$116 million and 53 guys? I can do it

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By Joel Hammond
JHammond@pigskinpodcast.com

I stumbled across this really cool SI.com project yesterday afternoon, and figured I'd try my hand.

Former NFL player Bucky Brooks and former front office worker Michael Lombardi, both of whom now write for SI.com, took the $116 million salary cap and the standard 53-man roster and put together their teams, using these cap numbers.

I decided to do the same.

A couple quick observations on my team:

You'll notice I spent a good chunk in the trenches, which, as the Super Bowl proved, is a key part to the game.

At running back, I had to have Adrian Peterson and, just in case something happens to Peterson, his clone, Darren McFadden. The SI.com crew assigned first-rounders a $2 million number, second-rounders $1 million and third-rounders $500,000.

I only have 52 guys. Sue me. Also, I didn't look at their rosters before I did mine, though afterward, I counted 10 guys in common from each team. Weird.

Please let me know where I went wrong and where I went right:

Here's my team, Joel's Gigolos:

Quarterback (3):

  • Jay Cutler, Denver ($2,325,000)
  • Brady Quinn, Cleveland ($1,440,470)
  • Trent Green, St. Louis ($2,605,760).

Total: $6,371,760

Running back (6):

  • Adrian Peterson, Minnesota ($2,431,360)
  • Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants ($383,501)
  • Heath Evans, New England ($861,320)
  • Jerious Norwood, Atlanta ($637,886)
  • Garrett Wolfe, Chicago ($532,345)
  • Darren McFadden ($2,000,000)

Total: $6,846,812

Wide receiver (5):

  • Marques Colston, New Orleans ($458,960)
  • Josh Cribbs, Cleveland ($1,045,000)
  • Greg Jennings, Green Bay ($755,000)
  • T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati ($3,687,500)
  • Devin Hester, Chicago ($795,000)

Total: $6,741,460

Tight end (2):

  • Heath Miller, Pittsburgh ($1,726,720)
  • Kellen Winslow Jr., Cleveland ($4,559,584)

Total: $6,286,304

Offensive tackle (4):

  • Luke Petitgout, Tampa Bay ($4,000,000)
  • Joe Thomas, Cleveland ($9,460,000)
  • Joe Staley, San Francisco ($1,226,000)
  • Tony Ugoh, Indianapolis ($786,666)

Total: $15,472,666

Offensive guard (3):

  • Ryan Lilja, Indianapolis ($1,625,000)
  • Jake Scott, Tennessee ($4,006,720)
  • Maurice Williams, Jacksonville ($4,300,000)

Total: $9,931,720

Center (2):

  • Nick Hardwick, San Diego ($2,006,120)
  • Justin Hartwig, Pittsburgh ($1,487,500)

Total: $3,493,620

Defensive end (3):

  • Mario Williams, Houston ($4,750,000)
  • Tamba Hali, Kansas City ($1,746,240)
  • Patrick Kerney, Seattle (3,249,999)

Total: $9,746,239

Defensive tackle (3):

  • Darnell Dockett, Arizona ($3,256,240)
  • Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee ($7,250,003)
  • Shaun Rogers, Cleveland ($3,433,333)

Total: $13,939,576

Linebacker (9):

  • Nick Barnett, Green Bay ($4,108,571)
  • Patrick Willis, San Francisco ($4,081,000)
  • Demeco Ryans, Houston ($1,276,250)
  • Dan Connor, New York Giants ($1,000,000)
  • DeMarcus Ware, Dallas ($2,157,000)
  • Khary Campbell, Washington ($861,720)
  • Jason Babin, Seattle ($963,723)
  • D'Qwell Jackson, Cleveland ($1,105,000)
  • Paul Posluzsny, Buffalo ($873,720)

Total: $16,426,984

Cornerback (6):

  • Antonio Cromartie, San Diego ($1,731,120)
  • Justin Miller, New York Jets ($830,990)
  • Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo ($2,000,000)
  • Deshea Townsend, Pittsburgh ($1,978,260)
  • Kelly Jennings, Seattle, ($1,366,250)
  • Fred Bennett, Houston ($475,062)

Total: $8,381,682

Safety (3):

  • Atari Bigby, Green Bay ($445,000)
  • Ed Reed, Baltimore ($3,411,720)
  • Madieu Williams, Minnesota (5,371,666)

Total: $9,228,386

Kicker (1):

  • Rob Bironas, Tennessee ($1,423,720)

Punter (1):

  • Andy Lee, San Francisco ($997,666)

Long snapper (1):

  • Zak DeOssie, New York Giants ($484,945)

Overall total: $115,773,540

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