As anticipated, Ryan Kelly is on his means again. The Colts may have their heart at follow Wednesday, with Shane Steichen announcing the Professional Bowl blocker will obtain a return designation from IR.
Kelly has missed the required 4 video games, due to a knee injury, however has been considered as likely to be back when first eligible. That is available in a pivotal sport in opposition to the Broncos, who maintain the ultimate AFC wild-card spot the Colts are chasing. The Colts are additionally designating linebacker Jaylon Carlies for return from IR. Indianapolis has four injury activations remaining.
Kelly is the one homegrown Colts participant remaining who predates GM Chris Ballard‘s 2017 arrival. Indianapolis selected Kelly within the 2016 first spherical and has used him as its beginning heart since. Though Ballard has relentlessly used a draft-and-extend blueprint as Indy’s GM, Kelly is probably not in line for a 3rd Colts contract. He signed an extension in 2020 and has expressed interest in another deal, however the Colts have not entered negotiations. This leaves Kelly’s post-2024 future murky, highlighting the significance on this season’s stretch run for the ninth-year heart’s worth.
It’s potential the Colts circle again to Kelly earlier than free company or in the course of the authorized tampering interval. They proceeded this manner with Kenny Moore and Grover Stewart this 12 months, re-signing each after every hit the market. However Kelly can be closing out an age-31 season, providing a complication. He might nicely have an opportunity to check the marketplace for the primary since, seeing as his 2020 Indianapolis re-up got here months earlier than he was to hit free company.
Kelly sits within the prime 10 all time amongst O-line longevity as a Colt. His 118 begins rank tenth. The highest two longest-running O-linemen for the Colts performed heart (Ray Donaldson, Jeff Saturday), so Kelly seems — particularly given his contract scenario — set to fall in need of their respective durations. However he can definitely assist the 2024 staff try to remain within the playoff race. The Colts are 6-7, so a loss to the 8-5 Broncos would all however bury them within the wild-card race. Indianapolis sits two video games behind Houston for the AFC South lead as nicely.
ESPN’s run block win fee slots Kelly seventh amongst all inside O-linemen this season, and he sits 14th in that group in cross block win fee. The Colts had used rookie/potential successor Tanor Bortolini as Kelly’s substitute, however he missed Week 13 with a concussion. The staff can be prone to want one other fill-in begin at proper deal with. Steichen stated (via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder) Braden Smith continues to be coping with a private matter and isn’t anticipated to play in Week 15. Rookie Matt Goncalves began at RT two weeks in the past and would seem set to remain in that function in the interim.
