It's all new to Shane Lechler, without a contract for the first time since becoming an Oakland Raider in 2000.

Two Raiders in good standing, both without a contract.

Only one franchise designation to use.

Said owner Al Davis: "We've got a tough problem with Nnamdi and Lechler, a tough problem. They're both unsigned and you have only one franchise designation."

"I've looked at the roster a number of times," coach Tom Cable said. "There's much work to do in regards to Nnam, Shane and other free agents on our football team. That will be addressed rather quickly."

Asomugha and Lechler have playfully played "You're it," for most of the season, and probably resumed it during their trip to Honolulu as the only two Raiders selected to the Pro Bowl.

In terms of finances, tagging Lechler would be much less strain than designating Asomugha.

As an exclusive franchise player last year, Asomugha would get a 20 percent bump over what he made last season, which calculates to a minimum of approximately $11.7 million.

Lechler, as the franchise punter, would check in at a mere $2.48 million.

When tagging season opened, the Patriots immediately made Matt Cassel their franchise player. That is not usually the Raiders' style, and Asomugha said in Honolulu he expects to be tagged and wouldn't be surprised if Oakland went up to the Feb. 19 deadline.

It's not as if the Raiders are operating under the wide open spaces with regard to the salary cap, at a reported $116 million in 2009 payroll with the cap expected to come in at approximately $123 million.

That means the Raiders would need to maneuver simply to accommodate Asomugha when the free agency period opens on Feb. 27, not counting other free agents such as fellow starting cornerback Chris Johnson, and whatever the club wants to try and work out with Lechler to stick around.

With the Raiders having lost 11 or more games for six straight years, both men are amenable to moving on. Asomugha has chosen his words carefully, realizing the Raiders can lock him up no matter what he says.

During the season, Asomugha changed agents, going from Steve Baker to Tom Condon, who is considered more of a mover and a shaker in the business.

Condon, coincidentally, also represents Lechler. Lechler has been almost wistful in his memories of 2000 through 2003, when the Raiders were winning division titles, and at one point during the 2007 season said, "I don't know why we suck."

Still, Lechler would not rule out the possibility of coming back to Oakland, and with good reason.

As a fourth-round draft pick out of Texas A&M, Lechler represents one of Davis' best draft picks. He's the NFL's all-time leading punter in gross average and the worthy successor in Raider tradition to Ray Guy.

It's conceivable Davis could offer a contract to Lechler far above what any other team would offer, meaning it would be up to the player to determine if he wanted to take considerably less to play for a winner.