3 Possible Outcomes for the Colts' Guard Position

Now that one of the most valuable guards in free agency is claimed, what will the Indianapolis Colts do to solidify the right guard assignment?

The Indianapolis Colts have already started changing the roster through free agency. Names like defensive end Samson Ebukam, kicker Matt Gay, and quarterback Gardner Minshew now don the horseshoe.

One area that was rumored to be addressed early on, however, was the right guard position.

Last season was brutal for that spot. Starting with Danny Pinter in Week 1, it would quickly become a revolving door at the position. Below is a brief list of who played right guard, with snap count, per Pro Football Focus.

• Will Fries – 641 snaps
• Danny Pinter – 216 snaps
• Matt Pryor – 212 snaps
• Braden Smith – 79 snaps

Note that Pinter was naturally a center, Pryor started the season at left tackle, and Smith was the perennial starting right tackle. Essentially, it was a complete mess until Fries gave it consistency.

With the hectic nature of the offensive line, many believed that Philadelphia Eagles free agent Isaac Seumalo would be the perfect addition to bring stability. Tack on his ties to new head coach Shane Steichen and it seemed more of a “when” than an “if.”

It turns out that the Pittsburgh Steelers had other ideas, signing him and leaving the Colts behind in that respective race.

With the Colts still needing a concrete solution, which direction do they go now that Seumalo is off the board? The areas they can get the answer is free agency, the draft, or on their roster.

Free Agency

There are still names for the offensive guard that the Colts can ink up in free agency. An interesting player is Gabe Jackson from the Seattle Seahawks, who was cut for cap purposes but can still prove valuable to a team like Indy.

At best, Jackson could be a guy to start right away and help groom Fries to be a starter long-term. At worst, Jackson could be a high-level backup option should Fries supplant him. Jackson is a veteran of 130 games started in his career (out of 131 total). That steady addition could come lower priced and make an immediate impact.

This is the type of addition that could assist the Colts in a spot that was chaotic at best in 2022.

Another possible antidote could be a rookie.

The NFL Draft

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The draft for a guard is a true possibility, but it needs context. How the Colts approach the need will rely on how much faith they have in current starter Fries. If they believe he is more of a depth piece or backup, the Colts should shoot a bit higher in the draft.

If this is the case, you could see Colts general manager Chris Ballard fire away in the second (35th pick) or third rounds (79th pick). Names that stick out include the University of Southern California’s Andrew Vorhees or Nick Broeker from Ole Miss.

Both prospects could potentially hit as great starters down the road for Indianapolis. Even with Vorhees’ injury at the NFL Combine, the Colts may still take a swing on him for the long-term potential.

Now, on the flip side. If the Colts feel that Fries just needs to be pushed, then a day-three pick is more likely.

The Colts have a fourth-rounder (106th pick) and three fifth-rounders (138th, 162nd, and 176th) to work with. Given the three picks, I would side with the fifth round being the time for a depth guard.

Would the Colts shoot for names like the University of Chattanooga’s McClendon Curtis or Cedrice Paillant of the Marshall Thundering Herd? Both of these mammoths are more of the physical blockers who could potentially push Fries hard for the Week 1 gig.

Now, the last possibility. Could the Colts just have confidence in who they’ve got already?

The Colts Believe in Will Fries to be the Starter

© Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Fries is an interesting player for Indianapolis. Drafted out of the seventh round in 2021, the former Penn State Nittany Lion wasn’t much of a factor for his rookie season. He didn’t need to be with now-New York Giant Mark Glowinski in the mix.

Fast-track to 2022, Fries was the most consistent at right guard, and it’s not close.

Is he a bit raw? Of course. Did he have moments where he struggled? Yes. But everyone on the Colts did.

Most importantly, can he be effective? Indeed, he can. He showed this multiple times throughout his starts in 2022 that he may just need competition and pushing.

It’s so hard to say what will be done for the guard position, mostly due to the many pieces moving for Indianapolis. They still need more answers at quarterback, wide receiver, and on defense. However, with the disaster that the offensive line was for most of 2022, the Colts should have a solid answer for guard this time.

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