Report: Redskins make last-ditch effort to overturn cap punishment

Owner Dan Snyder is hoping to overturn the Redskins' cap punishment for front-loading contracts in 2010. (USATSI)

The Redskins haven't given up hope of recouping some of the $36 million in cap room cut by the NFL last year.

A Washington Post report says team officials have told players and agents they can't negotiate contracts in earnest until the cap issue is resolved, possibly by week's end.

Redskins officials "have a plan" and "have very good arguments" for restoring their cap space, according to a person familiar with the team's thinking. Any remaining appeal might be "informal," according to the report.

The NFL penalized the Redskins and Cowboys for front-loading contracts during the uncapped year in 2010. Washington's punishment was $36 million over two years, half of which is to go into effect this season. Dallas was penalized $10 million.

With the 2013 salary cap expected to be about $122 million, an $18 million penalty is significant. Washington is about $4 million over the cap before the penalty, according to the Post.

Before Redskins' fans get their hopes up, the paper notes people familiar with the case “believe it's highly unlikely that the team can succeed in having salary cap space restored.”

Giants owner John Mara thought the punishment should have gone further, saying the Redskins and Cowboys were "lucky they didn't lose draft picks."

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