The offensive line and the continuity component of having the same starting five in 2024 as they did in 2023 were supposed to make this unit a strength of this year’s Indianapolis Colts team.
Unfortunately, injuries would play a key factor in the up-and-down play that we saw from this group.
Throughout the season, at various points, center Ryan Kelly would miss time on injured reserve, Bernhard Raimann missed multiple games, Will Fries was placed on season-ending injured reserve early in the year, and the team was without Braden Smith for the final weeks of the season due to a personal matter.
This forced the Colts to have to rely on several rookies throughout the season. And while there were promising moments from Tanor Bortolini, Matt Goncalves, and Dalton Tucker, as is often going to be the case with any young player navigating the learning curve that comes with making the jump from college to the NFL, there was inconsistent play as well.
General manager Chris Ballard would commend the play of the rookies and is bullish on the upside the possess. He also noted the improved play from this group towards the end of the season, which was most notable in the run game, with running back Jonathan Taylor finishing the year with some huge performances.
However, there were stretches throughout the season, both in run-blocking and in pass-protection, that played pivotal factors in the up and down play we saw from the offense as a whole.
From Weeks 9-12, if we take away Jonathan Taylor’s one carry of 58 yards against Buffalo, during that four game, month-long stretch, he averaged just 2.9 yards per carry. For an offense with issues in the passing game, the run game has to get going, but that wasn’t the case.
Then, following Anthony Richardson’s return to the starting lineup in Week 11, from that game through Week 16, his final of the season, Richardson was among the most pressured quarterbacks in football. The only reason the Colts didn’t give up more sacks was because of Richardson’s ability to avoid them.
While the quarterback play and skill position players will often garner the attention, the offensive line often dictates the offense’s ceiling for success.
A good run game keeps the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations. Meanwhile, we all know how important it is for a quarterback to have time in the pocket.
Heading into the 2025 season, the Colts need to find an answer at right guard, which could be re-signing Will Fries, who is a free agent, but a strong foundation still exists in the trenches.
However, as Ballard noted, making sure that there is proper competition and depth will be on his to-do list this offseason.
“We need to make sure we’ve got the right talent level,” Ballard said.” I’m pleased with how these young guys came along, but we gotta make sure we got enough depth there.”
