With offseason programs now behind us, let’s take a position-by-position look at where things stand for the Indianapolis Colts. Next up is the offensive line unit.
If you missed our other positional reviews, you can find them below.
This year more than last, the Colts have their unknowns along the offensive line unit. After having the same starting five from the 2023 season to 2024, the Colts will now be introducing two new starters to their interior offensive line after Ryan Kelly and Will Fries departed in free agency.
Naturally, all eyes will be on the quarterback position for the Colts, both in terms of who is starting and how that player performs, but consistent success is going to begin with the play of the offensive line unit.
Without a strong running game to lean on and to keep the offense out of predictable passing situations or without time in the pocket for the passer, I’m not sure it matters who is under center. Out of 43 eligible quarterbacks last season, Anthony Richardson ranked 43rd in completion rate when under pressure, and Daniel Jones was 29th, per PFF.
Competition at center and right guard
The assumption is that Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves will be the starters at center and right guard, but as offensive line coach Tony Sparano has mentioned, both will be competing for those snaps and not just handed the starting roles.
Bortolini is competing with Danny Pinter, who did see some first-team reps during OTAs. Goncalves, as Sparano said, is competing with the other guards on the roster, presumably Dalton Tucker and/or Josh Sills.
A lot is put on the plate of the starting center
When Bortolini was called upon last season, he held his own as a rookie. In eight appearances, which included five starts, Bortolini ranked 15th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric and was 22nd out of 40 centers in run-blocking grade.
However, he is still a relatively inexperienced player at a position where a lot is asked. In Shane Steichen’s offense, a lot is asked of the center, particularly in the run game from a blocking standpoint. Pre-snap, it’s up to the center to call out initial protections, make any adjustments as needed, and then communicate all of that to the rest of the offense.
“I saw a young player that got better each time he went out there,” offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. said. “The game wasn’t too big for him. Athletically, he has a ton to offer in terms of what he’s able to do on the move, in terms of how he’s able to mirror people in pass protection.”
How smooth will the transition to right guard be for Matt Goncalves?
This is essentially a new position for Goncalves, at least when it comes to starting in an actual football game. At Pittsburgh, Gonclaves played just 44 snaps at guard over his entire career. As a rookie with the Colts, he had only one snap at guard.
Now, throughout last season, Goncalves took reps at guard in practice, and the Colts saw him progress in that role as the year went on. But practice reps vs. in-game reps are quite different, as we know.
“I look at his skill set and the skill set that he has,” Sparano said. “He’s a big man. He’s got power. He’s got length and he’s really, deceptively very light on his feet. He’s quick. He can get out in space, you saw some of the stuff he did in the run game out in space last year was very good. That about his skill set excited me, plus he’s a really tough physical player. For our guards, that is non-negotiable, they gotta be that way and he is that way.”
A contract year for Bernhard Raimann
After a breakout year in 2023, Raimann took another step forward in 2024. Out of 83 eligible tackles last season, Raimann ranked 24th in pass-blocking efficiency, according to PFF.
In the run game, along with grading out well, running back Jonathan Taylor averaged nearly 5.0 yards per rush when running between Raimann and left guard Quenton Nelson.
“The progress that Berny has made from year one to now, it’s been pretty incredible,” GM Chris Ballard said at the NFL Combine.
As a steady and still ascending presence at one of the game’s most important positions, this certainly feels like a matter of when, in terms of Raimann getting a new deal.
Who secures the swing tackle role?
Competing for this job will be Blake Freeland and fourth-round draft pick Jalen Travis. So far in practices, we’ve seen Freeland at left tackle with the second offensive line unit and Travis at right tackle.
Given how Freeland performed in 2023 and the fact that Goncalves took control of the swing tackle role last season, one would guess that Travis–as an incoming draft pick–will have the upper hand here. However, that will ultimately be determined by what takes place this summer.
The Colts will cross-train both these players at each tackle spot, but they could also go the route of having Freeland specifically be the backup left tackle and Travis be the backup right tackle, for example, allowing each player to focus on one position.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Indianapolis Colts position review after minicamp: Matt Goncalves, Tanor Bortolini and OL
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
