Indianapolis Colts O-Line Coach Chris Stausser Weighs in on Tackle Depth
INDIANAPOLIS — It was unusual but appreciated that the Indianapolis Colts had the NFL’s only offensive line without a missed start in 2019.
Second-year offensive line coach Chris Strausser is mindful that doesn’t happen often and shouldn’t be expected. He gives backups the same advice as before.
“As I’ve said forever to guys who aren’t the starters, ‘Hey, your time is coming pretty quick,’” Strausser said on a Tuesday Zoom video conference call. “Last year was one of those years that that didn’t happen.
“And so I’ve got to remind them again, ‘It’s coming.’ I don’t want it to come, but it’s coming. They know. They know the nature of this sport at this level, and that it’s very, very rare for everybody to play. That’s a huge part of where we’re at right now in our room, is to develop legitimate next guys, our sixth, seventh, and eighth guy. That’s a huge part of everybody’s mission right now. The starters understand the importance of that.”
It’s even more important when considering the Colts lost versatile tackle/guard Joe Haeg to free agency. He signed with Tampa Bay.
When assessing tackles who back up Anthony Castonzo and Braden Smith, 2016 third-round pick Le’Raven Clark re-signed for one year. He’s played in 35 NFL games with 12 starts. After that, there are question marks.
Chaz Green, drafted in the third round by Dallas in 2015, has bounced around from the Cowboys to New Orleans, Denver, and Oakland. He’s played in 22 games with seven starts. But the fact he’s a journeyman with his fifth team in a short time suggests he’s inconsistent at best.
“Really with the experience that Le’Raven has in our offense and also Chaz has played a fair amount of football when he was in Dallas,” Strausser said, “those two guys really have to step up and compete and try to find a way for us to get what we had in Joe Haeg the last couple of years.”
What about guards who have the versatility to shift to tackle in a pinch? Rookie Danny Pinter, a fifth-round selection, played offensive tackle at Ball State. His body size translates more to guard or center in the NFL, Strausser says, but Pinter could play tackle in an emergency.
Veteran guard Andrew Donnal, like Green, is a veteran who has bounced around the league in recent years. Drafted in the fifth round by the Rams in 2015, he’s since played for Baltimore, Detroit, and Miami.
“Andrew Donnal is a guy who’s playing guard for us right now, but he’s also going to get some tackle reps,” Strausser said. “For him to really be competitive and add value to this roster, he’s a guy who’s going to have to play some different spots.”
Pinter has impressed coaches with his preparation and attention to detail. Strausser says he would be comfortable thrusting the rookie into a tackle position if needed.
The Colts also have tackle Brandon Hitner, a first-year pro out of Villanova. He was undrafted and spent his rookie year on Jets and Bills practice squads.
(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)
