Following a breakout 2023 campaign, Will Fries was looking to build on his momentum ahead of his impending free agency. Naturally, things didn’t go as planned, as the Colts offensive lineman suffered a fractured right tibia in Week 5 that ended his 2024 season prematurely.
The 26-year-old doesn’t only have the uphill battle of returning from his injury in 2025…Fries will also be tasked with landing his next contract. If the free agent lineman has his way, he’ll return to the only NFL team he’s ever played for.
“This place is special,” Fries said of the Colts (via Nate Atkins of the Indy Star). “… From coming in here as a rookie with guys having my back when I didn’t play much and then getting an opportunity to start and then being able to start the year after that. There’s so many good people here.
“All I want to do is repay them with how hard I can work, playing the best I possibly can for those who believe in me and for my family and for myself. That’s what it’s meant to me to be here.”
The former seventh-round pick made only three appearances as a rookie and nine starts as an emergency fill-in in 2022. He was positioned atop the depth chart in 2023 and made the most of it, starting all 17 games while finishing as Pro Football Focus’ 32nd-best offensive guard. He seemed to take an even larger step forward in 2024, as PFF listed him second at his position before he suffered the season-ending injury.
While Fries has shown that he belongs in a starting lineup, his injury undoubtedly clouds his upcoming free agency. As Atkins notes, the lineman could end up settling for a one-year deal as he looks to build his value back up ahead of next year’s free agency. On the flip side, Fries could make a strong argument for being the second-best guard in this year’s free agency class (behind Kansas City’s Trey Smith), and there could still be a number of teams willing to bank on his upside (and expected recovery).
That could very well be the Colts, who would happily slide Fries back atop their depth chart. As Atkins notes, the team once drafted Tanor Bortolini in the fourth round with the expectation that he’d eventually be a starter, but it’s been assumed that he’ll take over for center Ryan Kelly. The team’s other backup guard options, including Mark Glowinski and Danny Pinter, are also set to hit free agency, so Fries would help the Colts retain some continuity opposite Quenton Nelson.
Best name for an lineman
Will Fries be back on the menu in Indy?
Always fun when he lined up next to backup center Wesley French
Matthew McConaughey now has more evidence to support his theory…link to youtube.com