Colts G Quenton Nelson Fully Healthy Not Focused o

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It has been a topic amongst media and Indianapolis Colts fans all offseason. When will a contract extension happen for All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson?Nelson is entering his fifth season and the final year of his rookie contract. With three First-Team All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowls in his first four seasons, the contract extension for the former No. 6 overall pick is expected to make him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.So, what does Nelson think of his upcoming extension and when it may get done?Not focused on that, he said defiantly on Tuesday.His answer should come as a surprise to no one. While there is an expectation that the extension will get done before the start of the regular season, Nelsons focus, like always, is strictly on football.2021 was by far the most challenging season of Nelsons career. Injuries plagued him all season long, starting in training camp when he had surgery to remove a loose bone fragment in his Dave Henderson Jersey foot. He then dealt with back i sues all season long, a reoccurring i sue throughout his career, and a high ankle sprain that forced him to mi s three games, the first time he has had to mi s a game in his career.Overall, Nelson played in 13 games in 2021 as he mi sed an additional game due to COVID-19. While he was still arguably the best offensive lineman for the Colts last season, he did not play up to his standards. According to , Nelson finished with an overall grade of 69.1, 26th in the NFL among guards, and by far the lowest of his career. For reference, Nelsons grades during his first three seasons were 81.6 (third), 91.2 (second), and 87.5 (third). His pa s-blocking grade of 62.0 (43rd) and run-blocking grade of 70.4 (24th) were also the lowest of his career.But in typical fashion, Nelson is not making any excuses for his drop in play a year ago. Instead, he is using 2021 as a learning experience all the while acknowledging that even though he did not have his best season, he can take pride in fighting through the injuries.You just Terry Steinbach Jersey try to keep a positive mindset, Nelson explained. Everyone in the NFL is fighting through something. Everyones hurt week-to-week. Theres no excuses. You are what you put on tape and at the end of the day, thats how I play and it is what it is but I can look at myself and know I gave my all getting treatment and the time I spent on my body to try to get it right as much as I can during the whole season.Even with the injuries and fighting through the pain, Nelson still played Walt Weiss Jersey well enough to earn Second-Team All-Pro and his fourth Pro Bowl selection. To receive those accolades during what is considered a down year speaks to the incredibly high level of play Nelson has been at throughout his career.With 2021 in the rearview mirror, Nelson has focused ahead to 2022. The year is already getting off to a better start as far as injuries are concerned. The foot? Healed. The ankle? Healed. The back? No flare-ups yet.Yeah, I feel great, he admitted. I feel really good. Strong, healthy, just ready to go. Excited for camp. Im not going in there with two surgeries.Scroll to ContinueThe Colts need a healthy Nelson this year as the offensive line adjusts to having new bodies amongst the starters. Matt Pryor replaces Eric Fisher at left tackle as the team parted ways with Fisher after an uneven 2021 campaign. Danny Pinter, a former fifth-round pick by the Colts in 2020, takes over the reins at right guard with long-time starter Mark Glowinski now with the New York Giants.One of the most underrated aspects of offensive line play is the continuity and cohesivene s that the entire unit must play with. Knowing what your fellow linemen are going to do on each play and how they are going to block is crucial to the succe s of the offense. If an a signment is mi sed by just one of the linemen, chances are the play will fail Joe Morgan Jersey .While Pryor and Pinter both have starting experience with this group in the past, neither have been full-time starters. The Colts are not going full speed right now, but Nelson thinks they are still getting in plenty of work.I think its going well, Nelson said when asked about the progre s of the group. We have a good rotation going and guys are stepping up and have worked really hard this offseason and you can see that. Its hard to tell during this tempo and everything will sort out more when the pads are on and were going full-speed.Another area that Nelson has worked on improving this offseason is his leadership ability. As a veteran on this team and a first-time captain in 2021, Nelson has certainly taken on a more prominent leadership role with this team and embraces the role. So, who has he gone to for advice on being a leader? None other than Peyton Manning.While Nelson did not dive into the specifics of his conversations with Manning, he knows just how valuable it is to have the Colts legend as a sounding board.Its incredibly valuable, Nelson admitted. Hes a Hall-of-Famer and one of the best to ever do it, and hes won two Super Bowls. Just being able to pick his brain is nice.While others are worried about when a contract extension Mark McGwire Jersey might get done for the All-Pro, Nelson is busine s as usual. Working on his craft, developing into a leader, and getting back to his other-worldly form are the main focuses for the fifth-year pro.But I doubt any of us are shocked by that.