Colts Capology: NFL Salary Cap Projected to Jump to $155M in 2016
According to NFL Network’s Rand Getlin, the NFL’s salary cap is supposed to jump to $155M in 2016, which is nearly $12M more than last year’s threshold of $143.28M:
I'm told the NFL's salary cap is expected to jump to at least $155M this year. Nearly $12M more than last year's ($143.28M).
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) February 15, 2016
Of course, it’s big news for the Colts, who are entering the 2016 offseason with a total team salary cap of around $139M–meaning that the team is projected to have around $16M of cap space before the organization makes any subsequent moves.
That being said, the Colts are looking to hammer out a long-term extension with superstar quarterback Andrew Luck this offseason, which should significantly eat into any of their available cap space.
It’s been speculated that Luck should command at least $20M annually on his next contract–one that should exceed 9 digits, and could earn as much as $25M per year on his next deal.
A deal that could very well make him the highest paid player in NFL history.
Currently, Luck is set to play on a $16.12M team option for 2016, the last remaining year of his rookie contract. As a result, he figures to be in-line for a pay raise on his upcoming mega-deal.
The Colts also have potential new contracts to agree to with impending free agents such as Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener, Jerrell Freeman, Dwight Lowery, and Adam Vinatieri among others.
While the team could theoretically free up some additional cap space by releasing a high-priced veteran such as Andre Johnson or Arthur Jones, this offseason doesn’t figure to be a free agency frenzy of signings like last offseason regardless.
Instead, the Colts will look largely to the NFL Draft in order to get younger and infuse much needed speed and talent on both sides of the football, while improving their roster as a whole through internal development.