As contract details trickle in, the Patriots’ salary cap number grows higher and higher. New England started free agency with about $24 million of space, but after nine signings, it’s closing in on the bottom line.

As of Thursday, the Patriots’ cap space was down to $2,541,096, according to Miguel Benzan of Boston Sports Journal. Per Benzan, the Patriots will need $2.5 million for their 12 draft picks next month.

The Patriots aren’t exactly in a position to fill some of their current needs – namely kicker and receiver depth. At the moment, the Patriots have 66 players on their roster – not including Josh Gordon who’s suspended and a restricted free agent. If the Patriots plan to include Gordon in their 90-man offseason roster, they’ll acquire 23 more players between now and this summer.

At some point, changes will be needed in order to sign more veteran free agents. Typically, the Patriots like to go into each season with around $5 million to $7 million of cap space.

This year, the NFL pushed the salary cap up to $188.2 million. However, the core of this Patriots team already accounts for much of its cap space. Currently, the Patriots’ 10 highest cap hits account for a little over $111.7 million – over 50 percent of the cap committed to less than a dozen players.

That includes Tom Brady ($27 million), Stephon Gilmore ($14,837,500), Devin McCourty ($13,435,000), Rob Gronkowski ($11,859,375), Dont’a Hightower ($10,945,305), Marcus Cannon ($7,456,250), Shaq Mason ($7,275,000), Michael Bennett ($7,200,000), Kyle Van Noy ($6,291,668) and Julian Edelman ($5,410,949).

COLTS: General Manager Chris Ballard, a week after the first big wave of signings, opened his checkbook and made the biggest acquisition of his tenure by adding defensive end Justin Houston, bringing in a proven pass rusher and someone he believes fits the Colts’ young locker room.

The 6-foot-3, 258-pound four-time Pro Bowler was a key part of the Chiefs’ defense, making 377 tackles in 96 starts. Houston’s 78½ career sacks rank fourth since he entered the league, and he was a first-team All-Pro in 2014 when he won the NFL’s sacks title.

His 22 sacks that season are still tied for the second-highest single-season total in league history.

BUCCANEERS: Tampa Bay hired Maral Javadifar and Lori Locust as assistant coaches, becoming the first NFL team with two female coaches on their staff.

RAVENS: Baltimore has agreed to re-sign quarterback Robert Griffin III to a two-year deal, pending the results of a physical.

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