Offseason schedule/preview

More photos » Michael Conroy - AP

Bethea and Jennings' offseason status will depend on whether a new CBA is reached before March 5th. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

• Feb 24- Mar 2  NFL scouting combine
• March 5th  New league year begins, Cap removed if a new CBA is not in place, Free agency begins
  
• April 22-24   NFL Draft

Colts Free Agents

Exclusive Rights (cannot sign with any other team if they are offered a 1 year, league minimum deal)

• Antonio Johnson
• Daniel Muir

Restricted (can be offered one of 4 tenders that allow the team the option of matching any contract offered, and requires draft pick compensation from the signing team (round depending on the tender offered, high salary tender=high pick compensation) if the offer is not matched.

• Melvin Bullitt

Currently in limbo, (if a new CBA is signed these players with be unrestricted free agents, if one is not, the cap is removed and these players are restricted free agents under the CBA's uncapped rules)

• Charlie Johnson
• Antoine Bethea
• Marlin Jackson
• Tyjuan Hagler
• Freddy Keiaho
• Hank Baskett
• Tim Jennings
• Dan Federkiel
• T.J. Rushing

RFA tenders are: 1st and 3rd round picks (2.79mil last year), 1st round (was 2.2mil), 2nd round (was 1.55mil) and the low tender (was 1.01mil) which has compensation equal to the players original draft round. In addition if the tender amount is less than 110% the players previous salary, the tender amount is 110% the players previous years' salary rather than the normal amount.

Unrestricted, (free to sign anywhere)

• Gary Brackett
• Matt Stover

Colts Draft picks

1 (31)

2 (63)

3 (95)

4, 5, and 7's placement within the draft will be effected by compensatory picks. The Colts 6th rounder this year was traded to Philly to the 7th rounder used to select Pat McAfee

Compensatory picks, each year 32 total picks are added to the draft on the end of the 3rd through 7th rounds in compensation for unrestricted free agents lost. The Colts lost 4 players who could net them extra late round picks. Darrell Reid (3yr, 6.8mil), Keiwan Ratliff (1yr 630K) Hunter Smith (1 yr, 899K) and Dominic Rhodes (2 yrs, 2.55mil).

So, that's the plan. The draft/free agency talk kicks off here. Build us a Colts roster that'll be even better than this years excellent team.

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!