The Indianapolis Colts failed to extend All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson before the season, creating a major contract decision for 2027…
Nelson is coming off another strong year. He started all 17 games in 2025, finished fourth among starting guards in Pro Football Focus‘ overall grade and earned his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl selection as he was named second team All-Pro for the sixth time in his career.
The Colts have already shown they view Nelson as a foundational piece when they made him the highest paid guard in the NFL when they gave him a four year, $80 million extension in 2022. That contract runs through 2026 – Now they have to figure out what comes next.
Nelson’s price probably isn’t getting cheaper
Quenton Nelson has done nothing to hurt his value…
The veteran has made the Pro Bowl in every season of his career, becoming the first player in Indianapolis Colts history to earn the honor in each of his first eight seasons (what more can you ask for??). He also isn’t coming off a down season that would give Indianapolis an obvious reason to wait.
Nelson’s 2025 season was another reminder of why the Colts paid him in the first place. He played all 17 games and finished fourth among starting guards in both PFF’s overall grade and run blocking grade.
That puts Indy in a bit of a pickle.
Nelson’s current deal averages $20 million per year, while Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith currently holds the top spot among guards at $24 million annually.
CBS Sports noted in May that Nelson and Jonathan Taylor were both entering contract years and represented two of the Colts’ biggest financial decisions.
If Nelson puts together another All-Pro caliber season, the Colts could end up paying considerably more to keep him next offseason… And if they wait too long, they could lose control of the situation entirely.
The Colts can’t afford to lose another cornerstone
Quenton Nelson’s contract situation would be easier to ignore if he were simply a good starter. He isn’t. He’s one of the few players on the Indianapolis Colts roster who has been consistently elite for nearly a decade.
Now Indianapolis has reached the point where it has to decide how much that kind of stability is worth.
There is also a bigger roster building issue here. Letting an eight time Pro Bowler reach free agency creates the possibility that the Colts could lose a major part of their offensive identity without receiving anything in return beyond a compensatory pick…
That would be a difficult outcome for a team that needs to build around its core rather than constantly replace it.
Nelson himself has made it clear that the contract situation is not something he plans to obsess over. Back in June, he said negotiations were “out of my control” and that he was focused on football.
That may be the right approach for Nelson. The Colts have to take a different view.
They now have an entire season to figure out whether they can get Nelson locked up before he reaches free agency. If he plays at the level he has shown throughout his career, the price will probably only go up.
Indianapolis still has time to fix this. But after failing to reach an agreement before the season opener, the Colts have given themselves a problem that could become much more expensive in 2027.
The Indianapolis Colts Have a Serious Quenton Nelson Problem