Colts Sign Quarterback Chad Kelly, Nephew Of Hall Of Famer Jim Kelly
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INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts are giving a second chance to a player with connections to Frank Reich.
On Monday morning, the Colts signed quarterback Chad Kelly, who is the nephew of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly.
Chad Kelly, a 2017 seventh-round pick of Denver, gives the Colts four quarterbacks on their 90-man roster, with OTAs starting Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the Colts brought Kelly in as a tryout arm during their rookie minicamp.
It is not often that the Colts have carried 4 quarterbacks on their 90-man roster, but there are some reasons that they feel this move is needed.
For one, Kelly (6-2, 224) has always been an intriguing quarterback talent, with some off the field issues not helping his college or professional career.
Kelly, 25, began his collegiate career at Clemson before being dismissed from the football team. After a stop in junior college, Kelly closed his college days at Ole Miss where he was a two-time All-SEC pick.
The Broncos drafted Kelly, who tore his ACL in his final year at Ole Miss, with the last pick of the 2017 Draft. Kelly had a redshirt rookie year in 2017, before challenging for some backup reps with the Broncos last year.
But Kelly was released by the Broncos in late October following a trespassing arrest, which he plead guilty to in March, and still could face a possible NFL suspension. Kelly played one snap in his time with the Broncos.
Given another chance by the Colts, Kelly enters a quarterback room that could see some turnover behind Andrew Luck next offseason.
Backup Jacoby Brissett is entering the final year of his rookie contract, with the opportunity to compete for a starting job elsewhere likely waiting for him next spring.
That means the Colts could be in line for a new backup come 2020.
Currently, Phillip Walker is the No. 3 QB in Indy.
Before April’s Draft, Chris Ballard acknowledged that the Colts would be open to drafting a quarterback and/or carrying a third QB on their 53-man roster.
“Absolutely we would, if the situation presented itself and we didn’t think (we could get through to the practice squad),” Ballard said to reporters at the league’s annual meetings in March.
“We have a pretty good situation with our 2 (Brissett) right now and a developmental 3 (Walker) we like.”
With Monday’s signing, the Colts are seeing if a young QB can change their previous handling of the quarterback position.
Jim Kelly, a close friend to his former teammate in Reich, worked with his nephew this offseason as Chad searched for another NFL home.
To make room for Kelly on the 90-man roster, the Colts waived undrafted free agent DT-Jordan Thompson.
