Indianapolis Colts’ center Ryan Kelly met with reporters on Wednesday on the second day of minicamp practices.
Here are the highlights from that conversation. To see the full interview, click here.
– “I hope not,” said Kelly on the regular season potentially expanding to 18 games. “I just think it’s too many games.”
– Kelly on Bernhard Raimann: “One of the hardest working guys I’ve been around. I think truly that left tackle position I think, above and beyond everybody else, can be a little detailed, micro-oriented. I think for him, what he’s really trusting is his athletic ability, which is a big thing for him. He hasn’t played football since he was a little kid, so it’s been a short time compared to most, but I think he’s done a great job maximizing everything he does when he comes to the field, taking coaching. I know he’s talked to Castonzo for a little while and just working every day to get better. Again, that builds confidence and builds confidence going into the season.”
– Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said that they’ve tried to put the offense in more stressful situations during OTAs, and Kelly was asked how he thinks Anthony Richardson has responded: “I think he’s done a good job of that. I think the whole offense has.” Kelly notes the importance of continuity from 2023 to 2024.
– Kelly on having Pittman back under contract: “It’s huge.” Kelly adds that Pittman is deserving, works extremely hard, and the skill position players look up to him.
– Kelly on the improved play of the offensive line in 2023: “Tony (Sparano) came in, saw that room for what it was, and it was still a lot of great players but not a lot of confidence.” Kelly mentions the relationship-building that Sparano did when he first arrived in Indianapolis. “If you can’t build a relationship in there, how can you build it out there?” From Shane Steichen to Jim Bob Cooter to Sparano, they empowered the offensive line unit to just go and play and trust their technique and that they are great players.