Updated Salary Cap (3/24/12)

[BlueShoe]

I will preclude this by saying that my numbers are not 100% straight from the Indianapolis Colts or the NFL and that I have no affiliation with them other than I bleed blue just like most other Colts fans. I have been keeping an excel spreadsheet of the Colts Cap for several years dating back into the 90’s and I am usually very accurate.

As of now my raw cap hit, according to the rules of the offseason, is $105,543,273.

Now this is including a lot of dead cap space which I currently have estimated to be $26,012,777. It goes without saying that this is by far the largest amount of dead cap space that we have ever had or that I have ever seen.

What my numbers do not include are the rookies and anything that happens to Dwight Freeney. Currently Freeney is counting against the 2012 cap at $19,035,000. If in the event that we were to cut him then we would add on another $5,000,000 in dead cap space; however we would decrease the overall 2012 cap by $14,035,000.

Also, some of the contracts I have been forced to use an estimated best guess at based on previous contracts because of the information not being readily available. Can I be off on some of those? Sure, but it won't be by much. Contracts are pretty standard in how they pay out and after you look at thousands of them then you see a trend. I use that trend to help me fill out the rest of the unknown.

Just passing the info along to whoever might find it useful.

[alawai]

Thanks for the info.

[Rebelknight]

You never said how much cap space we have....Outstanding job tracking all of this BTW

[Malakai432]

You never said how much cap space we have....Outstanding job tracking all of this BTW

I'm assuming $105,543,273 - $120,600,000 (2012 salary cap) = 15,056,727 without factoring rookie salary perhaps. I am no cap expert so I'm probably wrong.

[vacolt16]

Is it true that under the new CBA a team can defer two contracts of dead money to the next year? I read that somewhere recently but don't remember the source. If that's the case, I wonder if the Colts would do that with Manning's hit and one other player if it won't create more problems in 2013.

[Rebelknight]

Next year we should have all kinds of cap room right?

[GAColt]

After all the releases a couple of weeks ago, they had dead cap money of $38m. They can move a portion of dead money from 2 contracts to 2013. Does your $26m dead cap money assume they are moving $12m to 2013?

Dead cap space

Manning. 10.4

Brackett. 7.2

Clark. 6.9

Hayden. 5.4

Addai. 3.7

Bullitt. 2.7

Collins. 1.2

McClendon. .2

Total. 37.7

[wercolts]

Best thread in ages

[vacolt16]

After all the releases a couple of weeks ago, they had dead cap money of $38m. They can move a portion of dead money from 2 contracts to 2013. Does your $26m dead cap money assume they are moving $12m to 2013?

Dead cap space

Manning. 10.4

Brackett. 7.2

Clark. 6.9

Hayden. 5.4

Addai. 3.7

Bullitt. 2.7

Collins. 1.2

McClendon. .2

Total. 37.7

So they could free up an additonal 17.6 million by moving Manning and Brackett's contracts. That would make it easier to keep Freeney at his current contract if they wanted to do so. Or if they either renegotiate with Freeney or release him, they would have even more space this year. I guess it depends on whether or not the front office wants to bite the bullet this year and eat all of the dead cap money or spread it out over two years. Since most of the biggest contracts have been dumped this year I wonder who could be released next year from the current roster and what would the damage be in dead money.

[jwilli69]

26 mill seems to be light in the dead cap pool. Didn't realize we still have dead money left from Haydens contract (how bad was that contract anyways). I don't think there is anyone left to dump for next season to create dead money space unless we let Mathis or Wayne go, nobody else makes anything outside of those 2 and Bethea.

[GAColt]

So they could free up an additonal 17.6 million by moving Manning and Brackett's contracts. That would make it easier to keep Freeney at his current contract if they wanted to do so. Or if they either renegotiate with Freeney or release him, they would have even more space this year. I guess it depends on whether or not the front office wants to bite the bullet this year and eat all of the dead cap money or spread it out over two years. Since most of the biggest contracts have been dumped this year I wonder who could be released next year from the current roster and what would the damage be in dead money.

I don't think they can move the full amount of those contracts to next year, just a portion. Also, there are rules for moving the dead money, and I'm not sure what all those are with the new CBA. It's possible based on the timing of the cuts, they all have to be taken this year.

[GAColt]

26 mill seems to be light in the dead cap pool. Didn't realize we still have dead money left from Haydens contract (how bad was that contract anyways). I don't think there is anyone left to dump for next season to create dead money space unless we let Mathis or Wayne go, nobody else makes anything outside of those 2 and Bethea.

Hayden was released after June 1 last year, so his was spread over 2 yrs.

[PrincetonTiger]

Nice info

[pacolts56]

So they could free up an additonal 17.6 million by moving Manning and Brackett's contracts. That would make it easier to keep Freeney at his current contract if they wanted to do so. Or if they either renegotiate with Freeney or release him, they would have even more space this year. I guess it depends on whether or not the front office wants to bite the bullet this year and eat all of the dead cap money or spread it out over two years. Since most of the biggest contracts have been dumped this year I wonder who could be released next year from the current roster and what would the damage be in dead money.

Unless we can land a very reliable free agent at a critical need position.... and most of those guys are off the market... I say rip the band-aid off and flush out the dead cap money now.

But let's also get this Freeney contract situation settled one way or another because his cap hit is unacceptable whether he stays or not.

Thanks to the OP for this update.

[vacolt16]

I don't think they can move the full amount of those contracts to next year, just a portion. Also, there are rules for moving the dead money, and I'm not sure what all those are with the new CBA. It's possible based on the timing of the cuts, they all have to be taken this year.

It will be interesting to see how the new front office manages this situation. It should provide some insights into what their plan / vision is for the next few years as the team rebuilds.

Thanks.

[GAColt]

Unless we can land a very reliable free agent at a critical need position.... and most of those guys are off the market... I say rip the band-aid off and flush out the dead cap money now.

But let's also get this Freeney contract situation settled one way or another because his cap hit is unacceptable whether he stays or not.

Thanks to the OP for this update.

I agree with that. As of now, there isn't much out there, but maybe after the draft and after June 1 a few guys may be released that could help us.

[JJ4JC]

I agree with pacolts56, let's just get it over with and take our lumps. We seem to have done a pretty good job thus far filling holes and assembling a somewhat competetive team (on paper). Couple that with a potentially star-studded draft class and who knows...!

Hats off to those in-tune with the cap numbers. Very helpful information, thank you!

[vacolt16]

I agree with that. As of now, there isn't much out there, but maybe after the draft and after June 1 a few guys may be released that could help us.

I think we're thin at TE, and while I wouldn't be surprised to see us draft one, I'd like to see us sign a veteran who's more a receiver than blocker. The free agent from Minnesota, Vistanthe Shiancoe, might be a good option if the price is right. The only other position that we might want to bolster with a veteran, whether it would be before the draft or after the June 1 cuts, would be a nose tackle. That position is critical to the success of the 3-4 and I'm not sure if I would want to leave that up to a rookie or someone already on the roster.

[chrisfarley]

We are tight with our cap. Most teams are not, with some exceptions. We are in pretty bad shape if we keep Freeney.

[pacolts56]

I think we're thin at TE, and while I wouldn't be surprised to see us draft one, I'd like to see us sign a veteran who's more a receiver than blocker. The free agent from Minnesota, Vistanthe Shiancoe, might be a good option if the price is right. The only other position that we might want to bolster with a veteran, whether it would be before the draft or after the June 1 cuts, would be a nose tackle. That position is critical to the success of the 3-4 and I'm not sure if I would want to leave that up to a rookie or someone already on the roster.

I agree... having lost Tamme and with Dallas Clark likely signing elsewhere we do need to add a TE.

And the NT spot especially, is a position I wouldn't mind seeing us address with a reasonable free agent signing. This is where the Freeney contract/cap hit re-do would be of most immediate help. Or a trade if it makes sense.

Antonio Garay would be my choice at the right price.... plus a NT prospect in the draft.

[Smonroe]

I will preclude this by saying that my numbers are not 100% straight from the Indianapolis Colts or the NFL and that I have no affiliation with them other than I bleed blue just like most other Colts fans. I have been keeping an excel spreadsheet of the Colts Cap for several years dating back into the 90’s and I am usually very accurate.

As of now my raw cap hit, according to the rules of the offseason, is $105,543,273.

Now this is including a lot of dead cap space which I currently have estimated to be $26,012,777. It goes without saying that this is by far the largest amount of dead cap space that we have ever had or that I have ever seen.

What my numbers do not include are the rookies and anything that happens to Dwight Freeney. Currently Freeney is counting against the 2012 cap at $19,035,000. If in the event that we were to cut him then we would add on another $5,000,000 in dead cap space; however we would decrease the overall 2012 cap by $14,035,000.

Also, some of the contracts I have been forced to use an estimated best guess at based on previous contracts because of the information not being readily available. Can I be off on some of those? Sure, but it won't be by much. Contracts are pretty standard in how they pay out and after you look at thousands of them then you see a trend. I use that trend to help me fill out the rest of the unknown.

Just passing the info along to whoever might find it useful.

Nice job, please keep it up.

[FireJimCaldwell]

No comment.

[dgambill]

That dead cap space doesn't seem right but anyways the Freeney bit is something we should DEFINATELY address. He will not be coming back next year and our team isn't going to win this year. He is a luxury we can't afford. 14 million saved this year to spend or save and roll over to next years cap so we can be more aggressive on bigger names will be extremely helpful. I really think now that the DE/Pass rushers have all went in FA that we will see some calls on Freeney. Especially teams with lots of cap space like Tennessee and Cincy that need dline help. I would be very surprised if we didn't hear more rumors about Freeney in the days to come and ESPECIALLY after the draft if some teams don't get what they are looking for.

[UndecidedFrog]

I have done the exercise numerous times, and updated it with all of the Colts recent roster moves.

You can see it in the pinned thread entitled "The Cap".

BTW, my dead cap space for 2012 = $36.46 million

and my available cap room so far, including all the rookies on contract (except Vittatoe) is about $8 million, with the draft and UDFAs coming up.