Colts Fix Cap Crunch, Enter Free Agency

0:00On March 11th, the Indianapolis Colts just fixed their salary cap crunch with a straight forward move on offensive tackle Bernhard Raymond. They converted $11 million of his $13 million base salary for next year into a signing bonus. That instantly freed up $8.25 million in cap space this season enough to get them compliant before the new league year. This step was needed after the team slapped a transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones. That loaded nearly $38 million onto their books right away, pushing them over the limit. Raymond, who's in year two of a four-year $100 million extension, made it a low-risk place since his deal is solid long-term. Fans and front office insiders are breathing easier now. The cap fix keeps the Colts flexible amid bigger roster shifts, like trading wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh and Lymebacker Zaire. Franklin to Green Bay. Those deals will save over $28 million once processed. Meanwhile, they're signing wide receiver Alec Pierce to a four-year deal worth up to $116 million.

1:06Its structure to keep the early cap hit low, adding more relief down the line. Talks for a long-term pack with Jones are still ongoing too. With the league gear kicking off at 4pm, Wednesday, Indianapolis heads into free agency ready to build without the cap hanging over them.