We’ll admit, we trashed the Matt Pryor trade when the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles struck a deal earlier this year. But how could he not have?
Pryor was bad with the Eagles and he was among the reasons Carson Wentz had an awful 2020 before he was ultimately sent to Indy. That trade, at the time, felt like enough of a risk. Then general manager Chris Ballard was going to surrender a late-round pick for a guy who was a turnstile in his limited action?
Turns out we weren’t aware of the entire situation. In 2020, Pryor dealt with a herniated disc in his back, which caused tremendous pain in his legs at times. Ever hurt your back? Don’t. It’s the worst. Ever.
In speaking with Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star, though, it’s clear nobody knew the full story with Pryor and why he was playing so poorly. Truth be told, the Eagles may have given the Colts a gem for … next to nothing.
Colts have finally found a swing tackle in Matt Pryor, who got a 'wake-up call' from trade https://t.co/7gmLvcVLwC
— IndyStarSports (@IndyStarSports) November 10, 2021
The Colts appear to have stolen Matt Pryor from the Eagles in another heist.
Pryor underwent surgery in late January to address the back issue, which has seemingly done wonders for him during his time with the Colts despite the fact he was deprived of five months of training as he recovered.
He hasn’t been a godsend for the offense, but he’s filled in admirably when needed, especially over the last month and a half. He played 100% of the snaps against the Ravens, Texans and 49ers. Indy went 2-1 in that stretch, with the loss to the Ravens coming due to a fourth quarter meltdown for the ages. He also played 42% of the snaps against the Dolphins, which was another win. He’s filled in at both tackle spots (but mostly on the right side during Braden Smith’s absence).
With all the Colts’ offensive line has dealt with this year, Pryor’s presence has been crucial, even if pedestrian fans fail to realize it.
Colts HC Frank Reich had some praise for the offensive line. https://t.co/NQjTUK0sv0
— TheColtsWire (@TheColtsWire) November 8, 2021
But again, the important thing to note here is that the Colts swapped late-round picks with Philly to acquire a lineman capable of filling the gaps in times of dire need. How many prospects can you even draft in the middle rounds that’ll come through in such a way? You know the answer to that.
Pryor is only under contract through 2021, but the Colts have been pleased with his work and we wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a reunion after the season. The offensive line is mostly locked up with Smith, Ryan Kelly and Quenton Nelson signing contract extensions. If Pryor can stay in town as a Swiss Army knife tackle, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Eric Fisher beyond this season, the Colts can keep their reputation of having one of the most skilled and versatile offensive lines in the league intact.
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