Film Room: Chris Reed Shows Out Against Former Team
The Indianapolis Colts are past the first week of the preseason, defeating the Carolina Panthers 21-18. While there were many standouts on both sides of the ball, one that particularly caught my eye was offensive lineman Chris Reed.
Reed, 29, is a six year veteran in the league who was signed by the Colts on April 1st. He started 14 games for the Panthers a year ago and has also made starts with the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars in his career.
Reed is a valuable depth player on the interior offensive line and he looked every bit as solid on Sunday. In today's film room, I dive into his strong game and why he is so important to this team's depth.
Athleticism in the Run Game
Reed is one of those rare cases where an offensive lineman started almost an entire year, and played fairly well, but is then signed to be a backup at his next destination. With the Colts' interior of Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Mark Glowinski set, Reed has settled into that swing interior lineman role well.
He played a majority of the first half on Sunday, seeing snaps at both center and left guard. He looked like a player who simply didn't belong on the field, as he was clearly on a different level than the backup players taking snaps.
His best reps came in the run game, where he was quite dominant at times with the Panthers in 2020. This chip and climb from the center position was perfect on the goal line and he was able to lead the way for the touchdown.
Reed had a few plays in the run game where he was able to climb to the second-level with ease. He may not be the biggest or lengthiest offensive lineman, but he makes up for that with great feet and agility in tight spaces.
On this play, he again gets to the second-level and drives the linebacker out of the play to create a hole for the running back. Whether he was playing guard or center, this was a constant positive for Reed all game long.
These two clips remind me a lot of where he found success from a year ago. He was at his best in the run game when he was asked to pull out in space or climb to the linebackers. If Reed ends up playing regular season snaps this year, he should fit into the Colts' rushing scheme quite well.
Finding Work/Being Physical
Reed plays with an old school mentality of being physical and finishing blocks. This coincides well with the style of play the Colts have on their offensive line. While he didn't play a ton on Sunday, Reed was able to make his presence felt on a few plays.
This play in the run game is an excellent example of body blows. While he is just responsible for chipping on the defensive tackle and climbing, he takes it one step further. He clears a path on the interior by rocking the defensive tackle out of the play.
He also found work in the pass game. The Panthers tried a T-E stunt on this play but Reed blows it up by locating the twisting defensive end and delivering a big hit. The result is clean pocket for Jacob Eason to locate his man down the field.
Reed spoke with me this offseason about his game and we talked a little bit about body blows as an offensive lineman. He talked about why it is so important to clean the pocket and be physical up front. It was great to see those words put into action on Sunday.
Final Thoughts
While the Colts have a serious issue with their offensive tackle depth at the moment, their interior offensive line depth is quite good. Reed is a classic swing lineman who can play center and both guard spots at a good level if needed.
While the hope is that he never has to play a snap in the regular season for the Colts, it is comforting to have a quality safety blanket who can play in a pinch. Reed is not an elite player by any means but he will prove to be a valuable player for this team if an interior lineman misses time throughout the year.
Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
