"Around the League" is taking a look at each team's salary-cap situation heading into training camp. Next up: The Indianapolis Colts.
Adjusted cap number: $128.361 million
Cap room remaining: $14.596 million (will decrease by around $4 million when draft picks Andrew Luck, Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen are signed)
Best bargain: Inside linebacker Pat Angerer is among more than 70 current Colts under contract for the league-minimum base salary. That's a pretty good value, given that Angerer led the Colts in tackles with 148, fourth best in the NFL. It's an even better value when you consider that Angerer showed improvement in coverage; Rivers McCown reported in Football Outsiders' 2012 almanac that Angerer allowed just three passes for more than 10 yards all season. Angerer will earn $540,000 in base salary and, according to a source with knowledge of his contract, will get a $340,000 roster bonus on the first day of Colts training camp.
Potential camp casualty: Once Luck signs his rookie contract, only seven active members of the Colts will have cap numbers north of $2 million this season. One of those players is 39-year-old kicker Adam Vinatieri, who is due $2 million in base salary and hardly fits in with what is quite clearly a rebuilding season in Indianapolis.
Contract issue looming in 2013: As the Colts transition to a 3-4 defense under first-year head coach Chuck Pagano, all eyes are on Dwight Freeney, who will shift from defensive end to linebacker. A seven-time Pro Bowl player, Freeney is the Colts' all-time sacks leader with 102.5. Freeney, who is due $14.035 million in base salary this season, was reportedly excited about his new role. But the Colts might want to see how the experiment plays out over a 16-game campaign before making a long-term commitment to a player who'll turn 33 before the start of the 2013 league year.
