Nine-year veteran is set to join the Vikings on a two-year, $18 million contract. He will be part of a Minnesota offensive line that already features well-paid tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. This move reunites Kelly with Ryan Grigson, the GM who originally drafted him and is now in the Vikings’ front office.
After securing an extension with the Colts in 2020, Kelly pushed for a new deal last year but was not granted one, unlike teammates Kenny Moore and Grover Stewart, who received third contracts with Indianapolis. Having played through his four-year, $49.65 million extension, Kelly will now move on, marking the departure of the final position player acquired under Grigson’s tenure as Colts GM.
A first-round pick in 2016, Kelly was under a fifth-year option when he signed his extension with Indianapolis. Though he performed well enough to remain with the Colts, he did not secure a third contract like Moore and Stewart. Now entering free agency for the first time at age 32, his market value was naturally impacted.
Kelly missed seven games last season due to in-season knee surgery but boasts an impressive résumé, including four Pro Bowl appearances and a second-team All-Pro selection. He most recently made the Pro Bowl in 2023 and, despite injuries in 2024, ranked 10th in pass-block win rate. Pro Football Focus graded him as the eighth-best center in 2023, when he played all 17 games.
His arrival likely signals the end of Garrett Bradbury’s tenure as Minnesota’s starting center. PFF ranked Bradbury 23rd and 27th over the past two seasons after he re-signed on a three-year deal. With Kelly offering a more reliable option, the Vikings could release Bradbury, freeing up $3.6 million in cap space. Additionally, former second-round pick Ed Ingram is expected to be cut.