WASHINGTON – The Washington Redskins are entering free agency with $36 million of uncertainty – the amount they’re to be docked from their salary cap allotment for the way the team structured contracts for the uncapped 2010 season.

The Redskins say they followed the rules, but former Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian tells ESPN that teams were warned “on numerous occasions” not to front-load contracts during the uncapped year.

Regardless, the penalty threatens to substantially alter the Redskins’ plans to sign free agents.

Some sort of challenge to the NFL’s decision seems likely. Polian suggested it’s time to call “a good antitrust lawyer.”

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)