Colts' O-Line Takes Another Blow As Danny Pinter Signs With AFC Rival

The Indianapolis Colts are lacking depth up front.

Dec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;Indianapolis Colts center Danny Pinter (63) walks off the field after a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

We're only eight days into NFL free agency, and the Indianapolis Colts have already lost two offensive linemen to AFC rivals. First, the Houston Texans poached right tackle Braden Smith. A few days later, news broke that the Baltimore Ravens are signing center/guard Danny Pinter, according to a report from ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler.

The Ravens and C Danny Pinter have reached agreement on a deal, per source.

Baltimore gets much-needed help at center. Pinter spent five seasons with Indianapolis. pic.twitter.com/rA1rCJlyU3

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 17, 2026

Pinter was selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Ball State University. He racked up 10 starts and 77 total appearances for Indianapolis, primarily playing as a center over the past two years.

Pinter started one game at center in 2025 after Tanor Bortolini suffered a concussion in Week 16. According to Pro Football Focus, Pinter earned a 56.5 overall grade through 139 offensive snaps played. He allowed one sack, one QB hit, and five pressures.

Pinter was valuable for the Colts as a Swiss Army Knife on the interior. His ability to fill in as a guard or a center was used throughout his Colts tenure, especially since injuries are inevitable on the offensive line throughout a 17-game season.

Colts' Offensive Line Depth is Shaky

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Indianapolis Colts guard Dalton Tucker (68) and center Tanor Bortolini (60) and center Danny Pinter (63) take the field to warm up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Now, the Colts' only backup center is Jimmy Morrissey, who signed a reserve/future contract in January. He spent a chunk of the 2025 season on Indy's practice squad, and if the Colts don't make any other moves, he'll be the go-to man behind Bortolini.

On the interior, the Colts have Quenton Nelson, Tanor Bortolini, and Matt Goncalves as starters. Behind those three, Indy has Josh Sills, Dalton Tucker, Bill Murray, and LaDarius Henderson. Combined, those backups played 155 offensive snaps for the Colts last season, with Tucker receiving 151 of those.

At tackle, the Colts are equally as thin. They have Bernhard Raimann protecting Daniel Jones' blindside, and opposite of him will be Jalen Travis, the fourth-round pick who started four games in 2025.

Behind Raimann and Travis are Blake Freeland, Bayron Matos, and Jack Wilson. Those backups played zero combined snaps for Indy in 2025.

Losing both a starter and a key reserve in the same unit puts pressure on the front office to replenish depth. The Colts could add to their front five either through the draft or with cheap veteran signings.

According to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec, Pinter's deal is worth a maximum of $2.75 million. That's not an expensive price tag, but it was enough for the Colts to not retain one of their best insurance policies.

If there is any group Ballard knows how to draft, it's the offensive line. Every single one of the Colts' projected starters was drafted by Ballard, and they're all decent players. Realistically, the Colts will likely add to their depth along the front five by using a Day 3 pick, just as they did with Pinter in 2020.

After the Ravens let go of Tyler Linderbaum, they desperately needed help at center. Pinter fills that void, and he'll immediately become the starter in Baltimore.

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