Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts Bring Back Former Starter Mark Glowinski; Could He Get Back in Starting Lineup?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Colts brought back a familiar face in Mark Glowinski, but is the plan for him to return to the starting lineup? Let's get to it. You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. All right, thanks for tuning in and making us your next listen of the day, because this is not our first episode today. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.

Starting point is 00:00:37 And what is up, everybody? This is Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks of HorseshoeHuddle.com. Coming back to you today already, because the Colts made a roster move today that just really scratched the itch for Zach and I. And I know we're going to want to use more breath on it than what we'll be able to in tomorrow, the Friday pregame show. So today we're going to talk about Mark Glowinski being re-signed to the Colts practice squad. On the surface, that is a super boring roster move, but not all practice for quad moves are created equal.

Starting point is 00:01:10 You know, this is a very familiar face. Someone who was the, one of the bigger members of the best version of the Colts starting line that we've seen in a long time. He's got familiarity with the guys on the line. He's got familiarity with Tony S on the line. He's got familiarity with Tony Sperano from their time with the Giants. So Zach, let's do a little

Starting point is 00:01:31 background on Mark Lewinsky in case people don't remember because he's been gone for a little bit. But he is, he's 32 years old now, came into the league with the Seahawks from 15 to 17, was with the Colts from 2017 to 2021, left the Colts and free agency to go with the Giants from 22 to 23. Basically, when he was with the Colts, he got claimed off waivers by the Colts at the end of the 2017 season. And then in 2018, when the whole entire offensive line shuffle happened, Glowinski kind of fell into the starting lineup about a third of the way

Starting point is 00:02:07 through the season at right guard, and the rest was history from there. Signed a three-year $18 million extension with them the following offseason in 2019. When that was over, parlayed that into an even bigger deal with the Giants, three years, $20 million in 2022. So basically since then with the Giants, he was around for a year and then he got benched the following year and then they released him this off season. And that's kind of where we are now. A player who was really, really good with the

Starting point is 00:02:38 Colts with this specific group of players when there were, you know, Chris Strasser was not a bad O-line coach early in his tenure with the Colts, kind of fizzled out. But yeah, Zach, I know you've been a big Mark Lewinsky guy the whole time, even since leaving the Colts. Yeah, I mean, obviously it hasn't gone the way that you expected with the New York Giants. And there's a reason why he's available this late in the season, because he hasn't played well in the last couple seasons but we do sometimes see with players and in the NFL where sometimes it's just that one place they work you know I think Ryan Clark's the first name that comes to mind when I was a kid with the Steelers every time he went back to the Steelers he was a pretty good player but when he was with Washington it

Starting point is 00:03:17 wasn't the case really especially the second time Washington uh so yeah like sometimes when players go back to that that, they had success and that familiarity, it can bring back some more success for them because Glowinski, aside from his time with the Colts, hasn't really been a starting caliber offensive lineman in the NFL. But like you said, Jake has familiarity with the players on the offensive line with Quinton Nelson, with Ryan Kelly, when Ryan Kelly comes, and with Brayden Smith, obviously, at right tackle, and also with Tony Sperano Jr. I think they overlapped for one of the years there with the Giants. So, you know, there is kind of that familiarity with what the Colts are doing and with the other players in that locker room. So, yeah, it's nice to have

Starting point is 00:04:00 Mark Lewinsky back. I've always been a big fan of him. I remember back in 2018, he wasn't even a guy on my radar because I want to say Matt Slauson was the projected starter. And then we all thought if Slauson got hurt because Slauson was coming off of multiple years in a row with injuries at that point, we were expecting if Slauson got hurt, it would be Brayden Smith to go in at right guard. The rookie that they just took top 40, Brayden Smith moved out to right tackle because of injuries there at right tackle. And then they had to have someone to go in at right guard and end up being Mark Lewinsky. And he parlayed that into nearly $40 million made in his NFL career at this point. So fantastic story, fantastic story coming from Wavers to be that capable of a player in the NFL, especially when he was with the Colts.

Starting point is 00:04:45 And he was always really solid with the Colts. I mean, you have the numbers here, started 55 of 59 games for the Colts, averaged a PFF grade of 67.7, which is like an average starting guard in the league. I want to say like 2018, 2019, he really hit his peak with the team, like was a really, really good right guard those first two seasons. And then he was like fine the final two seasons with the Colts. So yeah, Mark Winske always been a big fan, big bruiser in the run game, very athletic player, can be a little shaky in pass pro, but you know, as long as you get the good run game out of him

Starting point is 00:05:17 and then fine-ish in pass pro, I think that's a win over there at right guard. So really happy to see Mark Winske back, man. I mean, again, I was a huge fan of him uh with the Colts and it's always nice to see a familiar face uh back in Indy and I'm sure for you guys going around the locker room seeing a guy like Mark Lewinsky again was probably a fun time yeah he was always good media guy even today you know he was there in the locker room we saw him he you know made a funny face and said what's up to us you know, he was there in the locker room. We saw him. He, you know, made a funny face and said, what's up to us? You know, remembering some of us that covered him. But yeah, always a smart, articulate guy.

Starting point is 00:05:51 Him and Braden Smith always had like this really good way of landing these blocks, especially in the run game. So that'll be good. I mean, Braden Smith is still around. It'll be different. You know, Ryan Kelly is not back. We don't, I mean, I think the plan is for him to be back this season. We'll see.

Starting point is 00:06:09 But Glowinski and Braden Smith next to each other certainly could bring back some familiarity. But no, this is, again, like I mentioned, not all practice squad moves are created equal. You know, if Derek Rivers gets re-signed to the practice squad, that's okay. Hopefully, he's not playing. If he is playing at some point, it's because they've been decimated by injuries at defensive end. But this one, I think, reads a little differently, again, because of the familiarity with him, with the personnel here, and the coaching staff. I mean, it's a new coaching staff here to when he was here before, but they did overlap him and Tony Sperano in 2022 with those giants, like you mentioned. Yeah. And one thing to keep in mind too, when it comes to,

Starting point is 00:06:55 you know, like moves like this is, it kind of reminds me of like Trey Sermon last year. Remember when Trey Sermon came to Indy signed with the practice squad after that week one, like horrible performance by Deion Jackson. They waved Deion Jackson and they brought in Trey Sermon for the practice squad. And we were all kind of like, look, Trey Sermon has that familiarity with Shane Steichen, knows the system, kind of fits what Steichen likes. This is probably like a practice squad for a week or two. And then he's going to come up and be on the roster, and then lo and behold, I mean, Jackson had that rough week,

Starting point is 00:07:30 and then Trey Sermon was the replacement player, and he's been with the team now for two years at this point, so I kind of get more of that sense with this signing. They have multiple guards on the practice squad right now. Antonio Mavi is currently on the practice squad. They have Josh Sills still on the practice squad, but this just feels a little different. Like you don't go out and sign a 32 year old veteran that has started games for you in the past this late in the season, following what we just got from Dalton Tucker on the,

Starting point is 00:07:58 on the field the last two weeks without some kind of plan behind the scenes, or at least maybe like an insurance plan behind the scenes. So I don't know if they're going to call him up to the roster. Cause I don't think there's this like widespread need around the league to grab Mark Lewinsky. So you can, you could probably keep them on the practice squad for like a month or so and just keep calling him up until you use up those four call-ups.

Starting point is 00:08:19 But I do think there is more of a plan to call him up and maybe get him active on game days than there would be for, you know, Antonio Mafia or Josh Sills. Yeah. So what does this mean? You know, who is who could take the fall for, you know, Galinsky getting into the lineup? What's the immediate or long term plan later on in the season? We'll get into that in just a moment. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. This time of year, we tend to try and give thanks to some of the people and things in our lives. So I'd like to shout out my girls, my wife and my daughter. They will never know how much of an escape they are for me from the stresses of everyday life.

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Starting point is 00:11:12 finding a slight upgrade in their starting lineup. Dalton Tucker, he's the new starting right guard since Will Fries broke his lower leg. He started six of 11 games this year. And this is nothing against Dalton Tucker because he's a rookie undrafted guy, and I think he has outplayed his status, basically. He's done everything you could ask a rookie undrafted player to do, but the Colts have some tough matchups here, and lately it just hasn't been going well. The offensive line's play has dwindled, and there's rook has dwindled. And, you know, there's rookies in the lineup.

Starting point is 00:11:49 There's at times been three rookies in the lineup. Lining up Dalton Tucker next to rookie Tanner Bortolini maybe isn't always going to be the best recipe for success, but that's been the best options for the Colts lately. But they had this rare opportunity to bring in a familiar face, a guy who started 55 games for them, who has started next to Braden Smith and Ryan Kelly, when and if he gets back this year, has played a year under Tony Sperano. You know, after a week or two, three, whatever they feel gets Glowinski up to speed, because he hasn't played this year anywhere, could we perhaps

Starting point is 00:12:24 see him in the starting lineup over Dalton Tucker right guard yeah I think it's very feasible I'm not going to say likely by any means because the Colts are very big on continuity when it comes to the offensive line but I do want to say you know Dalton Tucker for an undrafted rookie free agent or for a rookie undrafted free agent I guess that's smoother way to say it there. He's been perfectly fine this season, perfectly fine player. And I don't want to talk down on this player too much because it is insanely hard to be a rookie at all and come in and start on the offensive line during your first season,

Starting point is 00:12:55 but especially as someone who wasn't highly sought after in the draft. So Don Tucker has been perfectly fine overall, but when you look at the standard that the Colts want this offensive line to be at, and quite frankly, the standard that Will Fries set early this season, which was Pro Bowl caliber play at right guard. I mean, for my money, Will Fries was on track to be a Pro Bowler this season. He was playing some truly fantastic football at right guard, arguably the best lineman on the team in his starts of the season. He was really, really strong to start the year. And to have that fall off to an undrafted free agent type player there, it's a big drop off, you know,

Starting point is 00:13:36 regardless of how well Tucker is playing for his draft slot. So I think it was perfectly fine those first four to five games with Tucker in there. But these past two weeks against Ed Oliver, against Quinnen Williams, you've really seen just the Colts run game grind to a halt. And then their pass protection, a lot of pressure in the quarterback's faces from the interior. And a lot of that starting with Dalton Tucker. I mean, these past two games out of 105 offensive linemen that qualify for Pro Football Focus as starters, Dalton Tucker is the sixth lowest graded offensive lineman out of all 105 and he's the worst in pass protection

Starting point is 00:14:11 with six pressures allowed two QB hits and two sacks allowed in the past two weeks so there's been a lot of struggles and it's not like it gets easier these next couple games I mean these next three games again the Detroit game we can say is a loss or whatever, but the two after that are essentially playoff games for the Colts, and pretty much every game after that is playoff game for the Colts. And coming up, they have, what, this week, Aleem McNeil and DJ Reader. Against the Broncos, they have DJ Jones coming in here.

Starting point is 00:14:39 Against the Patriots, Christian Barmore might be back for that game. Barmore appears to be back, yeah. Dexter Lawrence for the Giants game. Jeffrey Simmons for the Titans game. And then you got the Jaguars. I don't know whoever you want to say for the Jaguars, but that's a murderer's row of defensive tackles. And I'm not saying Mark Lewinsky fixes that.

Starting point is 00:15:00 Like Mark Lewinsky was a free agent at this point in the season for a reason. But there is, you know, some intrigue there I think for the Colts in terms of hey this undrafted rookie it's kind of like the Anthony Richardson thing maybe we need to you know step back a little bit with him get him off the field and get in a veteran hopefully Glenski can play better than Flacco but you know maybe just getting that veteran in there who has that chemistry with Braden Smith and with this offensive system, maybe he can provide a little bit more stability out there. Because if Tucker plays the way he did these past two weeks against a Dexter Lawrence or against a Christian Barmore or against, you know, a Lee McNeil this week, the Colts offense is going to struggle to run the ball and struggle just to even pass the ball, too. Because that's just such a big, like like mismatch up front for this offense. So I do think the Colts needed to look at other options. I mean, personally, I was a fan of throwing a Tony Amafi out there because he's like 350 pounds and at least it's hard to run through him.

Starting point is 00:16:00 But a guy like Glowinski, just again, he's been there, done that in the NFL. It's not perfect, obviously, but he is a guy who maybe can provide a higher floor for your offense than what Dalton Tucker has given you these past couple of weeks. So I'm not saying it's 100% going to happen. I think Tucker is kind of on a shorter leash right now and he has a chance to turn around this week. But I do think this move to the practice squad is maybe an early indication of, hey, you know, Glinski's here. If there's more struggles, we can throw him in the lineup and just get that veteran stability back on our offensive line. Yeah, I think the Jets game

Starting point is 00:16:38 might have been eye-opening in a couple different directions for the Colts. The win is one thing, but seeing Anthony perform that well and knowing the, the week back end of the schedule, they have the playoff and they're like, they're eight in the playoff. They're one spot out of the playoffs right now. It's a realistic opportunity if they do really well at the end of the year. So they found an area where they might be able to upgrade in the starting

Starting point is 00:17:03 lineup. There's that, but also I think they thought they were going to be able to run the ball a lot better than they did against the jets. I mean, with Anthony running that much and you ran in right into the most vulnerable area that the jets have had defending the run so far, and it didn't work.

Starting point is 00:17:22 I mean, Jonathan Taylor did not have a productive game and not necessarily for his effort, but the lanes just weren't really there. So I think they know getting in the playoffs is a real possibility, but they really want to run the ball better as well. So I don't think this is something like imminent where they're just going to immediately yank Dalton Tucker

Starting point is 00:17:43 in a week or two. But like you said, I think they know if Glowinski's practicing well, something eminent where they're just going to immediately yank Dalton Tucker in a week or two. But like you said, I think they know if Glowinski's practicing well and Tucker keeps slipping a little bit, they know they have that move in their back pocket. Yeah, and one more thing to say before we get out of here, though, is the Colts clearly showed this past game that they want to run the ball with this second version of Anthony Richardson in the starting lineup this year I mean they ran the ball what was it like 36 times in this past game 37 times in this past game and it wasn't working whatsoever it maybe worked for like four of those runs if you like if you count like a five yard gain is working it worked for like four to five of those runs every other one was was the run game just getting completely stuffed

Starting point is 00:18:23 and they showed the persistence to stick with it because they called such a play action heavy game for Anthony Richardson and a lot of RPO heavy game for Anthony Richardson. So if their game plan the rest of the season is run, run, run, and then build the play action off of that, you've got to at least have a little bit of efficiency on the ground game. Like you can beat the Jets like you did this past week without being able to run the ball. You're not going to beat the Lions. You're not going to beat the Broncos. Who knows if you'd even beat the Patriots without being able to run the ball because the way Drake Mays playing. So I do think that the Colts want to run the ball a little bit more. And the way Tucker performed last week in the run game is just not good enough

Starting point is 00:19:03 for what they want to do. So this might be like the sign of things to come. Like we want to run, we want to build play action. We need better play on the interior. So Mark Lewinsky, let's see if you can be that guy for us, but let us know what you guys think in the comment section, Mark Lewinsky back in Indy, grow out the beards. That's a sign of, that's a sign of respect for, uh, he does still have the beard just so everyone knows he's still, of course he does. Of course, what would he look like even without the beard, just so everyone knows. Of course he does. What would he look like even without the beard? I don't even want to look it up. That sounds terrifying to me. But if you... It's like James Harden

Starting point is 00:19:32 without the beard. Right. So if you guys want to become a Locked on Colts insider, though, and chat with us directly and get the inside scoop on moves like this when it comes to Mark Winski, follow the link in our show notes. And if you guys don't already, follow at Locked on Colts, at Jake Arthur NFL, and at Zach Hicks 2 all on Twitter. Also subscribe to us oninski, follow the link in our show notes. And if you guys don't already follow at locked on Colts at Jake Arthur, NFL and at Zach Hicks to all on Twitter.

Starting point is 00:19:48 Also subscribe to us on YouTube, wherever you list your podcast. We love you guys rating reviews. If you guys haven't already check out crossover Thursday that Jake did here with Matt D'Ari of locked on lions. Check that out. And we're back with you guys back here tomorrow afternoon.

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts Bring Back Former Starter Mark Glowinski; Could He Get Back in Starting Lineup?

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