The 2018 draft was a fruitful one for the Colts and that success is going to cost them some money in the near future.
First-round pick Quenton Nelson is set to make over $13.7 million in 2022 and is in line for what should be a massive contract extension after three first-team All-Pro selections in three years. Second-round pick Darius Leonard has his eyes on an extension and right tackle Braden Smith, who also was picked in the second round, is due for one as well.
Smith was drafted as a guard, but stepped in at right tackle during his rookie season and has started 46 regular season and playoff games over three seasons. The Colts have talked about getting a new deal done this offseason, but Smith said he’s keeping his focus on the field rather than the negotiating table.
“I let my agent handle it,” Smith said, via Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star. “That’s what he gets paid to do. And I get paid to play football, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
It will be costly for the Colts to hold onto all three players, but that qualifies as a good problem to have after picking three core players with your first three picks in a draft.