Anthony Castonzo is the Colts’ most underrated player

The starting left tackle has been a mainstay for the Colts for a decade now. He doesn’t get as much love as some other guys on the line, but he should.

Anthony Castonzo was drafted back in 2011 to try to solidify the left tackle position. The position had been in flux since the retirement of Tarik Glenn. Castonzo was brought in to help keep Peyton Manning upright and keep the offense moving forward.

Fast-forward to now, and Castonzo is still tasked with keeping his franchise quarterback upright. Only now it’s Andrew Luck behind center. Castonzo has been the Colts’ most reliable lineman since he was drafted, and he’s the only one left from that 2011 offensive line. He’s the only one left from the 2016 line too.

The value of Castonzo was clearly illustrated last season. He missed the first five games because of a hamstring injury that also kept him out of training camp. The Colts floundered in those games and only won one of them. Then when he came back, the offense started clicking.

Not only is he a really good player at left tackle, but he is a good leader of the offensive line. Having him up there puts some stability on a very important position on the field. He is the driving force behind a good pass protection scheme and good run blocking.

Castonzo is now 30 and is in his prime. He should continue his great play as long as he can stay healthy. The Colts know they need him out there, but they trust him too. They haven’t drafted any left tackles in awhile. That shows they love what he is doing out there.

As long as Castonzo is playing for the Colts, the offensive line has a chance to be good.