The Colts' 2013 first round draft pick Bjoern Werner is Indy's only draft selection left unsigned. All other rookies are under contract and may participate in OTAs when they begin next week.
You can thank the somewhat new collective bargaining agreement for effectively ending rookie holdouts. Their contracts are slotted now, with players getting paid based on where they are drafted. For Werner, he need look no further than the contract the Pittsburgh Steelers gave last year's No. 24 overall selection, former Stanford guard and Andrew Luck teammate David DeCastro.
DeCastro signed a 4-year, $7.813 million contract that reportedly gave him $4.12 million in bonus money. That will pretty much be Werner's deal in 2013, making him count somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.6 million against Indy's cap in 2013.
Not including Werner's potential contract, Indianapolis Star beat writer Mike Chappell informs us that the Colts are roughly $8.32 million under their adjusted salary-cap limit. That current limit is $126.5 million.
If you toss in Werner's projected cap hit, the Colts have roughly $6 million and change under the cap. This is just enough money for roster moves such as IR buyouts, practice squad signings, emergency player signings, and so forth. It's not enough for the Colts to make any more significant roster additions.
Now, if the Colts cut Samson Satele before June 1st, they save $1.7 million under the cap for 2013. That money is enough to sign a quality veteran at any position. However, since A.Q. Shipley was traded, it's unlikely Satele will get released. The only other centers on the roster are two rookies: 2013 4th round pick Khaled Holmes and undrafted free agent Ricky Schmeig. Keeping Satele after June 1st means they must eat his entire $3.86 mill cap hit in 2013. He counted only $1.86 mill last year. In 2014, his cap hit jumps further to $5.36 mill.
Somewhat related: I want general manager Ryan Grigson fired. He smells and I don't like how he trims his goatee. I also hear he likes the Twilight novels and that his favorite character is Aro. I cannot abide that. Fire his ass!