Helping Colts Rookie QB: How Ryan Kelly Can Improve in 2023

The Indianapolis Colts need more from Ryan Kelly with a rookie quarterback expected to arrive in 2023.

The center position is the field general of the offensive line. Often, the center must make pre-snap reads for the guards and tackles. 

While it could differ with the likes of Quenton Nelson on the same front, Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly shares a nice chunk of this responsibility. Kelly has been the staple for the Colts’ O-line since 2016. 

He’s also started all the games he’s played in his career (97), leading the charge. To compliment his consistently secure blocking, he’s added three Pro Bowl selections to his resume.

Kelly has been a name featured in trade rumors throughout the offseason. This is due mainly to the type of year that he and his comrades had, often getting blamed solely for the offense not functioning properly.

The due diligence will cover where Kelly was great and what he should seek to improve in 2023 with a rookie quarterback likely coming to Lucas Oil Stadium. As with Bernhard Raimann, sacks allowed, QB hits, hurries, and total penalties will be displayed.

The Numbers

• Games: 17 
• Sacks Allowed: 5
• QB Hits: 3
• QB Hurries: 17
• Total Penalties: 3

Kelly had a less-than-ideal season compared to past years. He, like others in protection/run blocking, didn’t seem himself at all. 

There was a brief uptick in the line’s overall performance in the last seven games in 2022. However, it didn’t mask the bitter taste of 60 sacks allowed (second in the NFL), per StatMuse.

Let’s get into what Kelly did well this past campaign first.

What Went Well

What immediately sticks out is Kelly’s limitations of penalties. Only have three on the season. With 1,092 snaps taken, that’s an impressive stat (one penalty per 364 snaps). Also, he allowed a mere three QB hits.

At left guard, Nelson doubled this with six, and right tackle Braden Smith led the team with seven. Those two also played just over and under the snaps Kelly did (Nelson 1,148 and Smith 1,066, respectively).

An impressive final stat is Kelly’s team-leading 97.7 pass blocking efficiency grade from Pro Football Focus. This number considers the pressures allowed and snaps played, averaging them out with weight toward sacks allowed.

Kelly limited his sacks significantly and was always on the field. Put in that he allowed 25 pressures and who had more, which clears up muddiness on Kelly.

Left tackle Matt Pryor had 31, Nelson 31, Smith 30, and Raimann 27. The remaining starter with fewer was Will Fries at right guard, but he logged only 642 snaps.

Now, what can Kelly do better?

What to Improve

With his consistency, Kelly has often been a focal point for the ground game. This wasn’t the case in 2022. Kelly struggled to block well in the running attack. He is fifth on the team in his grade for this statistic at 64.3.

The top five out of a possible eight are members of the current starting lineup for the Colts' offensive line. So, Kelly being fifth isn’t encouraging from a starting lineman’s perspective.

He also was murky in pass protection at times. Finishing fourth with a grade of 64.8 behind Raimann (third with 71.4) isn’t what any Colts fan wants to see from Kelly. However, to come to Kelly’s defense a bit, the right guard was a revolving position that allowed a lot of pressure to come through.

Until Will Fries consistently stayed in the role, the combinations of Matt Pryor and Danny Pinter did no favors blocking anyone to Kelly’s right side.

Outlook

When push comes to shove, will Indianapolis trade away Kelly? Anything could happen, but he’s the true veteran of the Colts' offensive line.

Trading Kelly when a young and raw quarterback is poised to be drafted could be damaging. He has things to improve on, yes. But with the correct system in place, those improvements could be visible in six months.

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