Colts second-year offensive lineman Blake Freeland is looking to build upon an already strong offseason by winning the competition for the swing tackle role during training camp.
“We thought Freeland had a really good offseason–think he’ll take another step,” said GM Chris Ballard before training camp began.
When Ballard was asked what training camp battles he’ll be watching closely this summer, he mentioned six of them, including the competition at swing tackle. Ballard mentioned Freeland and rookie Matt Goncalves as the two primary competitors for that role, but we could see Jake Witt in the mix as well.
Freeland was a fourth-round pick by the Colts in 2023 and saw quite a bit of playing time at right tackle with Braden Smith dealing with injuries. “He got put in the fire,” as Ballard said earlier this offseason.
Like many fourth-round rookies, Freeland took his lumps. He finished the season appearing in 14 games and playing 701 snaps. During that span he allowed four sacks and 45 pressures, ranking 80th out of 86 eligible tackles in pass-blocking efficiency and 77th in PFF’s run-blocking grade.
A big point of emphasis for Freeland this offseason was on getting bigger and stronger, which head coach Shane Steichen has taken notice of.
“It’s a big part of it,” said Steichen about Freeland getting bigger. “A guy that’s gaining weight, getting stronger and bigger, and getting quicker and faster. I mean, you see those guys that come in the league and they develop year after year and their bodies change. And I’ve seen that jump a little bit from him already.”
We often hear about players making a big jump in their second NFL season. A key component to that is having a full offseason to hone in on their craft rather than going through the pre-draft process.
Another important element is the continuity and familiarity that player has with being in the same system for a full year. Freeland already has a massive leg up compared to where he was this time last year, simply because he’s familiar with his role, the language, and techniques required to play in Steichen’s offense.
“He’s doing a great job,” said Steichen. “Obviously, the communication piece is huge. That’s one of our goals for training camp–make sure our communication, we’re on that part of it. And the communication part’s been great with him and the rest of the guys, but he’s being really firm in there. Creating a nice pocket on the edge for the quarterback.”
This positional battle between Freeland and Goncalves may not be for a starting role, but it’s a pivotal one, as the two compete for the backup spot at one of the game’s most important positions.
