The Colts lost a key building block along their offensive line, as Will Fries rejoins Ryan Kelly on the Vikings.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Minnesota Vikings have agreed to a 5-year, $88 million contract with Indianapolis Colts starting right guard Will Fries:
Guard Will Fries is headed to the #Vikings for five years and $88 million, sources told ESPN.
One of the top interior linemen on the market is now off the board. pic.twitter.com/xL38oVQfNO
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 11, 2025
Originally a 2021 7th round pick of the Colts, the 26-year-old offensive guard was in the midst of a breakout campaign, before suffering a fractured tibia during Week 5 of last year.
Specifically, Fries graded out as PFF’s 4th best graded offensive guard with a +86.9 overall grade—including a strong +84.9 run blocking grade.
He made 31 career starts over the past 3 seasons for Indianapolis.
Having also lost longtime center Ryan Kelly to the Vikings in free agency, the Colts interior offensive line will no doubt look a lot different next season. Fries’ loss is a big one, but the Colts reworking veteran Braden Smith’s deal provides Indianapolis some flexibility up front.
Right now, from left to right, the projected starters are Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Tanor Bortolini, and some combination of Matt Goncalves and Braden Smith on the right side of their reconstructed offensive line.
However, the Colts could still turn to ongoing free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft to potentially replace Fries—although it’s a weaker guard draft class regarding the latter.
As it stands, the Colts have lost two up-and-coming players along each of their lines, as versatile defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo signed with the Chicago Bears on Monday.
Instead, the Colts elected to address their depleted defensive secondary with the free agent signings of safety Cam Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward to lucrative multi-year deals.