How Colts can create over $48 million in salary cap space in 2026

The Indianapolis Colts are positioned well salary-cap-wise this offseason. However, there is the opportunity for GM Chris Ballard to create quite a bit more room.

According to Over the Cap , the Colts have $35.59 million in available salary cap space at the moment. This is the 13th-most in the NFL.

If Ballard wants to generate more spending power, one way he can accomplish that is through contract restructures.

In short, restructures are like using a credit card -- you have money to spend in the present, but the bill comes due down the road.

Oftentimes, when restructuring a deal, teams will take a portion of a player's base salary for that year and convert it to a signing bonus. So rather than incurring the full salary cap effects of the base salary in the present, that amount as a signing bonus can be prorated over the remaining life of the contract -- thus lowering the current year's cap hit.

However, those cap charges that were pushed to future years don't just go away. Now, the player's salary cap hit in 2027 and beyond has increased.

If the Colts wanted to maximize those restructure opportunities, they could create an additional $48.5 million in available cap space for the 2026 offseason.

Although the Colts are positioned well with the salary cap, we could still see some restructures take place. However, it won't be to the fullest extent, like this graphic shows. That would drastically impact the Colts' salary cap situation in future years.

When owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon spoke with the media after the season, she mentioned how  Ballard adapted  his roster-building approach, which included being more aggressive.

Ballard then  seemed to acknowledge  that continuing down that path was going to be the plan this offseason.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: How Colts can go on spending spree during NFL free agency