Redskins' losses won't be as costly.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

FORT LAUDERDALE _ The Washington Redskins might be worse than last year's team that finished 8-8, but at least team owner Dan Snyder won't be paying big bucks for mediocrity.

One year after having the NFL's highest payroll, the 2001 Redskins are expected to have the league's second-lowest once their 53-man roster is finalized. Washington entered the preseason with a $58 million payroll for 84 players, which is a far cry from 2000 when Snyder spent an NFL-record $100 million hoping to reach the Super Bowl with an overpaid crew of free-agent acquisitions.

The Washington Post reported that Snyder authorized $80 million in player spending this season, but coach Marty Schottenheimer preferred trying to fix the team's salary cap problems now rather than down the road. About $13.6 million of the $67.4 million cap for 2001 is allocated toward players no longer on Washington's roster.

The Redskins allowed five key players from last year's team leave via free agency and released five others rather than restructuring their contracts and pushing cap money into future years. The Redskins also stopped spending like drunken sailors in free agency, instead making the bulk of their signings starting in June after the market had bottomed out.

Compared to last season, Washington will have 11 new starters and two new specialists for next Sunday's opener at San Diego.

The average NFL payroll for 2001 is projected at $71 million. The highest payroll belongs to Denver at approximately $95 million, which includes $50 million in signing bonuses.

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