The Indianapolis Colts offensive line was ranked 10th in the NFL entering the 2022 season by Pro Football Focus.
As Pro Football Focus put the rankings into tiers, the Colts found themselves in the second tier labeled “High Floor,” which consisted of eight teams overall.
Their projected starting lineup for the Colts included Matt Pryor at left tackle and Danny Pinter at right guard, which falls in line with what we projected following minicamp.
Losing two starters from a year ago is quite the blow, but the core of Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith is still elite. Plus, there is reason to think the Colts’ options at left tackle and right guard are more than capable of holding their own. Third-year offensive lineman Danny Pinter earned a 74.7 overall grade on 226 snaps at mostly center last season. Matt Pryor was similarly impressive in limited playing time, posting a 76.5 overall grade on 438 snaps at mostly right tackle last season. If they continue to succeed in full-time roles, the Colts will finish at a much higher ranking on this list.
The Colts haven’t yet found the solution to the retirement of Anthony Castonzo. However, they liked what they saw from Pryor in his spot-start against the Las Vegas Raiders, and they are very excited about the potential of rookie Bernhard Raimann.
Pinter is a bit of a wild card at the position simply because he hasn’t held a starting role yet. What we saw from him both at center and right guard in 2021 provides plenty of optimism that he can hold his own between Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith.
The offensive line will continue to be a major part of the team’s success and if they can get a bit more consistency from the left tackle position, this unit is likely to move up the rankings.
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