Out of all the various issues the Indianapolis Colts faced over the 2024 season, the offensive line generally hasn't been one of them. The o-line has been a solid unit, and, when healthy, even one of the best in the league.
There's no denying that the offensive line got worse as the season went on. Quarterback Anthony Richardson frequently came under pressure, but that was largely due to the overwhelming number of injuries that plagued the unit. The healthy offensive line, though, was one to be feared and respected across the league.
So Ben Rolfe's decision to rank them at #15 in his 2024 rankings for Pro Football Network just doesn't seem quite right.
"The Indianapolis Colts’ OL is no longer the elite unit it once was. It still has some good players, but it lacks high-level talent across the board.Ben Rolfe
Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco are not as difficult to block for as some other quarterbacks (ranking around league average in time to throw). Plus, Richardson is incredibly tough to bring to the ground, which means Indy’s sack rate always looks better than it should.
The blitz is a real concern for Indianapolis’ offense, allowing a 52.2% pressure rate (31st). Some of that is because their QBs tend to hold the ball longer than the rest of the league when facing the blitz compared to facing three or four pass rushers. Yet, Richardson is also a big reason that the 51.9% pressure rate has only turned into a 6.1% sack rate (11th).
When you separate sack and pressure rate numbers by a quarterback, Richardson has a higher pressure rate (37.7%) than Flacco (29.0%) but a lower sack rate (5.2% vs. 6.7%). That perfectly encapsulates their play style, with Richardson holding the ball for 2.96 seconds on average and Flacco at just 2.64. Richardson, though, is significantly more elusive.
The Colts rank 16th in RBYBC/rush (0.91) but are fourth in RBWR. That tells a very good story about Jonathan Taylor’s style as a running back who seems to welcome contact with his ability to break through tackles. It also means this line averages out right around a top-10 unit in run blocking."
Sure, the Colts don't have the best offensive line unit in the league; they might have, but injuries changed all of that. However, they are still better than the mediocre rating Rolfe gave them. And that's even with rookies like Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves stepping in - both of whom showed great talent and potential this season.
Furthermore, to say that the Colts o-line lack "high-level talent" is nothing short of delusional. Quenton Nelson, anyone? Will Fries, before he was injured, was named by Pro Football Focus as the best right guard in the league. Bernard Raimann has been an absolute superstar. Braden Smith is known to be one of the best right tackles in the league. And even Ryan Kelly, at his age, is a force to be reckoned with.
There are definitely places where one could argue that the Colts have problems with a lack of talent - tight end, anyone? - but the offensive line is not among them.