Colts left tackle situation remains murky despite Eric Fisher news

Despite having the requisite capital to do so, the Indianapolis Colts shockingly bypassed addressing their left tackle quandary in last week’s draft.

As a result, the Colts are reportedly opening negotiations with some of the top left tackles remaining on the free agent market … which is what fans have been clamoring for since the start of the offseason, but better late than never, right?

On Tuesday, news broke that Indianapolis will be welcoming veteran Eric Fisher, who tore his Achilles in January, for a visit this week. As much of a world-beater Fisher is at left tackle, his recent injury history has made fans question whether he’d be the right addition.

Whatever side of the debate you fall on, the Colts’ wanting a closer look at Fisher doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll end up with him. After all, insider Stephen Holder of The Athletic is reporting that there’s a chance Fisher isn’t medically cleared by Indy.

If that happens, the Colts will turn their attention to Charles Leno, who was surprisingly released  by Chicago this week. However, they better make a decision quickly, because the Broncos are reportedly “very” interested in signing the former seventh-rounder after starter Ja’Wuan James tore his Achilles while working out away from Denver’s facility.

Despite the latest reports, the Colts’ left tackle situation is still unclear.

In other words, if the Colts aren’t precise in their evaluation process, they could end up right back where they started: without a proven left tackle on the roster.

If we had a say in the matter, we’d prefer Leno over Fisher, as the former has started 93 consecutive games over the last five seasons. That’s almost unheard of for left tackles, and Fisher’s durability (or lack thereof) in the last two campaigns pales in comparison (though he appeared in 94 of a possible 96 games to begin his career).

For context, Fisher missed half of 2019 after undergoing surgery for a core injury and dealing with a groin issue. Though the former No. 1 overall pick appeared in 15 games last year, he suffered a torn Achilles — good luck naming a more serious injury — in the Chiefs’ playoff victory over Buffalo in January.

While Fisher was the definition of an iron man over his career before 2019, he’s endured two serious injuries over the last two years now entering his age-30 campaign. That can’t be understated, and proves Leno, assuming Denver doesn’t intervene with a rich offer, should be the Colts’ top target.

However, whatever ends up happening, Fisher and Leno are both better than what Indianapolis currently has on the roster at left tackle. As things stand, the Colts are planning to start Sam Tevi, who signed a one-year deal this offseason, at the position.

That should instill anything but confidence in fans, as Tevi has tallied the worst pass-blocking grade (51.6) and conceded more pressures (134) than anyone in the position since he first became a starter three years ago, according to Pro Football Focus.

Again, it’s encouraging that the Colts are being proactive trying to fill their left tackle void. However, we wouldn’t advise fans to get overly optimistic, because the front office’s indecisiveness has proved costly many times this offseason.

Colts: Ranking remaining free agent left tackle options

The Indianapolis Colts are still without a quality left tackle, so here's a ranking of the remaining options on the free agent market.