Contract details emerge for Colts’ deals with Jabaal Sheard, Robert Turbin

The Indianapolis Colts have been busy in free agency so far, as in the past week the Colts have signed six free agents and re-signed two of their own, so while the moves might not be the most exciting it’s still fair to say that the Colts are in fact being active in free agency.

We had already heard contract details for the team’s deals with Jeff Locke, Barkevious Mingo, and John Simon, and now we’ve also heard contract details reported for their deals with Jabaal Sheard and Robert Turbin. So let’s take a look at the contracts that both of those players signed with the Colts.

Jabaal Sheard

3 years, $25.5 million ($12.75 million guaranteed)

ESPN’s Adam Schefter had the general contract details on Sheard’s deal with the Colts very quickly after the news of the move, and Sheard signed a three-year deal with the Colts worth $25.5 million with $12.75 million of that guaranteed. The Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder broke it down this morning by saying that there was no signing bonus on Sheard’s deal, and that his cap numbers each year will be $9.968 million in 2017, $7.5 million in 2018, and $8 million in 2019. The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson mentioned that Sheard had a $7 million roster bonus that was paid yesterday (March 13, 2017) and that his $2.5 million base salary this year is guaranteed while $3.25 million of his $7 million base salary next year is guaranteed for injury with the whole thing becoming guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league new year. Wilson also notes that Sheard has a $31,250 per game roster bonus.

The moral of the story: in a free agent market desperate for pass rushers and edge defenders, this is the going rate. It may seem like a lot for Sheard, but if the Colts wanted to sign him this seems like a fair price considering how the market is going. For the most part the Colts have been signing smaller-money free agents, but Sheard is the biggest one they’ve signed so far in terms of money - and he’ll likely have the biggest initial role too, as he’ll probably start at strongside outside linebacker. If he proves to be a significant upgrade over Erik Walden there, he’ll certainly be worth the contract the Colts gave him.

Robert Turbin

2 years, $2.7 million ($500,000 guaranteed)

Robert Turbin’s new deal with the Colts was initially reported yesterday, and it was a two-year deal worth up to $4.1 million, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. Today, the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson provided some more details on the contract, saying that it’s actually a $2.7 million deal plus incentives. Turbin’s base salary in 2017 will be $800,000 (with $200,000 of that fully guaranteed) and then $1 million in 2018. He will receive a $300,000 roster bonus on March 16, 2017, and then has a per game roster bonus of $18,750 to go with $700,000 in incentives.

That’s a really good deal for the Colts, as they get a guy who was incredibly productive last year in his limited touches for a pretty cheap contract. Turbin is their short-yardage and goal-line back and really did well there a year ago, so it makes a ton of sense to re-sign him and this contract is incredibly reasonable for the Colts.