At $10.35 million, the Indianapolis Colts’ Ryan Kelly has the biggest base salary for the 2020 season of any center in the NFL.
And there’s likely more where that came from for the former Alabama All-American.
The Colts exercised their option for 2020 on Kelly’s four-year rookie contract last offseason – resulting in an $8.47 million jump in Kelly’s base salary from 2019 to 2020 -- and that was done before he turned in the first Pro Bowl campaign of his career last season.
After delaying free agency for Kelly for one year, Indianapolis will have to deliver a long-term contract extension to keep Kelly off the market after the 2020 season.
“I’d like to play my entire career in Indianapolis,” Kelly said during an offseason online press conference. “I truly believe that I’ll be here for a while, I hope.”
Indianapolis appears to have the same hope.
“It’s not my job to say who the best center in the NFL is,” Colts offensive-line coach Chris Strausser said this week, “but I know (Kelly) is the best guy for us, and we’re darn lucky to have him. Not only is he a super-intelligent person and football player, but his work ethic is unmatched. He’s a grinder, he comes prepared, and physically he’s got tremendous talents. His size is elite for a center. There’s very few guys that are 6-5, and whatever he is now, maybe 310 pounds, and move as well as he does. He’s got a great skillset. I just think he’s been banging away.
“He’s fought some injuries, which a lot of guys in the NFL have, but I think he’s come out on the other end and he understands how important it is to keep his body fresh and continue to work on his body, to make sure that he can make it through a season like he did last year. I know it makes a big difference for the Colts to have him in there. Really, really fortunate to have him in our group.”
While Kelly has the biggest base salary for 2020, he won’t be the NFL’s highest-paid center this season. The Las Vegas Raiders’ Rodney Hudson, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jason Kelce and the Chicago Bears’ Cody Whitehair will make more money, but each worked out a new contact or extension last year, so they have received signing, roster and/or restructure bonuses in this year’s pay package.
A former prep star at B.C. Rain in Mobile, Hudson holds the contract with the highest average annual value among NFL centers at $11.25 million. Hudson and Kelly were the centers for the AFC Pro Bowl team last season.
In this offseason, Kelly said he’s trying not to look ahead at what the next offseason could bring.
“Just trying to keep my mind on working out and getting ready for the season,” Kelly said, “so that’s kind of where my head’s been at so far.”
While NFL teams had to restrict their offseason programs to online meetings because of the coronavirus pandemic, Kelly has been able to work out with Colts right guard Mark Glowinski and right tackle Braden Smith, a former Auburn standout.
“It’s just crazy to think about how fast you get out of football shape,” Kelly said. “You know, being in workout shape and being in football shape is totally different, so to be getting in your stance and hitting combos together and just being able to punch and do those things, it’s just going to give us a leg up.”
After nine seasons as Indianapolis’ left tackle, Anthony Castonzo decided against retirement and signed a two-year contract in March, meaning the offensive line that started every game for the Colts in 2019 would return intact for 2020.
That experience was helpful in the unique offseason, Strausser said.
“I’ve got the tremendous benefit of having five returning starters that fundamentally know exactly what it is that I want,” Strausser said. “They’re able to continue to work on that stuff in the offseason.”
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.
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Big contract coming for Colts center Ryan Kelly - AL.com
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