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General Manager Chris Ballard spoke with the press on Tuesday, August 31, and dropped some hints about the future of some Indianapolis Colts including two stars.
While evaluating the 53-man roster with the press, Ballard discussed All-Pro players Quenton Nelson and Shaquille Leonard, one more positively than the other.
Nelson’s Contract Status
All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson is up for a contract extension as he heads into his fifth season in the NFL and some are questioning how much the left guard should be paid over the course of his next contract.
“You pay your special players. And he’s special to us. Hopefully, we get that worked out,” said Ballard following practice.
Odds are Nelson will be extended before free agency. But how far are the Colts willing to go in negotiations?
According to Pro Football Reference, Quenton Nelson has played in 61 of a possible 65 games. During his first three years in the league, Nelson never missed a start. Nearly unprecedented for an offensive lineman.
As a rookie, Nelson would be named a First-Team All-Pro. A trend that would continue for his first three seasons. While he missed four games in 2021, Nelson still earned a Pro Bowl nomination for his fourth consecutive season.
In four seasons, Nelson has been charged with only 4 sacks and 17 quarterback hits according to Pro Football Focus. He was one of PFF’s top three highest-graded guards in 2019 and 2020, but suffered a down year in 2021 landing at 35th overall.
When it comes to the actual numbers of the contract, there certainly is precedence. According to Spotrac, star offensive guards have been well compensated, to say the least. Dallas Cowboys’ guard Zack Martin, arguably the best at his position, leads the way with a six-year deal worth $84 million, including $40 million guaranteed. Joe Thuney of the Kansas City Chiefs scored a five-year, $80 million deal in 2021 with nearly $47 million guaranteed.
Behind the top two, there is a significant drop-off in overall value. New Orleans’ Andrus Peat rings in at $57.5 million with Wyatt Teller of the Cleveland Browns at $56.8 million. Nelson will surely make more than either.
Quenton Nelson deserves to be near the top of the list strictly off of accolades, and his reliability should boost his stock further. The Colts currently have over $10 million in salary cap, ranking 15th overall. That number skyrockets to over $34 million, 10th overall, in 2023. Needless to say, Indianapolis will have plenty of space to sign Nelson for the foreseeable future.
Ballard Noncommittal on Leonard’s Future
“You can’t miss all that time and just go to being game ready. … I can’t give you a timeline. Maybe week one, maybe week six,” said Ballard of All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard.
Leonard is rehabbing from an ankle injury that plagued his 2021 season along with back surgery in late June.
The Colts placed Leonard on the Physically Unable to Perform list on July 24 and were unsure when he would be removed. Leonard missed all of OTAs and training camp and many thought he could miss several weeks in the regular season. But on Monday, August 30, Leonard was removed from the PUP list and practiced for the first time the following day.
While Leonard could still miss time in the regular season, it is a gigantic leap forward to have him on the practice field once again.
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