Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, but the team essentially decided to hold on to the veteran.
Whether that was due to a lack of a trade market or another reason isn’t clear, but Kelly did his best to distract himself from the rumors around the league.
“It’s impossible not to see rumors. I did a really good job of it, but people around me would call me and say, ‘What’s up, dude? Heard you’re going here,’” Kelly told reporters this week.
The former first-round pick hasn’t played like himself in recent seasons. He’s been among the leaders in pressures and sacks allowed at the center position over the last two campaigns while dealing with the tragic death of his unborn daughter in 2021.
Kelly, for the time being, is still under contract for the Colts for the next two seasons. He will be owed $27 million during that span. However, the Colts can save $12.4 million against the salary cap ($2.25 million in dead cap) if he’s released after the 2023 season.
Being the subject of trade rumors is never easy on the mind, but Kelly found a sense of relief and peace when he got a call from new head coach Shane Steichen the night he was hired.
“He gave me a call that night and we talked for 20 minutes,” Kelly said of Steichen. “I thought that was kind of refreshing in my mind of like, ‘I still love this place. It still means the world to me.’”
With a new head coach in tow, Kelly will remain the anchor of an offensive line with a new position coach as well—Tony Sparano Jr.
The 29-year-old center already has been impressed by the new offensive line coach, who joins the staff after a stint with the New York Giants.
“He’s been awesome. I think, from Day One, he said the integrity of the offensive line room is paramount. That’s number one,” Kelly said. “That was the first thing that really impressed me and b), it’s just believing in guys. He believes he took this job because the guys in that room can get the job done and that belief, ultimately, transfers over to us. So, obviously he’s got the knowledge and the scheme. He wouldn’t be in that position if he didn’t, but to me, those are the two factors that set him apart and really make it awesome the last two weeks and hopefully going forward.”
Kelly is the leader of the offensive line. He’s the longest-tenured player on the entire roster and has the crucial role of anchoring the offensive line, a unit that did not play up to expectations in 2022.
He’ll be tasked with helping a rookie quarterback develop into a capable starter as the Colts hold the No. 4 overall pick in the draft next week.
Kelly will have his shot at redemption in 2023, and it will be crucial both for him and the team that he finds his form.
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