Colts: Projecting 3 contract extensions for homegrown stars

LG Quenton Nelson: 4 years, $80 million ($20 million AAV)

The gap between Nelson and the second-best guard in the league might be as wide as there is at any position in the game today, as the former No. 6 overall pick has been named a First-Team All-Pro in each of his first three seasons.

$20 million might sound like a lot for a left guard, especially considering that the only guard making over $18 million next year is Washington Football Team stud Brandon Scherff, who was hit with the franchise tag, but Nelson is clearly deserving of a record-breaking contract.

Quenton Nelson will keep improving with the Colts on a new contract.

Nelson is as important to what Indianapolis does on offense as any player, as Jonathan Taylor’s breakout rookie season was due in large part to Nelson creating some gaping holes that the former Wisconsin star plowed right through. Carson Wentz needs to be protected to succeed, and who better to help accomplish that goal than Nelson?

Nelson will be wearing blue and white for the foreseeable future, as the Colts will either back up the Brinks truck for him or franchise tag him as many times as they are allowed. Ballard did a masterful job hoodwinking the Jets in the Sam Darnold trade, as he landed a potential Hall of Fame guard in Nelson.