Colts Salary Cap Update – Regular Season 2018
 

[b][u]Cap Calculations: [\u][\b]

$177.200m = NFL 2018 Salary Cap
$016.837m = 2017 Colts Cap Rollover
==========
$194.037m = Colts 2018 Salary Cap

$129.840m = 53 Active Contracts
$000.404m = Robert Turbin’s additional cap once he is reinstated for week 5
$010.837m = Injured Reserve
$003.763m = Dead Money
$001.292m = Practice Squad
============
$146.136m = Total Obligations
$047.901m = Free Space (of which at least $3m is reserved for in-season “churn” space so $45.9m usable to sign free agents / grant contract extensions / give new contracts.)

[b][u]Top Ten Cap Hits: [\u][\b]
$24.400m = QB Andrew Luck
$13.000m = WR T.Y. Hilton
$10.800m = OT Anthony Castonzo
$07.500m = DE Jabaal Sheard
$07.000m = DT Denico Autry
$06.750m = TE Eric Ebron
$05.618m = TE Jack Doyle
$05.000m = WR Ryan Grant
$04.343m = OG Quinton Nelson (R)
$03.625m = PK Adam Vinatieri

(When a rookie and your place kicker make the top ten cap hits list, you know you have a low paid squad…..)

[b][u]Top Ten Creates The Most Cap Space If Cut: [\u][\b]
$9.000m = WR T.Y. Hilton
$4.368m = TE Jack Doyle
$4.250m = DE Jabaal Sheard
$3.200m = OT Anthony Castonzo
$2.500m = DE Margus Hunt
$2.500m = NT Al Woods
$1.907m = OT Denzell Good
$1.907m = OG Mark Glowinski
$1.625m = PK Adam Vinatieri
$1.328m = OG Matt Slauson

(Not much fat to cut there. Hunt? Glowinski? Peanuts to find. Peanuts.)

Cap wise, we are obviously in great shape. Cap obligations actually go DOWN over the next couple of years with our current crop of players.

2018 / 53 players under contract = $129.840m in cap hit
2019 / 42 players under contract = $117.390m in cap hit
2020 / 27 players under contract = $079.603m in cap hit

Ballard still has a completely free hand in how he constructs the roster. Lots of space to add new free agents or give current performers extensions / new contracts. No need to worry anytime soon about the Polian era (restructuring) contracts to get under the cap.

Walk Worthy,

Interesting to note that we spend the least of any team on our defense and have the youngest team in the league. We also have rookies at head coach ahd both coordinators. This is going to be a wild up (hopefully) and down year with hopefully a lot of growth.

Thanks Sherck !!! :cool:

One thing I'm certain of, it will be an improvement over last season, in both games won and excitement generated.

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/indianapolis-colts

Just another source. You and the Over the Cap are really close in numbers.

No one disputes Sherck's cap numbers. :D

Yep, and when these guys prove themselves, the WILL be paid.

Its good to be in flexible cap space

But still frustrating to have so much money to spend and big holes on DL and right tackle especially

I don't think anyone expects spending all the way up to the cap in a transition year, but it seems like another 15 mi on a few short-term contracts might've filled a position or two with a bit more leadership, play-making ability, positional stability...any and all of that and still left the team with 30 mil. If a reasonable expectation is currently 7-9 wins, then the spending mentioned above would seem to move the needle into being more seriously in playoff contention--and isn't playoff experience a great thing for a young team? Has Ballard mentioned any goals for this team beyond growing, gelling, or nebulous "be patient" terms?

I can even live with the DL, even though I don't like it this way. Its a new DC, new scheme (or back to the old scheme), young players, given them a chance. OK, fine

But you have a QB coming off basically two missed seasons and a near career ending shoulder injury, you can't tell me with that much free agent money you couldn't find SOMEONE to pay, even if you overpay for a few years while you develop someone, to play right tackle.

There is no more time to be patient with the OL. Its been a decade and now two injured all pro level QBs that almost ended their careers over playing behind this OL.

And yet, people still think we should have drafted Chubb over Nelson. Can't have it both ways.

I am fine with having drafted Nelson.

And Its not 'both ways'. One is drafting and one is free agency.

The team sucks and there is cap money to be spent. I don't think its unreasonable to use both means to improve the team

Ballard obviously disagrees based on how he approached the offseason

He did pay someone in free agency to play RT, they were just horrible at it. Hopefully that failure will make Ballard second guess his decision to keep scraping up bottom of the barrel free agents.

Through two drafts and two free agent periods (with ample cap available) are you really so naive as to believe taking a guard at 6 was the only way to address the o-line?

Here's the problem. Time is a great thickener of things. This kid could be the next John Hannah. Why wouldn't you want him?

You know why Jacksonville is so good right now? They control both O and D lines of scrimmage. Their QB can't hit his plate with a fork, but they are in the hunt for a Super Bowl.

When the Colts were dominant with Manning, they had a really good line with a very good LT and a great C. Watch where they run on 3 and short. If they run left up this kids butt, and we get first down, maybe it will sell some people.

Of course not.

Then your “can’t have it both ways” argument isn’t accurate. We could have had it both ways. Only Ballard’s decisions kept the Colts from having both an improved Oline and Chubb (or other defensive starters).

Surely you aren't so naive as to think that Ballard could have signed any free agent there was this year.

To me it’s funny you use Jacksonville as your example considering they have been heavy users of free agency - the opposite of Ballard’s approach. They also improved their O-line this offseason by adding an all-pro guard. Didn’t even cost them a top 6 pick.

Not any, no. He also had last years draft and free agency as well. The idea Nelson was the only way to improve the line is ridiculous.

Don't forget about Smith, he may not be Nelson but he was the other All-American 1st team guard :cool:

I never said it was, but he is starting with the trenches to protect Luck, which is what everyone was clamoring for. I have a suspicion that he will go heavy on defense next year and we will have a young core to make for a successful team for quite a while. I think he may have brought in a FA and decided that the guy was not the right fit, so the only option was Nelson and Smith.

For the record, I was against Polian's draft only method. I do not think Ballard is going all in on the draft, but feel he is trying to establish a culture first and then will bring in FA players who can assimilate.

I had no issue with the drafting of Smith.

I don’t buy the build the culture reason / excuse. Ballard has brought in some free agents, just relatively low cost ones. I believe he envisions a longer term rebuild of the roster than what he will readily admit. I’m talking 3 more years. If that is accurate then it makes perfect sense on why you wouldn’t sign any mid to upper tier free agents - they likely won’t be as effective when the team is peaking and, most importantly, they will lower the quality of the draft picks you get to rebuild with by making you more competitive more quickly.

But Ballard can’t come out and say that or the fan base will see they are wasting prime Luck years. So you get the GM speak and one year contracts. You push the learning and growing aspect. You claim you have to instill a winning culture first. But you don’t instill a winning culture by losing. And you don’t install one by handing out jobs to people. A winning culture is one of true competition, accountability, and earning your spot. Quality free agents wouldn’t keep you from building that. They would help by adding experience and upping the competition level. But you’d also win to quickly to build the dynasty Ballard envisions. That’s my belief of what’s going on. Time will tell I suppose.

Ballard tried to get the same guy, they just lost out. Whether it was due to money or Norwell chose Jacksonville due to having more pieces or whatever, they tried and failed. It sucks, but after that, Ballard was probably set on Nelson.

Seems to me that addressing it the other way hasn't worked all that well in the last 6 years or so.

Sure you can, how about this hypothetical, Ballard agreesivly goes after Norwell and signs him, he trades the #6 pick to the Bills for their two #1’s and drafts McGinchley and Wynn,now your OL is fixed.

Last year, Ballard had about 2.1 milliseconds to consider free agency after he was signed as GM and he had Grigson's scouting staff reports upon which to do it. The fact that he signed Simon and Hankins and Woods in that short amount of time whom all played well for us last season is a minor miracle.

Also, he was working with Grigon's staff for the 2017 draft as well. Again, the fact that he found Hooker, Wilson, Mack, Stewart, Hairston and Walker out of that mess certainly bodes well for the future. Sure, Banner wa a complete bust and the court is still out on Basham (tending towards bust) but everyone else from that draft class has shown potential and is in line for lots of playing time this season (when healthy).

Honestly, to me, the big heartburn is the lack of spending on the 2018 free agency class (and the cutting of folks in the transition from 3-4 to 4-3 defense). One or two more quality free agents would have perhaps strengthened us at the right spots to feel more comfortable about where the O-Line, WR corps or defense (any level) was at right now.

But, we did not, we are playing the younsters and our season end results will rest on their growth. If a couple of our younsters rise to the challenge, then we will have a great foudation to build on. If they do not....

Current projected Free Cap Space in 2019:

01/IND/$119.5m
02/NYJ/$109.4m
03/HOU/$093.3m
04/BUF/$090.1m
05/CIN/$079.8m
06/CLE/$078.3m
07/SEA/$068.0m
08/DAL/$065.3m
09/OAK/$63.9m
10/SF../$60.1m

So, we will have roughly twice as much to spend on free agents next season as the #9 and #10 teams. Which is nice.

Other teams of note:

16/TEN/$35.6m
21/NE../$25.7m
31/JAX/$-8.9m
32/PHI/$-23.5m (a dismantling is coming...)

If Ballard sits out next year's free agency frenzy, then I will be lighting the torches and sharpening the pitchforks personally. I don't know who will be in the free agency class for sure but we will have the cash to spend big and we probably will not be spending much on our own free agency class:

Colts 2019 Unrestricted Free Agents:

WR Ryan Grant, 28 years old
PK Adam Vinatieri, 46 years old
OG Matt Slausson, 33 years old
DE Margus Hunt, 32 years old
NT Al Woods, 32 years old
CB Pierre Desir, 28 years old
RB Robert Turbin, 29 years old
RB Christian Michael, 28 years old
OT J'Marcus Webb, 31 years old
OLB Najee Goode, 30 years old
SS Clayton Geathers, 27 years old
OG Mark Glowinski, 26 years old
OT Denzell Good, 27 years old

Unless this is just a breakout year for a guy like Geathers, Good, Desir or Grant, I just don't see the Colts needed to spend big money to retain any of these guys. Vinny will be retained if he desires to play and is still effective but he will cost $4m a year. Big deal! Otherwise...

If he sits out the first phase of free agency next year, then I will be disappointed in his vision. You cannot buy championships, you need to layer good draft on top of good draft but you do need to add the few pieces here and there. Next year is the time to do so.

Walk Worthy,

I’m not specifically knocking Ballard for not getting Norwell, I’m simply arguing that it’s not “trying to have it both ways” to agree with addressing the O-line but not liking the Nelson pick. There have been other ways of addressing the OL available to Ballard. I commented on Jacksonville specifically because I found it funny they were used as an example of what Ballard is trying to do when their approach is almost a 180 from the way he is going about it.

The excuses of culture, scouting staff, and lack of time don’t hold for me. Last year Ballard landed Sheard, Hankins, Simon, and Woods. That’s not a bad haul. No huge names but it’s very similar to the Grigson method of adding some mid tier free agents on flexibile contracts to bolster the roster. Although admittedly more effective than many of Grigson’s signings. Why would you do that for a known lame duck coach but not when you are completely changing defensive schemes and therefore jettisoning some of the few quality players you have?

The only reason not to do it that I can see is if you are starting a longer term rebuild. Then you can argue (although I still wouldn’t agree completely) it makes some sense to gut some of the veterans that aren’t seen as viable long term contributors, GIVE young guys jobs they haven’t earned, and not look for real solutions in free agency. It’s hard to believe after the signings he had last year that Ballard could find only one potentially meaningful contributor on D this year (Autry) after changing schemes and gutting vets. Throw in RT and WR2 and there were plenty of options available for improving the roster. Ballard punted. He did so because he views this as a longer term rebuild.

Yes, I agree he will eventually add some free agents. Although I think you will be disappointed next year. Regardless Ballard has purposely and knowingly punted on this season and I simply disagree with that. I don’t believe you build a winning culture by losing. I don’t believe you build a winning culture by gifting guys jobs. I believe there is value in veteran leadership. I believe there is value in guys competing and realizing they aren’t good enough yet. I believe the tone and culture of a team is set by the coaches AND by the veterans in a locker room. When you add in the team has a franchise QB in place who is entering his prime and I simply don’t agree with Ballard’s vision. Time will tell.

Those of you tripping over yourselves to defend Ballard's OL decisions can stop making yourselves look foolish. Ballard himself admitted he screwed up.

This type of honesty is why I am specifically not calling for Ballard to be fired. I still support him. I want him to do a good job. I think he has some good ideas. I am ok w/being patient as long as he learns from mistakes. It's why I was fine w/taking Smith in the 2nd. I saw it as Ballard trying to fix his screw up.

Criticism is not hate.

Agreed. I’ve said before and I’ll say again - I don’t hate Ballard and I don’t want him fired. That would be monumentally stupid at this point. I simply disagree with what I see as his vision. I hope I’m wrong and I’ll cheer my ass off for Nelson and all the other young guys. I think it’s likely he will eventually learn another lesson from throwing away this season.

Fuck this learning shit, either they know what to do or they don't. When you become a GM in the NFL, the learning curve should be over or you hired the wrong guy.

Whether you agree with Ballard’s approach or not you can’t fire him at this point. That’s Cleveland level turnover and dysfunction. You can’t have that. Ballard’s direction, whether I agree with it or not, is better than starting over. Again. Just have to ride it out and see what he produces. I don’t believe that makes him immune to criticism though.

A GM should not have to learn how to scout, to trust the tape, to have an imperfect system in place, that steers him in the right direction more often than not or to have a clear, concise and non-wavering conviction in how to build a team.

But at the same time, they are all human. Everybody cuts corners on occasion, they fuck up, they learn from it and they don't do it again.

Let me say it slowly for you:

Norwell
wasn't
going
to
sign
with
us

And you know that how?

Indeed.

2018 OG / OT free agent signings:

$15.500m annual average = OT Nate Solder, 30 years old (NE -> NYG)
$13.300m annual average = OG Andrew Norwell, 26 years old (CAR -> JAX)
$08.995m annual average = OG Justin Pugh, 28 years old (NYG -> ARI)
$07.300m annual average = OT Chris Hubbard, 27 years old (PIT -> CLE)
$07.000m annual average = OG Zach Fulton, 26 years old (KC -> HOU)
$06.625m annual average = OG Josh Kline, 28 years old (TEN -> TEN)

Those are the top six non-OC signed in free agency this year.

Three of them went to divisional rivals.

Obviously, the OG situation was modified if Ballard was pretty much dead set on Nelson and then taking a second OG early in the 2nd round. His plan on drafting 2 and signing a lower cost veteran (Matt Slauson, $2.500m) clearly worked out.

As for OT, Chris Hubbard has no better PFF scores than Joe Haeg or Denzelle Good and was paid pretty phat in free agency.

Of the other OTs in free agency not named Nate Solder, the one with the highest PFF grade trend was....Austin Howard whom obviously failed.

This was not a good year to try and fix your offensive line. It was either Solder or Norwell or the draft. We missed on the two prime free agents so to the draft we went.

Anyway, I hope that one of Haeg or Good can seize the RT spot during the season and excel at it and see if Smith can unseat Slauson at RG at some point during the season. Get that group playing together and see how they gel.

Walk Worthy,

Let me return the favor for you:

Neither
Nelson
nor
Norwell
were
the
only
fucking
options
to
fix
the
line
thru
two
free agent
periods
and
two
drafts

Apparently you lack in reading comprehension. Or you are to busy trying to be an ass to actually fucking read. I specifically said I wasn’t knocking Ballard for not signing Norwell. Someone else brought up Jacksonville building up both O and D lines as an example of what Ballard should do. I commented how I found it funny he used Jacksonville as an example when they’ve liberally used free agency to do that, unlike what we are told Ballard can do. Somehow the hot bed of NFL football that is Jacksonville has landed impact free agents but apparently Indy is incapable.

Seeing as how Nelson is the single player over the past two drafts and free agent periods that could fix the Colts Oline, Ballard is either extremely lucky or a complete fucking genius to put his team in a position to draft him. I wonder if maybe Ballard fabricated the Luck recovery issue to make sure he was in a position to get Nelson? Could you imagine if Luck had played last year? They probably would not have been in a position to take a guard at 6. Then the Colts OLine would apparently never get fixed! Regardless thank god for Ballard’s foresight to get the one and true savior for the Colts line.

For the record, Nelson appears to be a hell of a player. And hopefully he anchors the line for the next decade. But the lengths you guys are going to say Ballard has had no other options are fucking ridiculous.