Salary Cap $177.2 million for 2018
 

The NFL announced the salary cap has been set at $177.2 million for 2018.

That's a $10.2 million increase from 2017. Over the last half decade, the salary cap has risen close to $60 million. With players making more and more each year and the league raking in billions, the cap will continue to rise.

Mar 5 - 7:03 PM

http://www.rotoworld.com/sports/nfl/football

:cool:

It is rising at a ridiculous rate.

Good. Hopefully the Colts do what they have to to stay in CBA compliance while continuing to roll over/have tons of cap room to get quality players, or, after a few more Ballard drafts, (hopefully) retain them.

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

$118.380m = Top 51 Current Contracts
$001.110m = Spots 52/53 on Active Roster
$001.779m = Dead Money
$009.877m = Projected Draft Pool (#3 overall is expensive...)
$001.200m = 10-man Practice Squad
$003.000m = In-Season "Churn" Space
==========
$135.346m = 2018 Cap Obligations

$058.691m = Free Cap Space to spend on Free Agents

$58m in cap space buys A LOT of potential free agents at $8m per season averages.

Sure, a CB1 will cost more per season. A WR1/2 might cost more. Nate Solder or Andrew Norwell will cost more.

But a veteran RB, veteran guards not named Norwell, linebackers or depth DEs are all going to cost less.

I don't want Ballard to sign folks just to sign folks....but there is A LOT of money for him to use to fill holes on this roster.

Walk Worthy,

We are in good shape with the rolling 5-year average of being over 93% of the cap.

And if not, then it is just money out of Irsay's pocket paid directly to the players union. It is not impact the actual salary cap unless it falls below some incredibly low threshold like 70% of cap for a rolling 5-year.

Again, cap managment (and contract construction) was the one thing Grigson was good at. The only thing....

Walk Worthy,

Really need Ballard to sign 2-3 difference makers this year. No excuse not to.

Not sure there are that many available. Not a great year to have lots of cap.

This free agent class doesn't have that many of them. After Norwell and maybe Bowman, there are a lot of questions looking to get paid like answers. I don't think that should prevent them from being in on guys like Sheldon Richardson, Nigel Bradham, and Kyle Fuller, but this draft is deep at LB, and most of those guys, like most of the players in free agency, have a lot of risk potential to go along with their reward potential, so I won't be surprised at just about any direction the Colts decide to go in free agency.

In free agency, I would be happy with Norwell, Allen Robinson and somebody who can play decently at either MIKE or WILL.

After that, build through the draft.

This would qualify as my 2-3 quality players that I mentioned above. I would be very happy with those two, Hitchens, and Melvin re-signed on a reasonable deal.