Though he is signed through the 2020 season, Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly could be looking at an upcoming extension in the near future. If Kelly had his way, he would stay right where he is at.
Because Kelly was a first-round pick in 2016, the Colts have a team option for his fifth season. They intend to pick up that option for the 2020 season, but we have seen first hand how Chris Ballard likes to get extensions done sooner rather than later.
Kelly made it clear that his preferred choice would be to stay with the Colts.
“Hopefully they value what I do,” Kelly said via IndyStar. “If not, then I understand. But I love it here. I want to stay here. This is my home. I got a house here because I love the city. The guys in the room, I love what we’ve developed on this team. It’s certainly a lot different than it was when I first walked in the door Day 1. Time will tell. But right now, yeah, this is definitely where I want to be.”
When healthy, Kelly has been a borderline elite center. Both with his aggression in the run game and ability to keep the top of the pocket stout, Kelly’s only knock has been his inability to string together consecutive healthy seasons.
After playing a combined 19 games during the 2017–2018 seasons, Kelly bounced back this year to play all 16 games—the first time he’s done so since his rookie season.
With his health back, Kelly returned to form as an upper-echelon center. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate and his value in the run game can’t be understated.
Here’s a stat found by IndyStar’s Jim Ayello that is perfectly indicative of the impact Kelly has as a run blocker:
According to NFL tallies, the Colts have run right behind Kelly 152 times this year, second most in the NFL. With that volume, opposing defenses certainly know those types of runs are coming, yet the Colts average 4.83 yards on them, good for fifth in the NFL.
It can be difficult to quantify offensive line play, but it doesn’t get any clearer than that. The 26-year-old Kelly is also just as important in the locker room as he is on the field battling in the trenches.
Kelly’s extension might not be high on the priority list this offseason, but it is a deal that should get done before his fifth season is over.
If Kelly could have it his way, he would be signing another contract with the Colts.