Colts Found Late-Round Gem in Will Fries: Film Room
The Indianapolis Colts bested the Tennessee Titans, 31-28, in overtime last weekend to improve their season record to 7-5. The team is currently in seventh place in the conference, putting them in the driver's seat for the playoffs over these final five games.
The Colts have had multiple unheralded heroes this season but the most impressive of that group may be right guard Will Fries. Fries, 25, is a former seventh-round pick in his third season with the Colts. He was essentially handed the starting right guard spot in training camp this offseason, much to the chagrin of many Colts fans.
While many were clamoring for a Dalton Risner signing or a high draft pick to replace Fries in the offseason, he has been able to tune it all out and put together a strong 2023 season for the team. Brandon Thorn, an OL expert for Establish The Run and one of the more respected offensive line analysts in the league, sang the praises of Fries recently on X:
"The Colts found a gem in round 7 with Will Fries, who has been a legit good starter all season this year."
We are firmly past the point of worrying with Fries at right guard. The conversation around this young player has pivoted from concern over whether he should even be starting to wondering how good this third-year player can truly be in the NFL. His game against the Titans on Sunday was simply a fantastic showing that displayed the young starter's potential in the league.
Physical Finisher
Fries is a massive 6'6", 305-pound guard. He understands that he has the size and the length advantage over most players who play the position, and he uses those two attributes to his advantage on the interior. He also knows how to set a physical tone when the match-up calls for it.
The Colts-Titans rivalry has been a physical one in recent history and Fries certainly rose to the occasion on Sunday. He absolutely leveled Titans nose tackle Teair Tart on Alec Pierce's long touchdown to start the game, firmly establishing that physical tone early:
Fries possesses some special power in his hips. He has flashed this elite level of torque and finish on multiple occasions this season, and this next clip may be one of his better pancakes of the year.
He does an excellent job of standing up his pass rusher at the point of attack and controlling the block early in the progression. Once Fries' pass rusher becomes complacent with the stalemate, Fries then torques the helpless defender to the ground for the finish:
Fries has had some ups and downs as a run blocker this season, but he was at the top of his game on Sunday. The box score may not show how dominant the Colts' interior was in run blocking, but it is easy to see on film just how much success the Colts' trio had.
This next clip is great work from start to finish for Fries. He seamlessly cuts off the 1-Tech on the zone run and creates a rush lane up the interior. He continues on the block until the end of the play, finishing his assignment with yet another pancake.
On an offensive line that features Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly (two of the league's nastier finishers), it was right guard Fries who was the tone-setter for Indy on Sunday. He was relentless on his blocks and leveled guys all the way to the whistle.
Fries and Kelly are able to knock the 1-Tech off of his feet on this play, and Fries then proceeds to bury the defender as Zack Moss rumbles through the rush lane:
Pass Blocking
Fries has steadily grown as a pass blocker all season long in Indy. He still isn't to the level of his counterpart on the other side of the line (nobody really is, to be fair), but he has grown to the level of more than capable at right guard.
He had several reps where he simply stonewalled the man in front of him on Sunday. When Fries is left on an island (like in the clip below), he is capable of holding his own and locking down his assignment in a hurry:
Fries has steadily improved against speed rushers too, as evidenced by this rep against Arden Key on the interior.
Key attempts to catch Fries with a cross chop, but Fries' length and power do enough to knock Key completely out of the rush:
The biggest concern in Fries' game early in this season was his recognition and his agility against stunts/twists. He still has some work to do in this area but this was a great rep below against the Titans in this regard.
He gets his eyes on the late looper and completely takes that rusher out of the play (giving Gardner Minshew enough time to find a man downfield).
The Bottom Line
The Colts found themselves a gem in Will Fries. It isn't often that a team is able to find a quality backup in the seventh round of the NFL draft, let alone a player capable of being an above-average starter on the offensive line.
Fries has the length and the power to be a productive starter for a long time in the league. If he continues to grow as he gains more experience, the Colts could be looking at their long-term answer at the right guard position for the foreseeable future.
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