CARLTON's list management team faces a busy second half of the year, with at least 20 players remaining unsigned beyond 2016.
Levi Casboult, Zac Tuohy, Andrejs Everitt and Sam Rowe are among the Blues' out-of-contract players, along with free agents Kade Simpson and Dennis Armfield.
All were part of the Blues' stirring victory over Geelong last Sunday, along with former Crow Matthew Wright, who is also set to come out of contract at the end of this season.
It is understood the Blues are yet to begin talks with nearly all of their unsigned players, content to wait until after their round 13 bye to do so.
The delay is partly explained by the need to give new coach Brendon Bolton enough time to make considered assessments of each player.
The Blues are also keen to keep their options open as they continue the list rebuild they embarked on after last season.
List manager Stephen Silvagni did not hold back when given his first chance to remould the Blues' list at the end of 2015.
In his first season back at Carlton after four years at Greater Western Sydney, Silvagni oversaw 15 departures from Ikon Park, including the trades of Lachie Henderson (Geelong) and contracted trio Chris Yarran (Richmond), Troy Menzel (Adelaide) and Tom Bell (Brisbane Lions).
The Blues also toyed with allowing Matthew Kreuzer to leave as a free agent before it became clear they would not be compensated with a first-round draft pick.
It's unlikely Carlton will undergo such an extreme makeover at the end of this season.
Nonetheless, as rejuvenated as the club has appeared under Bolton – and as much as its 5-5 start to 2016 has left most football pundits' faces smothered in egg – the Blues have fielded a relatively old and experienced team.
The side that defeated Geelong contained just three of the Blues' selections from the past eight national drafts (Rowe, Patrick Cripps and Jacob Weitering).
Carlton looks to have filled some holes in this age demographic with astute trading – see Sam Docherty, Sam Kerridge, Andrew Phillips and Lachie Plowman – but it still needs to create room on its list to bring more elite young talent in alongside 2015 draftees Jacob Weitering, Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow, David Cuningham and Jack Silvagni.
Some of the tough calls Silvagni and his list management team face will involve the four players the Blues took in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft – Blaine Boekhorst, Dillon Viojo-Rainbow, Clem Smith and Jayden Foster.
Boekhorst appears best positioned to win another contract, having played 14 senior games. But the West Australian hasn't played since round three after a series of injuries.
Smith has played seven senior games but none this year under Bolton, while Viojo-Rainbow and Foster are yet to debut.
It promises to be a nervous wait over the next few months for the 2014 draft quartet, along with many of the Blues' other unsigned players.
Blues out of contract in 2016
Dennis Armfield, free agent, aged 29
Blaine Boekhorst, 22
Dylan Buckley, 23
Levi Casboult, 26
Matthew Dick, 21
Andrejs Everitt, 27
Jayden Foster, turns 21 on Wednesday
Andrew Gallucci, rookie, 22
Billy Gowers, rookie, 19
Nick Graham, 21
Sam Rowe, 28
Ciaran Sheehan, rookie, 25
Kade Simpson, free agent, 32
Clem Smith, 20
Zac Tuohy, 26
Jason Tutt, 25
Dillon Viojo-Rainbow, 20
Mark Whiley, 23
Cameron Wood, rookie, 29
Matthew Wright, 26
