The Indianapolis Colts have locked in the centerpiece of their offensive line.
Center Ryan Kelly has agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract extension with the Colts, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday.
The deal makes Kelly the highest-paid center in the NFL.
Kelly, 27, became an immediate starter for the Colts after being selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Over the past four seasons, Kelly has started all 51 games he's appeared in and didn't miss a game in 2019, which was his first Pro Bowl season.
"I haven't told a lot of people this, but I never wanted to play anywhere else," Kelly told reporters shortly after the news. "This is home. This is where I wanted to be."
According to Pro Football Focus, Kelly has earned the sixth-highest run-blocking grade among starting centers in the NFL and has been a catalyst for a Colts offense that feasts on the run. The Colts finished seventh in the NFL in rushing with 2,130 yards, averaging 133.1 per game in 2019.
Evidently, the Colts look to run even more going forward, and the three-headed RB monster of Marlon Mack, Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines will be happy to do so with Kelly leading the way.
"I just want to live up to the contract I just signed," said Kelly. "Be the leader they want me to be, play with the consistency I know can, and stay healthy."
