The NFL’s top shutdown cornerback, Nnamdi Asomugha, will truly have the paycheck to back up that title. Asomugha signed a ridiculous 3-year, $45 million deal to remain with the Raiders.

The contract includes $26.8 million in guaranteed money, but it does have an option for the Raiders to void the deal after two years. If they don’t, Asomugha could make over $17 million in the third year of his contract.

This deal makes Asomugha the highest paid defensive back in NFL history.

The entire contract is guaranteed through two years, when Asomugha will make $28.5 million. The third year is where it gets crazy.

According to ProFootballTalk.com:

There’s an option in Year 3 of the deal where the Raiders would have to pay Asomugha either the average of the top five salaries regardless of position or $16.875 million. Asomugha would be compensated with whichever is the higher figure.

If the Raiders should choose to not exercise the option, Asomugha would be allowed to become a free agent and Oakland would not be allowed to use the franchise tag to retain him.

That’s right, top five salaries regardless of position. And no franchising. His agent, Tom Condon deserves a medal for negotiating this deal. Condon also managed to trick the Raiders into signing Shane Lechler to a 4-year, $16 million contract last week, the richest contract ever for a punter. My guess is that Condon is in possession of some very compromising photos of Al Davis.

Now you may say “is he worth it?” He had just one interception last year and a measly two the year before that.

Well what the box score typically doesn’t show is that in 2007, he had just 31 balls thrown at him all season, and only 10 of them were completed. In 2008, those numbers were even lower.

Asomugha is the true definition of a shutdown cornerback. Teams simply don’t throw his way. You put him on an opponent’s best receiver, and that receiver has his worst game of the season. He manages to neutralize a team’s best receiver, and cut the field in half defensively. That is the definition of “shutdown.”

Until November of 2008, the Raiders had arguably the best cornerback tandem of this generation with Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall, but Hall was abruptly traded, with the claim being that his man-to-man skills had diminished past his current value and what the Raiders wanted. While many feel that it was just another case of Al Davis being Manny, Asomugha now has the weight of the entire Raiders secondary on his shoulders.

In other NFL news, Anquan Boldin now seems to be open to resigning with the Arizona Cardinals. Boldin is willing to work with the Cards to work out a long-term deal, as long as it is fair. If a deal can’t be reached, he’d still like to be moved.

Marvin Harrison’s days as an Indianapolis Colt are all but over. According to NFL.com’s Adam Schefter, Harrison has played his final game as a Colt, and will be released by the end of next week.

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