Ryan Kelly, Anthony Walker Hope to Stay with Colts

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and middle linebacker Anthony Walker have one thing in common entering 2020 - both are entering contract years and would prefer to stay put.

The difference is, Kelly spoke Wednesday about his agent Jimmy Sexton having conversations with Colts general manager Chris Ballard. When asked the same question, Walker didn’t mention his representation having the same chats.

Perhaps that’s reading too much into their futures at this juncture, with a cloud of uncertainty hovering over the upcoming season due to the coronavirus pandemic. But it stands to reason that Kelly, coming off his first Pro Bowl and an anchor on one of the league’s best offensive lines, is a Ballard priority.

Walker could be, too, but the Colts also have to consider re-signing four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, defensive end Justin Houston, running back Marlon Mack, defensive tackle Denico Autry and safety Malik Hooker. Quarterback Philip Rivers and cornerback Xavier Rhodes are offseason additions who signed one-year deals.

“I don’t know if any numbers have been thrown around yet, but obviously I have the most confidence in Chris (Ballard), that I think we have something special on our offensive line,” Kelly said in a Zoom video conference call.

“I’d like to play my entire career in Indianapolis. I truly believe that I’ll be here for a while, I hope.”

Kelly, 26, was drafted 18th overall in 2016 and had his first-year option picked up that will pay him $10.35 million this season.

Walker, 24, was a fifth-round selection in 2015 and led the Colts with a career-high 124 total tackles last season. Because of his later selection, he’s been a bargain — he’ll earn about $2.2 million this season after counting just $1.9 million against the salary cap the previous three years combined.

“I’m excited, man,” Walker said in a Wednesday Zoom video conference call that came after Kelly’s media chat. “I still have the opportunity to go out there and play the game I love.

“That’s not up to me. I’d love to be in Indy forever, but that’s not up to me. So I go out there and execute, do my job, and hopefully it works out that way. Yeah, we’ll go from there. Right now, my focus is on playing this season, getting in the best physical shape, mentally, physically, every way that I can, help my teammates do the same thing so we can go out and have a successful season this year.”

Kelly was glad to see his entire O-line group will be back together after offensive left tackle Anthony Castonzo agreed to a two-year, $33-million extension. The Colts were the NFL’s only team to have each of the five O-line starters not miss a game in 2019. Kelly wasn’t the only one in Castonzo’s ear before the deal.

“Well, I think we all were,” Kelly said. “I think (left guard) Quenton (Nelson) was a huge advocate, too. You know they play on the left side together. Obviously Anthony and I have grown our relationship the past four years. It would have really hurt to lose a player like him.”

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)