Indianapolis Colts Put Their Faith In Ryan Kelly With Lucrative Extension

The Indianapolis Colts locked down a key fixture of their offensive line for the next five seasons after signing center Ryan Kelly to an extension.

A first-round draft pick in 2016, Kelly would have been a free agent in 2021 but is now tied to the Colts through 2024. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the four-year extension is worth $50million with $34m guaranteed and makes him the highest-paid center in the NFL.

It is a contract that reflects Kelly’s importance to the Colts, with he and guard Quenton Nelson the cornerstones of an offensive line that has blossomed into one of the league’s best.

Kelly, who has previously battled injury issues, played all 16 games last season and did so at a very high level. According to Pro Football Focus, Kelly gave up one sack in 591 pass-blocking snaps, making him one of only seven full-time centers to allow one or fewer sacks in 2019.

His PFF run-blocking grade was fourth among all centers, per Colts.com, with his performance in that area reflective of the success the O-Line had in creating yardage for Indianapolis’ running backs.

Per NextGen Stats, the Colts ranked seventh in the league in expected yards per carry (xYPC), a new baseline metric used to measure blocking effectiveness. The Colts had an xYPC average of 4.37 in 2019.

Kelly’s pass-blocking acumen will be pivotal to the Colts’ playoff hopes, as he will be tasked with keeping Philip Rivers upright and allowing Indianapolis’ new starting quarterback to provide the spark to the passing offense that Jacoby Brissett could not.

Continuity has been key to what the Colts have been able to achieve up front. By locking Kelly down for the long term, they have ensured that will be maintained, giving second-round pick Jonathan Taylor the opportunity to establish himself as a premier NFL running back behind a line that has proven itself as a member of the league’s elite.

Kelly’s contract may appear somewhat rich for a center who has only twice completed a full season in his four years in the NFL.

However, Kelly demonstrated his quality in the latest of those seasons and, if the Colts are to challenge in the AFC in 2020, they will need the former Alabama lineman to replicate his performance of a year ago.

The extension is a show of faith in Kelly’s ability to do just that. Should he vindicate the Colts’ belief in him, Indianapolis will likely be playing postseason football come January.