Colts Sign LT Anthony Castonzo To A Four-Year, $43.5M Extension

Update:

The Indianapolis Colts announced that they’ve agreed to terms on a contract extension with LT Anthony Castonzo Thursday night.

• According to Mike Garafolo, Castonzo receives a four-year, $43.6 million deal from the Colts.

“Left tackles like Anthony Castonzo are hard to come by,” said Colts General Manager Ryan Grigson. “He’s a team first guy that works as hard at his craft as anyone I have ever been around regardless of position. His desire to be great literally consumes him and he is a shining example of the sacrifice it truly takes every single day to be at the top of his game come Sunday. From ownership on down we are all extremely happy that AC will be wearing the horseshoe for many years to come. ”

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Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Colts are in the process of finalizing a long-term extension with LT Anthony Castonzo.

• Rapoport adds that Castonzo’s new contract is a four-year extension worth $42 million and includes $35 million over the first three years of the deal.
• Castonzo will now make an annual salary of $10.5 million during the extension years.

Colts owner Jim Irsay confirmed last month that they were in talks with Castonzo about an extension and added that he was optimistic a deal would eventually get done.

Castonzo has been a quality offensive lineman for the Colts and helped solidify Andrew Luck‘s blindside in recent years, so this is probably money well spent.

Castonzo, 26, is playing under the fifth-year option, which will pay him a base salary of $7.438 million fully guaranteed for the 2015 season.

Last season, Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 14 offensive tackle in the league out of 84 qualifying players. Castonzo was especially effective as a pass-protector for the Colts, which is a big asset when you consider he’s protecting, arguably, the best young quarterback in the game.