Beyond laying out a plan for an "open" quarterback competition in 2025, Colts general manager Chris Ballard touched on a few notable topics during his media availability sessions Tuesday evening at the Indiana Convention Center during the NFL Combine. A rundown of notes, starting with three players who are in line to become unrestricted free agents in March:
Ballard said he'll meet this week with representatives for center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries.
Ballard and Kelly will have a meeting next week, he said. Kelly is the longest-tenured player on the Colts, having made his debut as a first-round pick in 2016, and in 2024 he had Pro Football Focus' fifth-highest pass block grade among centers with at least 200 pass protection snaps.
As for Fries, who sustained a season-ending leg injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, Ballard said the 2021 seventh-round pick's rehab has been exactly what you'd expect from Will," who's regarded as one of the hardest-working players on the Colts.
"He's never missed a day, doing everything in his power, he's progressing nicely," Ballard said. "I couldn't be more happy for him. Hopefully we can get something done. If not, we'll get into free agency and see what the market is."
When Fries was injured against the Jaguars, he had the third-highest Pro Football Focus offensive grade (86.9) among guards, behind only teammate Quenton Nelson and the Pittsburgh Steelers' James Daniels.
On the other side of the line, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo was ranked by NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal as 2025's the No. 38 overall free agent. While the 25-year-old Odeyingbo went from eight sacks in 2023 to three sacks in 2024, he tied a career high with 17 quarterback hits.
"He's developed really well," Ballard said. "I know statistically it might not look like that, but I know the rest of the league notices it. He's becoming exactly what we thought he would become. He's still young, he's still – I think it's still in front of Dayo, and I like where he's headed. We'll see how free agency works out, but yeah it does. Happy for him, because I think he's going to garner some attention."
Until noon on Monday, March 10, the Colts have exclusive negotiating rights with impending unrestricted free agents. From noon on March 10 through 3:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, representation for impending free agents can negotiate and agree to contracts – but not execute them – with other teams. Those contracts can begin being signed on 4 p.m. on March 12, which marks the start of the NFL's 2025 league year.
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Other news & notes:
- On right tackle Braden Smith, who was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list in December, Ballard didn't have an update, but he did say: "Personal issues (he's) dealing with. Think the world – (he's) been a great player for us. We'll see going forward. ... What I will tell you is he's doing really well and he wants to play football. We'll work through the rest of it.
- On defensive end Samson Ebukam, who missed the entire 2024 season with a torn Achilles' sustained in a late July training camp practice: "Samson's been doing great work in terms of rehab and coming back." Ebukam led the Colts with 9 1/2 sacks in 2023.
