Much has been said about what the Indianapolis Colts will do personnel-wise this offseason. The team is looking to improve in every area, and nothing has been off-limits.
General Manager Chris Ballard was active early in free agency, a departure from the “hurry-up and wait” perception he’s earned with fans. Among his critical decisions has been what to do with fringe players like center Ryan Kelly, who entered the offseason as a potential cap casualty.
While a deal could still theoretically happen, Kelly is expected to remain with the team for the 2023 season. This begs the question: what does Kelly staying with the franchise mean?
Here are five thoughts about what keeping Kelly means for the Colts:
Kelly is valued by leadership
Keeping Kelly carries weight with general manager Chris Ballard, who has spoken numerous times about being strong in the trenches, and Kelly’s rapport with the team proves he’s a pivotal part of the Colts’ plans.
Aside from his stellar resume, which includes being a three-time Pro-Bowler and with second-team All-Pro honors, Ballard backed up his faith in Kelly by signing him to a four-year, $50 million extension in 2020. At the time, it made Kelly the NFL’s highest-paid center.
Additionally, Ballard indicated this week that the offers the team received for Kelly were not enough for the team to part ways.
Chris Ballard has given significant grace
Aside from the money invested in Kelly, it’s not unreasonable to say that Ballard has given Kelly grace through his sub-par play. Kelly’s play has regressed over the last two seasons due to injuries and overall regression from what the team has come to expect.
Brandon Thorn, the author of the Trench Warfare newsletter, offensive line analyst for Bleacher Report and Establish The Run, had this to say of Kelly in November: “It looks like Ryan Kelly isn’t the same guy. There’s just no movement being created by Ryan Kelly in the run game. He’s not a bad player, but he’s not in that top 5-6 conversation that he was a few years ago.”
Continuity and stability remains crucial for the offensive line
If the team were to move on from Kelly, it would add to the chaos the offensive line experienced throughout the season. At one point, the team had deployed five different line combinations hoping to find anything that would provide stability.
Unfortunately, that continuity did not come until later in the season, leaving a shortened timeline for the eventual starters like Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Kelly, Will Fries, and Braden Smith to gel. Chris Ballard admitted that his decisions were part of the unpredictable changes, likely supporting an argument to keep Kelly with the unit.
Expect the team to still draft a center for support
The Colts’ current depth chart is thin behind center Ryan Kelly. The team is leaning on the talents of 2022 undrafted free agent Wesley French to provide relief for Kelly or asking right guard Danny Pinter to help in an emergency, something he had done previously when Kelly was out with injuries.
This is an unsustainable model, given his struggles and the team’s limited depth behind him. The 2023 draft could provide a prime opportunity to draft Kelly’s replacement and add actual depth.
His days could still be numbered
If Ryan Kelly’s play continues to slide at any point this upcoming season, expect the Colts to look for ways to move on. Declining a trade offer now doesn’t mean one could not be accepted later.
Additionally, while Chris Ballard has been deemed safe by Jim Irsay, Irsay’s patience is growing thin, and he wants to see his team operating at maximum efficiency, which includes constant evaluation of the entire roster.
