber player for some time.

As far back as 2013, he was chided for his poor play by Will Fairfax and Matt Harmon of ProFootballSpot.com.

"He was a nice signing by the team a few years back, but his skills have all but eroded. He was a liability on the field in 2013," Harmon said. In Fairfax's analysis, Chester's play was further condemned: "He was routinely abused when attempting to protect Griffin...Redskins were better off putting a cardboard box at right guard then lining up Chester," he said.

In 2014, things didn't go any smoother for Chester, via DeLonte' McMillian:

"

This is why I have been calling for Spencer Long to get some play time for the #Redskins. RG Chris Chester is awful. http://t.co/LhVNGovAiL

— DeLonte' McMillian (@SPorTzTeaM_Arch) December 20, 2014"

And to think, despite his poor play, Chester was able to ward off two former third-round picks (Josh LeRibeus and Spencer Long) for the starting gig. 

But no more. Slated to make $3.5 million in salary and count $4.8 million against the cap in 2015, Chester's time in D.C. needs to expire. In addition to clearing the way for Long or LeRibeus to potentially start—which may or may not be a good thing—the Skins would save $4 million by cutting ties with Chester. 

A player who hasn't lived up to his contract for some time now, the financial incentive alone should be enough for Washington to part ways with Chester.

Verdict: Cut

G Shawn Lauvao

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Talk about buyer's remorse. Upon being hired, head coach Jay Gruden indicated he wanted to get bigger along the offensive line. In turn, the team went out and brought Shawn Lauvao aboard with a four-year, $17 million deal.

But while he brought size to the team's starting unit, Lauvao didn't bring much improvement. Judging from what WalterFootball.com had to say initially after his signing, this doesn't come as a surprise, h/t Keith McMillan of The Washington Post:

"

This is an obscene amount of money for someone who should be a reserve lineman. Shawn Lauvao has played three full or near-full seasons in the NFL. He was mediocre in 2011 and 2012, but was downright awful this past year. Perhaps that was because of an ankle injury that knocked him out for the first few games, but the fact remains that Washington is paying him way too much money. Even half of this contract would have been excessive.

"

A scathing review by all accounts, a set of photos from The Washington Post's Mark Bullock paints an even grimmer picture of Lauvao's exploits in Washington:

"

LG Shawn Lauvao in pass protection. Number 77. Gripped, pulled, beaten. pic.twitter.com/1NwTubrWkF

— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) December 16, 2014"

If only the Skins could release Lauvao, though. Entering 2015, he will carry a cap number of $4 million. Being that his release would only net the team $1 million, save the team filling his spot internally, the combination of cutting Lauvao and signing a capable replacement would be an expensive endeavor for Washington to undertake.

With that said, his contract is one the Redskins will have to live with for another season.

Verdict: Keep

WR Pierre Garcon

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Who saw this coming? Andre Roberts may be the receiver who gets the most attention for underperforming in relation to one's contract, but it's really Pierre Garcon who takes the cake.

An owner of 68 receptions and 752 yards in 2014, in addition to the record-setting season he had in 2013, Garcon is clearly no slouch. But with a cap number of $9.7 million, he's not exactly living up to expectations either.

Garcon finished 36th in the NFL in receptions and outside the top 40 in yardage. With only 11 receivers set to count more against the cap in 2015, these numbers aren't up to snuff.

Not that he doesn't have his reasons for his decline in production—quarterback play?—but because of the money the team's invested in its wideouts, Garcon has to perform at an elite level.

Only two teams had more funds allocated to the receiver position than the Redskins in 2014. In total, the team had 13.7 percent of its cap invested in the position.

Scoff at the inclusion of the Miami Dolphins and to an extent the Houston Texans if you want, but looking at the teams that commit over 13 percent of their cap to the receiver spot, Washington is out of place. 

The Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos all sport pass-first offenses and have elite tandems at receiver. Looking away from the uncertainty the team has at quarterback, the Redskins are still at their best when they field a strong running game.

Too valuable of a contributor to outright release, a trade of Garcon or a restructuring of his contract needs to be on the table for Washington to fix this unbalance.

Verdict: Restructure

DL Stephen Bowen

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How's that five-year, $27.5 million contract of Stephen Bowen looking right now, Bruce Allen?

An all-too-familiar storyline in Washington, after a solid inaugural season, Bowen's impact has been non-existent. Over the past three seasons he has just one sack. While it's a given sacks aren't the be-all, end-all for a defensive end in a 3-4 defense, games played are the litmus test for every NFL player.

After starting in every game his first two seasons in D.C., injuries have limited Bowen to 18 games over the past two years. As player who is approaching the age of 31, this is a trend the Skins can't bank on changing.

A path the team has already gone down before, fixing Bowen's contract again has to be a point of discussion within the team's front office.

Coming off of microfracture knee surgery, Bowen agreed to restructure his deal prior to the 2014 season. In the process, the team saved $1.9 million. 

Barring him playing for free this go-round, there's no saving him this time. His cap hit will be $8 million next year! Able to save nearly $5.5 million with his release, the Redskins have an easy decision on their hands.

Verdict: Cut

CB Tracy Porter

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May Washington's signing of Tracy Porter forever serve as a reminder: You get what you pay for.

In need of a stabilizing presence in the secondary, the Skins' decision to sign Porter to a two-year, $6 million contract was always a head-scratcher.

A six-year veteran at the time, Porter had played a full NFL season just once. And wouldn't you know it, he was again sidelined in 2014. You might have missed it, but Porter actually played in three games last season.

With such a checkered history—Washington was his fourth team in four years for a reason—Porter can't be counted on to do anything besides get hurt.

His $3.8 million cap hit may carry a dead cap charge of $1 million if he's cut, but seeing how he is the definition of dead weight, regardless of how minuscule the savings are in the big picture, it's worth it to the team to cut ties with Porter.

Verdict: Cut