The Indianapolis Colts have had a good offensive line for years. While the offense hasn't been great for many previous seasons, the fault hasn't been the O-line. This year, even with a couple of key changes, the line is stout and efficient.
It helps, of course, that left guard Quenton Nelson is a future Hall of Fame player at left guard. Left tackle Bernhard Raimann is also fantastic, but it is right tackle Braden Smith who might be the most unsung of all those players. That is what happens when someone plays right tackle.
NFL teams want to spend tons on a left tackle because that position protects a quarterback's blind side, as most QBs are right-handed. Right tackle obviously needs to be great against edge rushers, too, but they simply don't get the flowers that their counterparts on the other side do.
Braden Smith is trending toward a Pro Bowl season for the Indianapolis Colts
Smith deserves better. Proving that the Pro Bowl voting is pretty much just a popularity contest, Smith has never made the All-Star game. He has certainly played well enough, though. In 2020 and 2023, he didn't allow a sack, for instance.
This year might be trending toward being his best. Forget the Pro Football Focus (subscription required) grades. They are still solid for Smith through three games, but not as good as in many previous seasons. Instead, look at the raw numbers.
According to ESPN, the right tackle currently ranks ninth among all tackles in run-block win rate at 83 percent. Smith is ranked 18th in pass-block win rate at 92 percent. Raimann ranks seventh in run-block win rate, but is outside the top 20 in pass-block win rate.
A major reason that new QB1 Daniel Jones has only been sacked twice and not touched that much more is that edge rushers are struggling to get past Smith. Both bookends for Indy are having highly efficient seasons, but football fans might know Raimann but not Smith.
The Indianapolis Colts' right tackle has allowed just three total pressures in 2025. If that trend continues, he will allow just 17, the second-lowest number of his career. All the pressures so far have only been hurries. Jones has not gotten hit from the tackle spot to his right.
Braden Smith is now eight seasons into his career. For the first time (assuming he keeps up his level of play, and why shouldn't he?), he needs to be selected to the Pro Bowl. Not because he is the most popular, but because he is outplaying nearly everyone else at his position.