The Indianapolis Colts have been sitting out free agency, for the most part, this season, and the reasoning behind this sudden lack of aggression could come from the fact that GM Chris Ballard is trying to save up for extensions centered around right tackle Braden Smith, linebacker Darius Leonard, and left guard Quenton Nelson.
While the lack of aggression will get Colts fans irritated, these three need to be retained long-term.
Smith is one of the best right tackles in the game, Leonard is the heart and soul of the Indianapolis defense, and Nelson might be as dominant at his position as any player in the league.
It’s as simple as that.
The Colts might need to break the bank for these three, as all of these new contracts could be among the league’s most expensive. If Ballard is smart, however, he’ll do enough cap logistics to help all three stay in Indianapolis long-term.
With the league’s new TV deal expected to lead to a massive cap increase in 2022, what will extensions for these three star players look like when it comes time to pay up for a new contract?
What will extensions look like for these three Colts studs?
RT Braden Smith: 4 years, $52 Million ($13 million AAV)
Smith would be the fifth most expensive right tackle in the league if he agreed to this extension, as Lane Johnson, Trent Brown, Jack Conklin, and Taylor Moton would all be out in front of him in terms of average annual value.
While Smith has not made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, which could go a long way towards driving his value down a bit, he has proven to be one of the best run and pass-blocking tackles in this game, and the former Auburn star will likely use $50 million as a starting point when it comes time to negotiate.
Is Braden Smith worth the money for the Colts?
Smith, who has been talked about as a potential left tackle candidate after Anthony Castonzo’s retirement, might end up getting paid even more than that if he makes the switch to the left side before his contract is up. If that happens, $52 million for a starting left tackle would be a very economical move.
Smith hasn’t yet moved into that elite tier, but the Colts giving him this contract could be a sign that they believe that with a year or so of development, Smith will end up in that range soon enough. Letting someone of his caliber hit the open market would be an egregious mistake.
LB Darius Leonard: 5 years, $92 million ($18.4 million AAV)
Leonard’s theoretical new contract would make him the highest-paid linebacker in football, overtaking both CJ Mosley’s total value of $85 million and Bobby Wagner’s AAV of $18 million. Based on his play on the field over the last few seasons, it’s hard to argue that he deserves anything less than a record-breaking deal.
Leonard is the first player in NFL history to 400 tackles, 15 sacks, seven interceptions, and nine forced fumbles in his first three seasons. Not only is Leonard putting up gaudy tackle numbers, but he is an expert at forcing turnovers and doing so in the context of winning games.
Darius Leonard is already a star for the Colts, and has earned a new contract.
Matt Eberflus doesn’t take a ton of chances while blitzing, and linebackers need to be rangy while covering a lot of ground in that system. Leonard is not only one of the best linebackers in the league, but he is perfect for what Eberflus expects out of said linebackers.
Leonard can serve as the linchpin of the Colts defense for the next half-decade, provided that the Colts are willing to splash enough cash to make him one of the highest-paid players in the league at his position. If the miserly Ballard ends up opening up his coin purse, No. 53 will stay in blue and white.
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.