2024 Colts Cap

[Ironshaft]

Correct me if I am wrong,nbut doesn't the salary cap only include the top 51 players, so practice squad, churn and 52/53 players do not affect it?

I was getting ready to ask... OTC and Spotrac have us at $63.9m and $62.3m respectively. Does ^^ this explain the discrepancy?

Iron's numbers have always been good, so I'm just curious what those sites aren't accounting for.

I had seen where we had over $70 M before we signed a bunch of nobodies to future tenders. I really don't know this stuff like Iron does.

So, the differences is between the "pre-season" cap calculations and the "in-season" cap calculations.

Pre-season, you do only count the top 51 cap hits, no practice squad cap hit nor account for any "churn" space when a player gets injured and you need to start paying another player to come up from the practice squad.

Almost all the "cap" sites out there are quoting the pre-season numbers. If I were to do so, I would say we have $66.350m in free cap space.

However, I think to do so misses out on the point that there is NO WAY that the team's cap experts do not account for all the things they know they will have to pay once we get in-season.

It is not like they are going to say "hey, look! We have $66.350m to spend this off-season, YOLO!!!" and then get to the end of pre-season and say "oh, crud, we overspent, we need to cut some cap to be legal."

The number I am sure that they have an eye on before the beginning of re-signing their own free agents and trying to attract others is the number where it accounts for ALL their known expenditures, not just the ones they say count during "pre-season." I think using that number is more accurate so....that is why I use it.

So, that, in a nutshell, is why the numbers are different.

[Racehorse]

Originally Posted by Ironshaft

So, the differences is between the "pre-season" cap calculations and the "in-season" cap calculations.

Pre-season, you do only count the top 51 cap hits, no practice squad cap hit nor account for any "churn" space when a player gets injured and you need to start paying another player to come up from the practice squad.

Almost all the "cap" sites out there are quoting the pre-season numbers. If I were to do so, I would say we have $66.350m in free cap space.

However, I think to do so misses out on the point that there is NO WAY that the team's cap experts do not account for all the things they know they will have to pay once we get in-season.

It is not like they are going to say "hey, look! We have $66.350m to spend this off-season, YOLO!!!" and then get to the end of pre-season and say "oh, crud, we overspent, we need to cut some cap to be legal."

The number I am sure that they have an eye on before the beginning of re-signing their own free agents and trying to attract others is the number where it accounts for ALL their known expenditures, not just the ones they say count during "pre-season." I think using that number is more accurate so....that is why I use it.

So, that, in a nutshell, is why the numbers are different.

That makes sense. I really didn't know churn space mattered that much, seeing that the contracts typically cancel out another player's salary.

[IndyNorm]

Thanks Ironshaft. Unfortunately it looks like there won't be much room after we re-sign our own. Maybe we will restructure and extend some guys to open up some more cap room.

Of our UFA starters definitely need to keep MPJ and Grover. It'd be nice to keep both Moore and Blackmon, but I can see where it might come down to picking between the 2 of them. Sanchez was already the 7th highest paid punter, so hopefully we can re-sign him for about the same amount.

Of our depth guys listed I'd like to see us keep Minshew if we can get him back for reasonable backup QB money as well as Lewis. Obviously would like to see us keep Moss as well, but I'm guessing he'll want to go someplace where he can potentially start. No need to keep either Pinter or Bryan.

[Ironshaft]

Originally Posted by Racehorse

That makes sense. I really didn't know churn space mattered that much, seeing that the contracts typically cancel out another player's salary.

But if a player goes to IR, they still get their full season salary and still has the associated cap hit.

So, you need new money in order to bring a player up from the practice squad to the active roster.

A rookie on the practice squad for the full season will make $302,400 for the 18-week season.

Minimum salary for a rookie on the active roster is $795,000 in 2024.

That additional money has to be accounted for because injuries will happen.

[Racehorse]

Originally Posted by Ironshaft

But if a player goes to IR, they still get their full season salary and still has the associated cap hit.

So, you need new money in order to bring a player up from the practice squad to the active roster.

A rookie on the practice squad for the full season will make $302,400 for the 18-week season.

Minimum salary for a rookie on the active roster is $795,000 in 2024.

That additional money has to be accounted for because injuries will happen.

So, are you saying that every player counts, even player 52/53, and practice squad players?

[Ironshaft]

Originally Posted by Racehorse

So, are you saying that every player counts, even player 52/53, and practice squad players?

In season, yes. Every player counts.

Pre-season, no. Only the top 51 cap hits count.

The NFL does this so that teams have more flexibility to potentially bring in journeyman free agents during the 90-man phase of the season in order to find the best players. Obviously, that only counts during pre-season and once you do the cut down to the 53 man roster, all the rest of the expenses kick in (spots 52 and 53 and practice squad projections).

[IndyNorm]

I like just about everything you posted Dam. Couple of comments to add to the discussion:

- Hunter might not be available as I would think Minny will do all they can to re-sign him. They don't have a ton of cap space, but they do have some at ~$26M. Per OTC Hunter will count ~$15M in dead cap space when his contract voids in March, which is included in the Vikes' current cap number. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that goes away if he signs an extension before his contract voids (I'm sure Ironshaft can clarify). So this gives them extra incentive to get a deal done before FA begins. On a side note Kirk Cousins is a similar situation only he's ~$28.5M in dead cap space.

- Latu has a scary medical history. Not saying that this should exclude us from drafting him; just something that could factor into the decision. I'm sure it'll be a big talking point in the lead up to the draft.

- If we can sign Lewis to a similar deal to his '23 contract ($2.6M cap hit) then I'd like to see him re-signed. If he can get more elsewhere then agree that it's best to let him go.

- As far as I can tell Ironshaft didn't include the draft class in his base cap number, so under your plan you'd have to make a little bit of room for the draft class. Only ~$1M based on '23 cap hits for the draft slots where we're picking and that our bottom end guys are at $900K cap hits.

- This would put us right up against the cap, which we all know Ballard isn't going to be comfortable doing

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

I like just about everything you posted Dam. Couple of comments to add to the discussion:

- Hunter might not be available as I would think Minny will do all they can to re-sign him. They don't have a ton of cap space, but they do have some at ~$26M. Per OTC Hunter will count ~$15M in dead cap space when his contract voids in March, which is included in the Vikes' current cap number. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that goes away if he signs an extension before his contract voids (I'm sure Ironshaft can clarify). So this gives them extra incentive to get a deal done before FA begins. On a side note Kirk Cousins is a similar situation only he's ~$28.5M in dead cap space.

So I am guessing on that, but of all the pass rushers that have impending Free Agency, Hunter's situation seems like the best combination of high end talent and likely to get to the free agent market, because of Cousins. Josh Allen and Brian Burns are likely to be franchised, and you're taking a much bigger risk if you go after Chase Young, Josh Uche, or Za'Darius Smith. Hunter is a proven elite pass rusher, and because the Vikings have the Cousins situation to deal with, they likely won't have the franchise tag at their disposal. If he gets to free agency, the Colts should be offering him a contract.

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

- Latu has a scary medical history. Not saying that this should exclude us from drafting him; just something that could factor into the decision. I'm sure it'll be a big talking point in the lead up to the draft.

The medical history is why I think he'll be there at 15. I don't see how he wouldn't be EDGE1 and a top 5 pick without it. In gathering information on him, two players came to mind. The film reminds me of Myles Garrett, though I don't necessarily think he'll reach those heights because he's two years older coming out. The medical situation reminds me of Jaelan Phillips, who fell to 18 because of his medical status (both also wore 15 at UCLA at different points, coincedentally). Phillips's tape was not as good as Latu's, though. Even with the medical history, the tape is so good I like Latu over Verse, and Verse is very reminiscent of Brian Burns with no medical history.

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

- If we can sign Lewis to a similar deal to his '23 contract ($2.6M cap hit) then I'd like to see him re-signed. If he can get more elsewhere then agree that it's best to let him go.

If the Colts are addressing DE in the manner I did above, there's no room for Lewis on the team. Odeyingbo and Latu take his interior snaps, and Hunter, Paye, and Ebukam take his edge snaps. That said, under different circumstances I wouldn't be opposed to bringing both Lewis and Taven Bryan back.

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

- As far as I can tell Ironshaft didn't include the draft class in his base cap number, so under your plan you'd have to make a little bit of room for the draft class. Only ~$1M based on '23 cap hits for the draft slots where we're picking and that our bottom end guys are at $900K cap hits.

- This would put us right up against the cap, which we all know Ballard isn't going to be comfortable doing

Shit, I didn't think to check that, Ironshaft usually does include the draft pool in his numbers. I'll add a Kelly restructure, it's something I think should happen anyway.