A version of this article appears in ESPN The Magazine's NFL Preview Issue. Subscribe here!

The premise for the following exercise was simple: Assemble the best possible 53-man NFL roster under the salary cap, using each player's 2015 cap charge. I tried not to just pick the best players available based on the money, but to find players within each position group and unit who could complement each other. I wanted a balanced offense, a 4-3 defense and a roster that could hold up on special teams as well.

I followed two rules: No rookies, and stay under the NFL's $143,280,000 salary cap. In certain instances, I chose to move players out of their natural positions because I felt like it meshed with this roster's strengths. Representatives from 27 teams are included -- the Cowboys and Bills led the way with four picks each, while the Patriots, Saints, Buccaneers, Titans and 49ers got shut out.

Without further ado, the best NFL roster $142,383,980 can buy.

(I put asterisks next to the players who would start for this team in Week 1.)

Quarterback

Andrew Luck led the NFL with 40 touchdowns in 2014. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

*Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts ($7,034,363): This will likely be the last year I can afford Luck on my ultimate roster, as he's due to get a massive deal next offseason. But for now, with the 20th-highest cap hit among quarterbacks, he's a no-brainer to be my starter.