Could the Super Bowl be coming to New York or Washington?

The 2007 game might be awarded to one of the cities attacked Sept. 11, according to an internal memo the NFL front office distributed this week.

As first reported on The NFL Today on CBS and SportsLine.com, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has issued a memo to owners who make up the Super Bowl Site Committee asking the league to consider reassessing its site policy and consider awarding the 2007 game to one of the two cities.

Paul Tagliabue's memo might bring economic relief to either New York or D.C.(Allsport)

Tagliabue and other league executives told the owners that several business and public leaders have approached the NFL since the Sept. 11 tragedies. The leaders want the NFL to reconsider its policy in order to bring a Super Bowl to one of the two cities.

Considering the immense revenue and popularity the Super Bowl generates, such an approval would provide an enormous morale and financial boost to whichever city it chose. Both are currently mired in a drastic tourism and economic drop-off as a result of the attacks.

The idea signals a veer from the current NFL policy, which excludes open-air venues in northern cities from hosting the annual title game. In the past, the game was hosted by either a warm-weather city or a northern city with a domed stadium, such as Minnesota and Detroit. The letter was sent to Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt, Colts owner Jim Irsay, Giants owner Preston Robert Tisch and Bills owner Ralph Wilson -- the owners who make up the committee.

Considering the cold-weather climates that past championship games have accommodated, the about-face in league policy might not be farfetched. Last year, the Giants held the NFC Championship contest in 35-degree weather. Throughout league history there have been championship games hosted in below-freezing conditions. When the business and city leaders met with league officials, this argument was emphasized.

Tagliabue and other league executives also have discussed the possibility of changing their policy with the owners of the Jets, Giants and Redskins -- all of whom were supportive of at least reviewing the league's policy.

Currently, the only added stadiums that could play host to the game would be Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., five miles from New York City, and FedEx Field in Landover, Md. However, there has been talk in New York of a stadium being built off of Manhattan's West Side Highway to accommodate the Jets.

Greg Aiello, the NFL's vice president of public relations, said the league is considering a change of policy regarding the allocation of the Super Bowl.

"Our office has been approached by several government leaders in those cities and the commissioner believes the idea should be given serious consideration," Aiello said. "He plans to discuss it with the owners."

In order for one of the two cities to be awarded the game, the league must change its policy and then receive 24 of 32 (three-fourths) votes from the owners. The proposal to change the policy will be discussed by the committee during a February meeting before being brought to the owners at the NFL's annual spring meeting in March. The hope is that one of the venues will be selected and approved by the league's fall meeting in October.

When the league was working on its Super Bowl plan for this season (the league moved the game back one week after Week 2 was postponed), New York Senator Charles Schumer approached the NFL about holding it in the Big Apple. However, that idea was for this season's Super Bowl and was only broached as a contingency plan. The league eventually negotiated a deal with the National Automobile Dealers Association to switch its convention date in order to clear New Orleans for the Super Bowl the week of Feb. 3.

Carter heading out of Minnesota?

Even if Vikings perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver Cris Carter decides not to retire following the season, his Vikings career will soon be over.

SportsLine.com has obtained a copy of Carter's contract and it states he has qualified for an option to void the final five years of his contract on Feb. 28, or the last day of this league year. Carter has reached certain performance-based incentives that can void his deal and allow him to leave the Vikings to become an unrestricted free agent.

While some close to Carter insist he is likely to exercise this option, the Vikings won't let his deal run past the "voidable" date. Carter's contract also states the team must pay him a $2 million bonus March 1 if he is on the roster. Either route taken by either side would put the Vikings in a bad position based upon the salary cap. If Carter voids the final five years of his contract, the Vikings will take a $5.938 million cap hit (or 8 percent of the team's cap) for a player who is no longer on their roster.

Carter's contract states: "As hereby agreed between the Vikings and Cris Carter the following provisions shall govern the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 contract years. The 2002-2006 seasons will be considered null and void at player's option if player is a member of the 80-man roster on last day of 2001 league year and any one of the following has occurred:

"Player has played 50 percent of plays during the 1998, 1999, 2000 or 2001 season; club wins one more regular-season game in any of these years than the club won in the immediate prior season; club ranks 10th or better in the NFL in total points scored in any of the aforementioned seasons.

"Players shall give written notice to club on the last day of the 2001 league year."

According to people close to Carter, his preference is to begin his post-career aspirations of being an NFL broadcaster or analyst, a trade he has been intensely training for over the past few years. However, should the right offer or role not arise, his next preference would be to void his deal and sign as an unrestricted free agent with a team that has a Super Bowl chance.

"He won't be back in Minnesota," said one person close to the future Hall of Famer. "He'd be a perfect fit for a place like Denver or to rejoin Brian (Billick, his former offensive coordinator with the Vikings and now head coach of Ravens). He'd play again if the right TV job doesn't open up."

Carter's relationship with coach Dennis Green has badly soured in the past few weeks. In fact, the sources say his coach is one of the primary reasons why Carter will look to leave Minnesota shortly after the season ends.

Tipping the cap

The league office this week informed teams that next year's salary cap is slated to be $71.8 million, or $1.1 million less than was previously estimated. In addition, teams were given the estimated cap numbers for the league years 2003, 2004 and 2005. General managers, team presidents and capologists were informed at a management council meeting in Dallas this week that the salary cap for 2003 will be approximately $74.8 million followed by $78.1 million in 2004 and $81.2 million in 2005.

There is a strong concern by teams regarding the increase in league-minimum salaries, a plan that was also told to team executives at the Tuesday meeting. Minimums are being raised from $209,000 to $225,000 for rookies, $298,000 to $300,000 for first-year players, $418,000 to $450,000 for third-year players, $448,000 to $525,000 for fourth year vets and a whopping $173,000 increase from $477,000 to $650,000 for players with five accrued seasons of NFL duty. The only decrease comes for players with two accrued seasons as the minimum will drop from $389,000 to $387,000 -- although players with previous contracts will be protected by a grandfather clause and their salaries will not drop.

With the cap only rising $4.4 million next season, the increase in minimums will likely take up about $1 million on most teams, one-fourth of the new room clubs will be provided with.

With the new cap figure number, the Jaguars are $25 million over next year's cap but only have 28 players under contract. The top 51 count against the cap. Thus, even if they add 23 more players at the new rookie minimum of $225,000, they'll have an additional $5.175 million against the cap or a total of $30.175 million over.

The Baltimore Ravens are second at $21.1 million over with 30 players signed through next season. Tennessee is third-worst with 43 players signed at $19.1 million over. Fourth is the Raiders at $17.5 million over with 48 players under contract followed by the New York Jets with 37 players signed and $17.5 million over the estimated $71.4 million salary-cap ceiling.

Russell still flexing muscle

Raiders defensive tackle Darrell Russell will be able to play for the Raiders until at least Dec. 22. The judge for his appeal informed both parties following Thursday's appeal that they have until Dec. 22 to file written briefs. Appeal timelines vary dramatically.

Bears FB Damian Shelton was informed at the beginning of the season he will be suspended for violating the NFL's anabolic steroids policy. He is still appealing and thus has not yet begun serving his four-game ban.

Trashing Sehorn

Rams coach Mike Martz has joined the ever-growing group of people taking shots at Giants CB Jason Sehorn.

On a conference call with Saints writers this week, Martz said: "I give credit to the Saints. I absolutely would not give credit to the Giants. We threw the ball all over the lot against the Giants. I'd like to line up against Jason Sehorn every day of the week."

Back to school

Dallas coach Dave Campo on Wednesday took his players to a local high school in order to prepare for the field turf in Husky Stadium. Campo had the Cowboys practice at Southlake Carroll High School in a suburb near Irving.

The affluent school uses the same turf on their indoor and outdoor fields that the Seahawks use in Husky Stadium. On Thursday, Campo had the Cowboys practice at their normal facility in the rain to prepare for the oft-inclement weather of Seattle.

Catch Jay Glazer's NFL Insider reports on The NFL Today, Sundays on CBS