Two Colts earned a big paycheck from the NFL

The NFL has officially announced performance-based pay distributions for the 2023 season, and two Indianapolis Colts cashed in.  

You are probably asking yourself, "What is performance-based pay distributions?" The NFL shared the following to explain it: 

"Under the Performance-Based Pay program, a fund is created and used as a supplemental form of player compensation based upon a comparison of playing time to salary. Players become eligible to receive a bonus distribution in any regular season in which they play at least one official down. In general, players with higher playtime percentages and lower salaries benefit most from the pool."

The NFL announced the 25 players who received the highest payout from their performance-based bay system and it included two Colts. Colts RG Will Fries came in at 12th on the list, receiving $810,961, and FS Rodney Thomas II came in at 18th, earning $769,445. For comparison, this year's top earner from the system was Baltimore Ravens guard John Simpson, who earned $974,613.

Fries is expected to start for the Colts again in 2024, entering a contract year, so it's fair to expect him to show up on this list again next year if he can stay healthy and continue his strong play. Thomas II's role, on the other hand, seems up in the air for 2024. GM Chris Ballard specifically shared that the team needs better and more consistent play out of the FS position next season. This could lead the team to look elsewhere for their starting FS spot, but if the season started tomorrow, Thomas II would be the week one starter via where the roster stands.