Colts Offensive Line Preview: Has Excellence Been Renewed?

What should be expected from the Indianapolis Colts' offensive line in 2025?

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Jake Hansen (35) attempts to get past Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson (56) during the game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

For the first time in a few years, the Indianapolis Colts will undergo multiple changes on the offensive line.

Center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries accepted lucrative contracts in free agency with the Minnesota Vikings, leaving new openings on the Colts' offensive front. Luckily for the Colts, they anticipated having a couple of vacancies in 2025, drafting Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini in the spring of 2024. Now, the two second-year players will get their shot at becoming starters.

So, what should expectations be for the Colts offensive line this season?

LIKELY STARTERS

OT: Bernhard Raimann, Braden Smith | IOL: Quenton Nelson, Tanor Bortolini, Matt Goncalves

Raimann, Nelson, and Smith are veteran mainstays on the line, and Smith returns to the team after dealing with personal issues for the final month of the 2024 season, helping get the Colts' line back to full strength for 2025.

The Colts are technically having an open competition for the center and right guard spots, as veteran Danny Pinter will have an opportunity to become the center, where Dalton Tucker has a chance at right guard. However, the overwhelming favorites for those spots are Bortolini at center and Goncalves at right guard.

As rookies in 2024, Bortolini saw 351 snaps at center and left guard, and Goncalves saw 566 snaps at right tackle, left tackle, left guard, and jumbo tight end.

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PRIMARY BACKUPS

OT: Blake Freeland, Jalen Travis | IOL: Danny Pinter, Dalton Tucker

This is year three for Freeland, who still has an opportunity to win the swing tackle role despite his snaps being gutted from year one in 2023 (701) to year two in 2024 (23). Travis was drafted not only to compete for that swing tackle spot in 2025, but potentially to become the new right tackle whenever Smith moves on.

Pinter and Tucker are two solid backup options for the Colts. Pinter has started 9-of-60 games in his career, amounting to 759 snaps, although he is far more affective at center than he is lined up anywhere else. As an undrafted rookie last year, Tucker was thrust into action when Fries suffered a season-ending leg injury, starting seven games and playing 464 snaps.

ON THE BUBBLE/PRACTICE SQUAD POTENTIAL

OT: Marshall Foerner, Jack Wilson, Luke Tenuta | IOL: Josh Sills, Wesley French, Mose Vavao

There may be an opportunity for one or two of these bubble players to make the roster, either as a 10th lineman or in place of one of the backups.

Wilson, Tenuta, Sills, and French have primarily been practice squad/bottom-of-roster-level players in their careers, whereas Foerner and Vavao are rookie undrafted free agents each with dozens of collegiate starts under their belts. Vavao has numerous starts at left guard, right guard, and center.

Positional Previews

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• Colts Wide Receiver Preview: Massive Offseason Decisions Looming
• Colts Cornerback Preview: Charvarius Ward Leads Deepest Group in Years
• Colts Tight End Preview: Tyler Warren Finally Brings Legitimacy
• Colts Safety Preview: Camryn Bynum, Nick Cross Form Legit Duo