Colts Salary Cap Update – Regular Season 2018

[sherck]

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,