The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to return from their summer break on July 28 for training camp, barring any changes. We will be previewing the majority of the roster as the summer progresses.
Name: Chad Kelly
Position: QB
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 216
Age: 26
Free Agent Year: 2021
Background
Kelly joined the Colts quarterback room during the 2019 offseason following a tryout he went through after the draft. After his stint with the Denver Broncos didn’t go as planned thanks to off-field issues and character concerns, Kelly got another chance with Indy.
The “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2017 NFL Draft has proven to the Colts thus far that he can stay out of trouble off the field. This is evident both in the words they’ve used and the fact that he’s still on the team—the front office has made it clear what kind of short leash he’s on.
Kelly had a solid preseason with the Colts during the 2019 campaign but spent the season on the practice squad.
Expected Role
Kelly will be competing with rookie Jacob Eason, who was taken in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. With Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett already entrenched as the starter and backup, respectively, Kelly and Eason will be battling it out for the QB3 role.
2020 Outlook
The first thing Kelly has to make sure of is that he stays out of trouble off the field. If he can do that, he at least has a shot to take the competition with Eason down to the wire during training camp and the preseason.
That being said, if the Colts have to choose between Kelly and Eason, the decision should be pretty easy. The rookie in Eason has a much higher ceiling in the NFL than Kelly does, which is ultimately what it will likely come down to when the roster cuts are made.
Bottom Line
With the Colts more than likely keeping three quarterbacks on the active roster, it will be interesting to see if they keep Kelly around on the practice squad. Regardless, he will be fighting for his NFL career this preseason, especially with their being no guarantees for another chance around the league.