Cash-strapped Redskins bring back 4 players

Left guard Kory Lichtensteiger agreed to a five-year contract, fullback Darrel Young and tight end Logan Paulsen each got three-year deals, and linebacker Rob Jackson also reached terms to remain with the reigning NFC East champs.

All four were set to become free agents on Tuesday, but the team waited as long as it could to begin serious negotiations while it tried to find ways to fight an impending $18 million salary cap sanction. The penalty was imposed when the NFL decided that the Redskins threatened the league's competitive balance by overspending during the 2010 uncapped year.

The Redskins haven't been able to get the penalty overturned, so they will have to either cut players or restructure contracts — they'll likely do both — to get under the cap by the deadline at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Lichtensteiger started all 16 games at left guard for the Redskins last season, returning from major knee surgery the year before. He was part of a line that helped Alfred Morris set a franchise rushing record as the team won the NFC East for the first time since 1999.