4 Colts in danger of losing their jobs

These Colts have to be careful of losing their jobs.

The Indianapolis Colts are boasting more depth on paper than they have in recent memory. While most of the draft picks selected in April will have to fight and claw for roles, there are still several position battles to keep an eye on entering the 2020 season.

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For the most part, the Colts have most of the roles locked down. There will be competition throughout the roster, but some players are truly in danger of losing their jobs at their respective positions.

Whether it’s because of an incoming rookie or simply a tight position battle, here are four Colts in danger of losing their jobs in 2020:

RB Marlon Mack

You already knew Mack would be on this list. Though he showed the Colts he could be an effective runner by running for a career-high 1,091 yards in 2019, the front office wanted to get more explosive. What better way to do so than to trade up for one of the most productive backs in college football history.

Mack will be joined by rookie Jonathan Taylor—a 5-foot-10, 226-pound back with 4.39 speed and the fourth-most rushing yards in college football history. It will be a shared backfield featuring the duo as a 1-2 punch, but there is a real chance Taylor takes over the lead role at some point in 2020.

That doesn’t mean the entire backfield will be his. Mack will certainly get his share of work, especially considering he’s in a contract year. What better reason to run Mack into the ground?

But even with that, Mack isn’t going to average the 17 carries per game he enjoyed over the last two seasons. He will absolutely be involved, but don’t be surprised if Taylor winds up being the leader of the 1-2 punch by season’s end.

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4 Colts most likely to receive contract extension before 2020 season

Which Colts might see an extension before the season.

The Indianapolis Colts have made it clear that they aren’t afraid of handing out contract extensions to players they feel deserve it—even if said player has a full season ahead under contract.

General manager Chris Ballard has made that move several times in the past, most notably with cornerback Kenny Moore and punter Rigoberto Sanchez during the 2019 offseason.

The Colts have 24 players entering a contract year as unrestricted free agents, but there are a few that stand out. Some of them could wind up getting a new deal before the 2020 season arrives, but most of them are likely proving they deserve another deal.

It may only happen to one of them. It may not happen to any of them. But here are four Colts most likely to receive a contract extension before the 2020 season:

Ryan Kelly | OL | Age: 26

The 2016 first-round pick out of Alabama turns 27 years old at the end of the month and is currently playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. If there is one player most likely to get a contract extension before the 2020 season starts, it’s Kelly.

Though he had a two-season stretch where injuries were becoming a massive concern, Kelly bounced back in a big way for the 2019 campaign. He started all 16 games anchoring the offensive line for the Colts while playing on 94.5% of the team’s offensive snaps.

He was extremely efficient as well. According to Pro Football Focus, Kelly allowed just one sack on 591 pass-blocking snaps in 2019. He proved he could be reliable and productive while excelling at one of the most difficult positions in the game of football.

The offensive line is the strength of the Colts offense. Keeping that continuity going is essential, and Kelly’s production isn’t easy to come by.

The Colts might not want to wait and see if Kelly can produce again like he did in 2019. If he does, his value on the market will be as high as its ever been.

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4 Colts who could be in line for a contract extension

These Colts could b in line for a contract extension.

Since Chris Ballard has come to Indianapolis he has preached “keeping your own.” Drafting players and re-signing them to a second contract. Ballard has backed up his words on that since taking over in 2017.

Ballard has given contract extensions to players during the offseason even when they were still under contract for the next season.

Last offseason, Ballard extended Kenny Moore and Luke Rhodes, and before the 2019 season, Ballard extended Jacoby Brissett’s rookie deal.

Extending current players on the roster aren’t the biggest concern going into 2019 but don’t be surprised if Ballard tries to get ahead of the market and extend his own.

With all that in mind, the Colts have some key players that could be in line for an extension this offseason. Here are some of those players:

WR T.Y. Hilton

The 30-year-old wide receiver will be a free agent in 2021 and unless the Colts address the receiver position this offseason, Hilton will be the only real threat for the offense in the passing game.

2019 was a season to forget for Hilton—career-lows in receptions, yards, and yards per reception. And while Hilton did miss six games with various injuries throughout the year, there should be no hesitancy to extend Hilton.

Hilton is currently the ninth highest-paid receiver in the NFL but with him turning 31 when the contract expires, the Colts could look to sign him in the range of three to four years, and $50 million. Tyreek Hill signed an extension last offseason for three years and $54 million.

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