The Indianapolis Colts are looking to revamp the offensive line in hopes of returning the unit to the former glory it held during the early part of Chris Ballard’s tenure.
While the right guard position is in need of a new starter, there is hope that the left tackle position can be held down by Bernhard Raimann, who will enter his second season after spending the back half of his rookie campaign as the starter on the blindside.
Buy Colts TicketsPro Football Focus sees a path toward a breakout season for Raimann, listing him as one of three second-year breakout candidates on the offensive side of the ball.
“Raimann had one of the more inauspicious debuts you’re going to see from an NFL offensive lineman. That came in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos, when he was flagged four times — constantly holding to try and avoid getting beaten. He still gave up five pressures in that game, and it looked like he was a long way from being ready. He quickly settled down, however, and from Week 12 onward he earned a top-10 PFF grade (79.7) among all tackles, allowing 13 total pressures in six starts.”
Despite the fact the Colts got the win against the Broncos is Raimann’s debut, it’s a game that most will actively try to forget.
It took Raimann a while to get his feet under him, but he really hit his stride during the second half of the season, especially down the stretch. The third-round pick faced a gauntlet of talented pass rushers and while he experienced plenty of growing pains, he also showed promise at the position.
Even with the optimism heading into the 2023 season, the Colts have to add viable competition to the left tackle spot for Raimann. We saw how poorly the depth played with Matt Pryor essentially being given the job to begin the season. That can’t happen again.
This will be a big offseason for Raimann, but he can prove his worth as the starting left tackle with a breakout campaign in his second season.
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