PFF Heralds Colts Captain as Underrated Free Agent

Indianapolis Colts long-time and Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly is one of the biggest names on the offensive line in free agency in 2025. While he is 31 years old and has dealt with some injuries in recent seasons, he can still provide stability in the trenches.

Pro Football Focus agrees, placing him as an underrated free-agent center on the market. Zoltán Buday has this to say regarding the team captain.

Kelly is still among the best pass-blocking centers in the NFL and could solidify the interior of any offensive line. His 73.2 PFF pass-blocking grade over the past three seasons ranks fourth among 28 qualifying centers, while his 2.9% pressure rate allowed also ranks fourth.Zoltán Buday | Pro Football Focus

As Buday mentions, Kelly can still get the job done. Arguably the biggest reason Indianapolis likely isn't re-signing Kelly is the performance from Tanor Bortolini in 2024 while Kelly had injury issues.

Kelly posted PFF grades of 67.0 overall, 71.9 pass-blocking, and 64.0 run-blocking. These aren't earth-shattering numbers but are solid for a center-needy football team.

If Kelly gets signed elsewhere, the Indy offensive line will have the players below from left to right in the trenches as the starters.

-Bernhard Raimann | LT

-Quenton Nelson | LG

-Tanor Bortolini | C

-Will Fries | G (Free Agent)

-Braden Smith | RT

The only realistic way that the Colts retain Kelly on the roster with a new deal is if they don't feel that Bortolini is ready to take the reins as the field general of the O-Line. That doesn't seem to be the case with the Colts and Bortolini.

Bortolini played well in his five starts during his inaugural season, he was also consistent across the board with grades of 65.1 overall, 64.6 pass-blocking, and 65.4 run-blocking. Bortolini will improve as he gets more exposure to the starting lineup and has plenty of time as a 22-year-old.