A black Indianapolis Colts helmet sits on the turf Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, during a game against the Detroit Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two Colts Land On NFL's 'Best Team Money Can Buy'

Originally posted on Indianapolis Colts on SI
By Jake Arthur | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 11:30 AM ET

NFL minicamps are a month in the rearview mirror, and most training camps are just under two weeks away. So that means it's obscure list time across the league!

Recently, Tom Blair of NFL.com put together a full roster of NFL players that can be considered the best NFL team that money can buy, within the NFL's $279.2 million salary cap. And, wouldn't you know it, two Indianapolis Colts players landed on the team.

Second-year Colts center Tanor Bortolini is a backup on the team's offensive line.

"In the mix to be the Colts' starting center in real life, Bortolini brings appealing upside (and an even more appealing cap figure) to the backup gig on my team," Blair wrote.

Bortolini, who the Colts drafted in the fourth round last year, enters the 2025 season as the favorite to succeed Ryan Kelly as the team's new starting center. He's just 23 years old, and with a mere $3.8 million remaining on his contract over the next three seasons, he could be considered a critical building block if he pans out.

Joining the Colts' center of the future is 29-year-old MIKE linebacker Zaire Franklin, who also provides relief as a backup. His $10.4 million-per-year salary ranks 13th in the NFL among linebackers.

"Zaire Franklin is a tackling machine, having paced the NFL in total tackles in 2024 while tying for the second-most tackles against the run (94), per (NFL Next Gen Stats)," said Blair.

Franklin has a reputation for being reliant on high tackle numbers -- his 173 in 2024 led the league -- but he was also tied for the most forced fumbles in the NFL with five, which creates turnovers and is the most valuable thing you can do on defense. He also had a career-high 3.5 sacks, two of which came on third downs in Colts wins.