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Stephen Holder
The Indianapolis Colts have locked up one of their most important players for years to come.
Left tackle Bernhard Raimann, a former tight end at Central Michigan who has blossomed into one of the team’s most indispensable players, signed a contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.
The extension is for four years and is worth $100 million, a team source confirmed.
“I haven’t really had time to sit down and think about it,” Raimann said after Tuesday’s training camp practice. “That seems like a dream come true right now, but I’m sure that tonight, seeing my wife, sitting down with my wife for the first time, I’ll take it all in.”
Raimann, a 2022 third-round draft pick, was entering the final year of his rookie contract, but the extension keeps him off the market next spring. He has shown dramatic improvement in each year of his career and last season took a leap that demonstrated he could man the critical position for the foreseeable future.
The Colts think Raimann still has more room for growth. He has played at offensive tackle only since his junior year in college, during the COVID-shortened 2020 season (six games).
“Bernhard has worked extremely hard, and this contract extension is a testament to his character, dedication and persistence,” GM Chris Ballard said in a statement. “He exemplifies each of our team’s four pillars and is a leader in our locker room. I’m excited for him and his family on this well-deserved contract extension.”
The Austrian-born Raimann came to the United States as an exchange student in his junior year of high school, but he had already been introduced to football in his home country. That led to his quick ascension and an opportunity to play in college.
Despite his quick development in Indianapolis, there was some doubt about whether this deal might get done as Raimann suggested last week that the respective sides were far apart in negotiations.
“Obviously, you think about [the contract]. You know you want to be here,” Raimann said Tuesday. “You know you want security for your family. But at the same time, you have a season to focus on, so I’m just happy that all the distractions are out of the way and we can fully focus on the season.”
Keeping Raimann in place was important for the Colts because of the timing. Indianapolis is revamping its offensive line after the free agency departures of four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries. Both players joined the Minnesota Vikings.
NFL Network first reported the terms of Raimann’s contract.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.