3 Questions that Colts Must Ask Themselves during Training Camp

2. How Improved Is The Offensive Line?

The Colts have done this this offseason; commit to fixing the offensive line. In the draft, they selected Alabama center Ryan Kelly and three more offensive linemen in the draft.

With some more added competition at the center and guard positions, the question is who will play right guard and right tackle? The Colts are set at left tackle to center, but the right side is wide open.

As it stands right now, the Colts will start out with Hugh Thornton at right guard and Joe Reitz at right tackle. Thornton, who I had the opportunity to interview a few weeks ago, has had an injury-plagued last few seasons with the team. In the last two years, Thornton has unfortunately had to be placed on IR. Even when healthy, Thornton has been inconsistent. However, he has dropped some weight in the offseason and thinks that this gives him a competitive advantage.

At right tackle, the Colts seem to like Joe Reitz. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is very confident in Reitz playing right tackle. Pagano said, “He’s got quite a few starts under there. I feel really good. If we had to lineup tomorrow and Joe Reitz was our right tackle, I’d feel really good.”

The Colts have other players with a lot of potential to start as well. 2015 seventh round pick Denzelle Good started four games when Anthony Castonzo missed time last season. The Colts were impressed with Good last season, and see his great potential:

“If he continues on that path, he’s going to be an important player,” team owner Jim Irsay said.

General Manager Ryan Grigson was raving about Good as well:

“I think Denzelle Good could play about any spot he wants,” Grigson said in March. “He has the aptitude to do that. He got better with each game. He blocked people in ways that you don’t typically see a rookie, let alone anyone, block—in terms of finishing, raw power and athleticism.”

Good also is a very versatile player. He can play just about any position along the offensive line. Jim Irsay sees this rarity in Good as a player:

“A guy who can move at 6-6 and 345 pounds, that’s rare,” Irsay said.

Also don’t rule out third round Le’Raven Clark and fifth round pick Joe Haeg respectively.

“In the second round, we were looking at (T.J. Green and Clark), so they are guys that we are really happy to get because we thought that they had tremendous value,” Grigson said.

Both of these players have tremendous upside. While they may not be starters this season, they give the Colts quality depth at their positions in the very least.