March 16, 2026, 9:20 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
Over the weekend, several Indianapolis Colts<\/a> players either had salaries guaranteed or earned roster bonuses, according to Spotrac<\/a>.<\/p>\n These 2026 dates that locked in the bonuses or guarantees for each player were baked into the original contracts when they were signed.<\/p>\n Generally speaking, for a player, the guarantees or bonuses provide more financial commitment from the team and added stability. Then for the organization, these dates can be a demarcation of when roster decisions have to be made if that player’s future with the team is uncertain<\/p>\n Colts<\/a> 2026 and 2027 roster bonuses and guaranteed salariesCharvarius Ward: $12.9M 2026 salary guaranteedDeForest Buckner: $10M roster bonus for 2026Cam Bynum: $10M 2026 salary guaranteedBernhard Raimann: $8.3M of 2027 salary guaranteedQuenton Nelson: $2M roster bonus for 2026Ashont Dulin: $340,000 roster bonus for 2026Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n Currently, the Colts have $42.14 millioin in salary cap space in 2026, and they are projected to have $98.4 million in 2027, according to Over the Cap<\/a>. Those figures already take into account the roster bonuses and salary guarantees.<\/p>\n If anything, due to the additional guaranteed money that each player is receiving, it makes getting out of those contracts more difficult for the Colts, with there being more dead cap that would have to be navigated.<\/p>\n However, that’s a moot point, given that each of these players is going to play an important role on this 2026 Colts team. Moving on from any of the players mentioned wasn’t going to be a part of the offseason plan.<\/p>\n