Former Colts player shared that he was thinking about leaving for over a year before he became a free agent
The Indianapolis Colts took a different approach this offseason, which included letting their top in-house free agents sign with new teams.One of those is longtime starting Colts center Ryan Kelly, who recently opened up about what led to his departure from Indianapolis this offseason. Ryan Kelly shared that he felt like he wanted to move […]
The Indianapolis Colts took a different approach this offseason, which included letting their top in-house free agents sign with new teams.
One of those is longtime starting Colts center Ryan Kelly, who recently opened up about what led to his departure from Indianapolis this offseason.
Ryan Kelly shared that he felt like he wanted to move on from the Colts for over a year
"I always envisioned myself playing in one place for my entire career. There was no negative impact or major event that happened where it really pushed me over the edge. When I left last year and there was no guarantees in my contract, and I was a free agent. It was exciting for me, I felt like it was time for me to check what else is out there and move on. I can't say there was a specific event, I'll miss the guys in the O-line room and a bunch of people there but in my heart I knew it was time to move on, and I kinda felt that way for the last year and a half."
– Ryan Kelly on what led to him leaving the Colts this offseason
While the ending of Kelly's statement may sound bad on the surface, I honestly fully understand why he felt that way. The Colts drafted Tanor Bortolini in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and people began projecting him to be the future at center for the team. Due to Kelly dealing with a few different injuries, Bortolini got some significant playing time as a rookie and already flashed excellent ability on the field. That likely made the Colts more comfortable letting Kelly leave in free agency.
So, in a way, the Colts were also probably thinking about parting ways with Kelly for nearly a full year. It'll feel weird seeing Kelly suit up in a different jersey this season after he has only worn Colts blue since being drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Now he's a Viking alongside fellow former Colts lineman Will Fries, who should help with this significant transition.
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Colts scheduled to meet with a draft prospect who is a mountain of a man ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft
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