Where Colts Stand In Free Agency

A series of roster moves added three expensive players and subtracted three to save salary cap space. Colts general manager Chris Ballard now must decide how much he likes any smart buys still available.

INDIANAPOLIS — As NFL free agency headlines lessen in this second week, let’s take a look at where the Indianapolis Colts stand after a series of moves.

The bottom line is salary cap space, and the Colts now have roughly $29.2 million, according to spotrac.com. That leaves some room for general manager Chris Ballard to make some smart buys that aren’t too expensive, but he could also opt to roll over much of that money toward 2020.

Quarterback Philip Rivers became the Colts’ highest-paid player when he agreed to a one-year, $25-million deal for his 17th NFL season. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, acquired in a trade with San Francisco for the Colts’ first-round draft choice, ranks second on the salary scale at $23.378 million.

The fact that 2019 starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett ranks third at $21.375 million is the subject of obvious speculation. It’s less than ideal to have two quarterbacks costing so much, but Ballard probably won’t find many trade partners willing to eat Brissett’s contract.

And if 2019 was a reminder of anything, teams need to have a Plan B. Brissett was that after quarterback Andrew Luck unexpectedly retired. So while Ballard ideally would prefer to spend some of that money on other positions, he’s also mindful that Rivers is 38 and should he struggle, Brissett can be Plan B again.

Here’s an accounting of Colts players past and present, in terms of their status during free agency.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

WR Devin Funchess; S Clayton Geathers; WR Dontrelle Inman; WR Chester Rogers; DE Jabaal Sheard; K Adam Vinatieri; RB Jonathan Williams.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers)

CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun (not tendered as RFA); DT Trevon Coley (not tendered as RFA); S Isaiah Johnson (not tendered as ERFA); WR Marcus Johnson (not tendered as RFA); S Kai Nacua (not tendered as ERFA).

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED
DT DeForest Buckner (trade 49ers, $84M, $44.378M guaranteed/4 yrs); QB Philip Rivers (UFA Chargers, $25M guaranteed/1 yr, $12M SB).

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
T Anthony Castonzo (potential UFA; $33M/2 yrs, $17M guaranteed/$10M guaranteed).

PLAYERS LOST
C Josh Andrews (6 games played/0 starts, UFA Jets, terms unknown); CB Pierre Desir (12/11, released/signed by Jets); TE Eric Ebron (11/2, UFA Steelers; terms unknown); T/G Joe Haeg (16/0, UFA Buccaneers, terms unknown); QB Brian Hoyer (4/1, released, signed by Patriots); DT Margus Hunt (16/5, released).

(Thanks to longtime NFL writer Howard Balzer, https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/, for compiling NFL roster updates.)