On April 5th, the Redskins announced the signing of veteran cornerback David Macklin. Macklin, a seven-year veteran, agreeed to a contract for the veteran minimum plus $40,000 in signing bonuses.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the teams that sign veteran players are rewarded with salary cap discounts. Qualifying contracts must have the minimum salary for veterans with up to a $40,000 signing bonus. A veteran like Macklin, who has appeared in 110 games (starting 75) and is going into his 7th year, will only count $480,000 against the cap in 2007, even though he will earn $720,000 as a base salary. (The CBA veteran minimum salaries are $510,000 for three years, $595,000 for four to six years, $720,000 for seven to nine years, and $820,000 for ten or more years).
Signing veteran players to the type of contract that Macklin signed, allows teams to spend cap money in other areas. Being able to do so, so early in the free agency signing period (pre-June), says a lot about Macklin’s desire to be in Washington. The 5-10, 206 lb cornerback could have signed with another team for more money, but he chose to sign closer to home, providing the Redskins with a discount in the process.
Macklin was drafted in the fourth round (91st overall) in 2000 by the Indianapolis Colts, and he played there for four seasons, starting for two, before signing a free-agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals in 2004. Macklin started for the Arizona Cardinals over the past three seasons and finished 2006 with 33 total tackles, one interception and six passes defended, making his career totals 359 tackles, 14 interceptions, and 60 passes defended.
Macklin was a three-year starter at Penn State and was selected an All-Big Ten player as a junior, playing in every game of his collegiate career. He also had a brief stint with the Nittany Lions’ basketball team, joining them after his freshman football season was over.
He played high school ball in the Newport News, Virgnia area, and was a four-year starter at the defensive back and running back positions. He ran for over 2,000 yards and 28 touchdowns and caught 20 passes for 200 yards and five scores as a running back. On defense, he registered 120 tackles and 20 interceptions. He was first team all-conference and all-district on both offense and defense, as well as special teams. As a freshman basketball player, Macklin was assigned to guard the future NBA scoring champion Allen Iverson, and held him to 13 points when he was averaging 30 plus per game.
Macklin runs a foundation named 27 Reasons (27 being his college and professional number), which aids underprivileged kids in Arizona and Virginia.
Personal Data:
College: Penn State
Height: 5-10
Position: CB
Weight: 206
Born: 07/14/1978
Draft: 2000 – 4th round (91st overall) by Indianapolis Colts
Number: 27
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Bernie Marshall