Chris Reed Makes the Quenton Nelson Injury Easier to Manage
The Indianapolis Colts lost more than just the game this past Sunday, as superstar left guard Quenton Nelson is doubtful for this upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins.
Head Coach Frank Reich said "Quenton Nelson (ankle) is probably not going to play Sunday. Not ruling him out. But not optimistic," according to Kevin Bowen. While Nelson being out is a big loss to the offense, it is certainly one that is a bit more manageable now than it may have been in years past.
The Colts signed veteran guard Chris Reed this offseason to a one-year deal. Reed started 15 games for the Carolina Panthers in 2020, and he was mostly solid in the snaps he did see.
Reed played in 48 snaps this past weekend and didn't look like a liability in the slightest. He had a great game in run blocking and didn't give up too much in the pass game either. Pro Football Focus charted him as only allowing one quarterback hit and two hurries in 35 pass blocking snaps.
I was personally a big fan of the Reed signing when it happened and Sunday showed exactly why. Offensive line depth league-wide is at an all time low, so having a capable veteran like Reed come off of the bench is a major asset.
Is Reed a noticeable downgrade from Nelson? Yes, absolutely. When you have a player like Reed, who can come in and play at starter-level, it makes an injury to Nelson much more manageable.
The main reason for writing this is because I have seen some fans call this a major concern for the Colts going forward. While a downgrade on the offensive line is definitely a concern, this shouldn't be in the top five concerns on just the offensive side of the ball alone right now.
An injured quarterback struggling, revolving doors at both offensive tackle spots, and terrible situational football are much bigger concerns at the moment for the team.
Losing Nelson is a big deal, obviously, but Reed will be perfectly fine filling in for however long he has to. The real concerns, the ones the Colts have dealt with for three weeks, are what will have to change if the Colts hope to get out of this losing streak.
In short, Chris Reed is a solid football player that makes this injury much easier to manage for the Colts. They can take their time with Nelson's recovery and make sure he is perfectly healthy before coming back. The focus now has to be how the Colts can clean up the other major concerns on offense prior to this match-up with the Dolphins.
Also, please enjoy this film interview I did with Reed this past offseason. He's a super smart football and I learned a lot from the conversation:
Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
