Report: Colts sign LT Bernhard Raimann to 4-year, $100M contract extension

The Colts have reportedly locked up their prized blindside bookend for the foreseeable future in Horseshoe Blue!

According to The NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Indianapolis Colts have signed starting left tackle Bernhard Raimann to a 4-year, $100 million contract extension (with $60 million guaranteed):

While contract negotiations had recently reached an impasse ahead of training camp, the Colts successfully re-sign their blindside bookend to a lucrative multi-year extension.

The former 2022 3rd round pick was otherwise set to enter a contract year, playing one of the league’s premium positions at starting left tackle.

The Colts were wise to lock the 27-year-old sooner rather than later, as he’s quickly become one of the better left tackles in football—and has seemingly improved every year in the NFL.

Per PFF, Raimann was their 8th best graded left tackle this past season with a +85.1 overall grade, featuring a +82.0 pass blocking grade. Specifically, in pass protection, Raimann allowed just 4.0 sacks and 20 QB pressures during 471 total pass blocking snaps.

Not to mention, Colts star workhorse Jonathan Taylor rushed for over 1,400 total rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, with Raimann predominantly controlling the left edge.

With the Los Angeles Chargers recently re-signing All-Pro left tackle Rashawn Slater to a 4-year, $114 million contract extension, perhaps that allowed both sides to see how the ceiling of the elite left tackle market had been set and quickly reach a slightly lesser deal.

The Colts appeared to let both longtime veteran center Ryan Kelly and breakout starting right guard Will Fries depart in free agency to the Minnesota Vikings, at least one would largely think to free up more cap space to better allocate toward Raimann’s new mega-deal.

Having re-signed Raimann, the Colts can now direct greater attention to re-signing another key member of their 2022 NFL Draft class, starting wideout and deep threat Alec Pierce.