Salary Cap $177.2 million for 2018

[smitty46953]

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

[Maniac]

It is rising at a ridiculous rate.

[Dam8610]

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.

[sherck]

$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,

[njcoltfan]

Originally Posted by sherck

$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,

Why is everyone in the media saying the Colts have north of 77mil in cap space??

[Puck]

Originally Posted by njcoltfan

Why is everyone in the media saying the Colts have north of 77mil in cap space??

Because they are not as good at this as Sherck

They do not take out the obligations that we have.

Take the 194 and subtract the 118 and you get 76 millionn

[sherck]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

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.

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,

[VeveJones007]

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

[FatDT]

Originally Posted by VeveJones007

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.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by VeveJones007

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

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.