INDIANAPOLIS – Once again, crazy money has flowed freely at the outset of the NFL’s pre-free agency negotiating window.
There’s quarterback Kirk Cousins getting a four-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons that includes $100 million guaranteed.
And defensive tackle Christian Wilkins agreeing with the Raiders on a four-year, $110 million contract with $84.75 million guaranteed.
And guard Robert Hunt agreeing to a five-year, $100 million deal with Carolina with $63 million guaranteed.
And edge rusher Brian Burns getting a five-year, $141 million deal with $87.5 million in guarantees from the New York Giants following a trade from Carolina.
Those are just the tip of the financial spear as rosters go through their annual makeover.
To this point, the Indianapolis Colts are one of five teams that have yet to add anyone from outside their building.
But no one who’s been paying attention to one of Chris Ballard’s core roster-building principles should be surprised.
That would be: Reward your own.
At some point, which means after teams are finished throwing massive contracts and guarantees at free agents this week, Ballard and his personnel staff will sign a couple of veteran free agents. A cornerback and/or safety would be nice. Maybe a wideout.
Until then, the Colts have been focused making certain as many of their own free-agents-to-be remain in Indy. They also rewarded Zaire Franklin, who has greatly outperformed his current deal, with a $31.26 million extension.
Personnel moves are inherently risky, so it’s better to reinvest in a player you’re familiar with. You already know how they fit in the locker room. You know their strengths and weaknesses.
In January, Ballard revisited his approach to free agency and whether that might change with input from Shane Steichen.
“If a golden nugget sits in our face, of course we’re going to do it,’’ he said. “We both agree that the fronts are important and how to build it. Those will always be priorities for both of us.
“But in terms of free agency, I think we agree. We’re not going to be reckless. I think you can look around the league and see reckless. We’re not going to be reckless. We’re going to be smart.
“If an opportunity presents itself to get a difference maker, we’ll do it. If you just look across the league how many of them actually hit the market? I know you all write about it, but how many of them actually hit the market? There’s a reason, usually, they’re hitting the market.”
While several teams have invested heavily on outside talent, the Colts have opted to, again, reward their own. When all the numbers come in, they’ll have budgeted nearly $200 million to lock up six players with multi-year deals.
The Colts entered the week with approximately $49 million in space under the $255.5 million salary cap, and re-signing or extending their own will eat up a good portion of that.
A quick review:
Locked up
*WR Michael Pittman Jr.: three years, $70 million with $46 million guaranteed.
*DT Grover Stewart: three years, $39 million.
*CB Kenny Moore II: three years, $30 million.
*DL Tyquan Lewis: two years, $12 million, $6 million guaranteed.
*P Rigoberto Sanchez: three years, $7.5 million.
*LB Zaire Franklin: three-year extension worth $31.26 million.
Lost
*QB Gardner Minshew II: to the Las Vegas Raiders on two-year, $25 million contract.
*RB Zack Moss: to Cincinnati on two-year, $8 million contract.
Among those still in limbo
*S Julian Blackmon.
*OL Danny Pinter.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.