Gil Brandt: Colts Shouldn't Let These Two All-Pros Get Away After Rookie Deals Expire
Now four years later, the 2018 NFL Draft looks like an absolute home run for the Indianapolis Colts and General Manager Chris Ballard.
In that 2018 NFL Draft, the Colts landed All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard, along with Pro Bowl caliber right tackle Braden Smith and dual-threat running back Nyheim Hines, among others.
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Now, with the 2021 season right around the corner, those four are all in line for contract extensions. According to NFL.com analyst and longtime NFL executive Gil Brandt, the Colts have to do whatever is necessary to make sure Nelson and Leonard don't get away from franchise once their rookie deals expire.
Nelson and Leonard were tied for 11th overall on the 12-player list from Brandt highlighting stars that teams can't allow to get away. Here's what Brandt had to say about the Colts' duo.
It might seem like a bit of a cheat to include two Colts after limiting myself to one Brown and one Saint, but it's really just impossible to separate these two headliners of Indianapolis' banner 2018 draft class. It wouldn't be a stretch to say Darius Leonard and Quenton Nelson are the best players in the NFL at linebacker and guard, respectively, which is quite a feather in GM Chris Ballard's cap. Of course, after hitting the jackpot on prospects, the next challenge is signing them to second contracts. The puzzle facing Ballard is finding a way to get Leonard, Nelson and right tackle Braden Smith (a 2018 second-rounder) extended on new deals, all of which will likely reset the bar at the players' respective positions, or at least come awfully close to doing so.
Nelson and Leonard are in line for massive pay days that should see them both make over $20 million a season, which comes at the perfect time for the Colts, who have nearly $100 million in cap space ahead of the 2022 season.
Keeping those two legitimate cornerstones on the roster will go a long way towards the Colts competing for their third Super Bowl trophy in franchise history (second in Indianapolis).
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Add in hopefully extending Smith and Hines and the Colts will be in fantastic shape moving forward under Ballard and head coach Frank Reich.
Have thoughts on Gil Brandt stating the Colts shouldn't let Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard get away after their rookie deals expire? Let us know in the comments section below!
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