Over the weekend, several Indianapolis Colts players either had salaries guaranteed or earned roster bonuses, according to Spotrac.
These 2026 dates that locked in the bonuses or guarantees for each player were baked into the original contracts when they were signed.
Generally speaking, for a player, the guarantees or bonuses provide more financial commitment from the team and added stability. Then for the organization, these dates can be a demarcation of when roster decisions have to be made if that player’s future with the team is uncertain
Colts 2026 and 2027 roster bonuses and guaranteed salaries
Currently, the Colts have $42.14 millioin in salary cap space in 2026, and they are projected to have $98.4 million in 2027, according to Over the Cap. Those figures already take into account the roster bonuses and salary guarantees.
If anything, due to the additional guaranteed money that each player is receiving, it makes getting out of those contracts more difficult for the Colts, with there being more dead cap that would have to be navigated.
However, that’s a moot point, given that each of these players is going to play an important role on this 2026 Colts team. Moving on from any of the players mentioned wasn’t going to be a part of the offseason plan.
The one unknown, at one point, may have been with Ward, who was unsure about his NFL future following the 2025 season, but it sounds like he will return for this season.
These roster bonuses and guarantees hitting the 2026 and 2027 books were already a part of the Colts’ salary cap math, so nothing should change from a roster construction standpoint.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 6 Colts players earn roster bonus or guaranteed salary
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
