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Mark Glowinski equated Tuesday to the day he was selected 134th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2015 NFL draft.
This marked another significant milestone in Glowinski’s career. He locked up his future.
The GAR grad signed a three-year contract extension to remain with the Indianapolis Colts. The deal is worth $18 million and includes a $4.2 million signing bonus.
“At least you have some security that you’re going to be somewhere for a little bit. It’s pretty sweet,” Glowinski said to the Times Leader. “I feel like that was the best fit for me and the best opportunity. I put a lot into consideration — what’s the best option, what’s the best chance to continue on winning games. We have a young group, so you only can get better from that standpoint.”
Glowinski was set to become a free agent in March when the new league year started. And a touted one at that.
After a career year — finishing as the 17th-ranked guard in the NFL according to the popular football analytics website Pro Football Focus — Glowinski would have likely entered free agency as one of the top guards on the market.
But instead of testing the waters, Glowinski remained with the Colts. By doing so, he kept one of the NFL’s best offensive lines intact.
Glowinski, who appeared in 11 games and started nine after opening the year as a backup, and the rest of his fellow Colts offensive linemen allowed a league-low 18 sacks this past season.
“It’ll be good to actually have the chance to start from the beginning of the season. Just to have a full season to do exactly what I was doing,” Glowinski said. “It can only get better from the standpoint of we’re actually going to (keep together) all of the other (starting offensive linemen) for another year at least. So it’ll be nice to evolve from where we are as a group.”
Glowinski wasn’t the only move the Colts made on Tuesday.
Indianapolis also announced that they’ve hired Chris Strausser as the new offensive line coach and Jason Michael as the tight ends coach.
Strausser replaces Dave DeGuglielmo, who was fired Jan. 15, while Michael replaces Tom Manning, who left Jan. 18 for Iowa State where he will serve as offensive coordinator.
DeGuglielmo was the only offensive coach New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had hired before spurning Indianapolis, and according NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Colts head coach Frank Reich wanted “his own guy.”
Strausser is a 30-year coaching veteran who spent the past two seasons working with Denver’s offensive line. He worked the previous 28 years in college, making stops at Washington, Boise State, Colorado, Portland State, Foothill College, San Jose State, Sonoma State, Oregon State and Menlo College.
“(Colts head coach) Frank, Chris Ballard and all of those guys will make the right decision on O-line coach that they want to bring in and the goals and everything they think of,” Glowinski said prior to the hires on Tuesday. “I think the last I talked to them they want somebody that’s going to be good with fundamentals.”
Even after Glowinski’s extension, the Colts are expected to have over $100 million in cap space this offseason, which will be a league-high.
With plenty of cap space and after an impressive run to end the season, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round after starting 1-5, the future is bright in Indianapolis.
And Glowinski is happy to be a part of it.
“To know that there is room for improvement and bring in guys to make the team even better than what it is now is incredible,” Glowinski said.