Insider: How Peyton Manning is influencing Quenton Nelson's approach to leadership

[JAFF]

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...es/7529589001/

INDIANAPOLIS — The answer was classic Quenton Nelson.

Nelson, widely regarded as the best guard in the NFL, is headed into the final year of his rookie deal, steaming toward a contract that just about everybody expects will make him the highest-paid guard in the NFL, maybe one of the highest-paid offensive linemen at any position.

The Colts like to hammer out their big-money extensions the summer before their stars hit free agency. Darius Leonard, Braden Smith and Nyheim Hines all signed extensions in training camp last season after a long summer of negotiations.

Nelson is next in line, the time for the deal has arrived.

It’s natural to ask the three-time All-Pro about the life-changing money on the horizon.

“Not focused on that,” Nelson responded flatly.

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Indianapolis Colts offensive guard Quenton Nelson (56) stretches at the start of practice at Grand Park in Westfield on Thursday, July 29, 2021, on the second full day of workouts of this summer's Colts training camp.
The Colts haven’t given Nelson much reason to worry. From franchise owner Jim Irsay to general manager Chris Ballard, the Indianapolis decision-makers have made it clear the Colts intend to keep the leader of their offensive line.

“We’re going to want Quenton to be here,” Ballard said in February. “He’s that important.”

But Nelson’s four-word response is also revealing, a window into the way the most famous guard in the NFL thinks.


Nelson, 26, spends almost all of his time thinking about football.

Just not that part of football. From the sounds of it, Nelson has spent his offseason focused on becoming a better leader in the Indianapolis locker room, the sort of force who can keep the Colts from going through the wild peaks and valleys they experienced last season.

He already has the perfect mentor.

A man whose name is synonymous with leadership in Indianapolis.

Peyton Manning.

“I trained in Denver my second offseason, and it just happened to be where he was training,” Nelson said. “We built a relationship from there. He gave me his number and said ‘Feel free to text me anytime.’”

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Nelson, like so many players around the league, including new Colts quarterback Matt Ryan, is smart enough to tap into that resource as much as he possibly can.

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“It’s incredibly valuable,” Nelson said. “He’s a Hall of Famer, one of the best to ever do it, he’s won two Super Bowls. Being able to pick his brain is nice.”

There was a theme to their conversations this spring.

“I’ve had several conversations with Quenton Nelson this offseason about being a leader, and the thing I’ve said is that you can’t do it alone,” Manning said. “You need guys to help you, and he talked about Darius Leonard does that on defense, which is great, right? You need that. It’s nice to have somebody on each side of the ball. For Quenton, the addition of Matt to help with that leadership role is going to be huge.”


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But there is a lot Nelson can do on his own, particularly in the offensive line room, and his influence has been easy to spot throughout the 2022 offseason.

When Ryan flew to Indianapolis for his introductory press conference with the Colts, Nelson and Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly were there to have lunch with the team’s fifth starting quarterback in five years, giving the veteran the rundown of the team’s personnel.


Third-year offensive lineman Danny Pinter, who is making the transition from center to right guard in a bid to join the starting lineup this season, spent his offseason sending video of his offseason training to Nelson, who would critique Pinter’s technique and send it back.

Even on Tuesday, Nelson remained on the field for more than 20 minutes after the end of the team’s first mandatory minicamp practice, working with third-year offensive lineman Carter O’Donnell long after most of the rest of the Colts had left the field.

Nelson might be the NFL’s best guard, but the work he provides off the field has always raised his value considerably. For years now, Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich has designated Nelson the leader of the team’s productive running game, taking suggestions from the young guard on play-calling and game-planning on Sundays.

“It’s been extremely helpful, especially when we’re in the middle of the week, and he may even think of a new way to block a play,” Colts running back Jonathan Taylor said. “There have been instances where we’ve actually tried some of those things, and they worked flawlessly.”


Nelson is trying to take his leadership to the next level this season.

The big, powerful guard also feels like he’s ready to get back to the standards he set in his first three seasons in the NFL.

Nelson’s 2021 season was dominated by injury — two offseason surgeries he’s declined to reveal, a training camp surgery to remove a loose piece of bone from his foot, a badly sprained ankle that cost him three games, another game lost to COVID-19 — and his play suffered a bit. For the first time in his career, Nelson was named second-team All-Pro, rather than first team, as he played with an enormous brace on his ankle.

Even a hampered Nelson is one of the NFL’s best guards, but Nelson himself is rarely satisfied by anything other than perfection.

“Everyone in the NFL is fighting through something. Everyone’s hurt week to week,” Nelson said. “There’s no excuses. You are what you put on tape, and at the end of the day, that’s how I play, and it is what it is, but I can look at myself and know I gave my all, getting treatment, the time I spent on my body to try to get it right as much as I can during the whole season.”

Nelson’s body feels right this offseason.

“Strong, healthy, ready to go,” Nelson said. “Excited for camp.”

Ready to lead the Colts back to the standard he’s set for them.

[Ironshaft]

It stuck me when looking through PFFs list of best at each position that the Colts have superior players at almost every position group.

OC Ryan was ranked 10th in league.
OG Nelson was ranked 2nd
OT Smith was ranked 11th
RB Taylor was ranked 1st
QB Ryan was ranked 7th
WR / TE No Colts was ranked (No surprise)
DT Buckner was ranked 5th
DE No Colt ranked but Yannick was an honorable mention
LB Leonard was ranked 2nd
CB Gilmore was ranked 8th
Slot CB Moore was ranked 1st
Safety No Colt was ranked

Honestly, I am more excited about this season than any other in recent memory. Ballard has killed it this offseason.