Though the Indianapolis Colts still have a month until the arrival of training camp, some moves could still be on the docket.
In listing the final offseason move every team should make before getting into camp at the end of July, Aaron Schatz of ESPN believes the Colts should look into signing a veteran to a contract extension.
He believes adding an extra year or two to the contract of center Ryan Kelly should be their final move.
Although Kelly is 32, he still ranked ninth among starting centers in pass block win rate (94.1%) a season ago. There’s no clear heir apparent on the roster, so now would be a good time to get Kelly locked up for another couple of seasons.
After a pair of down seasons in 2021 and 2022, Kelly regained his sharp form as the anchor of the offensive line in 2023. He was incredible in pass protection, allowing no sacks and just seven total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Colts offensive line as a whole took a major step forward under Tony Sparano Jr.’s first year as the unit’s coach. Kelly’s resurgent bounce-back season was a major driving force in the success of the entire group.
Considering the Colts drafted Tanor Bortolini as the heir apparent to Kelly, it will be interesting to see how the front office navigates this situation.
But Kelly certainly proved in 2023 that he has something left in the tank.
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