Source: Colts' Raimann signs 4-year, $100M deal

The Indianapolis Colts person locked up 1 of their astir important players for years to come.

Left tackle Bernhard Raimann, a erstwhile choky extremity astatine Central Michigan who has blossomed into 1 of the team's astir indispensable pieces, signed a declaration extension, the squad announced Tuesday.

The hold is for 4 years and is worthy $100 million, a squad root confirmed.

Raimann, a 2022 third-round pick, was entering the last twelvemonth of his rookie contract, but the hold keeps him disconnected the marketplace adjacent spring. He has shown melodramatic betterment successful each twelvemonth of his vocation and past play took a leap that demonstrated helium could antheral the captious presumption for the foreseeable future.

But the Colts deliberation there's much country for Raimann to proceed his growth. He has played lone astatine violative tackle since his inferior twelvemonth successful college, during the COVID-shortened 2020 play (six games).

"Bernhard has worked highly hard, and this declaration hold is simply a testament to his character, dedication and persistence," GM Chris Ballard said successful a statement. "He exemplifies each of our team's 4 pillars and is simply a person successful our locker room. I'm excited for him and his household connected this well-deserved declaration extension."

The Austrian-born Raimann came to the United States arsenic an speech pupil successful his inferior twelvemonth of precocious school, but helium had already been introduced to shot successful his location country. That led to his speedy ascension and an accidental to play successful college.

But contempt his speedy improvement successful Indianapolis, determination was immoderate uncertainty astir whether this woody mightiness get done.

As precocious arsenic past week, Raimann suggested during an interrogation with Indianapolis vigor presumption 107.5-FM that the respective sides were acold isolated successful negotiations.

"From my understanding, they're not connected the aforesaid page," helium said. "From my understanding, it's that the numbers don't rather adhd up yet, the mode [the Colts] worth my presumption otherwise than my [agents] deliberation it is. But we're moving connected it."

Keeping Raimann successful spot was important for Colts due to the fact that of the timing. Indianapolis is revamping its violative enactment aft the free-agency departures of four-time Pro Bowl halfway Ryan Kelly and close defender Will Fries. Both players joined the Minnesota Vikings.

NFL Network archetypal reported the presumption of Raimann's contract.