Burgess Just the Beginning of Salary-Cap Backlash?

I've mentioned a couple times in recent weeks that it will be interesting to see what happens as marquee players and their agents begin to compare their current deals with those signed by lesser talents during this year's outlandish free-agent spending spree. NFL Network's Adam Shefter reported Thursday that Oakland Raiders Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess did not show up for voluntary organized team activities because (you guessed it) he is unhappy with his contract. Might this be the beginning of a backlash fueled by some of the league's top players who suddenly find themselves locked into deals paying them far less than what the market is now paying.

I certainly believe a mini-revolt is a possibility. And it's not really unexpected at all in Burgess' case. The guy has more sacks than any other defensive player in the league over the last two years, and he's scheduled to make only (only?) about $2 million per year on a deal that runs through 2009. Meanwhile, a guy like defensive end Patrick Kerney has been handed $19 million in guaranteed money by the Seattle Seahawks.

This probably will not be the only incident we'll see over the spring and summer associated with the humongous dollars being tossed around. With cornerback Nate Clements signing the richest deal for a defensive player in NFL history, we may soon hear other corners around the league asking for pay raises. And offensive linemen who are already locked into contracts have to be drooling over the $49 million deals being passed out to guards who have yet to earn their first Pro Bowl appearance.

In past years, it would have been easy to argue that a player should honor the deal he signed. But with the market so out of whack now, it makes it easier to see things from the point of view of a guy like Burgess who has outperformed his contract.