There have been plenty of think pieces about the problems the Indianapolis Colts have on their roster: the quarterback situation, the abysmal tight end unit, the need to rebuild the defense, just to name a few. But that doesn't mean there aren't any bright spots in the locker room. The Colts have some great talent, though it often goes unrecognized.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has recognized the top three players for each team, and the three that they chose for Indianapolis likely won't be a surprise to many Colts fans:
- Quenton Nelson
- Bernhard Raimann
- DeForest Buckner
"Nelson holds the highest WAR for any non-quarterback on the Colts, both in 2024 (0.55) and as a three-year average (0.44). Raimann delivered career highs across the board — 85.1 overall grade, 82.0 pass-blocking grade and 80.7 run-blocking grade. Buckner earned an 81.9 overall grade, extending his streak to three consecutive seasons above 80.0."
Raimann has been the recipient of many accolades over the past year, including being named the Colts' "secret superstar," despite having missed some time throughout the 2024 season due to injuries. He had a standout season, and is a vital part of the Indianapolis offensive line.
The other half of the o-line duo mentioned here, Quenton Nelson, is also as expected. He's one of the best guards in the NFL, is a five time All-Pro, and has been named to the Pro Bowl in every one of his seven seasons.
Finally, there's DeForest Buckner, arguably the best player on the Colts defense. He's getting older, but it doesn't seem to be slowing him down. Buckner was one of thetop 10 defensive tackles in the league last season, and was also the Ed Block Courage Award recipient for the Colts. He's missed less than 10 games in his entire career, and PFF graded him highly last season, with the third-highest pass rush productivity rating among defensive tackles, and had the second-highest with a 17.3 percent pass rush win rate. He's also a major leader off the field for Indianapolis, too.
These three are well deserving of being named the top three players for the Colts, but next year, they might have more competition - if we're lucky.