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The upcoming offseason may be the last thing on most people's minds, but not for those players in the last year of their contracts. While most players dream of riches to be had in free agency, the reality is often a slap in the ego. Only a handful of players get the big payday, and that number has been fewer each year as teams begin to manage their salary caps better. New rules concerning veteran salaries implemented last season allow more experienced players to stay in the league rather than pricing themselves out of a job, but also take away a good portion of their negotiating power. But for fans of teams that are already out of the playoff race, the recent history of last to first-place teams fuels hopes of a quick turnaround.

Below are position lists of players who are currently without a contract for the 2003 season, as well as several players who might be released from their current contracts as they are not playing up to their high salaries.

Quarterbacks
Because quarterback is the most important position, teams throw tons of money at anyone showing the least potential to play at this level. The quarterbacks who actually see free agency are those a team has given up on and released, or youngsters who have been nothing but backups in their short careers. The biggest contract signed by a free-agent quarterback last year was the five-year, $25.5 million deal the Dolphins gave Jay Fiedler, who was a restricted free agent at the time. Teams make sure their quarterback is tied to a long-term deal before they even have a chance of being signed away by another team. That was exemplified during the season when the Eagles inked Donovan McNabb to a new 12-year deal, tearing up his old contract in the process.

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