Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts OL PREVIEW: Quenton Nelson, Bernhard Raimann Must Be as Good as Ever in 2025

Episode Date: July 9, 2025

The play of the Indianapolis Colts' offensive line will be as crucial as ever in 2025, but it will depend on a pair of new starters getting quickly up to speed. What should the expectations for the group be in 2025? Become a Locked On Colts insider! Ask your burning questions and get prompt answers from someone who's around the team every day! Get special access from the locker room, practice field, and press box! JOIN HERE! Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-colts/📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nfl/ Follow Jake and Zach's written work on HorseshoeHuddle.com, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, @LockedOnColts, and @ColtsOn_SI, as well on TikTok and Instagram! Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get $150 in BONUS BETS when your first $5 BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnfl for 50% off your first year.

For the first time in years, the Indianapolis Colts have made a change on the offensive line and they'll be inserting two new starters for 2025. Will it lead to better results? Let's get to it. Daily Indianapolis Colts Podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Thank you all for tuning in and making us your first listen of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel.

Right now, new customers can get $150 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Hello, everyone. My name is Zach Hicks, your resident film nerd of horseshoehuddle.com. I'm joined as always by Jake Arthur, our credentialed boots on the ground for the site. Today is my favorite day of the Positional Preview Series, not because it's over. I love me some of this Positional Preview Series, but because we're talking about the offensive line You know when it comes to me the nerding out really comes out when it comes to O line play and just the offensive line in general So we're gonna talk about all these players in the offensive line room from the starters to key reserves To bottom of the roster guys who could surprise in camp and make the team

We saw last year Dalton Tucker was one of those guys last year bottom of the roster guy who worked his way up into making the team and played a good amount of snaps So a lot of valuable players talk about today. Jake. Let's talk about the starters to kick off this show We talked all offseason about mac and solvace and tanner bortolini the two projected new starters Among the offensive line first time the Colts have really made a change in their starting group and I think since the Jeff Saturday era started. You know I think it was Jeff Saturday came in inserted Will Fries and Baron Hart Ryman into the starting lineup and that's been the starting offensive line since then. So now we're seeing two new guys and while I think this might be a bit of a downgrade for this upcoming season, it was a change that kind of needed to happen.

The Colts needed to get younger on the offensive line with Bernhardt Ryman's extension coming soon. So Mackensalves, Kana Bordellini, maybe Danny Pinter factors in, but we think it's going to be Bordellini. Those are going to be your two new starters on the offensive line. Jake, what are your expectations for these two young players going into this next season? Yeah, we spoke about this one kind of recently, but I do imagine like if you're looking at Ryan Kelly at his best last year and Wolf Rises his best last year, if the pride will be a step down there. But I don't I don't feel bad or uneasy about this

because like this change was supposed to happen. They drafted these two guys Tanner Bordelini and Matt Gonzalez last year to eventually fill two holes this offseason. Now we didn't know if it was going to be Braden Smith was the hole because we kind of thought Wilfries would be back. But, you know, I think we're both ready to just roll with the punches and see what these two guys have got. One thing that makes me feel really confident is Quentin Nelson is there.

That's a guy who has been able to really help guys alongside him. Bernard Breiman is there. He is quietly one of the better left tackles in the NFL. Now he's not gonna have direct contact with these guys. He's kind of on his own island. But I would rather not have left tackle be one of the question, the biggest question marks on the team there. So one of the, I think the last thing that makes me feel really good about this, other than the fact these two guys spoke good

tape out there last year is Tony Sparano Jr. I think he's a very, very good coach, he has got something in that O line room that not every coach has. And that is the full utmost trust of his players. Those guys truly love him. They believe in him. Uh, of those guys, the veterans in the room will credit him substantially with getting them turned around because of his belief in them and just having a coach who not only is smart and can coach players, but like can also relate to them and bring out the best in them. They truly have that two way relationship where the players and coach both really appreciate

each other. That goes with Chris watt as well. He never really gets mentioned, but that's their assistant online coach. There's just a lot of synergy in that room. And I really think it's going to work out. Um, you know, again, might be a slight dip, at least in the first half of the year, just cause you're getting two new guys in there. And Matt Gonzalez does not have any snaps at right guard. He had one snap at left guard last year. But you know, Gonzalez, 333 reps at right tackle, 230 left tackle last year. But you 333 reps at right tackle,

last year. So he played s and then borderline out t 350 snaps as well. So the just thrown into the fire experience last year. They have some good players ar I feel pretty optimistic. we look at this Colts offensive line, the projection is a little bit all over the place among major media members and media

groups. I saw Pro Football Focus recently released their offensive line rankings going to the season. I believe they had the Colts fifth in the NFL, which I think is pretty fair, a little maybe a little high, but I think that's pretty fair considering the top end talent that they have. maybe a little high, but I think that's pretty fair considering the top end talent that they have. And then somebody put together a compilation on socials as well where it was major sites, rankings, whatever. And I saw somebody had the Colts as low as like 21st. And I think that's pretty fair as well, given what we can expect out of these two new starters and then the health of the top guys in this offensive line room. And to me, that's going to be the biggest factor. Right. We saw the Colts early last season

prior to the injuries really piling up. The offensive line looked awesome. It looked really, really strong. And they were running the ball really well and protecting the quarterback. And you saw guys like Will Fries and Bernhardt Ryman taking that next step. And this Colts offensive line room was probably top three, top five in the league to start last season. Now you get to how it ended last year, though, which was injuries to Ryan Kelly,

injuries to Will Fries and knocked him out for the season. The Braden Smith thing that happened last year that's been well documented this offseason, when that happened, your depth is really pushed and tried and most NFL teams don't have quality players behind. So really just the overall group when it comes to the Colts offensive line this year is going to be tested by just how good their depth is and how healthy they stay at the top. You know, Quinton Nelson has dealt with some some injuries the last couple of years. He's played through a lot of them, but it still seems a little bit like a ticking time bomb and then when it comes to Braden Smith you know his even aside from what happened last year the injuries have been very prevalent with him so I think if all these five guys are

on the field for majority of snaps this season I think they're going to be a pretty good group like a top 10-ish offensive line room in the NFL but how healthy can they stay and what does that production look like if they are all on the field for the entire year? So I totally understand why major media members are having them as high as fifth in the NFL going into the season or as low as 20, 21st, 22nd, because there is that wide range with the injury factor and with the new starter stepping in to play this season. Yeah, I think the depth is really my biggest concern, not even like the new blood on the starting line. It's the depth and the injury history there.

Just because again, Bernard Ryman has had at least one concussion, I think maybe two. Bordellini missed some time last year with a concussion. Braden Smith obviously had that knee problem that plagued him even before he had his personal issues last year. And then Quinton's back. I mean, Quinton has had back issues before and

then I think he had an ankle briefly last year. So all of these guys really have had issues. We can even go to Gonzalves, he missed part of his final season in college with a foot issue. So all these guys have had injury problems. And we know with the Colts offensive line guys are going to miss time. Like it's pretty rare for any offensive line to play together throughout the season, but the Colts seem to really have been snake bitten. Um, so the guy, the next guys that step

up who we'll talk about in the next segment, that's really my concern. I mean, I can see on the surface this starting five being the guys that get them through the year. But what's going to be the weak part where if a guy does miss time, like who's going to commit? But yeah, one more thing I really want to say about the offensive line is the big question with Bernhard Reimann. And I know it's not this big topic right now. But the question with Bernhard Reimann isn't really his play or this big topic right now but the question with Bernhardt Ryman isn't really his play or just how good he is it's when do you pay him and how much do you

pay him because we've touched on it a little bit this offseason. Bernhardt Ryman is going to be a very well-paid man sometime soon either this year or next year whenever the Colts want to get ahead of that and the Colts might be smarter to get it, get it, get on that like sooner rather than later, because there are some bigger contracts coming up. Rashawn Slater is due for an extension in that Slater contract might push up Baron Hart-Ryman's a little bit, too. So that doesn't really have much to do with this upcoming season. But again, it kind of factors into these new starters where like

you let guys like Ryan Kelly and Will Fries walk so you can pay Baron Hart Ryman. Let's get on top of that and get Baron Hart Ryman paid here. So overall I like this offensive line room. I like betting on these young guys to get some reps out there and play some good football. Ryman Nelson and then Smith when he's been healthy have been a really good trio for the Colts. I think this will be a perfectly fine Colts offensive line that I'm not too concerned about as long as they're on the field and healthy. Now trio for the Colts. I think this will be a perfectly fine Colts offensive line that I'm not too concerned about as long as they're on the field and healthy. Now that's the big question though, is health is a huge thing.

So we really have to talk about the depth because when it comes to offensive lines in the NFL, you're really as good as you are. Like your offensive line room is determined by your six through nine guys. Your top five is great, but your six through nine guys will make or break your room. Who do the Colts have in that six through nine and and are they capable enough to fill in and play some good snaps this year?

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have one, you know, Blake Freeland and Jalen Travis going to be going toe to toe for the right to be the swing tackle. Now, obviously Blake Freeland much maligned. He kind of had to take a step back in his role as well. I guess maybe the offensive tackle version of Rodney Thomas, if you want to look at it that way. But you know, as a rookie two years ago, Blake played 701 snaps last year, just 23. Matt Gonzalves beat him out. And now Jalen Travis has come in really to not only become the swing tackle, but perhaps the heir apparent to Braden Smith.

Whenever the time comes that he moves on from the Colts as well. So Blake Freeland, Jalen Travis, uh, you've also got Dalton Tucker and Danny Pinter. Those are the guys who I'm relatively confident will be backups on this team when the season starts. Now, if they make some big waiver moves or something happens between now and week one, personnel wise, sure. But for the roster right now, I feel fairly confident that Freeland, Travis Tucker and Pinter will all be part of the group going into Week 1.

Yeah, I think when you look at these four players, I think Jalen Travis for me inspires the most confidence, mainly because the film in college was really good this past season at Iowa State. I thought he did some really good things. The pass protection in particular was really, really solid from him. And that's really what you're looking for out of a swing offensive tackle where it's like, look, we're not expecting you to be perfect, but can you just get in the way and prevent pass rushers from hitting our quarterback after two seconds?

Like that's really the biggest thing that we're looking at here. And I think Travis has that ability with his size and his athleticism, his explosiveness. I think he can be a really good swing tackle for the Colts. After that, it does get a little bit dicey with these backups that we're looking at with the Colts. You know, Dalton Tucker, I'm still relatively high on him just in terms of what he was able to do in the preseason last year and in his first three games. But after that, it really did fall apart and he was really in over his head

And it led to him getting replaced by a 30 plus year old that was on the open market the entire season and Mark Lewinsky So Dalton Tucker has a chance to really earn back that trust that he gained early last season But lost halfway through the year, but I still think there is an avenue for him to be a good quality player But there is legit concern there because of how he finished last season. And then Danny Pinter, it's been very up and down with him in his career. Some really good moments as a center, some awful moments as a right guard. And now since he's moved back to center, it's kind of been hit or miss depending on matchup and just play style. I think he's a perfectly fine backup center. But again, it's not the most inspiring backup there and then Blake Freeland Obviously, there's reasons to be concerned his rookie season was not the greatest rookie season and it led to his demotion last season. So Overall when you're looking yeah when you're looking at this this backup group

I don't see like that Chris Reid impact backup player that we had a couple years ago with the Colts or Even last year like a Mack and solve us. I thought was pretty much a quality reserve player I think Jalen Travis has to earn that right to be like as good as Mack and Solvis was last year But it's not the worst You know, I'm not trying to be like overly pessimistic or optimistic here because like there is an avenue for these backup guys to work I mean again, Danny Pinter has experience Tucker It's not unrealistic for him to make a bit of a jump in year two and then Travis Like I said, I'm pretty high on so like

If that's your six through eight, that's fine. That's perfectly fine. It's just not the most inspiring especially with Braden Smith's injury history, which we know that that swing tackle is going to start like six, seven, eight games this year. And is Jalen Travis good enough to start that many games? That'll be a huge question because I, again, I'm high on Jalen Travis, but am I high enough on him to be, you know, a starter for that many games in year one? I don't know about that because it's hard to play offensive tackle in the NFL Especially as a rookie is he ready for that type of role right out the gate I'm not sure but he might have to be just because of the nature of who the culture rolling out there right tackle

Yeah, the backup tackles are definitely my biggest hang up with the depth. I mean, Travis does have luckily like he's a smart kid, obviously, he's got plenty of experience in college 17 starts at left tackle tenant right tackle. And I do like he's a mammoth of a man and I like the fact that with that size. He also is somewhat nimble on his feet like he has a pretty fast basketball background. He's got a super athletic family. So I don't think he's gonna, he's not like the type of big player that's gonna move like an ogre essentially is not gonna have his feet stuck in the mud. So I do like that.

But I mean, he's got to get on the field and see because I thought Blake Freeland was pretty promising a couple years ago as well. So that's definitely where my skepticism lies. I do kind of think Dalton Tucker is, I mean, fingers crossed, we don't see him to be honest, because he's going to be a backup. But like, I can see him taking a decent step and being a good player. I think the Colts are very, very high on him. But I mean, to be a UDFA last year and kind of get thrown into the fire, like, it wasn't planned for him to go in there. He had to go in there in the middle of the game when when Wilfries broke his leg. So he I I'm going to say I'm relatively confident in him if he has to get in Danny Pinter as well, but really

only at center and for a shorter amount of time. Just any of the times I think that he's had brutal plays. I feel like it's mostly at right guard. I mean, his anchor is not the best. Don't get me wrong. I don't really want him going against Jeffrey Simmons throughout a game for the most part. But he can get you through a couple of games at center. I don't really have problems with their interior depth. But yeah, that that that offensive tackle, I don't know.

Yeah, it's tough because Jalen Travis, again, I am very optimistic about him, but it's just so hard to play offensive tackle in the NFL. It's one of the hardest positions to make that transition, especially as a non-first round pick in their rookie season. Bernhardt Ryman even look back at what his rookie season looked like. Now we're talking about him being, he's going to be a top five, top eight paid offensive tackle in the league here soon. And his rookie season was pretty poor.

Macintosh was last year had some issues. Despite it being a fairly positive rookie season, there were a lot of issues in pass protection. I think Jalen Travis has so many things that project well, but it's just tough, man. In college, with his 6'8", 6'9", frame at 340 pounds, he could be a bit high and tight and just absorb contact. You're not going to absorb like Miles Garrett on a bull rush to your chest, no matter how big you are.

And I think that's something he's going to have to learn when he gets on the field this year. So there are going to be some struggles when he gets out there. I really hope Brian Smith just doesn't miss any games this year, but it's hard to really bet on that after the last couple years with his knee and the other injuries that he has suffered. I think Jaylen Travis is going to be relied on quite a bit. And that's going to be a big testing point for this Colts offense. But I do fully agree with you on Dalton Tucker. Like he was a guy who I sang his praises all last preseason,

and especially early in the season. And I was even one of the people who, you know, when Will Fryers first went down, I was like, hey, I want Dalton Tucker starting over a Consolvus or a Bordellini at right guard, because I think he projects better there. And it looked really good for like a month. And then it just it really fell apart. And he was just in over his head as an undrafted free agent. So I think people are a little bit too down on him. I think he really can turn this around and put together a good sophomore season. But hopefully he's not nearly relied on as much as he was last season. That

would be the biggest thing right there. Yeah, I was just about to say the next thing I was going to ask just real quick. I mean, one position that never really gets talked about is the jumbo tight end, the extra offensive lineman. We think that's probably Travis, right? Like I think that's the way you get him involved in some snaps without them having to be starting snaps. Yeah. I think it would be Travis. Maybe they could even play around with it and put like, you know, no,

because I think you would still want Travis on the outside. So I was thinking maybe put Travis at like the right tackle and have like a Braden or or a Ryman as the big as the jumbo guy. But I still think you probably want Travis out there because of his just athleticism and honestly, like how we're in the run game is probably a concern with him right now because he is so high high-hipped right now He's such a big player So you want him more on the move and blocking like outside guys rather than blocking like nose tackles and stuff or like defensive tackles in general

So yeah, I think you'll be the jumbo tight end when they do go to sets like that this season May that be the only role we see him in but guys coming up there We're talking about bubble players now and kind of like camp bodies season. May that be the only role we see him in but guys coming up there. We're talking about bubble players now and kind of like camp bodies, but there's a couple of these guys that actually really intrigued me. All right, Zach. So when Chris Ballard has his way or maybe this is the Sparano thing, but I think it's a Chris Ballard thing when he has his way. He has very much an archetype of offensive tackle that he

likes to develop on the practice squad. And it is the guys who quite literally could be NBA centers. So we got Jack Wilson right now who's 6'11", 3'10", playing football. That doesn't compute to me. Like, that's too damn, that's too big to be on a mobile field. You know what I mean? Like Luke Tanuta is six nine three 15. Let's not forget that Blake Freeland is like just about as big.

He's like six, eight, six, nine, Jalen Travis as well. Baron Hart, Ryman six, six. Brayden Smith is six, six or six. I mean, it's like the Ryman and Smith work, the smells to the group. And they're even enormous. But yeah, yeah, like he is very much a type. So you got those guys at tackle You have else you've also got UDFA Marshall foreigner who does have 42 career starts Didn't see where because I don't know why but like D 2d 3 schools

Just mail it in telling you what position they started at but he does have 42 starts in college at Minnesota State. So the offensive tackles down at the bottom are intriguing. I mean, you got to think at least a couple of the guys will get on the practice squad. Yeah, I think Marshall Forner is really the guy I'm looking at as a practice squad guy, just because I like the athletic traits he showed in college plus the experience.

He's kind of what the Colts were going for in this draft class when it comes to experienced players that stuck it out in like one program and played a lot of snaps. So, yeah, I think Forerunner is really a guy to watch. But to your point about Chris Ballard's type at offensive tackle for the longest time with the build a Ballard series I've done, it's been like, OK, we know what kind of corners he likes. We know what kind of edge rusher he likes. We know what kind of wide receiver he likes.

But he's changed a lot of those positions in recent seasons. You know, he's taken Josh Downs at receiver. He's taken smaller corners. He's taken layout to lot to a defensive end. Very different from his archetype. But the one archetype he's never really changed is the offensive tackle. He loves them huge, man. These offensive tackles are ginormous. Like they're at least 6'6", over like 300

something pounds. Weirdly, they all have short arms. He likes the shorter arm. Luke Tanuta is one of those guys too. I remember him. How are they supposed to block anyone in the run game? Like they're that big, but they have the short, like what's supposed to happen there? Yeah, I don't know. But this is always but you even go back to his early time with the Colts, you know, Zach Banner, I know that athleticism wasn't there, but the size was certainly there. Uh, what was it?

Jackson Barton was the other guy that he took in the Brown seven, six foot seven player, super athletic. Um, this has just always been his type with the Colts and he's really never strayed away from it. Uh, so when you see guys likener and Tanuta and Wilson on the practice squad, you know there's genuine interest from the Colts in developing these players because he's always felt this way about that size, offensive tackle. I wouldn't be shocked if two of these guys were on the practice squad, like a Tanuta

and a Forner. Heck, I wouldn't be shocked if Tanuta beat out Blake Freeland for the ninth offensive line spot. Just just because I think they want to do something different there with Freeland. And it would be on Tanuta to have a good camp and beat him out. But I wouldn't rule that out there. But you know, there is genuine interest from the Colts and developing guys when you see the size at like six, six, eight, six, nine, six, ten, up to six, 11 with Jack Wilson.

That is crazy. That is really crazy to think about that offensive tackle. Um, but yeah, you know, there's genuine interest from the Colts because this is the archetype that Chris Ballard likes at that position. Yeah, man. So I've, I've been in a locker room with DeForest Bulkner, Marguerite Hunt, like enormous people. I think the first guy where I ever the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest, the biggest got 36 reps at right guard, left guard, right tackle and big tight end.

Wesley French suffered, I think a broken ankle last summer during camp, either camp or the preseason, but in that timeframe. He had 270 snaps in 2023, which is actually quite a bit, if you remember correctly, cuz I think a lot of people have totally forgotten about him. But 270 snaps at center and right guard in 2023. But the guy of all these bubble players I am most intrigued by is Mozee Vivaya. He has played all over the interior there at Fresno State. Four year starter, 54 career starts at center, right guard, and left guard.

So I love me an interior guy who has vast experience at all three spots. Neither him nor foreigner has like ideal size. Both of them is kind of been like the first thing you nitpick about them, but both incredibly experienced players. And I mean, we talked about Trey Washington earlier, but if we're looking at other UDF A's on this roster, who I think have a real shot, I'm looking at Forner and I'm looking at Vivallo. I really am intrigued by those guys. Yeah, and Moze Vivallo was a really interesting undrafted free agent because he wasn't announced in that initial wave.

I think he earned a spot in the in the mini camp tryouts. I believe he actually my big defensive tackle that I was really excited for got waived for the bio. So bio is already on my on my not friendly list here because of that. But all jokes aside, yeah, really interesting profile though. And I'm shocked that he had to be like one of those trial guys because just for me personally, sometimes you have to expedite the scouting process a little bit in terms of like these undrafted free agent type guys and really just look at is he athletic does he have experienced was he productive you know sometimes that and without even looking at the

tape you can say okay i could take a shot on this guy and vile kind of checks all those boxes just in terms of very very good athlete tons of tons of snaps under his belt, did some good things at Fresno State. Why didn't he get at least an undrafted free agent contract before the Colts were able to ink him to one? But he did enough in minicamp to earn that spot. And I'm with you. I think he could fight his way into the practice squad or maybe a low end roster spot. The Colts have kept 10 offensive linemen in the past, and if they want just a new, fresher face, he could make a lot of sense here. So I know guys like Josh Sills and Wesley French are our two players

that that Shane Steichen is really high on. He really likes both those guys, obviously Sills he brought from the from the Philadelphia Eagles. So there is some interest there. But I wouldn't be shocked if Avaya was able to earn his way on there. I just like the athletic profile a lot. And the Colts like really athletic centers. Even if they're a little bit smaller, they like that athleticism at center.

And he tested really well this offseason. Kind of a poor man's Tanner Bordellini, so to speak. But no, I think when you look at what could be the deciding factor, I mean, these big offensive linemen don't really play special teams outside of like field goal block, but it's really the more you can do. And if you've got a guy who has that much experience at all three positions on the interior, I mean, Danny Pinter, they love him. So I don't really think he's in danger, but Danny Pinter really can only start in one spot, in that center. You look at Sills, he's, I mean, he was on the team

last year, but didn't crack, you know, he didn't crack the lineup, so. But he was on the practice squad for a lot last year too, I think, I don't think he was on the team for a ton of last year. There's no reason to like hang on to that, essentially is what I'm saying. Wesley French

was a guy they liked enough to play for a bit again, nearly 300 snaps. And he does have a little more versatility than even Danny Pinter with center and right guard. But like is Wesley French, someone you're going to say, no, you know, take my life, but not Wesley French, essentially. So I mean, Vavio has a pretty decent, I mean, he has a pretty decent pack. Like, if you're looking for one more spot, like all these guys we mentioned in the bubble, there is I think one more roster spot available for those guys. It's just who's the best of the rest. If you want to keep 10 offensive linemen. And again, we talked about there's uncertainty with the health of the starters and a lot of question marks with the backups as well. So you get a guy who can kind of wear a lot of hats for you in the Vivaio. And I think that's as long as he performs well, obviously, kind of is an intriguing final spot there for the entire roster.

Like that could be their 53rd player, you know? Yeah, we've seen the Colts use that spot to be like more of a red shirt type player. I mean, Will Fries was a red shirt player, essentially his first year with the Colts. They just stashed him at the bottom of the roster, game day inactive for the pretty much the entire year. And then he was more ready to go in his second year.

But to wrap this up kind of real quick here, when I look at our entire series that we've done here Jake move And we've broken it down the way we have I think offensive lines the most open in terms of bubble guys having a shot To crack the roster just because I think there's anywhere from there could be zero spots available It could just be those top nine guys that we mentioned make the team and that's it But I could see upwards of three spots being available for these guys because I don't think Pinter is 100% safe. I don't think Freeland is 100% safe. And there's also the avenue that they could go with 10 offensive linemen. So when you're looking at players like Wesley French, a player with that center and guard versatility that played a lot of snaps in 2023,

there's an opportunity for him to still make this team. You look at a player like Luke Tanuta, who has some run in the NFL, has the size, has some ability. The Colts have liked this guy for years. I think he was on the practice squad in the past as well. I think there's a chance for a Tanuta to make the team. And then the young players like Forner and Viveo, I think there is just that opening for them to be like a redshirt player. So I think this is wide open an offensive line outside of like the top seven guys like maybe Tucker is safe and maybe you know, Jalen Travis is safe. So that's your top seven. But after that, I really think it's an open battle there. And maybe those top those other guys

have kind of the inside track right now. But I don't think this door is closed whatsoever. I think there is a bit of a battle going here with the offensive lining. And Pinter, again, I think he'll be safe, but I still think there could be an avenue where he doesn't make the team because like you said, the versatility there of playing multiple positions. So a lot up in the air for the Colts when it comes to this offensive line. Yeah, this is a really interesting group for me because there's a lot of question marks and like there is, you know, they probably question marks and like there is you know they probably could have added another veteran you know to be a second string guy like someone safe they know they could just get onto the roster as a backup but I'm I don't hate what they did this year I'm

just skeptical until some of these guys prove it I like the group I don't really have any gripes here it's not like linebacker or even safety where there's depth issues there and you're kind of like, no, they really had to have added someone. I don't really think the Colts were having hubris with with their offensive line group here. I do see the plan. Yeah, I mean, it's gonna be interesting to see how the pecking order falls, but I like the group. I hope some of these lower level guys step up and make them look smart like Dalton Tucker last year. Pretty immediately we saw what they liked in him. I think he was with the second team offensive line like pretty much right away.

And he looked good in the one on ones like kind of at the same time we saw it was not gonna be a good time for Blake Freeland, like right away. So I think we'll be able to tell pretty quickly if some of these guys are here to stay or not. And I hope a couple of them are, they're pretty intriguing. Awesome. Yep, that is our positional preview series guys

for the Colts heading into 2025. If you wanna check out the entire series, like maybe you missed an episode or here or there, go check out the playlist that we have made on YouTube. We curated all those videos for you right there. And thank you guys as always for making Locked On Colts your first listen today and every day.

Now, if your second listen, check out Locked On NFL Scouting as training camps get closer and the moves are being made. Host Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino will make you the most informed NFL fan this off season. Find Lockdown NFL Scouting on YouTube or realist your podcast. If you guys want to become a Lockdown Colts insider and chat with us directly and get that insider scoop, follow the link in our show notes.

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