The Colts are committing a noticeable chunk of their 2026 cap to quarterback, but the money is split in a way that tells the whole story.
Indianapolis is carrying $32.135 million at the position, according to Over the Cap. That puts the team 14th in the league and means 10.6% of its total salary cap space is tied up under center.
The biggest number belongs to Daniel Jones, even if the immediate hit is relatively manageable. The Colts signed him earlier this offseason to a two-year, $88 million contract, but the deal is heavily backloaded.
For 2026, Jones carries a cap charge of $19.18 million, which ranks 17th and sits below league average. That changes fast, though, because his 2027 cap hit is set to jump all the way to $46.8 million.
Anthony Richardson is still on the books, too, and his number is far less forgiving for a player who may not be in the starting picture. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Richardson has a cap hit of $10.81 million. That’s a big number for a backup - or third-string quarterback - and it ranks as the eighth-largest cap hit on the roster.
If Indianapolis finds a trade partner for Richardson, the Colts would clear $5.38 million in cap space, per OTC.
Behind those two, the costs drop off sharply. Riley Leonard, a former sixth-round pick on his rookie contract, counts for just $1.063 million. Easton Stick is barely above that at $1.075 million on a veteran minimum deal.
In Other News...
PFF Just Delivered A Telling Verdict On The Colts Defense
PFFs latest look at the Colts defense offers a useful snapshot of where the unit stands heading into 2025, and it lines up with the bigger question hanging over the roster all offseason: can a group that allowed 24.2 points per game and finished 21st in the league take a meaningful step forward? The front office has tried to answer that by getting younger and faster, and the projected starting lineup now has a mix of proven veterans and players still trying to establish themselves in bigger roles.
The grades suggest the Colts have a few clear building blocks, with some starters standing out as quality pieces and others still searching for steadier production. There is also an injury wrinkle in the mix, which only adds to the uncertainty around how this defense will actually look once the season gets going, and whether the roster changes were enough to push the unit closer to the level Indianapolis needs. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Were Handed A Dream Win-Now Draft Colts Fans Will Debate
NFL.coms hypothetical seven-round redraft handed Indianapolis a kind of wish-list scenario, one that invites Colts fans to argue over both the ceiling and the realism of the haul. In the exercise, the Colts came away with a stacked mix of talent across the board, highlighted by an edge rusher in Will Anderson Jr. and a few other names that would instantly change the tone of the roster.
The fun for Colts followers is in the fit as much as the star power, because the mock puts real help around the lineup in places that have been easy to talk about for a while. Drake London would give Indianapolis a legitimate top target, Sauce Gardner would be back in the fold in a way that makes the secondary look far different, and even the later-round choices point to a team that would be trying to win now rather than think several seasons ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Why This Colts Rookie Keeps Coming Up In Anarumo's Defense
Bryce Boettchers path to the Colts has been anything but ordinary. Drafted with the 135th pick, the rookie linebacker arrives with the kind of toughness and competitive streak Indianapolis likes to tout, plus a rare versatility that could let him handle either MIKE or WILL in Lou Anarumos defense. It is the sort of profile that stands out even before a player takes a meaningful NFL snap, especially for a team still sorting out how its young linebackers fit together.
Boettcher also brings a background that makes him easy to notice in a room full of rookies. Before football became the clearer lane, he was drafted by the Astros and walked on at Oregon in both baseball and football, a route that helped shape the passion for the game Colts scout Kasia Omilan pointed to when discussing his fit. Even in the spring, when he spent most of his time with the second unit and only briefly mixed in with the starters, Boettcher kept showing up for the same reasons that got him here in the first place. [Read more 🡒]