With OTAs nearing for the Indianapolis Colts, let’s take a look at one big question facing each position group. Up next is the offensive line.
The Indianapolis Colts will begin Phase III of the offseason programs on May 28th, which means the start of voluntary Organized Team Activities (OTAs).
Rather than only doing individual drills as the Colts have been doing, they will now be permitted to do 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 team drills, although no live contact is allowed.
So with this important part of the offseason schedule about to begin, I wanted to highlight one big question facing each position group. Up next is the offensive line.
Below you can find our previous position previews.
How smoothly will move to right guard be for Matt Goncalves?
With Will Fries now in Minnesota, the Colts will move Matt Goncalves from the tackle position to right guard. As offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. described recently, what gives the team the confidence that Goncalves can make this transition is that he practiced at guard often last season and improved throughout the year. The Colts also believe he has the skill set to play inside.
“I look at his skill set and the skill set that he has,” Sparano said. “He’s a big man. He’s got power. He’s got length and he’s really, deceptively very light on his feet. He’s quick. He can get out in space, you saw some of the stuff he did in the run game out in space last year was very good. That about his skill set excited me, plus he’s a really tough physical player. For our guards, that is non-negotiable, they gotta be that way and he is that way.”
However, at the college or NFL levels, Goncalves has hardly any guard experience. He played 44 snaps during his career at Pittsburgh and one regular-season snap as a rookie with the Colts. Perhaps the move to guard ends up being a relatively seamless one for Goncalves, but that also might not be the case either–we just don’t know.
In an offseason where GM Chris Ballard spoke about the need for competition throughout the roster, I was surprised that no outside additions were made at guard to compete with Goncalves. Instead, the Colts will rely on Dalton Tucker or Josh Sills to create that competition.
Naturally, all eyes will be on the Colts’ quarterback competition, but regardless of who is under center, consistent success starts with the offensive line providing a run game to lean on and time in the pocket. Without that, it’s going to be tough sledding for the Colts’ offense.