Taking a look at the top 10 Indianapolis Colts under contract in 2026, NFL salary cap projections and the team’s highest-paid players.
One of this past season’s biggest surprises early on was the Indianapolis Colts. After starting a blistering 8-2, injuries got the best of them, as they lost their next seven straight following their Week 11 bye. With a little bit of luck and possibly some new pieces, the Colts should be able to prove the first half of last year wasn’t a fluke. With plenty of cap space, the sky is the limit for the Colts.
Below, we will take a look at the 10 best players that the Indianapolis Colts still have under contract for next season. We will also look at NFL salary cap projections and the top cap hits on the team in 2026.
10 Best Indianapolis Colts Under Contract in 2026
These are the 10 best players the Indianapolis Colts still have under contract for the 2026 season, in the order of their current salary cap hit. It’s important to note that this list is looking at their top players, not necessarily their highest paid players as that sometimes doesn’t always overlap.
- Michael Pittman Jr., WR ($29M)
- DeForest Buckner, DL ($26.6M)
- Quenton Nelson, G ($24.2M)
- Charvarius Ward, CB ($19.9M)
- Bernhard Raimann, LT ($17.5M)
- Jonathan Taylor, RB ($15.6M)
- Camryn Bynum, S ($15M)
- Kenny Moore, CB ($13.1M)
- Sauce Gardner, CB ($9.5M)
- Zaire Franklin, LB ($8.3M)
Highest Indianapolis Colts Cap Hits in 2026
As things stand today, here is a list of the 10 highest player hits against the Indianapolis Colts’ salary cap in 2026. Obviously, contracts can be manipulated, and a player could be cut or traded as well. In the case a player would be released, we have listed a player’s dead cap which indicates how much money they would count against the cap should they be cut.
- Michael Pittman Jr., WR ($29M) ($5M dead cap)
- DeForest Buckner, DL ($26.6M) ($20.8M)
- Quenton Nelson, G ($24.2M) ($6.2M)
- Charvarius Ward, CB ($19.9M) ($18.3M)
- Bernhard Raimann, LT ($17.5M) ($31M)
- Jonathan Taylor, RB ($15.6M) ($2.6M)
- Camryn Bynum, S ($15M) ($19.5M)
- Grover Stewart, DL ($14.3M) ($2M)
- Kenny Moore, CB ($13.1M) ($6.1M)
- Anthony Richardson, QB ($10.8M) ($10.8M)
NFL Salary Cap Projections 2026
The league has informed teams that the 2026 NFL salary cap will be between $301.2 million and $305.7 million per team. Below, we will assume a salary cap of $303.45 million, using data from Spotrac.
| Rk | TM | Current Players | Cap Space | Dead Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TEN | 52 | $97,776,638 | $5,135,657 |
| 2 | LV | 49 | $87,821,212 | $35,238,302 |
| 3 | LAC | 52 | $82,100,325 | $478,183 |
| 4 | NYJ | 51 | $78,990,889 | $88,996,619 |
| 5 | WAS | 52 | $66,506,531 | $12,592,731 |
| 6 | SEA | 57 | $63,421,971 | $483,724 |
| 7 | CIN | 63 | $52,675,496 | $11,248,222 |
| 8 | PIT | 60 | $44,768,173 | $7,934,338 |
| 9 | LAR | 53 | $44,390,412 | $8,570,436 |
| 10 | IND | 60 | $34,952,488 | $2,093,644 |
| 11 | NE | 64 | $34,800,699 | $20,364,345 |
| 12 | ARI | 59 | $32,813,790 | $14,951,854 |
| 13 | ATL | 50 | $26,181,296 | $4,660,354 |
| 14 | DEN | 55 | $26,033,090 | $1,218,922 |
| 15 | BAL | 48 | $22,673,001 | $12,262,715 |
| 16 | SF | 59 | $22,453,414 | $36,327,740 |
| 17 | TB | 52 | $14,479,885 | $253,922 |
| 18 | CAR | 54 | $9,875,093 | $14,607,844 |
| 19 | NYG | 58 | $7,030,099 | $216,988 |
| 20 | PHI | 56 | $3,679,036 | $53,387,574 |
| 21 | MIA | 52 | -$3,699,267 | $73,949,385 |
| 22 | GB | 66 | -$4,344,831 | $17,171,715 |
| 23 | HOU | 54 | -$8,042,142 | $39,318,780 |
| 24 | DET | 49 | -$9,151,960 | $9,287,290 |
| 25 | CHI | 53 | -$9,503,349 | $917,995 |
| 26 | JAX | 61 | -$12,074,552 | $50,977,118 |
| 27 | KC | 54 | -$14,403,869 | $215,642 |
| 28 | BUF | 59 | -$15,187,073 | $30,093,166 |
| 29 | CLE | 55 | -$19,541,898 | $39,763,849 |
| 30 | DAL | 54 | -$25,890,723 | $24,344,178 |
| 31 | MIN | 54 | -$40,632,414 | $5,608,074 |
| 32 | NO | 66 | -$41,774,364 | $90,590,412 |
