Yahoo Finance Colts LT Anthony Castonzo, who put off retirement, gets $33 million extension
No wonder Anthony Castonzo decided against retirement.
The Indianapolis Colts’ longtime left tackle was considering walking away, but then decided to put that off. On Sunday, the Colts made sure it was worth his while.
The Colts gave Castonzo a two-year, $33 million extension according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. With that, the Colts keep together one of the strengths of their team, a fantastic offensive line.
Anthony Castonzo cashes in
Once Castonzo said he’d play again, the Colts were confident they could hold onto him. But a weak class of offensive linemen in free agency presented a potential possibility for Castonzo to shop his services elsewhere and really cash in.
The Colts took care of him. Castonzo, who will turn 32 in August, is tied for the second-highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history. His average of $16.5 million per season is tied with Trent Brown of the Las Vegas Raiders, trailing only Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson and his $18 million per season.
It’s possible, given the lack of options in free agency, Castonzo could have gotten even more on the open market. But he clearly didn’t want to leave.
Colts keep their line together
For a few years the Colts’ offensive line was a liability. Other than Castonzo, a 2011 first-round pick who has started at left tackle since the Colts drafted him, Indianapolis had trouble filling in the rest of the line. But draft investments in the line, particularly in guard Quenton Nelson two years ago, paid off.
The Colts are coming off a disappointing season, after Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement, but still have some blue-chip players and could rebound in 2020. It would have been tougher having to replace their left tackle, without many options in free agency.
Now that Castonzo is back in the fold, the Colts have one less issue to worry about.
More from Yahoo Sports:
Masvidal slams Lee on Twitter after loss at UFC Brasilia
