Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts: Quenton Nelson Back to Dominant Form

Starting point is 00:00:00 The least sexy group on a football field might actually be the most productive trio when it comes to the Colts. 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. Alright, thanks for tuning in and making us your, your team every day. All right. Thanks 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.

Starting point is 00:00:36 And today's show is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off of your first purchase. Terms apply. What up, y'all? This is Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks of HorseshoeHuddle.com. I am a member of the Colts Media, and Zach is the pretty eminent, our resident film nerd here in the market as well, so no one better.

Starting point is 00:01:01 Today, we continue our look at each position group. Finally, it feels like this one's been in the making for a long minute now, but we're So no one better. Today, we continue our look at each position group. Finally, it feels like this one's been in the making for a long minute now. But we're looking at the interior line today. And like I mentioned, this is no one loves always talking about the interior offensive line, but it's actually quite important. We'll explain that today. And at least for the Colts, they've got one of the premier trios in the NFL when it comes to interior line play, led by Quentin Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Will Fries. So we'll obviously start out with kind of the main course there, those guys. But nipping at their heels, there are some younger guys that the Colts have drafted recently that, you know, they're going to eventually start needing to get some reps. There's a couple veterans that factor into this thing as well. And then ultimately

Starting point is 00:01:48 Zach is going to explain to us why the interior of the offensive line is so important to making Shane Steichen system and the run game work as well as it does. So start out with, with the big three. So Quentin Nelson back on his BS, as they say. One of his better seasons, at least in comparison to this back half of his career so far. He was back to being one of the best interior offensive linemen in all of football last year. Played in all 17 games, 1100 snaps only allowed one sack this this last season which he's got a few one sack zero sack seasons to his name throughout his career and 21 pressures so he's always been a very solid run blocker obviously but in terms of pass protection this

Starting point is 00:02:40 was one of his better seasons as well. So Nelson was really good. Brian Kelly obviously missed some time, 14 games out of 17, 882 snaps. He's only played a full season in three of his eight seasons. So obviously that's something we're going to get to. And then Will Fries, that's a guy that just keeps getting better and better. No one really better in the Colts market or probably anywhere to talk about Will Fry's than Zach, maybe other than Fry's parents, maybe. But Zach was in on him from the jump. You know, a seventh-round pick a few years back. Started all 17 games for the Colts, over 1,100 snaps. Pro Football Focus didn't love him this year. But just watching him, you know,

Starting point is 00:03:27 actually watching him play, he passes the eye test. I think this was definitely the most productive he's been. So Zach, you've watched a ton of film, you did a piece on Wolf Rise recently, you just your most recent piece was on Jonathan Taylor. So obviously, your eyes were glued to that offensive line as well. So tell us what you saw with this big three in the interior. Yeah, I mean, these three guys are the engine that drives this offense in a lot of ways. I mean, look, we'll talk about in segment three, and we're really going into detail about this run game and talking about just how vital these three guys are. But this scheme lives in inside zone and split zone and a lot of interior type of things and these three guys have to be at the top of their game for that type of

Starting point is 00:04:11 this type of scheme to succeed um but yeah when you're talking about these guys individually i mean quentin nelson i think is up there top one or top two in terms of guards as a pass blocker i think he's a fantastic pass blocker and something that doesn't get talked about enough with him. And maybe some, some area where, you know, you see his grade get hurt a little bit for things like pro football focus is when it comes to how much he's responsible for at that left guard position, his eyes are constantly scanning for late threats, for blitzes, for loopers, for ways that he can help his tackle and help his center on the other side. He is someone who, you know, when you think of like

Starting point is 00:04:50 student of the game and like that savvy ability that a player brings, you know, it's something that's not really talked about with someone like Quinton Nelson because he's so fantastically gifted with his athleticism and his strength, but really where he separates himself is in the mind. He is such a smart player in the passing game to go along with being this fantastically strong and athletic player as well. And that's why we've seen him be one of the best pass blockers in the NFL the last couple of years and why he's going to be a Hall of Famer one day. A fantastic player, really got back to where he needed to be last year and what came, I

Starting point is 00:05:23 think, one vote short of being a second team All-Pro last year. So Quentin Nelson's back to being he needed to be last year and what came came I think one vote short of being a second team all pro last year so uh Quentin Nelson's back to being who he is you would like to see a little bit better production in the run game but at the end of the day if I'm getting this elite pass blocker I can take him being an above average run blocker you know I'd rather it be higher but I'll take above average run blocker with an elite pass blocker. Ryan Kelly, again, looked like an earlier version of himself. He looked like the 2018-2019 version of Ryan Kelly this past season, which was great to see because it looked like it was going downhill in 2022. Kelly's getting up there in age. He's in the twilight of his career, so to speak, and we don't know how much longer he's going to

Starting point is 00:06:01 be with the Indianapolis Colts past this season, But when he was out there last season, he looked like Ryan Kelly. He had flashes and moments where he was the best offensive lineman on this entire Colts roster and did some really, really good things in the run game in particular. So Kelly got back to being who he was last year. It was great to see. And hopefully he can stay healthy this year. Like you mentioned, only three of his eight seasons in the NFL, he's been able to stay healthy for the entire year,

Starting point is 00:06:27 at least played in every single game. You would like to see your center suit up for every single game because it's such a vital piece of your offensive line. But when he's on the field, he's kind of like Braden Smith in that regard, where it's like when he's on the field, the impact is clearly there. It's a fantastic player when he's on the field. He just has to stay healthy and hopefully avoid the concussions. I think he's up to like six now in his career. there it's a fantastic player when he's on the field he just has to stay healthy and hopefully avoid the concussions I think he's up to like six now in his career like

Starting point is 00:06:49 it's insane how many concussions he has had at this point in his NFL career so if you're going to avoid anything please avoid those concussions there but then Will Fry's Will Fry's a player who every single year in the NFL has gotten better and better particularly as a pass blocker I think last year as a pass blocker really saw him settle in and do some really good things. I think he's a fantastic pass blocker when he gets hands on first, when he can be aggressive in his sets, when he can attack the assignment in front of him and just use those long arms and that big frame to just engulf his assignment. He's a fantastic pass blocker. locks it down he has the savvy and the strength and the anchor to lock it down right there I think there were some issues when it came

Starting point is 00:07:29 to stunts and twists and and him having to move laterally he's not the most fluid player he's a little bit stiff in the hips but overall an above average pass blocker a perfectly fine run blocker you want to see him bring a little bit more aggression there but overall Will Fries did some good things and he's giving you like Mark Lewinsky-level play at right guard, which if I told you that in 2022 or 2021, when the Colts had been missing what Mark Lewinsky brought to this team when he was here in 2018 and 2019, I do think you would all take that right there. You would all take Will Fries being a Mark Lewinsky-level player. I'm hoping Fries can take that next step this year, though. If he can be a little bit more aggressive and tenacious in the run game, if he can be a little bit more fluid in the passing game or

Starting point is 00:08:13 just add more strength overall to kind of combat his lack of fluidity, then the Colts could have this trio where, you know, right now it's probably like a top five-ish trio in football when they're all healthy. They could really be up there, like top one, top two, top three, if Fries takes that next step. So Fries is kind of the X factor on this interior. But as it stands right now, the floor of this group is fantastic. I mean, just these guys all playing, if they stay out there healthy all season, and they gave you what they gave you last season in 2023, you're going to have a really, really good interior offensive line.

Starting point is 00:08:46 So it's clearly the strength of this Colts offense. All three of these guys are experienced, know what they're doing. You have some high-level play from Quentin Nelson and Ryan Kelly, and Fries is no slouch either. So, yeah, I really like this interior group. It was definitely one of the strengths coming in last year for Shane Steichen, and it remains one of the biggest strengths on this entire roster right now. Yeah, I don't think it's much of a stretch to say, you know, especially when they're

Starting point is 00:09:10 healthy, that this is one of the best interior groups. I mean, Nelson, I mean, again, the eye test, the numbers say it. Guys we follow online that study specifically O-line play like Brandon Thorne, for example. You know. Nelson was back. Ryan Kelly, if you go by Pro Football Focus, he got his best grade last year. And again, just 14 games, but you get that guy healthy and he's obviously productive. And then Fries is a guy who you see and he's getting better every year. So everyone healthy, that is an outstanding group that can really do some nice things for the run game especially. But I healthy, that is an outstanding group that can really do some, some nice things for, for the run game, especially, but I mean, keeping Anthony Richardson's, you know, interior pressure and clean out, that would obviously be great.

Starting point is 00:09:53 So coming up next, it's not just those three, but there are some, a couple of really nice veterans that have been mixed in, but also some young guys that are probably going to be starting sooner rather than later. GameTime makes getting NBA Finals tickets even faster and easier. Prices on the GameTime app actually begin to decrease the closer that it gets to tip off. With killer last-minute deals, all-in prices, views from your seat, and their lowest price guarantee, GameTime takes the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets. Here are some of the best parts about it. They've got last minute deals,

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Starting point is 00:12:05 And are you watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day? Have to turn down the volume with all that shouting? Make the switch to Locked On Sports Today, a free 24-7 sports streaming channel programmed for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming. Locked On Sports Today brings you

Starting point is 00:12:21 can't-miss analysis, opinions, and news streaming 24-7 on YouTube or on the free Amazon Fire TV channels app. Or the Locked on Sports Today brings you can't miss analysis, opinions, and news streaming 24-7 on YouTube or on the free Amazon Fire TV channels app or the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. All right, Jake, so we're transitioning now talking about the backups behind the starters. Now, hopefully, none of these guys play a snap this next season. Ideally, none of the backup offensive linemen ever have to take the field for your favorite team when it comes to the NFL. But unfortunately, we know this way too well here in Indianapolis. That's never the case.

Starting point is 00:12:52 Your backup offensive linemen, arguably more important than your starters when it comes to the Colts. And last year, again, we saw injuries happen to Ryan Kelly. We saw Braden Smith obviously at right tackle and at left tackle. But Bernhardt Reimann missed some time too. The Colts were lucky last season with Fries and Nelson not missing much time. But again, Nelson has had his fair share of injuries in the NFL. Fries has stayed relatively healthy, but that's a death blow right there for anyone with Indianapolis. So we're looking at guys like Tanner Bordellini, who was just drafted in the fourth round. We're looking at guys like Macken Solves, who was just drafted in the third round. He could play some guard or tackle.

Starting point is 00:13:28 Sills is here. Josh Sills is still here as a backup offensive lineman. You still have coming back for his fourth year here, Danny Pinter coming back as a center as well. So they do have some quality names there behind those starters. But I think the big part of this conversation really isn't for 2024. And again, transitions more towards 2025 where are Bordellini and Gonsalves going to be ready to potentially start that season. If fries and Kelly are entering their last year with the Colts. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:13:59 And that's where this whole thing comes up is Ryan Kelly and Will fries are both free agents after the season. And even though everybody was brought back in free agency this year, it's especially in the interior, it's kind of a big thing that next year, a lot of them are going to hit free agency again. And realistically, they won't all be back. So again, Tanner Bordellini, you almost want to pencil him in as the heir apparent to Ryan Kelly. Matt Gonsalves can play some tackle. He was tackling at Pittsburgh, but it looks like if the Colts allow Will Fries to move on, that's

Starting point is 00:14:33 probably your right guard. Braden Smith is kind of an X factor in this whole thing as well, right tackle. I mean, but there's no reason to think right now that he won't be back in his normal role and continue his career and all that. So you're really looking at those guys eventually filling in because of free agency, which is what you hope. But the reality with the Colts, like you mentioned, is that we've really seen some of these guys become studs as a result of filling in because of injuries. You know, Braden Smith became that stud right tackle, even though he was drafted to be the other side of Quentin Nelson at right guard injuries forced him in there. You know, we, we saw Blake Freeland had to play a ton last year.

Starting point is 00:15:15 Mark Glowinski, who you, you talked about was a guy who had to play because of injury. So a lot of these guys kind of get thrown into the mix because of injuries. Wesley French is another good example from last year. All the time that Ryan Kelly missed, you have French out there with three starts, and he saw 270 snaps, and he played decently well in that time. So the nature of the beast in the NFL, and particularly with the Colts, is guys are going to miss time, and you you got to hope that your depth is solid.

Starting point is 00:15:45 We know Wesley French can play Josh Sills. He's a guy who has a good chance to make it for the Colts. They seem to like him. He played 37 snaps last year. He's kind of a Gonzalez type guard tackle, but you really hope if you're going to see any of these guys, it's Bordellini and Gonzalez because they're, they're your more long-term outlook type of players um but yeah outside of that you know danny pinter

Starting point is 00:16:11 obviously we've seen him at center and right guard it's vastly different uh pro center you know right guard did not go well so you've got some guys that can play um you hope you don't see any of them but if you do hopefully it's these young guys yeah and i think the colts have done a good job at least this year and i know the draft is a big part of that because the colts actually invested quality draft picks in these players but i think they did a good job of just shoring up that offensive line depth again last year it wasn't their worst season they've ever had with injuries on the offensive line. But still, when you look at it at the end of the season, how many snaps did all the five starters play together? It wasn't a ton.

Starting point is 00:16:49 It wasn't that many games. I can only think of like three or four games off the top of my head where all five offensive linemen started and finished the game. Yeah, I think they started like five or six games together and they didn't finish it all. They just started like five or six games together and that they didn't finish it all they just started like five or six together yeah if you even look at that week 18 game against houston braden smith gutted it out until what halfway through the third quarter and then he had to leave uh with that injury that he was playing through so injuries happen big part of the game big part of the game on the trenches when it comes to the offensive line and having guys to back up your starters be players like

Starting point is 00:17:23 mack and solvis who was a top 100 pick for you a player they traded up for a player they really believe in who did some good things in college having a guy like Tanner Bordellini and then having your extra guys being your Danny Pinters and your Sills and like those type of players and Wesley French like that's a big big upgrade compared to what they had last year like I'm not saying that like those guys are going to immediately be so much better than, like, a Wesley French or a Josh Sills, but just having players that you are investing these draft picks in, players that you believe in who are young players coming in here

Starting point is 00:17:53 and not just, again, like, undrafted free agents or waiver claim guys. You know, having legit players that you are investing capital in be your backup players, I think that's an upgrade over what they had. You also can look at Blake Freeland taking the next step at tackle. You got Witt coming back to at left tackle as well. Gonsalves can fill in at tackle. The offensive line depth, I think on paper this year, is looking much stronger than it has in recent seasons for the Indianapolis Colts. We're past the days of Julian Davenport and Sam Tevey and all of those guys that we're backing up. We have guys who, look, these guys might not be

Starting point is 00:18:31 better than Davenport and Tevey and all those guys, but at least the Colts are investing something in them. This isn't a one-year, $1 million contract to come in here and be your sixth offensive lineman. These are players they spent a top 100 pick on a top, you know, 150 pick on in terms of Freeland and Bortolini as well. And they have high hopes for in the future. So I'm excited to see what these players can do if they get on the field at all this year. If not, I'm excited to see what they can do if they get the chance in 2025. Because with the way the garden and center markets are looking right now, you know, Will Fries is is a one healthy season away, like one healthy,

Starting point is 00:19:05 non-awful season away from getting 10 to $12 million per season, you know, on the open market. Ryan Kelly is a former pro bowler. Like even if he only plays like 15 games this year or 14 games this year, someone's going to give him like a one year, 12, $13 million contract, whatever it's going to be on the open market. So if the Colts want to save some money, you know, they still have to extend Dio Dangbo. They still have other players coming up for contracts. If they want to save some money, the cheap option is Bordellini and Gonsalves going forward.

Starting point is 00:19:34 But we'll see what happens. Obviously there's a lot of moving parts to that. Again, hopefully neither of those young players play a snap this year. That way we can have the Colts offensive line stay healthy, but we know how it is with the Colts. There's going to be injuries. Injuries happen, and guys like Bordelini and Gonsalves, the Colts obviously believe in it enough to where they're going to get out there on the field and hopefully do some good things for this team. Yeah, I hate to put a lot of reliance on young guys, but at least if anything happens to the starting five, I do feel more comfortable now because like you said,

Starting point is 00:20:05 they've invested real NFL currency in these guys. So that's a good way to put it. Yeah. Even if it's Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco, like I feel better about how the line will perform. Cause like almost with quarterback, if you're, we saw it at the beginning of 2022,

Starting point is 00:20:21 if your line's not right, your offense will not function whatsoever. So they've at least got decent backups to develop. So coming up next, we're going to talk about how this offense as a whole should look and, you know, what the interior does for its functionality. All right, Zach, it's Zach, right? So we're going to talk about, we're going to talk about the interior of the line, just Nelson Kelly and Will Fries. And, you know, specifically, I mean, we'll branch out to the passing game as well. Cause I mean, the RPO game has a lot to do

Starting point is 00:20:59 with it, but when these three are healthy on and clicking, and let's say it's Anthony Richardson back there being coached by Shane Steichen, how dynamic can things be and how should this thing look? Yeah, I mean, I think when you look at Shane Steichen's past and you look at what he did this past year in particular with the Colts, you know, the Colts like to live in that inside zone, split zone type run game you know they like to get the running game particularly the running backs moving up up the field quickly you know getting those positive yards up the middle and you know if you can break some big runs off that that's great and then they'll mix in those some outside runs so for the most part this is not like an old shanahan type offense where we're going to run you know running back stretch off tackle like 20 times a game like that's not what this offense is this offense lives in the gun they live in using the running back stretch off tackle like 20 times a game. Like that's not what this offense is. This offense lives in the gun. They live in using the running back to threaten the middle of the field and using the running threat at quarterback to threaten the edges.

Starting point is 00:21:52 And then occasionally they'll mix in some, some other wrinkles to it. But when you look at that in, in totality, you know, again, this, this scheme does a really good job of, of just pinching defenders and making them have to think and, and lighten the box and move out of the frame. But the interior offensive line has to win their matchups. They have to be right in their steps. They have to be right in who they're getting. They have to be right in, you know, how they climb to the second level and take their angles, staying on their zone tracks.

Starting point is 00:22:17 Like these are really, really important things for this running game to operate because, you know, you're not going to feel the threat of the inside run with your running back if that run is not being effective you know like what what what kind of opens up the quarterback run game is the running back run game actually being a threat on the interior because then you have players crashing down and then Richardson can keep it around the outside for a big gain or you can pull it for an RPO and and all the other things that this scheme wants to do so yeah I think when you're looking at the type of running game that the Colts deploy, you know, again, it's not this one where we need

Starting point is 00:22:49 all of our interior players to be the supreme athletes that are going to reach insane blocks. You know, we're not going to ask our right guard to reach a three-tech on the left side because we're pulling a stretch run to the other side. It's nothing like that. It's more so get that instant displacement on the inside run, get to that second level, and just create that positive yardage for Jonathan Taylor, Zach Moss, whoever the running back is. That way we can mix in the wrinkles of the quarterback run on the outside

Starting point is 00:23:13 and actually have the numbers on the outside to make that work. So yeah, you know, the interior offensive line is kind of the main thing when it comes to this running game. Again, with this scheme, it's about limiting the box, but the box still needs to be pushed around when it's limited by defenders there. So yeah, this St. Trovens line was a big part of what the Colts were able to do in the running game last year. It was a big part of Zach Moss having a career best season,

Starting point is 00:23:39 a big part of Jonathan Taylor having that explosive game in week 18 against the Houston Texans. I mean, if you're looking at those games on film, Quentin Nelson, Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, they were moving guys around at will in those games. You look at how the Colts end games, you know, how when they had a lead late in games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, against the Tennessee Titans, and Shane Steichen wants to get into that, hey, we're going to run the ball 20 straight times. He's running it up the middle.

Starting point is 00:24:04 You know, these aren't really many toss plays or any stretch plays. It's running it behind their power, which is Quinton Nelson and Ryan Kelly. And then again, Will Fry is coming from the other side too. So, you know, interior offensive line is obviously massive in any team's running game, but even more so in how the Colts operate. I mean, you look at how Shane Steichen did it in Philadelphia. You know, he's running off of Jason Kelsey. He's running off of Landon Dickerson up the middle.

Starting point is 00:24:27 And they carried that forward to what the Colts do with Ryan Kelly and Quentin Nelson. So, you know, to put the long spiel short here, the interior offense line is massive for the Colts. They want to run up the middle with their running backs. And they're going to run behind those top two players in Kelly and Nelson until it doesn't work. So it's a big part of everything the Colts like to do in the ground game. And you mentioned what Shane, how he operated in Philly. And it just got me to thinking this was not, it didn't factor in at all last year because of the personnel, but if the tush push is ever going to be a thing here in Indy, that's huge. I mean, you you'll have the quarterback to run it. You'll

Starting point is 00:25:05 have a guy like Jonathan Taylor to run it, even though Zach Moss would have been fine pushing ahead as well. But honestly, the interior of that is huge, you know, guys understanding leverage and how to get the push there. I do want to, I did want to mention that because it very well could be a, I don't want to say significant part, but it might be something we see a lot now that the correct personnel is there. But you, you know, you were just talking about, you know, the different duties of, of those guys and something I've had to kind of learn or just remind myself of a lot is, you know, when you think of blocking an offensive line play, you just kind of generally a lot of guys just think of one-on-one matchups, this lineman versus the defensive lineman.

Starting point is 00:25:49 That's just not how it works. There is so much teamwork, so much thinking, and the continuity is huge. Having those three guys and them all knowing, and especially the running backs being able to read off that as well, and you can add Anthony into it. Knowing where guys are going to be and their tendencies and how they like to do things allows things to run so much smoother than having a revolving door of new guys in there. So as much as physical gifts and being able to physically block someone is very critical,

Starting point is 00:26:21 obviously, the mental aspect of it and being able to trust and know what you're the guy next to you is going to do. That's huge too. So that's, that's honestly, if, if for nothing else, having those three guys healthy and together. So the whole offense knows what's going on. I think that's huge. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And one thing I want to say about the scheme too, is I do think the Indianapolis Colts system and the players they have in place makes offensive line play much easier in every regard. I mean, if Anthony Richardson is starting at quarterback, he's a quarterback who doesn't take many sacks. I know he took a couple more than what we expected last season because he's running out of bounds, like one yard short of the line of scrimmage. But even if he does take sacks, he's not taking massive losses or anything like that. He's really good with how he moves within the pocket. So in the passing game,

Starting point is 00:27:09 your responsibility is kind of lessened to a degree because even if you get a beat, your quarterback's going to cover for you and he's going to make that guy miss in the backfield. But when it comes to this run game in particular, Shane Steichen is really good at making every single run play look exactly the same, even if they are different calls. So they'll live in this inside zone, split zone type world for, you know, a good 45% of their offensive calls, but then they'll mix in a trap play. Then they'll mix in power play, you know, where they'll, they'll pull Quentin Nelson across the line and he'll, and he'll kick out a dude. They'll, they'll, you know, wham a brain Smith inside on the nose tackle and kind of create that, that leverage there.

Starting point is 00:27:45 And that gets these defensive linemen thinking and guessing to where it makes it easier for your interior offensive linemen to dig out their assignments and create that displacement up the field. So when you factor that in there, you factor in the threat of a rushing quarterback that just makes guys miss. You factor in Jonathan Taylor, who is this fantastic problem solver in the backfield where if you do miss your block, Jonathan Taylor is going to make that guy miss and still create positive yardage.

Starting point is 00:28:10 I think playing into your offensive lineman for this Indy system, I don't want to say it's easier than most teams because there's no such thing as an easy task in the NFL, but they are set up for success in Indianapolis, maybe more so than some other places because of the scheme and because of the players around them. So I do like the outlook for this Colts run game and this Colts offense with those factors in mind. And like you mentioned, with these guys playing, going into their, what, two and a half seasons playing together, because Fry's is going to be his second full season starting on the offensive line and basically two and a half seasons in a row of him starting on the offensive line, it helps the offensive line play on a tether.

Starting point is 00:28:49 That's a big way that I like to describe offensive line plays. I want my offensive linemen to play on the tether together. I want them to be tied together. I want every step to be in sync and be where it needs to be. I don't want it to be one guy's blocking 10 yards away from another guy when that's not the play design. I want it to be where basically if you tied these guys legs together they're moving in sync and moving together and moving in pattern and playing offensive line on that tether there so

Starting point is 00:29:13 when you look at this Colts run game I think it's only gonna be better going into year two with this system having the threat of Anthony Richardson as the quarterback would be a big is a big thing there and then the scheme again every run play looks the same and that just makes your offense better because you can hit them with inside zone inside zone inside zone and that trap play will break for a 20-something yard gain because the the defensive line is crashing forward expecting an inside zone uh shane steigen does a really good job with that but yeah i think this this interior offensive lineman is the catalyst to all that they still have to perform their duties they still have to drive guys out of their spots.

Starting point is 00:29:46 And when you have three guys who are at least above average at their position, you have a really good outlook for your team. Yeah. Even if PFF may or may not have not been super favorable with their guard rankings. Was Quentin 11th and then Fries didn't exist? So just to add proper context, i think in the passing game all three of them were top 15 of their positions so i think in the passing game they were really high on these guys in the run game nelson was a bit lower and fries was a bit lower i think kelly was pretty high regardless in in both uh but yeah you know it's

Starting point is 00:30:22 tough to put numeric grades on offensive line play. It's really, really difficult. So I'm not even going to just trash PFF or anything like that. I think they're a great resource for this stuff, but I do disagree a little bit with what they were saying with some of these things. But overall, again, I think these are, these are really, really good into your offensive line play players for the Colts and, and they're going to be a big part of the Colts future this next season and maybe going forward as well. Before we get out of here, though, guys, I do want to remind you that Locked On has launched the first ever national sports 24-7 streaming channel

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Starting point is 00:31:18 We love your guys' ratings and reviews, and we'll catch you guys back here tomorrow afternoon covering interior defensive line.

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