After visiting training camp this evening, watching the first team offensive line was intriguing. Some of the players on that unit were surprising.
One of the biggest things to watch during training camp is the offensive line. The Colts are shuffling players around to see who the most effective unit might be. Observing camp today, I was surprised at who they had on the first team.
The first team offensive line was Jack Mewhort at left tackle, Quenton Nelson at left guard, Ryan Kelly at center, Matt Slauson at right guard, and Denzelle Good at right tackle. That is a very interesting combination for a couple of reasons.
It was surprising to see Goode out there instead of Joe Haeg. Haeg played most of last year and played fairly decent. Goode looked just okay out their today. Haeg and rookie Braden Smith were on the second team. Goode was probably out their because Anthony Castonzo is on the PUP.
Mewhort was very impressive. He played left tackle the whole time and did a great job protecting the quarterback. He is a very versatile guy, and he knows he has to perform well this year on a one year deal. He seems to project as a starter.
Nelson looked pretty good as well. He battled in some drills and I saw him only get beat once. He uses his lower body so well to make sure he doesn’t get driven off the line of scrimmage. Defensive lineman will struggle with him, even as a rookie.
All in all, the offensive line looked pretty solid today. They did a good job opening holes up for the running backs during the scrimmages as well. But the first unit combination is something to keep an eye on moving forward.