Trent Cole restructures contract, base salary trimmed

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts linebacker Trent Cole has restructured his contract, according to ESPN Insider Field Yates.

Cole was scheduled to have a base salary of $4.25 million next season. His base salary will now be $2 million. He also has a $1 million guaranteed roster bonus.

Pass rush is an area the Colts want to address this offseason after recording just 35 sacks last season. They recently released Jonathan Newsome after he was arrested for possession of marijuana. Robert Mathis, who led the Colts in sacks with 7.0 last season, turned 35 years old at the end of February.

Cole was part of the free-agent group that featured Andre Johnson, Frank Gore and Todd Herremans the Colts signed last year. Cole began the season as the starter while Mathis continued to work his way back from a torn Achilles.

Cole didn't get his first sack of the season until Week 12 against Tampa Bay. He finished the season with 3.0 sacks, which tied his career low.

Cole has an opportunity to make more money by reaching certain incentives:

  • $250,000 by playing 50 percent of the snaps

  • $500,000 by playing 60 percent of the snaps

  • $500,000 by recording nine sacks

  • $750,000 by recording 11 sacks

  • $1 million by recording at least 13 sacks

  • $78,125 every game that he's on the active roster