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As the Colts have kept making moves in free agency, we’ve kept monitoring the contract situations of the free agents they bring in. So far, they haven’t really made a ton of big-money or high-risk moves, and that continued earlier this week with the signings of Margus Hunt and Brian Schwenke.
Yesterday, we finally saw contract details for the two of them, and they are perfectly reasonable deals.
Margus Hunt
2 years, $4.1 million ($500,000 guaranteed)
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, Hunt signed a two-year deal with the Colts worth $4.1 million. His base salary in 2017 is $1.1 million, while his base salary in 2018 is $1.5 million. He has $500,000 that is guaranteed on March 17, 2017, while he has $500,000 in incentives annually. He also has a $31,250 per game active roster bonus.
Understanding the details on this contract is crucial. Hunt’s base salaries are very reasonable, while he’s only getting $500,000 guaranteed. There are a lot of incentives in this deal (like in most of the free agent deals the Colts have signed this offseason) and little guaranteed money. What does that mean? It means that this signing is what most thought it was: a flier on a guy who can contribute on special teams and who the Colts hope will provide depth and competition along the defensive line. If that doesn’t happen, the Colts can move on without too much of a cap hit, but they also get a guy who can come in and compete.
Brian Schwenke
1 year, $1.3 million ($300,000 guaranteed)
The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson also has details on Brian Schwenke’s contract with the Colts, as he notes that Schwenke signed a one-year deal with the Colts worth $1.3 million. Schwenke has a base salary of $800,000, received a $300,000 signing bonus, has $500,000 in incentives, and has a $12,500 per game active roster bonus.
Like with Hunt’s contract, Schwenke’s deal with the Colts is a low-risk deal that brings him in to compete. Schwenke will likely compete for the starting right guard spot, but if he doesn’t win that competition he’ll also be competition for a depth offensive line role, with his ability to play both guard and center. Once again, this contract is perfectly reasonable for that type of situation.