In accordance with PFF, the Indianapolis Colts have a prime 10 league offensive line forward of the 2023 season—which might be welcome information for prime rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson behind heart:

10. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (UP 8)

Projected Beginning Lineup

LT Bernhard Raimann

LG Quenton Nelson

C Ryan Kelly

RG Will Fries

RT Braden Smith

The Colts’ line was a multitude final season however ought to have been a lot better. This rating assumes a big bounce again to their earlier baseline of play.

Quenton Nelson, one the very best lineman in all of soccer, allowed 4 sacks in his first 4 years within the league earlier than letting up 5 in 2022, his worst yr as a professional.

Greatest Participant: Quenton Nelson

Theoretically, Quenton Nelson remains to be the very best lineman on this group, however he’s now underneath strain to reverse a steep decline in his play. After three elite seasons to start out his profession, he has had back-to-back seasons with a PFF grade beneath 70.0 general.

The Colts’ offensive line unit doesn’t come with out quite a few query marks although.

At left deal with, the Colts will want 2nd-year professional Bernhard Raimann to construct off an encouraging rookie season during which he confirmed loads of progress and enchancment down the season’s stretch—regardless of some preliminary struggles.

Subsequent to him, Large Q might want to return to his perennial All-Professional kind after having not fairly performed as much as his ordinary pristine requirements at left guard this previous yr.

In the meantime, Ryan Kelly has undergone a steep regression over the previous two years. He’ll have to a minimum of be a stable starter at heart—if not a Professional Bowler once more, for this unit to return to being a extremely formidable NFL unit once more.

Proper guard stands out as the offensive line’s largest uncertainty proper now. Third-year professional Will Fries did an honest job late within the season—and actually acquired higher, however is he going to be only a run-of-the-mill starter or an precise plus proper guard on the market?

Lastly, Braden Smith’s play even dipped barely final season, who had beforehand performed at arguably a Professional Bowl stage for the Colts in current seasons. That being stated, he’s one of many beginning offensive lineman I’d fear in regards to the least earlier than subsequent season.

Having a extremely cell Anthony Richardson ought to assist a number of the unit’s lapses in move safety, as he can keep away from strain within the pocket and prolong performs exterior of it (particularly in comparison with his fossil predecessor Matt Ryan). That being stated, there could also be occasional instances the place his rookie clock could run slightly lengthy when progressing by way of passing reads.

All-in-all, this rating is definitely slightly increased than I personally would rank the Colts proper now, given the query mark at beginning proper guard, and the uncertainty of what Indy can anticipate to get out of each left deal with and heart on a constant foundation.

If Fries can maintain his personal, Raimann can take a sophomore leap, and Kelly finds himself once more, the Colts might very effectively have a High 10 unit —as each Large Q and Smith ought to rebound.